Pain & Mood Toolkit

Continuing Care, Information for Health Professionals

Since 2012/13, Alberta's Quality Indicator rates for residents whose pain worsened and residents whose mood from symptoms of depression worsened have been higher than the national average and are the second highest of all provinces and territories reporting to CIHI (lower percentage is better).

Provincial Seniors Health and Continuing Care, formerly the Seniors Health Strategic Clinical Network, was provided with grant-funding from Alberta Health from October 2018 – March 2022 to develop education and resources to support teams in Long Term Care and Supportive Living to address resident pain and mood distress.

These resources, including e-learning modules, journey maps, digital stories and infosheets, are available in the table below. Bundles of interventions, involving a range of disciplines, can improve resident comfort and well-being.

eLearning Modules

Three 30 minute elearning modules have been developed to support recognition, assessment, interventions and evaluation:

Pain & Distress: Pain can be expressed as calling out, aggression, agitation and wandering. Common contributors to pain, once recognized, can be improved with supportive strategies and sometimes, medications.

Mood Distress: It can be challenging to differentiate between dementia, pain and depressive mood. Identifying root causes is key.

Medications, Pain & Mood Distress: Side-effects can cause pain and mood distress; harms often outweigh benefits for persons with frailty and life-limiting illnesses, including dementia.

Supporting Resources

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Resource Topic Information For Resource Type

Pain in Dementia #SeePainMoreClearly Campaign

Pain
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Video

The Power of Movement – Chris’ Story

Pain
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Video
Behaviour Mapping Chart Pain; Mood Distress; Medication and Distress
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Form; Assessment Tool
Geriatric Pain (geriatricpain.org) Pain
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Website
Pain Assessment Information Pain
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Tip Sheet; Assessment Tool
Non-Drug Pain Management Interventions Pain
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Tip Sheet

Changing Behaviours – Pat’s Story

Mood Distress
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Video
2021 Canadian Guidelines on Prevention; Assessment and Treatment of Depression Among Older Adults Mood Distress
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Guideline
Transfer Trauma When Moving to a Facility Mood Distress
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Client/Resident Handout

How Much is Too Much? - Dusty's Story

Medication and Distress
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Video
Medicine Check-Ups for Older Adults Medication and Distress
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Nurse Practitioner; Nursing; Pharmacist; Physician; Leader; Manager
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Client/Resident Handout
Pharmacologic Restraint Management Worksheet Medication and Distress
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Nurse Practitioner; Nursing; Pharmacist; Physician; Leader; Manager
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Form
Appropriate Prescribing & Medication Use in Older Adults; Supporting Resources (APMUSOA) Medication and Distress
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Nurse Practitioner; Nursing; Pharmacist; Physician
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Website
Tackling Polypharmacy by Deprescribing: Active Multidisciplinary Collaboration Medication and Distress; Care Planning
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Nurse Practitioner; Nursing; Pharmacist; Physician
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Article
Shared Care (sharecarebc.ca) Medication and Distress
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Nurse Practitioner; Nursing; Pharmacist; Physician
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Website
Antidepressants in the Frail Elderly With Dementia and Depression Medication and Distress; Mood Distress
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Nurse Practitioner; Nursing; Pharmacist; Physician
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Tip Sheet

The Good Daughter – Harmony’s Story

Consistent Staffing Assignment; Mood Distress
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Video

The Big Leap – Marfe’s Story

Consistent Staffing Assignment; Mood Distress
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Video
Consistent Assignment in Long-term Homes: Avoiding the Pitfalls to Capitalize on the Promises Consistent Staffing Assignment
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Leader; Manager
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Article
Pioneer Network (pioneernetwork.net) Person-centred Care; Care Planning; Dining Experience; Sleep; Consistent Staffing Assignment
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Leader; Manager
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Website
Engaging Staff in Individualizing Care (free starter toolkit) Person-centred Care; Care Planning; Dining Experience; Sleep; Consistent Staffing Assignment
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Leader; Manager
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Website
Consistent Assignment Tip Sheet Consistent Staffing Assignment
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Leader; Manager
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Tip Sheet
Huddles Tip Sheet Consistent Staffing Assignment
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Leader; Manager
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Tip Sheet
Enhancing Experiences in Long-term Care Westview Community Care - Breakfast Buffet Journey Map Dining Experience; Person-centred Care
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Journey Map; Quality Improvement Resource
Research Institute for Aging (RIA) Person-centred Care
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Leader; Manager
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Website
Pain Assessment and Management Dining Experience; Mood Distress; Person-centred Care
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Interdisciplinary Team; Manager; Nurse Practitioner; Nursing; Pharmacist; Physician
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Tip Sheet
Immobility and Musculoskeletal Pain Pain; Person-centred Care
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Interdisciplinary Team; Nursing
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Tip Sheet
Mood and Mealtimes Mood Distress; Dining Experience
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Interdisciplinary Team; Manager; Nurse Practitioner; Nursing; Pharmacist; Physician
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Tip Sheet
Mood Distress and Behaviours Mood Distress; Person-centred Care; Medication and Mood Distress
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Interdisciplinary Team; Manager; Nurse Practitioner; Nursing; Pharmacist; Physician
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Tip Sheet
Mood and Low Blood Sugar Mood Distress; Medication and Distress
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Nursing; Pharmacist
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Tip Sheet
Consistent Staffing Assignment Consistent Staffing Assignment; Person-centred Care
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Manager
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Tip Sheet
Constipation Pain Pain; Person-centred Care
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Nursing
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Tip Sheet
How to Start Conversations About Medications With More Harms Than Benefits Medication and Distress; Person-centred care
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Nursing
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Tip Sheet
Impacts of Prescribing Cascades on Pain and Mood in Older Adults Medication and Distress; Pain; Mood Distress
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Nursing; Pharmacist; Physician
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Tip Sheet
Pain, Eating and Swallowing Dining Experience; Mood Distress; Person-centred Care
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Nursing Distress
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Tip Sheet
Recreation Therapy Interventions for Pain and Mood Distress Dining Experience; Mood Distress; Person-centred Care
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Tip Sheet
Responding to a Pain Crisis Pain; Mood Distress; Medication and Distress
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Interdisciplinary Team; Manager; Nurse Practitioner; Nursing; Pharmacist; Physician
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Tip Sheet
Optimizing Medication to Improve Quality of Care - Devonshire Seniors Community Medication and Distress; Dining Experience; Person-centred Care
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Manager; Nursing; Pharmacist
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Journey Map; Quality Improvement Resources
Enhancing Sleep to Improve Mood and Wellbeing - Father Lacombe Care Centre Sleep; Mood Distress
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Nursing
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Journey Map; Quality Improvement Resources
Person-centred Medication Reviews - WestView Health Centre - Stony Plain Medication and Distress; Person-centred Care
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Nurse Practitioner; Nursing; Pharmacist; Physician
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Journey Map; Quality Improvement Resources
Mountains and Valleys - Annette's Story Person-centred Care
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Video
Smile on My Face – Cindy’s Story Person-centred Care
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Video
Being with Dad - Lenora’s Story Person-centred Care
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Video
Dementia Program Opens Mind Through Art  Mood Distress
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Video
Appropriate Use of Antipsychotics in Long-Term Care Care Planning; Mood Distress; Pain; Person-centred Care
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Video
Walkers Gone Wild Mood Distress
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Interdisciplinary Team
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Video
CHOICE+ Toolkit  Dining Experience; Mood Distress; Person-centred Care
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Leader; Manager
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Quality Improvement Resource