Developing a Pain Identification and Communication Toolkit

The proposed research will develop, refine, and pilot test the Pain Identification and Communication Toolkit (PICT), an intervention to help family caregivers of community-dwelling persons with dementia identify pain symptoms and communicate those symptoms to health care providers. Informed by self-efficacy theory, PICT will include: a) training in administering an observational assessment tool to identify pain in persons with dementia, b) coaching in effective communication about the person with dementia's pain symptoms, c) future planning for steps to take when pain is detected, and d) updating caregivers' skills through routine practice with the pain assessment tool. All components will be vetted and iteratively field-tested with a sample of racially and ethnically diverse caregivers of community-dwelling persons with dementia and health care providers. A two-group pilot randomized trial will examine the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary impact of PICT on caregivers' initiation of pain-related communication with health care providers.