BPS Older People’s Pain

This webinar aims to present some of the findings from the NIHR funded POPPY study by Dr Lesley Brown, Senior Research Fellow, Co-Lead for the POPPY study & Project Manager CARE75+ study, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, alongside findings from a project about dental pain in older people by Professor Pat Schofield, Professor of Clinical Nursing, University of Plymouth.

Further details regarding the two presentations: 

Professor Pat Schofield, Professor of Clinical Nursing, University of Plymouth:

In 2012, the British Dental Association published an update on their 2003 report which highlighted the importance of residents in care homes having access to dental care services (BDA 2012). Their recent study, funded by the PEARN Charitable Trust, included a series of stakeholder groups consisting of dentists, carers, care home staff, and individuals with dementia, along with a systematic review (Schofield et al 2022). The study identified that a lack of understanding about the challenges associated with integrating the NG48 guidelines into practice and a lack of knowledge about available resources that support its adoption are significant barriers to successful implementation. These findings underscore the need to address these challenges and provide resources to support the implementation of NG48 guidelines and facilitate staff training, which are crucial for enhancing the oral health and overall wellbeing of individuals in care homes.

Lesley Brown, Senior Research Fellow. Co-Lead for the POPPY study & Project Manager CARE75+ study, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust:

Barriers to pain management, relevant to older adults generally, include a limited evidenced base to guide treatment decisions, concerns about treatment-related harms, and older peoples’ beliefs about pain and how it should be managed. The NIHR funded, Pain in Older People with Frailty Study (The POPPY study) is a mixed-method, co-design study, which aims to develop the content, implementation strategies, service, and professional guidance to support older adults with frailty to manage their pain. As part of this, the POPPY study aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of older people’s experiences of living with persistent pain, pain impact and any support they receive.

The preliminary findings from 26 older adults (≥75 years) living with frailty and persistent pain will be shared. Findings have been categorised into main themes: Acceptance of pain and support seeking decisions; Barriers and facilitators to accessing pain support; and Perceptions and experience of different pain support and treatments.