Implementation of Trauma-Informed Care in Nursing Home Settings

Trauma-informed care (TIC) emphasizes the need for engagement at every level, including management, direct care staff, and clients,1,2 assuming that all stakeholders involved might have a past traumatic experience affecting current behavior. Through TIC, staff realizes the pervasive nature of trauma; recognizes it in clients, themselves, and peers; and the agency responds with policies and practices resisting retraumatization.3 TIC mitigates the long-term effects of traumatic experiences, including earlier morbidity and mortality, and posttraumatic stress disorder4,5 by ensuring safety; trustworthiness and transparency; peer support; collaboration and mutuality; empowerment, voice, and choice—contextualized by historical and cultural factors.