Geriatric Pain Management: Challenges and Opportunities
Due to co-morbid medical issues and social factors, geriatric pain can be particularly challenging to manage. Geriatric pain management has unique challenges for acute pain (emergency department, inpatient, perioperative, cancer) as well as in the chronic pain setting. Coupled with the increasing geriatric population, the challenges of geriatric pain management are affecting primary care, specialists, and well as our social support systems. The primary goal of the presentation is to outline the factors influencing geriatric pain management and provide a framework for healthcare professionals. With the growing geriatric population, there is a need to address this population in a system fashion. The residual effect of untreated pain in the geriatric population can create a negative effect on physical and mental function, lead to social isolation and worsening of co-morbid medical issues. Additionally, our current healthcare workforce lacks the training and network to manage the complexities surrounding geriatric pain management. Typical pain management treatments for the non-geriatric population including medications, physical therapy, and injections/interventions may carry higher risks or further challenges in the geriatric population. Use of medications with sedation side effects may have an accentuated response in the geriatric population due to underlying cognitive factors or preexisting polypharmacy; additionally, geriatric patients may lack the social network to participate with outpatient physical therapy or have transportation for injections/interventional procedures.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the trends on prevalence of pain in the geriatric population.
- Identify the barriers and challenges with geriatric pain management.
- Outline the different pain assessment tools used to evaluate geriatric pain.
- Describe the risks/benefits of pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic, interventional, and complementary pain treatment options in the geriatric population.
- Demonstrate team-based interdisciplinary pain care and goal setting as a framework for geriatric pain management.
- Describe the risks/benefits of pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic, interventional, and complementary pain treatment options in the geriatric population.
- Demonstrate team-based interdisciplinary pain care and goal setting as a framework for geriatric pain management.
Available Credit
- 1.00 AANP
- 1.00 ACCME (All Other)
- 1.00 MATE ACT credit
- 1.00 ACCME (MD/DO Only)
- 1.00 ACPE Pharmacy
- 1.00 ANCC
- 1.00 APA