Pain Management in Older Adults

Background

Chronic pain is prevalent among older adults but is underrecognized and undertreated. The approach to pain assessment and management in older adults requires an understanding of the physiology of aging, validated assessment tools, and common pain presentations among older adults.

Objective

To identify the overall principles of pain management in older adults with a specific focus on common painful conditions and approaches to pharmacologic treatment.

Methods

We searched PubMed for common pain presentations in older adults with heart failure, end-stage renal disease, dementia, frailty, and cancer. We also reviewed guidelines for pain management. Our review encompassed 2 guidelines, 10 original studies, and 22 review articles published from 2000 to the present. This review does not discuss nonpharmacologic treatments of pain.

Results

Clinical guidelines support the use of opioids in persistent nonmalignant pain. Opioids should be used in patients with moderate or severe pain or pain not otherwise controlled but with careful attention to potential toxic effects and half-life. In addition, clinical practice guidelines recommend use of oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with extreme caution and for defined, limited periods.

Conclusion

An understanding of the basics of pain pathophysiology, assessment, pharmacologic management, and a familiarity with common pain presentations will allow clinicians to effectively manage pain for older adults.     

Population-Focused Approaches for Proactive Chronic Pain Management in Older Adults

Chronic pain, and the ethical management thereof, is the single most imperative health issue of this decade. Although a growing majority of individuals with chronic pain are middle-aged, the largest proportion of sufferers are older adults. Shifting tides in practice and research have led to population-focused approaches to pain management; however, the practice of many healthcare providers remains reactive and individualistic, limiting the discovery and implementation of long-term solutions for pain management in older adults. Yet, nurses and other health professionals have an opportune position to provide expert pain care by proactively providing evidence-based care for patients systematically. The purpose of this article is to stimulate discussion on three paradigms important to population-focused pain management: (1) prevention; (2) restoration and rehabilitation; and (3) palliation, which are in line with current national policy initiatives for improving patients’ care experience, improving overall health and quality of life, and reducing associated health care costs.     

The Cancer Pain Practice Index: A Measure of Evidence-Based Practice Adherence for Cancer Pain Management in Older Adults in Hospice Care

Various clinical practice guidelines addressing pain assessment and management have been available for several years that pertain, at least to some extent, to older patients with cancer. Nonetheless, systematic evaluations or methodologically sound studies of adherence to pain management practice guidelines within Medicare-certified hospice programs are lacking. As part of a larger translating-research-into-practice pain improvement study involving older patients with cancer in hospice programs, we recognized the need to create a valid and reliable tool that can facilitate critical evaluation of hospice medical records for nurse and physician adherence to pain management guidelines to create a consolidated score for comparative and quality improvement purposes. We report the process used to create this tool, named the Cancer Pain Practice Index, and a guide to its use.     

Practical Considerations for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma in Older Adults

Although often considered a disease of childhood, the prevalence of asthma in US adults aged 65 years or older is similar to that in children, with the number of older patients needing care for asthma likely to continue to increase. As with most chronic diseases, there are challenges associated with the diagnosis and management of asthma in an older population. This review discusses these challenges, suggesting practical management strategies for primary care physicians and their teams. Asthma comprises a spectrum of phenotypes, some associated with adult onset. The symptoms and characteristics of patients with late-onset asthma can differ from those of patients with early-onset disease. Furthermore, older patients may fail to recognize respiratory symptoms as abnormal and have other comorbidities, complicating the differential diagnosis of asthma. Once diagnosed, the long-term goals of asthma management are no different in older adults than in anyone with asthma, with inhaled corticosteroids being the cornerstone of therapy. Comorbid conditions become more common with age and have a direct impact on a patient's respiratory symptoms and potential adverse effects of therapy, thereby influencing the choice of therapies and delivery systems and potentially increasing the likelihood of complex polypharmacy. In conclusion, asthma, although traditionally considered a disease of the young, should be considered as a potential diagnosis in older adults with respiratory symptoms, even without a history of asthma or allergies. As with all patients, the primary goals of asthma management in older adults are symptom control and exacerbation reduction.     

A Goal Attainment Pain Management Program for Older Adults with Arthritis

The purpose of this study was to test a pain management intervention that integrates goal setting with older adults (age ≥65) living independently in residential settings. This preliminary testing of the Goal Attainment Pain Management Program (GAPMAP) included a sample of 17 adults (mean age 79.29 years) with self-reported pain related to arthritis. Specific study aims were to: 1) explore the use of individual goal setting; 2) determine participants' levels of goal attainment; 3) determine whether changes occurred in the pain management methods used and found to be helpful by GAPMAP participants; and 4) determine whether changes occurred in selected pain-related variables (i.e., experience of living with persistent pain, the expected outcomes of pain management, pain management barriers, and global ratings of perceived pain intensity and success of pain management). Because of the small sample size, both parametric (t test) and nonparametric (Wilcoxon signed rank test) analyses were used to examine differences from pretest to posttest. Results showed that older individuals could successfully participate in setting and attaining individual goals. Thirteen of the 17 participants (76%) met their goals at the expected level or above. Two management methods (exercise and using a heated pool, tub, or shower) were used significantly more often after the intervention, and two methods (exercise and distraction) were identified as significantly more helpful. Two pain-related variables (experience of living with persistent pain and expected outcomes of pain management) revealed significant change, and all of those tested showed overall improvement.     

Piloting Tailored Teaching on Nonpharmacologic Enhancements for Postoperative Pain Management in Older Adults

Despite many advances in the pharmacologic treatment of pain, the issue of unresolved postoperative pain continues to plague patients and health care professionals. Little seems to be known about the reasons why nonpharmacologic methods are not more widely used, particularly as they are commonly low in cost, easy to use, and largely free of adverse side effects. A central question has to do with what patients are taught about nonpharmacologic methods and how a novel mode of teaching can be embedded in practice. A seven-step pre-posttest teaching intervention pilot study was deployed with older joint replacement patients within the context of a translational research model. Results of the teaching pilot showed significant post-teaching changes in subjects' knowledge and attitudes about nonpharmacologic methods for pain management, high satisfaction with the nonpharmacologic methods they chose, and incrementally greater use of the nonpharmacologic methods over the course of the hospital stay. A randomized controlled trial of the study is now in the early planning stages in an effort to obtain generalizable results that will help solidify evidence of the impact of music, imagery, and slow-stroke massage on pain management and confirm the value of patient teaching as an important means of offering patients more options for managing their own pain.     

Facilitators,Barriers, and Solutions in Pain Management for Older Adults with Dementia

BackgroundAlthough qualitative studies have been conducted to identify barriers and facilitators that influence the pain management of older adults with dementia, as far as we know, only a very recent study (Andrews et al., 2019) has used participatory action research (PAR) as a methodology for studying pain management. It allows nurses to examine and improve their practice based on their realities and within their context.AimTo reflect on nursing practice and identify facilitators and barriers in the management of pain in older adults with dementia and to propose actions for improvement.DesignWe used qualitative participatory action research.Participants/SettingsTen nurses from the geriatric acute care unit of a university hospital in Spain were recruited through convenience sampling.MethodsData were generated through a written questionnaire and three focus groups.ResultsOne of the main facilitators the participants identified was professional experience. The main barriers they identified were lack of knowledge and skills and lack of time. The participants proposed two main improvements: (1) a training program consisting of three courses (pain evaluation and management, dementia and pain, and pharmacology) and (2) the creation of a specific register for nurses to record patients’ pain.ConclusionsInvolving nurses directly in research on their practices can result in precise proposals for improvements based on their needs and oriented toward improving the quality of care. Moreover, our results confirm previous findings in other countries.