Women in WWII

Though most women did not serve as soldiers in WWII, over 6 million women took wartime jobs. Women stood in for jobs usually intended for the men, such as working in factories or farms. While working was not new to lower class women, WWII propaganda posters encouraged white middle class women to participate in the workforce. Images of "Rosie the Riveter" empowered women, showing a strong female helping in the war effort. As we had discussed in our gerontology class in the beginning of the semester, there is a lot of stress put on working women because they are earning money while still expected to take on the role of caretaker. The idea of daycare was invented to allow even young mothers to work. Unfortunately, after the war this change in image of a powerful woman seemed somewhat artificial as many were forced to return to being housewives. However this did open up the doors for women in the workforce.

As these women grew older having had the experience with work has been beneficial. The changing role of women at the time allowed women to feel useful and empowered compared to the generations before. However this generation of females did not really maintain this sense of independence as in the 50s, the consumerist culture and boom in advertisements encouraged women to stay home and serve their families. The majority of women who continued to work post WWII had already been working before the war. Aging women who have experienced both roles of working wife and house wife may feel a sense of bitterness. The elderly women's roles in the wwii workforce allowed them to be more accepting of future generations of working women.

Sources:

http://youtu.be/WhswqZh2Rc4 - propaganda

http://youtu.be/IVtgEgw15mQ - displacement of women workers after wwii

http://womenshistory.about.com/od/warwwii/a/women_work.htm

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/7027

HOMELESS?

During my research I came across a shocking figure that stated that veterans made up 1/4 of all homeless people in America. While many associate homeless veterans to Vietnam and todays modern wars, in an NPR story, Michael Norris illuminates that there have been homeless veterans throughout the span of US history. Post WWI, soldiers returned and thousands were homeless, causing a huge protest where soldiers camped outside the nation's capitol demanding a bonus. Unfortunately, president Herbert Hoover responded quite poorly, sending guards and tanks out on the soldiers to evacuate them from the site.

Interestingly, this problem was examined and in 1944 the GI bill was created in time for the returning WWII soldiers. The GI bill allowed for one year of paid compensation for veterans after coming back from the war as well as a free college education. This allowed WWII soldiers to readjust more easily into civilian culture to a point where they could afford to buy a home. Between 1944 and 1952 the government also backed 2.4 million home loans for WWII veterans.

After interviewing the VA doctor, I was left with a sense of a positive interaction with this cohort group of wwii veterans. It led me to wonder why they were much more well adjusted. I think that the creation of the GI bill and ability to have a house really contributed to the "re-entry" stage in the veterans' lives. In the attached video, wwii veterans discuss the issue of homelessness. One man describes that after the war, "work, i didn't have no problem finding...now it ain't that way." This video was quite touching to see how the wwii veterans are sympathetic towards the new generation of homeless and jobless veterans.

Veteran elders are still at much more risk than non veteran elders to be homeless. About 23% of all homeless people are reported to have mental disabilities that keep them from getting jobs and getting out of homelessness. With destructive effects of war such as post traumatic stress disorder, this could keep people homeless. 38% of homeless also reported alcohol abuse. Alcoholism is especially prevalent amongst veterans, putting them at even more risk.

SOURCES

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-11-07-homeless-veterans_N.htm

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16227380

http://www.gibill.va.gov/gi_bill_info/history.htm

http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/526/homeless-facts.html

INTERVIEWING VA DOCTORS

In my research I found that a lot of articles were slightly impersonal so I decided to speak with a doctor that has worked in the VA and with veterans in general

In an interview with Dr. Albert Lim

A general practitioner who spent three years of his residency as well as much of med school treating veterans.

In your time working as a doctor you have treated patients at a regular hospital as well as at a VA center
Correct

Did you come across any veterans from WWII? Can you describe them - any sort of general characteristics that particularly stood out in this group?

I found that the World War II veterans were very humble. They did not speak much about their experiences in war. The one patient that told me a story was one of the soldiers during D Day. He had an amazing story about parachuting to the other side of the beach. He was such a great soldier he was invited back to Normandie France to commemorate him.

How interesting, were the veterans from other wars similar to that of WWII?
No, the soldiers of WWII were much more humble. I found that they felt less entitled.

What do you mean by less entitled?

They didn't feel like the doctors or other people owed them anything. The Vietnam War veterans seemed more entitled to recieve help.

So did you treat any patients with post traumatic stress disorder? How many of them were WWII veterans?

