Airing Pain 89: Dementia

The challenges of pain management in people with dementia, different medications and why an iPod could be latest tool in our first aid kit

This programme was funded by grant from W G Edwards and the Cruden Charitable Foundation.

According to a survey carried out by the Alzheimers Society, Dementia is the most feared health condition in the UK. Last year alone, 225,000 people developed dementia.

In this episode of Airing Pain, Paul talks to Professor Peter Passmore about the challenges of treating chronic conditions in people who develop dementia, including different medications and why we instinctively link age with pain.

In 2012 Lloyd Hughes authored a report, Managing Chronic Pain in Patients with Dementia. Now a GP trainee, Lloyd discusses how he incorporates his findings into every day patient care and what we can all do as individuals to prepare for a future that may well include dementia.

Andy Lowndes, Deputy Chair of Glasgow based charity Playlist for Life, describes the power of music in helping those living with dementia – whether as a patient, carer or loved one – connect with each other and reconnect with themselves.

Issues covered in this programme include: Alzheimer’s disease, carers, communicating pain, dementia, elderly people, listening to music, neuropathic pain, opioids, Playlist for Life, pregabalin and relaxation.

Contributors:

• Professor Peter Passmore, Professor of ageing and geriatric medicine at Queen’s University Belfast
• Dr Lloyd Hughes, GP trainee specialising in geriatric and stroke medicine at the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh
• Andy Lowndes, Deputy Chair of Playlist for Life.

More information:

• Playlist for Life
• Alzheimer’s Society
• NHS dementia guide
• Dementia UK
• Dementia Carer
• To read Lloyd Hughes’ report Managing Chronic Pain in Patients with Dementia click here
• To upload your own playlist to Playlist For Life click here
• For more programmes on pain management and caring for the elderly, visit our Pain and the elderly playlist.