Pain management in older adults

We are seeing a significant increase in the older population far outweighing that in younger cohorts, and this is set to dramatically increase by 2050. With increasing age comes an increased risk of co-morbidities and consequently a likelihood of pain. Pain is a common problem for older adults; many reports suggest that the incidence is around 50% in older adults living in the community, increasing to 80% among the nursing home population. Dealing with pain in this population is complex and becomes even more challenging when cognitive impairment exists. This article highlights the challenges, proposes strategies for the assessment and management of pain in the older population and makes recommendations for future research in this area.