#72 Notable Clinical Interest
Emerging findings or policy developments worth monitoring closely.
Clinicians need to understand how older adults and their caregivers perceive cannabis as a pain management option, since miscommunication about expectations and efficacy can lead to inappropriate use or delayed conventional treatment. This perception gap directly affects medication adherence and clinical outcomes in geriatric populations who often use cannabis off-label for chronic pain without adequate medical supervision. Addressing caregiver concerns and providing evidence-based counseling about cannabis efficacy, safety, and drug interactions is essential for older adults managing pain conditions where cannabis may or may not be an appropriate adjunctive therapy.
# Clinical Summary This study examines how older adults and their caregivers perceive pain management, a clinically relevant topic given that pain is among the most common reasons this population seeks medical care. Understanding caregiver perspectives is important because family members often play a crucial role in supporting pain management decisions and monitoring treatment effectiveness in older patients. The findings likely highlight discrepancies between patient-reported pain and caregiver observations, which can affect medication adherence and treatment outcomes. For cannabis-based therapies specifically, these perception gaps become important since caregivers may influence whether older adults consider alternative pain management options including cannabinoids. The research underscores how clinician communication with both patients and their caregivers about pain assessment and treatment options, including cannabis when appropriate, can improve pain management outcomes. Clinicians should engage caregivers as informed partners in pain management discussions and ensure shared understanding of treatment goals and expectations.
“After two decades managing pain in older adults, I’ve found that caregiver perception often becomes the clinical reality in this population, and cannabis offers a meaningful option when we’ve exhausted safer alternatives, though we must be honest that our evidence base for efficacy in this age group still lags behind our confidence in recommending it.”
💊 As cannabis continues to be considered for pain management in older adults, understanding caregiver perspectives becomes clinically relevant since caregivers often influence treatment decisions and medication adherence in this population. The perception of pain by both patients and their caregivers can shape whether cannabis is viewed as an acceptable option, yet these perceptions may diverge from objective clinical outcomes and evidence-based guidelines. Clinicians should recognize that caregivers’ beliefs about cannabis safety, efficacy, and social acceptability may not align with current research on cannabinoid pharmacology, drug-drug interactions, or fall risk in elderly patients, all of which are particularly salient concerns. Rather than assuming agreement between patient, caregiver, and provider on cannabis for pain, practitioners should explicitly explore caregiver attitudes during shared decision-making conversations while remaining anchored to robust evidence about both the benefits and harms in older adults. Taking time to understand and address caregiver concerns directly—
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