According to the National Institute of Health, a truly astonishing one-quarter of the American population, more than 76 million people, suffer from pain that lasts for more than 24 hours at a time. Even more suffer from pain that is \u201cacute\u201d, or lasts for a shorter length of time. Chronic pain can be a truly debilitating condition and is listed as the most common cause of disability in the country. People with this pain often find themselves unable to participate in their usual daily activities and can experience depression and anxiety related to their pain. These issues can combine to create a truly negative impact on your parent\u2019s quality of life.<\/p>\n
If you are on an elderly care journey with a senior who suffers chronic pain, finding ways to help manage that pain can be instrumental in your parent maintaining as much independence as possible. This not only gives him a higher quality of life because of the reduced pain, but improved mental and emotional health as well.
\nUse these tips to help you encourage independence in a senior dealing with chronic pain:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Find the source.<\/strong>\u00a0Pain can come from a wide variety of sources. It is important to identify what is causing your loved one pain so that you can address it properly. Pain can come from an injury, an illness, trauma, or even as a symptom of a cognitive or emotional condition. Knowing what causes that pain can also help to ensure identification of serious conditions if they are present.<\/p>\n \u2022 Encourage activity.<\/strong>\u00a0People who are in pain may not want to move at all. They may feel like if they move they are going to be in more pain, or they simply lack the motivation to get up and do anything. This, however, can actually make the chronic pain worse. Encouraging activity keeps your parent\u2019s body strong and healthy, which can reduce pain symptoms. Activity also releases endorphins that improve mood. An elevated mood often reduces perception of pain or at least distract from the severity of the pain.<\/p>\n