Recent studies indicate that when it comes to pain management in the elderly, there may be some racial bias at play with how doctors go about treating people. The research that was looked at points out that black Americans are undertreated in comparison to white Americans. The study wasn’t clear whether this disparity was purposeful or not, but it does indicate that there is still work to do when it comes to both effective senior care and erasing racial bias within the United States. The study also went on to show that black Americans are undertreated as per World Health Organization guidelines, too.
Having an older loved one living with chronic pain is not an easy thing for families to deal with. Pain management is an important component of senior care, though, and it is an issue that needs to be addressed if you want to give your loved one the highest quality of life that they can possibly have. Talking to a medical professional about what can be done to help is a good start, but this is something that you will need to be proactive about. Keep in mind that many doctors are beginning to shy away from the use of opioids as well. Studies have illustrated a number of additional issues that prolonged opioid use can have on someone, and doctors are prescribing these less often than before. There are other methods of treating pain out there, so keep this in mind, too. Physical therapy is something that many people forget about, and it is one of the best long term pain management techniques there is because it helps to alleviate the problem at its root rather than masking it as pain killers do.
When an older family member is disabled, pain may be a constant part of their life. Finding them help around the house will alleviate some of the struggle that this creates. For example, if someone has chronic leg pain, walking may be difficult. Rather than keeping them confined to a wheelchair, having an in-home caregiver to ensure that they can get through the house safely and without incident is an easy way to not only increase your loved one’s safety, but to keep them in the place where they want to be rather than a nursing home, as well as provide them with companionship throughout the day while the rest of the family is away at work or at school. This simple act can benefit your loved one in many ways, as you can see.
Ensuring that our loved ones receive the best care–whether it be in-home or at a medical professional’s office–is one of our duties as family members. We can’t do much about other people’s biases, but we can be advocates for the people that we care about. If you have questions or concerns, you should bring them up to your loved one’s doctor. This will go a long way toward ensuring that they get the best treatment and attention possible.
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