Pain in Older People - A Hidden Problem?
The first ever piece of research with nursing home residents in chronic pain in the
The vast majority of the 77 interviewees (85%) said a doctor or nurse had never talked to them about how the often constant pain they suffer could be treated, while 57% had never been asked about their pain by nursing home staff responsible for their day to day care.
The qualitative research, Pain in Older People – A Hidden Problem, was commissioned by The Patients Association with the support of a research grant from Napp Pharmaceuticals.
The findings support earlier research conducted by The Patients Association last year on the carer’s perspective of looking after older people in pain in which 39% of non-professional carers reported that healthcare professionals never or only occasionally reviewed their patient’s pain level.
“With more than half a million aged 65 or over now living in nursing homes, the results of the research are disgraceful,” said Katherine Murphy of The Patients Association. “It is outrageous that so many residents are left in chronic pain unnecessarily. It is unacceptable for healthcare and nursing staff not to be actively relieving chronic pain. There is a desperate need for a more proactive approach to the management and treatment of pain by healthcare and nursing home staff.”
Chronic pain can severely reduce quality of life; in this new research poor pain management limited the activities of 90% of the interviewees and caused many to feel depressed and miserable (38%). Pain was also described as disturbing their sleep, restricting mobility and limiting their ability to take part in communal activities. In a few cases residents had suicidal thoughts.
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