Older adults constitute a growing proportion of the United States population. By 2050, it is projected that adults aged 65 and older will comprise 82 million of the population – a 47% increase from 2022 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2018). In the United States, 90% of older adults have experienced a traumatic event in their lifetime (Norris, 1992). Considering the prevalence of trauma in this increasingly growing population, clinicians working with older adults must remain well-informed of the implications of trauma in aging. Roughly 2-4% of the older population meets criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Acierno et al., 2007) and 7-15% exhibit clinically significant symptoms (Kaiser et al., 2025); symptoms can last more than 50 years after a traumatic event (Thorp et al., 2011). However, there is a paucity of research on older adults with PTSD.
Several developmental factors in older age can explain why symptoms of PTSD may increase in later life. These include loss, retirement, increased health problems, reduced income, cognitive impairment, decreased social support, and other stressors that may make it more difficult to cope with memories associated with trauma (Thorp et al., 2011). Individuals who once turned to avoidance-based coping strategies (such as substance use or overcommitting oneself to work) may find that these strategies are no longer available or effective.
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