1. Acute Pain Management in the Older Adult
2. Persistent Pain Management in Older Adults
3. Non-Pharmacologic Management of Agitated Behaviors in Persons with Dementia

Pain is a complex, subjective, and multidimensional experience without objective biological markers and is a prevalent problem in a growing segment of the population. In developed countries, older adults comprise 20% of the population and by 2050 is estimated to be a third of the population. Research demonstrates older adults receive significantly less analgesic medication than younger adults experiencing similar painful conditions or procedures, leading to inadequate pain relief in these older adults.

This evidence-based practice guideline provides recommendations for the management of acute pain in older adults. Studies have shown that when evidence-based practice guidelines are effectively implemented, patient outcomes improve and resource use declines. Written 1997; Revised 2000; 2003; 2006; 2016.

People living in the developed world can now expect to live longer than at any time in history. Although evidence-based practices in modern healthcare routinely promote longevity and save people from the brink of death. Approximately half of older adults living in the community have persistently painful conditions with more frequently encountered pain during the final months of life. An even greater proportion of older adults living in institutions face this nemesis on a daily basis.

The purpose of this guideline is to assist nurses and other health care providers in the management of persistent pain in older adults through assessment and treatment strategies. Assessment tools include the Brief Pain Inventory, Verbal Numeric Rating Scale, and the Faces Pain Scale. This guideline discusses pain management strategies, both non-pharmacological and pharmacologic and includes an algorithm for assessing pain in the cognitively impaired older adult. Written 2005; Revised 2015.

Non-Pharmacologic Management of Agitated Behaviors in Persons with Dementia [HERE]

The prevalence of long-term care residents diagnosed with a chronic dementing condition is between 42 and 84% with a median of 58%. Agitation is one of the behavioral symptoms that have been reported in up to 81% of those with Alzheimer’s disease. Agitated behaviors not only threaten the psychological and physical well-being of the resident with dementia but other residents in the facility, family members, formal caregivers, and visitors are negatively impacted as well.

The purpose of this guideline is to discuss non-pharmacologic interventions to prevent or manage agitated behaviors in long-term care residents with dementia have the potential to improve the quality of life for persons with dementia, their families, other residents and their care providers. Written 1995; Revised 2004; 2015.

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