Pain among Persons with Dementia: The Family Caregiver’s View Point

Background: Dementia and pain are common among the elderly. Many of persons with dementia live at home and are cared by their family caregivers. Pain in persons with dementia can be challenging for family caregivers because the patients are often unable to express their pain verbally. Instead, they might express the pain with disruptive behavioral changes. These changes may cause burden for the caregivers. Earlier research has focused on pain assessment and management of persons with dementia living in institutionalized care. Instead, we were interested in the view point of family caregivers. Aims: To describe pain assessment and management among persons with dementia at home care from the view point of family caregivers. Methodology: Literature review was used to collect the data and inductive content analysis was used in the analysis. Results: Five scientific articles were found focusing on the view point of caregivers of persons with dementia. The scope of the studies was mostly on validation of pain rating scales and comparison of pain ratings by the patient and family caregiver. No studies were found on pain management at home. However, the family members felt distressed because of fears that the patient had pain. No studies were found of family caregiver’s experiences of pain assessment and management among persons with dementia. Conclusions: Fairly little is known how family caregivers assess and manage pain among persons with dementia at home. Empirical studies are needed to better understand pain management among persons with dementia from the view point of family caregivers.