Development of an Intervention to Reduce Pain in Older Adults With Dementia: Challenges and Lessons Learned : Alzheimer's Care Today

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FEATURE TOPIC: TREATING BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS

Development of an Intervention to Reduce Pain in Older Adults With Dementia

Challenges and Lessons Learned

MILLER, LOIS L. PHD, RN; TALERICO, KAREN AMANN PHD, RN, CNS-BC; RADER, JOANNE MN, RN, FAAN; SWAFFORD, KRISTEN BS, RN; HIATT, SHIRIN O. MPH, RN; MILLAR, SUZANNE B. PHARMD; SMITH, KEVIN R. MD; SLOANE, PHILIP D. MD, MPH

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Alzheimer's Care Quarterly 6(2):p 154-167, April 2005.

Abstract

Despite the high prevalence of pain in older persons with dementia, pain remains highly underdiagnosed and undertreated. A major factor in unrecognized pain in persons with dementia is their inability to communicate verbally. Behavioral symptoms and other expressions of pain are common means of communicating pain in persons with dementia. Clinical results of a National Institutes of Health—funded pilot intervention study to prevent and reduce pain in nursing home residents with moderate and advanced dementia during morning care are presented. This article summarizes the challenges associated with both pain assessment and pain treatment as well as lessons learned during the analgesic medication component of this study.

©2005Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

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