Geriatric pain. Pain perceptions in the old

Pain is likely to be a different problem in the old-old and the frail elderly compared to the young-old. Little attention has been paid to date to the impact of pain on quality of life in dementia patients, in postfracture patients, or in nondemented nursing home residents. It is likely that pain is...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inClinics in geriatric medicine Vol. 12; no. 3; p. 435
Main Author Harkins, S W
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.08.1996
Subjects
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aging
Clinical Trials as Topic
Humans
Pain - etiology
Pain - physiopathology
Pain Management
Online AccessGet more information

Cover

More Information
Summary:Pain is likely to be a different problem in the old-old and the frail elderly compared to the young-old. Little attention has been paid to date to the impact of pain on quality of life in dementia patients, in postfracture patients, or in nondemented nursing home residents. It is likely that pain is a major source of depression and suffering in these individuals. Although currently available pain assessment tools are appropriate for the young-old, their usefulness in the old-old has not yet been evaluated. Additional pain assessment tools are needed for uncommunicative patients. The effectiveness of pain relief treatments in such patients cannot be evaluated without appropriate assessment. Such assessment may depend upon well-developed behavioral and observational techniques, particularly in individuals with later-life dementias such as dementia of the Alzheimer's type-a condition responsible for in excess of 60% of nursing home residents.
ISSN:0749-0690
DOI:10.1016/s0749-0690(18)30210-6