🫂The ART of Trauma-Informed De-escalation Strategies for Working with Older Adults - 6 hours, Private Session

Thanks to generous funding from the Government of Alberta to support the mental health of older adults, this training is available at no cost to professionals and community members caring for Alberta's aging population. If your plans change and you are unable to attend, please email info@imagineinstitute.ca so we can open your spot to another participant.

This one-day, evidence-informed training explores how trauma, aging, and neurobiological changes intersect to influence behaviour and communication in older adults. Participants will learn how to de-escalate moments of confusion, frustration, or distress through a trauma informed lens that honours the person’s history, autonomy, and dignity.

Grounded in neuroscience and relational theory, the session integrates principles from trauma informed care, gerontology, and de-escalation research. Participants will examine how aging affects the nervous system, slowing cognitive processing, heightening sensitivity to loss, and sometimes reducing tolerance for stress or sensory overload. Through case examples, guided reflection, and skill-building exercises, practitioners will learn to recognize triggers, regulate themselves, and respond with empathy and precision to maintain both physical and emotional safety.

This training is designed for professionals who support older adults in home care, outreach, housing, and health care environments, and who seek to balance compassion with professional boundaries in high- stress or emotionally charged situations.

Learning Objectives:

KNOW: Knowledge & Understanding

• Understand how trauma and cumulative stress impact the aging brain, nervous system, and communication patterns.
• Identify common triggers for escalation among older adults, such as feelings of loss of control, sensory overload, fear of abandonment, or medical trauma.
• Explore how cognitive decline, sensory impairment, grief, and chronic illness can influence emotional regulation and perception of safety.

DO: Apply Skills & Practice

• Apply trauma-informed de-escalation techniques that preserve dignity, safety, and autonomy (e.g., calm tone, non-threatening body language, pacing communication).
• Implement environmental and procedural adjustments—such as reducing noise, providing clear choices, or allowing additional time—to prevent escalation.
• Practice collaborative boundary setting that communicates respect while maintaining professional and emotional safety.

BE: Professional Growth & Transformation

• Develop deeper empathy and patience through understanding how aging and trauma shape perception and behaviour.
• Shift from a control-oriented mindset (“managing behaviour”) to a relationship-based approach (“building safety and understanding”).
• Strengthen professional resilience by integrating self-awareness, compassion, and reflective practice into daily work with older adults.