Medications to reduce pain may decrease psychotropics
Monday December 3, 2007 -- Deron Hamel
When it comes to administering medications to residents with dementia, there can be a lot of trial and error involved, says Janna Goulding, a registered nurse at Woodland Villa.

When residents in a long-term care home have dementia, they will often exhibit agitation. While agitation is sometimes the effect of cognitive issues, it’s often caused by pain.

“Pain is one of the first things we try to look for, because with a lot of our residents with dementia and Alzheimer’s it’s hard for them to express exactly what it is in their mind that’s going on,” says Goulding.

Goulding cites the story of one resident at the Long Sault long-term care home who has dementia.

This resident had been on several psychotropic medications when she came to Woodland. However, with the help of supportive measures and the home’s visiting psychogeriatric physician, it was realized that the resident’s agitation was primarily caused by pain she was experiencing.

Once pain medication was introduced to the resident, the psychotropic medications she was on were limited.

“Now she is on Diloted for pain and it works wonderful for her,” says Goulding, adding the resident is now experiencing less agitation.

While they are sometimes needed, psychotropics can have stronger effects on the elderly than on other segments of the population. For this reason, staff members at Woodland Villa screens residents closely to see if psychotropic medication is absolutely necessary.

Over the years, the use of psychotropic medications in OMNI homes has decreased as pain medication becomes increased. This creates a better way of life for residents, notes Goulding.

“I think when (residents) are treated for their pain . . . it gives them a better quality of life and they’re able to do more physically . . . and they’re able to participate in more activities around the home,” she says.

“(Pain medication) is definitely a way to go instead of using psychotropics, because a lot of times it is pain that we’re trying to treat and we just don’t know it.”