title: [Chronic pain in elderly people: psychosocial dimension].
abstract: Chronic pain in elderly people requires to take into account somatic co-morbidities as well as its psychosocial dimensions. Chronic pain often represents a distress signal addressed to the environment and the care providers. Psychological suffering or mood disorders can be presented in the form of somatic complaints often associated with functional impairments, sometimes severe. Therapeutic care has to address functionality through an image-enhancing approach aiming to summon the patients' resources. The treatment of a concomitant depressive state necessitates a true commitment from the therapist. Its benefits are documented in elderly patients. Analgesic treatment as a whole will seek in particular to restore feelings of self-esteem and help the patient recover a good quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Service de Médecine Interne de Réhabilitation Beau-Séjour, HUG, Genève. anne-francoise.allaz@hcuge.ch
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Allaz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cedraschi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rentsch
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Canuto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics