Aged care staff need specialised training to care for survivors of genocide and mass trauma, according to a La Trobe University report.

The Caring for Older Survivors of Genocide or Mass Trauma report, initiated by Jewish Care, focused on the ageing population of survivors from the Jewish Holocaust and Cambodian Genocide.

Project investigators Karen Teshuva and Dr Yvonne Wells found aged care staff were not equipped to care for the distinct needs group and needed specialised training for genocide survivors.

Ms Teshuva said providing appropriate and sensitive care for elderly survivors and their families was challenging for the sector.

"There is a lack of information about the issues faced by survivors, their caregivers and their families," she said.

"Consequently, there is little information to inform policy and practice in the aged care sector about models of service provision."

The report found the onset of dementia could trigger memories of genocide and holocaust while survivors could have challenging behavioural issues and often mistrusted authority figures.

One holocaust survivor told how she felt "humiliated" when male staff members assisted her in the bathroom.

"…in the camp … we didn’t have a toilet in the barracks. We went out in the open and on the other side of the barbed wire were men looking.

"So it is most embarrassing for me. I didn’t mind men for anything else but not in the toilet."

Ms Teshuva said it was vital for staff to understand the history of survivors in a bid to improve their quality of care.

She said a training model had been developed for all levels of aged care staff and the university was investigating opportunities to include their resources in new and existing training programs.