Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses
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Perceptions and experiences of chronic pain in older adults have not been fully explored. This study aimed to explore experiences and perceptions of life with chronic pain among older Japanese adults in the community. The grounded theory approach was used to identify a process model of older people's perceptions and experiences of living with chronic pain. ⋯ Flare-up pain was commonly experienced, and immobility and suffering led older adults to adopt several strategies to live with their pain. In phase 2, older participants adopted several strategies, such as "letting sleeping dogs lie" and "cutting corners." Their perceptions of and behaviors toward pain were often influenced by perceptions of their aging bodies. Nurses need to be aware of these conditions among older people with chronic pain and adjust their activities individually according to patient perceptions of their physical conditions.