Chronic Pain In Older Adults

As the U.S. population ages, older adults with chronic pain are increasing dramatically. Research has found that 50 percent of the elderly who live on their own and 75-85 percent of the elderly in care facilities suffer from chronic pain (NIH Medline Plus, 2011). Nonetheless, most elders with chronic pain do not receive adequate treatment. Elder people often believe that pain is inevitable as a natural process of getting old. Society also imposes the belief that unable to endure the pain is a sign of being weak and old; these beliefs lead to under-treatment of chronic pain. Chronic pain can negatively impact the quality of life. Chronic pain could trigger complicated symptoms such as depression, anxiety, decreased mobility, social isolation,