Improving pain control for elderly patients, particularly elderly patients with dementia, is still very much a peripheral focus of gerontological health care, despite the prevalence of pain-related chronic conditions in this population. Barriers that impede pain control efforts are identified. Recommendations for more effective pain assessment and intervention practices are presented.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
1. Liebeskind JC, Melzack R: The international pain foundation: Meeting a need for education in pain management (Editorial). Pain. 1987; 30: 1-2.
2.
2. Schecter NL, Berde CB, Yaster M: (Eds.) Pain in Infants, Children, and Adolescents. Baltimore, Maryland: Williams and Wilkins, 1993.
3.
3. Ferrell BR, Ferrell BA (Eds). Pain in the Elderly. Seattle, WA: IASP Press, 1996.
5. Dolce JJ, Dickerson PC: Pain management. In P.A. Wisocki (Ed.) Handbook of Clinical Behavior Therapy with the Elderly Client. (pp. 383-402). New York: Plenum Press, 1991.
6.
6. Kee WG, Middaugh SJ, Pawlick KL: Persistent pain in the older patient: Evaluation and treatment. In RJ Gatchel & DC Turk (Eds.) Psychological Approaches to Pain Management. (pp.371-402). New York: The Guilford Press, 1996.
7.
7. McCaffery M, Beebe A: Pain: Clinical Manual For Nursing Practice. St. Louis, Missouri: The CV. Mosby Company, 1989.
8.
8. Pasero C, McCaffery M: Postoperative pain management in the elderly. In BR Ferrell and BA Ferrell (Eds.) Pain in the Elderly. (pp.45-68). Seattle, WA: IASP Press, 1996.
9.
9. Farrell MJ, Gibson SJ, Helme RD: Chronic non-malignant pain in older people. In BR Ferrell & BA Ferrell (Eds.) Pain in the Elderly. (pp.81-89). Seattle, WA, IASP Press, 1996.
10.
10. Harkins SW, Price DD: Assessment of pain in the elderly. In DC Turk and R Melzack (Eds.) Handbook of Pain Assessment. (pp.315- 331). New York: The Guilford Press, 1992.
11.
11. Ross MM, Crook JM: Pain in later life: Present state of knowledge. In R Roy (Ed.) Chronic Pain in Old Age: An Integrated Biopsychosocial Perspective. (pp.3-19). Toronto: University of Toronto Press, Inc, 1995.
12.
12. Baker A, Bowring L, Brignell A, & Kafford D: Chronic pain management in cognitively impaired patients: A preliminary research report. Perspectives. 1996; 20(2): 4-8.
13.
13. Parmelee PA, Smith B, Katz IR: Pain complaints and cognitive status among elderly institution residents. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 1993; 41(5): 517-522.
14.
14. Ferrell BA: Pain management in elderly people. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 1991; 39(1): 64-73.
15.
15. Harkins SW, Lagua BT, Price DD, Small RE: Geriatric Pain. In R. Roy (Ed.) Chronic Pain in Old Age: An Integrated Biopsychosocial Perspective. (pp.127-163). Toronto: University of Toronto Press, Inc, 1995.
16.
16. Herr KA, Mobily PR: Complexities of pain assessment in the elderly. Journal of Gerontological Nursing. 1991; 17(4): 12-19.
17.
17. Parke B: Pain in the cognitively impaired elderly. The Canadian Nurse. 1992; 88(7): 17-20.
18.
18. Sorkin BA, Turk DC: Pain management in the elderly. In R. Roy (Ed.) Chronic Pain in Old Age: An Integrated Biopsychosocial Perspective (pp.56-80). Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1995.
19.
19. DeGood DE, Dane JR: The psychologist as a pain consultant in outpatient, inpatient and workplace settings. In R.J. Gatchel & D.C. Turk (Eds.), Psychological Approaches to Pain Management. New York: The Guliford Press, 1996.
20.
20. Folstein MF, Folstein SE, McHugh PR: “Mini-Mental State”: A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research. 1975; 12:189-198.
21.
21. Yesavage JA, Brink TL, Rose TL, Leirer VO: Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: A preliminary report. Journal of Psychiatric Research. 1983; 17: 37-49.
22.
22. Merskey H, Bogduk N (Eds). Classification of Chronic Pain Descriptions of Chronic Pain Syndromes and Definitions of Pain Terms. Seattle, WA: IASP Press, 1994.
23.
23. Popp B, Portenoy RK: Management of chronic pain in the elderly: Pharmacology of opiods and other analgesic drugs. In BR Ferrell & BA Ferrell (Eds.) Pain in the Elderly. (pp.21-34), 1996.
24.
24. Ferrell BR: Patient education and non-drug interventions. In BR Ferrell & BA Ferrell (Eds.) Pain in the Elderly. (pp.35-44). Seattle, WA: IASP Press, 1996.