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Grants and Funded Projects
Evidence-Based Practice: Acute Pain Management in the Elderly
The Problem of Acute Pain in the Elderly
Acute pain in the elderly is most likely to occur as a symptom of disease or injury (e.g., fracture from a fall). Medical and surgical treatments also contribute to pain in the elderly. Older adults do not receive adequate pain management during hospitalization and commonly are given significantly less postoperative opioids than younger patients with the same diagnosis. This practice is particularly troublesome in light of research that demonstrates better patient outcomes, reduced length of stay, and reduced resource use as a result of aggressive pain control and mobility.
Fractured hips account for more than 225,000 acute care admissions annually for Medicare recipients greater than 65 years of age. These figures are projected to double by the year 2040. Management of acute pain in the elderly, hip fracture population contributes to earlier ambulation and less adverse outcomes. A guideline for management of acute pain in the elderly is anticipated to make a critical contribution to desired outcomes for this vulnerable population.
