Pain negatively impacts the quality of life of the elderly. Geriatric pain management services are designed to help older people deal with all types of pain.
Pain among older adults is usually associated with chronic and acute medical conditions such as osteoarthritis, cancer, surgery, head trauma, hip fracture, heart disease, and musculoskeletal disorders. Effective geriatric pain management services help the elderly to:
Unmanaged pain or poorly controlled pain impairs activities of daily living (ADLs), and can cause mood disturbances, decreased ambulation, and cognitive alteration. Identifying the root cause of pain is essential for effective pain management. Barriers to effective management of pain in older adults include challenges to proper pain assessment and underreporting of pain by patients with dementia or other communication difficulties.
Pain Management in the Elderly
The treatment of pain begins with the assessment of what instigated the pain, how it can be terminated, and what management modalities would be most effective for a particular patient.
A multi-specialty healthcare center would have a comprehensive approach to pain management with pharmacotherapy, interventional procedures, physical rehabilitation, and psychological support. A comprehensive pain assessment would include a thorough evaluation of medical history, physical fitness, and diagnostic test results and imaging studies. The center's pain management physicians would then work with other medical specialists to implement both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic measures to control the pain based on location, intensity and other individual conditions.
Treatment offered may include medication, physical therapy, injections and other therapies such as
Established rehabilitation centers provide comprehensive geriatric pain management services to treat both the sensory and emotional facets of pain in the elderly. Specialized geriatric care management services are also offered to address various challenges associated with aging with in-depth assessment programs, care plan development and implementation, medication management and ongoing care management. These services are aimed at making daily living easier for the elderly.
Fall Risk Assessment and Conditioning
In addition to geriatric pain management services, healthcare centers also offer fall risk assessment and conditioning programs. Slip and falls in the elderly can lead to injuries and hip fractures that cause debilitating pain. Healthcare centers offer slip/fall prevention for older adults to help reduce their risk of falling. Such programs focus on identifying and modifying the factors that can lead to falls. Physical factors such as strength, balance, walking speed, step length and muscular fitness are improved through exercise and balance and gait training programs. Participants are also offered advice on improving safety in the home environment.
Pain among older adults is usually associated with chronic and acute medical conditions such as osteoarthritis, cancer, surgery, head trauma, hip fracture, heart disease, and musculoskeletal disorders. Effective geriatric pain management services help the elderly to:
- Get relief from pain
- Maintain the highest level of functioning possible
- Enhance the quality of life and independence
- Improve mental and physical health
Unmanaged pain or poorly controlled pain impairs activities of daily living (ADLs), and can cause mood disturbances, decreased ambulation, and cognitive alteration. Identifying the root cause of pain is essential for effective pain management. Barriers to effective management of pain in older adults include challenges to proper pain assessment and underreporting of pain by patients with dementia or other communication difficulties.
Pain Management in the Elderly
The treatment of pain begins with the assessment of what instigated the pain, how it can be terminated, and what management modalities would be most effective for a particular patient.
A multi-specialty healthcare center would have a comprehensive approach to pain management with pharmacotherapy, interventional procedures, physical rehabilitation, and psychological support. A comprehensive pain assessment would include a thorough evaluation of medical history, physical fitness, and diagnostic test results and imaging studies. The center's pain management physicians would then work with other medical specialists to implement both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic measures to control the pain based on location, intensity and other individual conditions.
Treatment offered may include medication, physical therapy, injections and other therapies such as
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
- Nerve blocks
- Administration of analgesics, NSAIDs, narcotic medications, muscle relaxants, and anti-convulsants and antidepressants
- Cold/heat treatments
- Physical exercises
- Chiropractic care
Established rehabilitation centers provide comprehensive geriatric pain management services to treat both the sensory and emotional facets of pain in the elderly. Specialized geriatric care management services are also offered to address various challenges associated with aging with in-depth assessment programs, care plan development and implementation, medication management and ongoing care management. These services are aimed at making daily living easier for the elderly.
Fall Risk Assessment and Conditioning
In addition to geriatric pain management services, healthcare centers also offer fall risk assessment and conditioning programs. Slip and falls in the elderly can lead to injuries and hip fractures that cause debilitating pain. Healthcare centers offer slip/fall prevention for older adults to help reduce their risk of falling. Such programs focus on identifying and modifying the factors that can lead to falls. Physical factors such as strength, balance, walking speed, step length and muscular fitness are improved through exercise and balance and gait training programs. Participants are also offered advice on improving safety in the home environment.