ABSTRACT
Elderly patients are among the fastest growing segment of the world’s population and often suffer multiple medical problems, of which pain is the most common complaint that motivates patients to visit the physician (Ferrell, 1991). In 1998, the U.S. census documented over 34 million people over the age of 65, of which at least 4 million were older than 85 years (U.S. Census Bureau, 1999). Moreover, in the next three decades, the elderly population in the U.S. is expected to increase by approximately 73%.
