Geriatric Mental Health Disaster and Emergency Preparedness

224 Geriatric Mental Health Disaster and Emergency Preparedness
herbal medicine for older persons in disasters. The American Herbalists
Guide (2009) provides a comprehensive digest of information on herbal
remedies.
n Ashwagandha, sometimes referred to as the ginseng of India, is
indicated for people who are run-down or depleted and at the
same time suffer from anxiety, nervousness, and insomnia. Ashwagandha
has a long history of use as a sleep aid and in higher
doses has a mild sedative quality.
n Chamomile is useful in cases of mild anxiety and insomnia and has
the added advantage of being anti-infl ammatory, spasmolytic, and
calming to the gastrointestinal tract. It is helpful in treating stressrelated
gastrointestinal symptoms and can also be used as an essential
oil in aromatherapy.
n Ginseng is perhaps the most well-known medicinal herb and may
have special utility in a disaster. Ginseng is indicated for fatigue,
weakness, overexertion, shock, shortness of breath, and feeble pulse.
Ginseng calms the mind and consciousness and along with licorice
is useful in cases of adrenal exhaustion. One potential drawback for
some older persons is the stimulating effect of ginseng, which can
sometimes exacerbate anxiety or insomnia. Better options for such
patients include American ginseng, eleuthero, or ashwagandha.
n Lavender is very useful for cases of insomnia and anxiety, both
acute and chronic. Like rosemary, lavender is useful for improving
clarity of thought, memory, concentration, and cognitive function in
general. Lavender is also useful for tension headaches, dyspepsia,
and sluggish digestion, and can be used topically for burns, cuts, and
bacterial and fungal infections. Lavender is perhaps the most widely
used essential oil and is an important aromatherapeutic remedy.
n Lemon balm calms the nerves, elevates the mood, and relaxes tension.
It is useful for stress, anxiety, irritability, mild to moderate depression,
gastrointestinal complaints, and dyspepsia. Lemon balm
essential oil is very useful in aromatherapy and shows positive results
in treating dementia in preliminary clinical trials (Akhondzadeh,
et al., 2003; Ballard, O’Brien, Reichelt, & Perry, 2002).
n Licorice has marked mood-elevating effects, helps to restore homeostasis,
and is useful for dry irritated coughs, wheezing, asthma,
and pertussis.
n Reishi and other medicinal mushrooms have been shown to exhibit
wide-ranging immunomodulating activity, making reishi useful for