**9. Lessons learnt**

In addition to the described issues, several observations merit attention. Older adults suffering from PTSD report serious impairments in daily life. The presented studies show that patients who gain access to treatment can achieve a clinically significant treatment response. As for NET, the qualitative analysis showed that during and after treatment, renewed personal growth is found to be within reach for older adults, *Treating Trauma-related Disorders in Later Life: Moving Forward DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.102499*

just as for younger patients. This renewed growth can be a sign of returning strength and vitality, notwithstanding residual symptoms. Even in later life, the taxing procedure of NET did not prevent significant symptom reductions, rendering credibility to interpreting treatment changes as results of cognitive and emotional reprocessing, without, however, ruling out the influence of the patient-therapist relationship.

Another observation refers to the age in terms of a remaining lifetime. Rapidly expanding life expectancies imply that improved quality of life after treatment offers new perspectives on potentially many more years of a satisfactory quality of life. This awareness may offset negative cognitions concerning the usefulness of treatment in later life. In these years, some patients hope for a new understanding between parents and children or grandchildren, potentially correcting existing intergenerational transmission of maladaptive interaction patterns [54]. In clinical practice, such intentions might call for careful preparation and timing, since selfdisclosure of painful memories might evoke unexpected family dynamics. "*Wishing to be honest about my past experiences, I simultaneously fear the consequences. Will my children believe me? What will they think of me, and of my tormentor, who is one of their grandparents after all?*"
