Abstract
Objective: People with dementia are at increased risk of delayed-onset post-traumatic stress disorder. However, the clinical manifestation of trauma-related symptomatology in dementia is poorly understood. This study drew upon retrospective accounts of relatives to explore the psychological experiences over time of people with dementia who have experienced trauma.Methods: Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with relatives of people with dementia who had experienced a traumatic event earlier in life. Transcripts were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis.
Results: Two overarching themes were developed which characterised how participants made sense of their relatives’ experience of trauma and dementia: “I Might Feel Differently if I Didn’t Know the Stories”, Mental Health and Dementia are Inextricably Linked. Within these ways of making sense was the theme Varied Trajectories of Trauma, with four subthemes: The Fundamentality of Trauma, Dementia as a Magnifier of Trauma, Dementia Lightens the Load of Trauma and Unchanging Relationship With Trauma.
Conclusion: Relatives describe multiple overlapping patterns by which earlier life trauma is implicated in the psychological experience of people preceding and through their dementia. These findings point to a multi-faceted relationship between lifetime traumatic events and subsequent psychological distress in dementia, highlighting the importance of trauma-informed dementia care.
| Date of Award | 20 Sept 2024 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
|