EMDR Therapy for an Elderly Woman With Depression, Traumatic Memories, and Parkinson’s Disease Dementia: A Case Study

Abstract

This case study looks at the application of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in an 83-year-old White woman with preexisting diagnoses of Parkinson’s disease and Parkinson’s disease dementia. She presented to the community mental health team with depressive symptoms, and during assessment, which included the use of the Trauma Screening Questionnaire, several traumatic life events emerged. Following six sessions of EMDR, subjective reporting on trauma symptoms and resilience improved and this was maintained 9 months later. Depression and anxiety scores (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) remained consistent, though a lack of improvement in these scores was thought to be associated with progression of her physical health symptoms and related poor quality of life. This case highlights the potential use of EMDR in those with dementia and traumatic memories and the success of the standard EMDR protocol, despite difficulties with eye movements due to neurological effects of Parkinson’s disease. Further research in the application of EMDR in later life and in those with neurodegenerative medical conditions is recommended.