AARP claims that they represent those 50+… I could not find exact numbers that would be.. but figure that the last baby boomer is turning 50 this year.. that has got to be in the 60 + million and you can estimate that at least 1/3 or chronic pain pts.
I have done numerous searches of www.aarp.org looking for a position on chronic pain… and what few positions they have taken is the use of NSAID and exercise mostly.. and a couple of articles on the “abuse” of opiates by seniors.. IMO.. they are no exactly on top of this issue for the millions within the group that they are suppose to represent.
Look at the facts… NSAIDS may cause cardio vascular problems and/or cause GI bleeds … and Acetaminophen can mess up a liver.. if you ache all over.. you can’t exercise.. and you MIGHT get addicted to opiates.. not everyone can afford a bunch of PT… ice and heat will only go so far and not all that portable. What is the alternative.. just sit in a chair or laid down on the couch or bed and wait for the grim reaper to show up ?
5+ years ago..before this latest DEA enhanced focus on community pharmacies and the war on drugs.. it was estimated that MAYBE 20% of chronic pain pts got adequate pain management/therapy. For the last few years.. that numbers has now got to be in the mid-high single digits – AT BEST !
I ran across this AARP website
AARP 2014 Policy Solicitation Deadline July 31st.
They claim that they are looking for input about their POLICIES…
AARP 2014 Policy Solicitation
Submit your feedback here by July 31.
– See more at: http://aarp54390.tizrapublisher.com/input#sthash.56B3u4v8.dpuf
http://policybook.aarp.org/?cmp=RDRCT-POLCEBK_MAY13_013
If your are a chronic pain pt 50 & over… it is your chance to get MAYBE AARP to in tune with what is going on with a large per-cent of the population they claim to represent.
Let’s see if we can get some of the 51 billion spent on fighting this UN-WIN-ABLE war on drug to get the tools that we have more user friendly and better tools to help us separate the legit pts from the bogus ones.. and the rest use to treat the mental health issues of those whose way of life is abusing some substance ..
If you are one of those OPIOPHOBIC healthcare professionals… just stay put.. the chronic pain community is going to see that ADA lets you “share the pain” that you have been helping those in the chronic pain community endure !
Filed under: General Problems
I have written to them a few times. I’m sure you read the article they put out about addicted seniors to opiates a few months back. I took the liberty and shared the article around and got several folks to comment to them on how we all felt shame on them. You know?? I also starting thinking… They are so worried about seniors getting addicted? In a way, I felt so what? dependent they maybe but not so much as addicted. If these 50 + group made it to this age without falling into an addiction of some kind, so what if they are dependent on opiates? They are only going to be around for about 30 more years and who wants to be laying in bed wondering when that grim reaper is going to visit them. Why not allow them to spend the rest of their so called Golden Years, actually be “Golden” by being as active as they be?
We need to pound the AARP with negative comments to their editor and get them to live up to their mission statement or check out and disappear. They must be supported by the DEA if they think what they are saying…addicted…???
Thanks, not sure where to leave the comments but I left them. Praying it helps.
You click at top of page “submit your comments here” and new page will open.. could not get a link directly to that page..
I am not in love with AARP. but.. given the chance to embarrass the crap out of big entity that is not living up to their mission statement… I’m all in 🙂
I refuse to join AARP because they are really in bed with progressives and the DNC and are way out of the ballpark in their thinking They are/were huge supporters of ObummerCare and really don’t have seniors best interests at heart from what I have read. I seriously doubt AARP would really care about seniors issues with chronic pain. IMHO it’s all talk to make everyone feel like they are doing something. I believe they are talking out of both sides of their mouths.