Effective Approaches for Pain Relief in Older Adults

Abstract

The world’s population is increasingly older. Much attention has been paid to this phenomenon in recent years, especially in developed countries. In 2011, the first of the baby boomers began to reach 65. By 2030 an estimated 20% of the population of adults age 80 and above will have tripled. Pain in older adults is highly common, costly, and frequently disabling. Older adults have higher rates of hospitalization, chronic diseases, and surgery, which increase their risk for pain. Because of these reasons, pain management in older adults has emerged as an important public health issue.