Pain & the Elderly

It’s a fact:  as people age, they are more likely to experience pain.  And, the longer someone lives, the higher the risk for being in pain.  Studies have shown that up to half of all nursing home residents have substantial pain that is not being fully managed and up to 80% of seniors who live in their own homes receive no treatment for their pain.

COMMON CAUSES OF PAIN IN THE ELDERLY

• Musculoskeletal conditions, such as arthritis, are the number one cause of pain among the elderly.
• Cancer pain can come from the tumor pressing on body parts or from the cancer treatment itself.
• Nerve pain has many causes including diabetes, trauma, shingles and chemotherapy.
• Shingles can cause nerve pain that can be quite severe and may become chronic.
• Sciatica is back pain that spreads down the leg.  It is caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve.
• Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal and commonly causes leg pain.
• Muscle pain, such as aches, strains and sprains, are common among the elderly.

TIPS FOR WORKING WITH SENIORS WHO ARE IN PAIN

• Don’t assume that your elderly clients are pain-free just because they don’t seem to be hurting. 
• Be sure to ask your clients regularly if they are comfortable—because the only way to really know if someone is in pain is to ask!
• If clients tell you that they are in pain, believe them!  Often, when elderly people feel that others doubt their pain, they stop talking about it.  This can keep their pain from being properly treated.
• If you identify a “pain trigger”, be sure to document it so that the entire health care team can help the client avoid that trigger.
• Help your clients manage their pain by balancing periods of activity with periods of rest.  This is especially important for the elderly since they may tire easily even when not in pain.
• Pain medications can increase the chances that your elderly clients might fall down.  Do your best to prevent falls by watching your clients closely, assisting them when they ambulate and keeping their environment as clutter-free as possible.
• Remember that working with the elderly takes plenty of patience—especially when they are in pain.  So, treat your senior clients the way you would want your elderly loved ones treated.