The family of an older patient is concerned because the patient at times complains of pain but at other times does not. The family does not know what to believe. What can the nurse explain to the family about aging and pain perception?
A) "Older adults become progressively more sensitive to pain.".
B) "The only pain to be concerned about is pain that lasts longer than 3 months.".
C) "Older people have been shown to be less sensitive to pain than younger people.".
D) "It's actually not clear in the research what happens to people's perception of pain as they age.".
D
Feedback:
The role of age in pain perception is unclear. Since research is inconclusive concerning the role of aging on pain perception and tolerance, the nurse must assess and understand each patient's unique pain experience. It is not known if older patients become more sensitive or insensitive to pain. All pain needs to be assessed and addressed and not just pain that lasts longer than 3 months.
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