An Introduction to Creating a Trauma Informed Culture in the Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Facility - Part 4: Grounding as an Essential Strategy to Calm an Activated Nervous System

August 17, 2023

2 - 3 p.m. EST

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In Part 2 of this series, we explored what happens when a person’s nervous system is activated, and how they react with a fight-flight-freeze state. In this session, we’ll discuss grounding techniques to support a person when they are emotionally stimulated and experiencing distress. By integrating grounding strategies that work for each resident, staff may also have more capacity to uphold trauma-informed principles including safety, trust, empowerment, and collaboration.

Learning Objectives

  1. Define the concept of grounding and why this method of distraction supports a person with an activated nervous system.
  2. Name three grounding strategies.
  3. Consider collaborating with residents and their families to integrate these strategies into the care plan.

the center of excellence for behavioral health in nursing facilities (COE-NF)

Established by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in partnership with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the COE-NF offers Certified Medicare and Medicaid Nursing Facility Staff a centralized resource hub with easy access to trainings, technical assistance and additional resources, at no cost.

What We Do

We help nursing facilities to improve the quality of life and care provided for residents who are experiencing a variety of behavioral health disorders, with a focus on Serious Mental Illness (SMI), Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and Co-Occurring Disorders (COD).

Who We Help

We provide direct technical assistance, evidence-based training, and resources that are appropriate for every member of your long-term care facility — from those providing day-to-day direct care, to clinical and administrative staff.