Pain in Hospice Patients With Dementia: The Informal Caregiver Experience

This study describes their experience managing pain in hospice patients with dementia. Methods: We conducted a qualitative analysis of audio-recorded interviews with informal caregivers of hospice patients with dementia who had chosen pain as the challenge they wanted to work on within a problem-solving therapy intervention. Results: The thematic analysis of sessions with 51 caregivers identified 4 themes: difficulty in communicating with patients, lack of consistent guidance from health-care professionals, perceived uncertainty about the etiology of pain, and secondary suffering. Discussion: Our findings indicate the possible need for increased support for caregivers, including educational interventions targeting pain etiology and assessment, and improved communication with health-care professionals.
Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias - Category: Geriatrics Authors: Tags: Current Topics in Research Source Type: research