Table of contents
- Introduction
- Defining pain
- Ontario nursing homes with highest percentage of residents with pain
- Considerations for choosing a nursing home
Introduction
Understanding the percentage of residents experiencing pain is important when choosing a nursing home because it directly reflects the quality of care provided.
Unmanaged or poorly managed pain can diminish a resident's quality of life, restricting mobility and social interactions, leading to physical decline, and increasing the risk of depression and anxiety. A high prevalence of unmanaged pain may signal issues with staff training, resource allocation, or care strategies.
Defining pain
The assessment of pain in long-term care facilities is based upon calculating the percentage of residents documented as experiencing moderate pain daily, or excruciating pain at any frequency.
Pain documentation includes instances when residents felt pain during the observation period, even if subsequent analgesic treatment alleviated it. However, cases where residents did not experience pain due to effective ongoing medication regimens are not recorded as instances of pain.
The calculation involves all residents who reported moderate to severe pain, divided by the total number of residents who underwent valid assessments. There are no exclusions; every assessed resident is included in the analysis, irrespective of their pain management treatment.
The goal is a lower percentage, signaling effective pain management strategies that minimize the number of residents suffering from significant pain. This metric serves as a critical indicator of the quality of care and the effectiveness of pain management protocols within these facilities.
Ontario nursing homes with highest percentage of residents with pain
Below are five top nursing homes with the highest percentage of residents who have moderate daily pain or horrible/excruciating pain at any frequency.
- 🥇 Northview Nursing Home ranks first at 43.9% for the highest percentage of residents with pain
- 🥈 Foyer des Pionniers ranks second at 40.6% for the highest percentage of residents with pain
- 🥉 Elgin Abbey Nursing Home ranks third at 37.4% for the highest percentage of residents with pain
- Crown Ridge Place ranks fourth at 36.5% for the highest percentage of residents with pain
- The McCausland Hospital ranks fifth at 30.5% for the highest percentage of residents with pain
Considerations for choosing a nursing home
In evaluating a nursing home, it is important to consider the facility’s pain management strategies and the effectiveness of these measures.
A focus on pain management can help ensure a safer and more supportive environment, ultimately promoting the health and well-being of residents.