Strategies to Help Manage PTSD in Older Adults

Many of our elders have experienced at least one traumatic event, and many show signs of PTSD. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition that occurs after one witnesses or experiences a traumatic event. Examples of these events include war, natural disasters, and car accidents. Supreme care services can help manage PTSD in older adults as they age.

As your trusted home care provider in Pennsylvania, we will discuss strategies to help manage PTSD in a senior loved one:

• Provide compassionate support.
  Compassion is the best way to support seniors who are struggling with PTSD. Listen, accept their experiences, and be there to lend a listening ear when they need it. A non-medical home care provider can also assist with their activities of daily living to ensure their needs are met.
• Anticipate any triggers.
  Learning your loved one’s triggers helps manage PTSD. In many cases, situations that remind the person of the traumatic event will make them feel depressed, overwhelmed, angry, or anxious. Triggers can be locations or situations similar to the trauma, weather events, or bodily sensations that recall the trauma.
• Be aware of any co-factors.
  Although PTSD affects individuals of all ages, seniors may experience co-factors that worsen their symptoms. This may include dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Seniors who take medications for other conditions may also be at an increased risk of PTSD symptoms. Speak with your loved one’s doctor about the possible side effects of medications and other possible co-factors.

Uniquely Supreme Living Services LLC delivers client-centered home care in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. To deliver the quality care you deserve, we always go the extra mile to ensure your needs are met. Contact us today to learn more about our home care services.