Coll Anne-Marie, Jones Rebecca
Faculty of Life Science and Education, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, Wales.
District Nursing Service, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, Bridgend, Wales.
Nurs Stand. 2023 Apr 5;38(4):64-68. doi: 10.7748/ns.2023.e12091. Epub 2023 Feb 27.
People with dementia commonly experience pain, but it is often unrecognised, unrelieved and remains an underlying issue as the condition progresses. As a result, pain management for people with dementia is inadequate. Community nurses have a fundamental role in the assessment and management of pain and in supporting family carers. This article details the causes and effects of pain in people with dementia, explains the components of a holistic approach to individualised pain assessment, and describes various pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions that can be used to manage pain in this population.
