Question

Briefly discuss the problems associated with the pain management of an older person in aged care including how chronic pain might affect the person and their family/carer and their capacity to perform daily living activities (in 70-90 words).

Answer 1

#. The problems associated with the pain management of an older person are :-

- Patients with Renal Insufficiency will have the following :-

Excretion of morphine and codeine may be delayed , resulting in undesirably long therapeutic or adverse effects, particularly with sustained-release formulations.

- Undesirable effects of Opioids

Dose-related sedation, cognitive impairment, and respiratory depression

May cause confusion

Pupils are usually very constricted

Cause constipation or urinary retention

Occasionally cause nausea, sometimes with vertigo

#. Pain lead to impairments in quality of life and in the activities of daily living (ADLs); as a consequence, they further lead to dependency, institutionalisation and increased health-care costs

Pain itself, and the fear of pain, can cause avoidance of both physical and social activities. Over times this leads to less physical strength and weaker social relationships. It can also cause further lack of functioning and pain.