Does time really heal all pain?
Much of what I’ve come to believe about time is that it’s the “best medicine” for emotional pain. In this logic, those who’ve had the most experience with time, elderly individuals, should have developed the adaptability to deal with trauma and should show higher recovery rates than younger cohorts. This could be some of the reasoning behind why the majority of Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) studies have revolved around children and young adults. However, PTSD recovery/improvement rates are not as favorable for the elderly population as compared to most, younger populations.
Two Basic types of Trauma, Endless Experiences.
Two basic types of trauma involve:
- Single occurrences, which involve extreme situations such as a violent attack
- Ongoing or repeated trauma, such as the experiences suffered in a long-term abusive relationship.
In these two types, there are endless personal stories of all varying degrees of trauma. Examples of repeated trauma are discussed in Donna Koehn’s article “Many Holocaust Survivors Live with PTSD.” The issue of relieving horrific events for a second time is discussed and Koehn presents a great example of how traumatic events can still have debilitating affects 70 years later.
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Only recently has the issue, of physical health manifestations caused by trauma, been explored. Manifestations of PTSD in later life may include reports of more physical pain or sleep disturbances that are often misdiagnosed as depression. Recent studies show changes that physically alter the brain after a traumatic event, such as loss of a loved one. Dr. Marvin S. Hausman, explains that this neurobiological process can be “painful and occasionally incapacitating.”
As many elderly individuals experience the death of a spouse, close family members and friends, many may come to accept loss as a part of aging and a part of life, but the physical pain that creeps up in later life could be related to years of buried emotional pain.
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A large problem is that elderly people are poorly misrepresented in PTSD studies. Many studies involving older adults and trauma tend to pool residents into a single group (65 and older). These particular studies are not taking into account the distinctiveness within these age groups and unique characteristics regarding experience. Without sufficient information gathered within research, how can we develop the proper care for elderly individuals suffering from PTSD? Furthermore, there is not an ample supply of health care professionals in the field today with geriatric specialization and with an emphasis on PTSD. The outcome for older adults with PTSD may not be as favorable as that of younger adults simply because there isn’t adequate support for this population.
The Light at the End of the TunnelHope comes from more awareness and understanding of PTSD within the elderly population. From those who have survived experiences like the Holocaust, to those who survived the Earthquake in Haiti, all various types of support may be needed for PTSD and there is a call for people with special concern for the elderly. Lauren Kessler’s blog in the Chicago Bridge, “Disaster Relief Mission for the Haitian Elderly”, talks about her relief trip to Haiti which focused on the older population effected by physical and psychological trauma after the earthquake. Works like these present examples of the wonderful organizations like HelpAge International that are specifically designed to meet the needs of elderly individuals suffering from trauma.
Additional PTSD Support:
