Is It Pain?

As an Alzheimer’s care specialist, my focus is the behaviors of your loved one. I’m not a doctor and, although I can have the clinical discussion with you about Alzheimer’s dementia, I talk to the right doctors when it comes to the pathology.

When lecturing I’m often asked “Why is he or she behaving like that?” As a formal or informal (at home) caregiver, you are often finding yourself in the role of detective, trying to figure out why they are behaving that way. It could be confusion from not being able to process what’s going on around them, discomfort from shoes that don’t fit, a noisy environment that they can’t process or the focus of this installment … pain.

Personally, I’m on the right hand side of 75, and with that comes the daily aches and pains from being active most of my life. I was a football player, a collegiate wrestler, I threw the discus and after I got married every home we lived in had a fireplace. That meant stacking cords of firewood and carrying them into the house for the last 51 years. Today, I have had surgery on each shoulder, I get shots in my knees every three months and last year I had surgery on my lower back. Overall, thanks to my family of doctors, I’m doing OK. Still active, still working and happy to be doing so.

I’m blessed to be able to articulate my issues with my doctors, but what about those who can’t? Many with Alzheimer’s dementia have communication issues that impede their ability to explain what they’re experiencing or to understand what’s being communicated to them by you and their health care professionals. The Mayo Clinic reported that from 50% to 80% of those with moderate to severe dementia are experiencing pain regularly.

When I was a licensed administrator, I was also a licensed med tech. In that role, I learned that many of my residents got some form or medication daily for pain. Usually a Tylenol or two. Then there were those that received something stronger on a regular basis.

If you don’t think chronic pain is an issue with seniors, keep track of the number of products you see appealing to seniors and pain on television. They’re endless. Whether or not they work is not the subject of this installation, but you can bet there’s a wide audience appeal for them.

What about you? Do you find that after an active day things begin to stiffen up? Do you find that the next day your body may be asking you, “What have you done?” It’s no different for your loved one with Alzheimer’s.

When I trained my staff, I would remind them that our residents weren’t born 85 years old. They were active, played sports, went to war, spent a career working with their backs and hands, raised children, traveled and so on. Just like those who wake up every day with regular aches and pains, your loved ones with dementia do too. The problem? They can’t always tell you or the doctor about it.

As I have written in the past, imagine having a toothache and not being able to express your discomfort. Or a blister, or headache, or an arthritic knee or an upset stomach … you get the idea.

If you’re noticing them pacing, wandering or especially agitated, remember it could be pain. Watch for limps, reduced appetite, problems with ambulation or any other signs that something might be an issue, but don’t play doctor.

I love the story of the woman who goes to her physician because her left leg is bothering her. The doc tells her, “Well, Hazel, you are 86 years old.” Her answer? “My right leg is 86 and it’s just fine.”

Be responsive, be an advocate for your loved one and Join the Journey. Questions? Email me at [email protected].