Nursing homes and other healthcare facilities must ensure that trauma survivors receive culturally competent, trauma-informed care in order to eliminate or mitigate triggers that may cause re-traumatization. This care should be based on professional standards of practice and should account for the resident's experiences and preferences. Trauma-informed care involves understanding, recognizing and responding to the effects of all types of trauma, and incorporates knowledge about trauma into care plans, policies, procedures and practices to avoid re-traumatization. It is estimated that 70% of adults in the US have experienced some type of traumatic event, and there is a direct correlation between trauma and physical health conditions. Facilities should use a multi-pronged approach to identifying a resident's history of trauma and their cultural preferences, and should ask the resident about triggers that may be stressors or may prompt recall of a previous traumatic event. Triggers may include a lack of privacy or confinement, exposure to loud noises or bright/flashing lights, certain sights, sounds, smells, and physical touch. Facilities should also use the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) to identify a resident's cultural preferences, and should ensure that resident's choice and preferences are honored and that they are empowered to be active participants in their care and decision-making.

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