Yes I did, none of them were from WWII. Most of them were Vietnam Veterans.

Do you think this is partially due to the fact that ptsd was more highly diagnosed in vietnam veterans, and it was just something people weren't aware of during WWII?

Yes, probably.

How were the veterans different from your patients of the same age group that were not?
In addition to the usual problems of aging, alcoholism was much more prevalent. However at the same time the veterans seemed much more grateful to be receiving help.

Were there any sensitivities the doctors were trained for specifically in working with WWII veterans?
No, not really. I treat all my patients equally.

do you think anything could be improved in the healthcare and treatment of WWII veterans?

I think that the VA system has become more efficient than it was before. The quality of VA healthcare parallels that of general healthcare.

It was helpful to hear the point of view of a doctor. My general impression from the discussion was that WWII elderly were rather well adjusted, polite, and grateful. The doctor was content with all the treatment towards the WWII elderly. However, he did mention that this specific group of elderly were much less vocal about their experience. This was congruent with my research and how WWII soldiers were trained not to complain about their troubles. Perhaps the lack of entitlement and bitterness was also due to the fact that they returned from the war victorious and during a economically golden time. The interview left me feeling positive in the aging process of wwii elderly.

DURING TIMES OF DISASTER

In light of the Japanese earthquakes and Pacific Tsunami and consequently the nuclear plant meltdowns, I came across many articles that related the horrors and destruction to that of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki Bombing. Though the range of people who experienced trauma during these horrible acts extends beyond veterans, it is still a WWII stressor inducing memory that haunts a group of elderly today. Japan's population holds one of the highest percentages of elderly in a country, at 23%, double that of the US. I am sure that much of these elderly are reminded of the chaos they lived through during WWII. In a New York Times article, a reporter interviews elderly Japanese to see their reaction to the natural disaster. 75 year old Hirosato Wako states that he had lived through Sendai Air Raids and Bombings during WWII, however to him the scale of wreckage from the Tsunami seems even greater. Many elderly were too feeble to survive the disaster. With missing family and friends, and countless injuries and deaths, the tsunami has surely brought back horrors and feelings of battle and war.

I found it interesting that the US National center for PTSD has provided a page with resources for the survivors of the the Japan earthquake and tsunami. This reminds us of the possible new trauma that could be created from all the destruction.

Sources

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/15/world/asia/15elderly.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=wwii%20&st=cse

http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/survivors_japan_2011.asp

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42150705/ns/world_news-asia-pacific/

http://www.scpr.org/news/2011/04/06/in-tsunamis-wake-tough-choices-for-japans-elderly/

http://youtu.be/WICvdMWin9M

AGING VIETNAM VETERANS VS ELDERLY WWII VETERANS

While researching the topic of post traumatic stress disorder, the Vietnam War often came up more often than any other war. With over 30% of the veterans having PTSD, I found this comparison to be very interesting. Many veterans from the Vietnam war experienced PTSD right after their return from war while many WWII veterans did not experience the disorder until several years later. This difference could be due to differences in general public attitudes towards the wars, what was socially acceptable at the time, and general awareness of the disorder.

When veterans returned from WWII, they returned with a hero's welcome and subsequently an economical golden era. WWII was highly romanticized with the whole country supporting the troops and their cause. With so much positive reinforcement, the soldier's perhaps were distracted from the traumas of war and thus symptoms of PTSD were delayed until the later years of life. Contrastingly, the Vietnam war was controversial and not popularly supported amongst the American citizens. With such a long war filled with guerilla warfare and ultimately no success, soldiers returned home with a sense of loss and regret. Without a victory, veterans of the Vietnam war found little reason for their combat and suffering leading them to negative thoughts spurring symptoms of PTSD.

As the veterans of the Vietnam war are either entering or are already in their older years, I think its very important to pay attention to this generation and make sure symptoms do not worsen. Although many Vietnam Veterans experienced PTSD symptoms early on after the war, there are currently many more Vietnam veterans being diagnosed everyday. In 2003 over 153,600 Vietnam Veterans sought treatment. Like in WWII veterans, late onset symptoms are occurring and effecting the veterans as they age. In a NPR article on aging Vietnam Veterans, they bring up the same issues as I brought up in my last post on late onset PTSD; Explaining that veterans are experiencing symptoms several decades later due to less activity in ones life in the elderly age.

