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Adopting Principles to Guide Pathways: The Best Model for Geriatric Pain Management.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Simon, CB; Eucker, SA; Schmader, KE
Published in: Clin Geriatr Med
February 2026

Older adults experience the highest burden of chronic pain and pain-related disability. Existing pathways-multimodal, stepped, and stratified prove useful pieces but do not fully account for the complexity of geriatric care. This article argues for principles to guide pathways: explaining and adopting the biopsychosocial framework, applying it with nuance, addressing expectations, structuring limited time, communicating effectively, coaching rather than commanding, focusing on movement and function, and using safe pain-modulatory interventions. Together, these principles anchor individualized, patient-centered, and function-focused pain care.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Clin Geriatr Med

DOI

EISSN

1879-8853

Publication Date

February 2026

Volume

42

Issue

1

Start / End Page

101 / 111

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Patient-Centered Care
  • Pain Management
  • Humans
  • Geriatrics
  • Geriatrics
  • Chronic Pain
  • Aged
  • 4203 Health services and systems
  • 3202 Clinical sciences
  • 1103 Clinical Sciences
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Simon, C. B., Eucker, S. A., & Schmader, K. E. (2026). Adopting Principles to Guide Pathways: The Best Model for Geriatric Pain Management. Clin Geriatr Med, 42(1), 101–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cger.2025.09.010
Simon, Corey B., Stephanie A. Eucker, and Kenneth E. Schmader. “Adopting Principles to Guide Pathways: The Best Model for Geriatric Pain Management.Clin Geriatr Med 42, no. 1 (February 2026): 101–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cger.2025.09.010.
Simon CB, Eucker SA, Schmader KE. Adopting Principles to Guide Pathways: The Best Model for Geriatric Pain Management. Clin Geriatr Med. 2026 Feb;42(1):101–11.
Simon, Corey B., et al. “Adopting Principles to Guide Pathways: The Best Model for Geriatric Pain Management.Clin Geriatr Med, vol. 42, no. 1, Feb. 2026, pp. 101–11. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.cger.2025.09.010.
Simon CB, Eucker SA, Schmader KE. Adopting Principles to Guide Pathways: The Best Model for Geriatric Pain Management. Clin Geriatr Med. 2026 Feb;42(1):101–111.
Journal cover image

Published In

Clin Geriatr Med

DOI

EISSN

1879-8853

Publication Date

February 2026

Volume

42

Issue

1

Start / End Page

101 / 111

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Patient-Centered Care
  • Pain Management
  • Humans
  • Geriatrics
  • Geriatrics
  • Chronic Pain
  • Aged
  • 4203 Health services and systems
  • 3202 Clinical sciences
  • 1103 Clinical Sciences