New Guidelines for Recognizing and Assessing Pain in Older Adults

Recommendations to help healthcare professionals recognize and assess levels of pain in older people have been published in Age and Ageing , reports Careinfo.org . The British Geriatrics Society notes there is growing evidence showing that chronic pain is more prevalent among the older population, and pain that interferes with everyday activities grows with age. The guidelines aim to address areas in which improvements can be made. Areas identified as presenting a particular challenge when managing older people's pain included "stoicism," which can result in the underreporting of pain; the perception that increasing pain is a natural part of aging; and 10-minute consultations in the U.K. general practice which often limits seniors from engaging in meaningful conversation about their pain. Pain in nursing community residents also often goes undetected. The guidelines recommend education and training of personnel to identify pain and act on their findings. They also urge healthcare professionals to be aware of the wide variety of available pain measures and have a solid understanding of how and when to use them.