Assisted Living Communities for Senior Veterans – Insights into PTSD
June is PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) Awareness Month. Our assisted living community in Camden County is promoting awareness of this serious condition and helping people find compassionate long-term care for veterans.
What is PTSD?
PTSD is a mental health condition in which people who have been through a traumatic event experience symptoms of reliving the event, avoid situations that recall the event, feel guilt and shame, or hyperarousal (feel jittery, unable to sleep or concentrate, easily startled, etc.). While it is normal to feel stress after a traumatic event, PTSD sufferers usually experience them far beyond the usual parameters, both in terms of the intensity of the symptoms and the duration over months, years or even decades of their lives.
It’s important to realize that this mental health condition does not affect each patient equally or in the same ways. This serious disorder deserves specialist treatment and is not a sign of weakness.
How is PTSD treated?
There are two main types of treatment for PTSD, psychotherapy (counselling) and medication. Patients may be prescribed either one or both depending on their needs.
The psychotherapy treatment can include any single or combination of the following treatments:
- Cognitive behavioral treatment – This is about learning skills to help understand the trauma and how patients think about the event.
- Prolonged exposure therapy – This can include repeating the story of the trauma until it loses its power to trigger traumatic symptoms and patients gain control over their feelings.
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing – This therapy teaches patients to focus on sounds and hand movements while talking about the trauma to help the brain move through the memories and gain control.
Medications for PTSD may include SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) and SNRIs (Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors) which are also effective for treating depression, and Prazosin to help decrease nightmares. Medications are only available through qualified medical professionals.
Treatment and assisted living benefits for veterans
Veterans who have completed active military service, been honorably discharged or completed federal deployments as a National Guard or a Reservist are able to access benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help treat PTSD and provide assisted living services. Programs are available that offer medical assessment, medication, psychotherapy, group therapy and more. Benefits may also include financial assistance and access to assisted living care, depending on the qualification criteria.
Expert, compassionate assisted living in Camden County
United Methodist Communities at Collingswood is an assisted living community in Camden County, NJ, offering high quality assisted living services in a comfortable, well-supported and beautiful environment. As part of the United Methodist Communities network, it also offers rehabilitation, access to therapists, hospice care, and respite care. Collingswood welcomes seniors from all faith backgrounds.
To find out more about our assisted living community, please contact us today at https://umcommunities.org/collingswood/ or book a personal tour.
