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The assessment of pain in older people
- Authors:
- ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, BRITISH GERIATRICS SOCIETY, BRITISH PAIN SOCIETY
- Publisher:
- Royal College of Physicians
- Publication year:
- 2007
- Pagination:
- 13p.
- Place of publication:
- London
Pain is under-recognised and under-treated in older people, and the assessment of pain is particularly challenging in the presence of severe cognitive impairments, communication difficulties or language and cultural barriers. This guidance sets out the key components of assessing pain in older people, together with a range of practical scales that can be used with different groups, including those with cognitive or communication impairment. It aims to provide professionals with a set of practical skills to assess pain as the first step towards its effective management. It describes the background and methodology used, key components of an assessment of pain, and types of scale used to assess pain. It also provides a summary of recommendations in the full guidelines covering: pain awareness, pain enquiry, pain description, pain location and intensity, communication, assessment in people with impaired cognition/communication, cause of pain, and re-evaluation. It notes that the basic guidelines should be a routine part of the training and care provision of all healthcare professionals. The appendices include the guideline development process, an algorithm for the assessment of pain in older people, a pain map, and examples of pain scales.