Resources
Training all staff in the basics of trauma and resilience and the trauma-informed care principles improves knowledge, skills, and competency. This section shares practices, toolkits, and training resources to support resident wellness.
Three short introductory training videos were developed for this toolkit and tested with nursing home staff across the nation. Among those testing the series, 96.4% were satisfied or very satisfied with the series.
Story-Based Practices
Stories are one of the most natural and necessary ways humans have of making meaning and of connecting with ourselves and others. Additionally, stories can offer pathways of meeting unmet needs by helping to restore voice and agency. Here are some promising story-based practices that have been used in long-term care settings.
Narrative Medicine
Narrative Medicine is a practice compatible with person-centered, trauma-informed care that emphasizes a full understanding of life stories and gives voice to lived experiences of suffering and loss, triumph and joy (Charon et al., 2017). This practice has been piloted as part of a quality improvement project in long-term care. The pilot included documentation of residents' stories, which were then shared with staff in focus groups. The pilot showed promise in strengthening relationships among residents, providers, and staff and in promoting staff engagement, increased joy, and improved quality of care (Abi Chebel et al., 2024).
Storysharing
Storysharing is another promising, narrative-based practice that aims to better understand what gives residents' lives meaning in order to increase connection with staff and also to inform the care plan (Heiliker, 2018). This workbook offers an overview of Storysharing, an intervention between CNAs and nursing home residents.
Toolkits
Here are some additional toolkits and resources that may assist nursing homes to support residents' health, well-being, and recovery from trauma:
Ageism and Ability Toolkit
Ageism in senior living settings has been shown to increase the dependency of residents and reduce their quality of life and the quality of their care. In contrast, positive attitudes about aging supports living longer, recovering from serious illness more completely, and coping with daily stressors more easily.
Capacitar Emergency Response Toolkit
Translated into more than 20 different languages, this resource from Capacitar International includes simple, basic practices for immediate support in helping people handle distress that may arise from chronic stress, challenging situations, or natural disasters. These practices are universally accessible to everyone and may be helpful in de-escalation or providing comfort.
Health Disparities
Addressing health disparities is imperative to offering culturally-competent, trauma-informed services. This toolkit from the American Hospital Association, while not specific to nursing homes, offers practice insights and resources for recognizing and addressing health disparities in health care settings.
Family Caregivers of Older Adults
These recommendations from the Jewish Federations of North America offer insights on trauma-informed outreach, communication, messaging, and supports for family members of older adults.
Holocaust Survivor Guidance
This guidance from the Administration for Community Living provides information about outreach and service provision for organizations serving Holocaust survivors.
LGBTQ+Aging
The SAGE National Resource Center on LGBTQ+ Aging offers information, resources, and educational materials on improving the quality of supports and services for LGBTQ+ older adults.
Access to Training
Good, evidence-based introductory training for staff can be self-paced and often accessed virtually for no or low cost through organizations such as:
- Institutes of higher education are good sources of reliable introductory or special topic training. Costs will vary widely.
- National organizations such as
- Jewish Federations of North America’s The Center on Holocaust Survivor Care and Institute on Aging and Trauma
- Leading Age (some materials are member-only access)
- The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care
- National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center
- The Pioneer Network.
- State government entities such as state units on aging, departments of health, Medicaid agencies, or long-term care ombudsman offices.