The importance of pain management in older people with dementia

Abstract

Introduction: Pain is common in people with dementia, representing a critical aspect of treatment and care. However, there remain considerable gaps in evidence to support pain assessment and treatment.

Sources of data: An updated literature search focussing on systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials.

Areas of agreement: There are key areas of consistency around the prevalence, causes and current treatment trends for pain in dementia, the impact of untreated pain and the need for an accurate, fully validated assessment tool.

Areas of controversy: Accurate assessment due to inherent issues in dementia is a critical challenge. There is also a lack of evidence around alternative treatment options.

Growing points: New pain predictors are being identified, including physical function, depression and specific pain types, which should inform assessment methodology.

Areas timely for developing research: Future research should focus on developing integrated pain management approaches with optimized assessment and evidence-based treatment guidance.

Keywords: analgesia; care; dementia; pain; treatment.