An interview with Jim Hale, a Vietnam War Vet

SOURCES:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14529768

EFFECTS OF PTSD ON AGE RELATED ILLNESS

While it is typical of people with PTSD to experience horrible symptoms that impair day to day life, it doesn't only stop at that. People with PTSD are more likely to be susceptible to other disorders and issues in later life. In a recent study conducted by the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, it has been found that people with PTSD caused by war are more likely to develop dementia in their old age. Dementia is a syndrome related to loss of brain function which effects memory, language, and problem solving and is often related to aging and the elderly. The studies conducted by Dr. Mark Kunik included 10,481 veterans over the age of sixty five. Though the research, it was found that 7.2% of the patients with PTSD had dementia while only 4.5% of patients without PTSD developed dementia. The results are depressing but also did not shock me. Both illnesses deal with mental acuity and psychological well being. The study is new and needs more development to fully understand the relationship between the two.

Like Dementia, PTSD is often late onset and unfortunately can increase with age. As many of these symptoms deal with insecurities or fears with health decline in later age, a veteran may feel as if they are weakened and vulnerable in war. Also being retired leaves the elderly with more time to think about past traumas. Many veterans with PTSD abuse substances such as drugs or alcohol, but once they stop in later life it can sometimes bring back the stresses of PTSD. As an elder's friends and loved ones around him or her begin to die it may also trigger feelings of loss that one may have had in combat. All these stresses and reversions can be very taxing on the elderly and can cause serious depression and decline in quality of life.

For both dementia and PTSD it is recommended that one stays fit and exercises on a regular basis. This can be very difficult for the elderly as many are not physically well enough. However, simple activities that can make a person feel strong and meaningful could be very beneficial. Staying active physically, socially, and mentally is very important for both disorders and could really help keep cognition and happiness in later life.

sources:

http://www.americangeriatrics.org/press/news_press_releases/id:1126/

http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/ptsd-older-vets.asp

Ruskin, Paul E & Talbot, John A. Aging and Posttraumatic Stress disorder. Washington DC. American Psychiatric Press,Inc. 1996.

TREATMENT & CARE

I first became interested in the subject of Post traumatic stress disorder after reading historical fiction, Regeneration by Pat Barker. The author describes several soldiers from WWI who experience PTSD and are put in a mental institution. This telling novel illustrates the attitude towards and treatment of the disorder at the time. Rather than trying to acclimate the soldiers back into society, the main goal is to make the soldier well enough to return to battle as soon as possible. While one sensitive psychiatrist encourages the soldiers to retell their war horrors to heal, an aggressive doctor forces his patients to experience painful electroshock therapy. The method of electroshock therapy is insensitive and crude, used to create the “quickest” way to recovery. As a result the patients simply become a number rather than humans with free will or thought, revealing the common careless attitude towards the disorder at the time.

The idea behind Electroshock therapy is that it erases and shocks some of your memories away. There have been several accounts of depression and confusion, post electroshock therapy. Electro shock therapy also works on a system where the patient must return for continuous shock appointments, leading the patients to become dependent on such a numbing method. The treatment also induces seizures which can be too physically taxing on an elderly person.

Electroshock therapy is still used today but considered controversial and only to be used in extreme cases. The government has centers for veterans supported by a group called the VA. Treatments on the VA website include cognitive therapy and exposure therapy which both include discussing and realizing your fears. Medication and group therapy are also encouraged by the VA. Unfortunately, the website states “we provide no direct clinical care,” suggesting that in order to receive treatment, the patients may have to pay for the medical expenses. Many people who have PTSD are unable to work or keep a steady job with the disorder and may not have enough money to receive the medical care needed. Also in the elderly, nursing homes may not all be sensitive to the needs of an inhabitant living with PTSD. While the VA does have veteran nursing homes, it still costs money. There is a program for benefits to help pay for such nursing homes but only 1 in 4 seniors in the country qualify for the income program. In my opinion these nursing homes should be free and readily available for all veterans, especially those diagnosed with PTSD.

For the elderly who are unable to live in nursing homes designed specifically for veterans, it can be difficult. Nurses often do not focus on psychological issues but mostly on physical ailments. The nurses should be made aware that the effects of PTSD can worsen over time. There is also a large percentage of veterans who have late on-set PTSD. Independent of the level of trauma, the negative effects of PTSD are much worse on the elderly. The elderly are much more vulnerable as often they are already experiencing cognitive decline.

sources:

http://www.ptsd.va.gov/about/index.asp

http://www.longtermcarelink.net/ref_state_veterans_va_nursing_homes.htm