A Dyadic Approach in Managing Older Adults' Chronic Pain: Tapping into WhatsApp Communication Technology to Reduce Pain Intensity and Caregiver Burden

Chronic pain is a common struggle in the silver population. However, with limited healthcare resources and an ongoing shortage of healthcare workers, older adults are often left with less support to manage their pain. As a result, the responsibility of pain management and caregiving frequently shifts to their spouses and children, who then become informal caregivers. Chronic pain not only affects older adults but also impacts caregivers, who may develop chronic pain themselves in addition to experiencing the stress of caregiving. Both older adults and caregivers require a well-structured and sustainable solution to manage their chronic pain effectively. This study employed a cluster, mixed methods randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of our intervention in reducing pain intensity and caregiver burden. We developed an eight-week dyadic, non-pharmacological, group-based pain management program for older adults and their caregivers. Participants in the experimental group received four weeks of center-based, face-to-face activities followed by four weeks of digital activities delivered through a WhatsApp group. The control group received only pain management pamphlets. Data were collected at baseline, week 8, and week 16. Outcome measurements included pain intensity and caregiver burden. Significant reductions in both pain intensity and caregiver burden were observed in the experimental group. By leveraging communication technology, this program has the potential to make pain management resources more accessible to community-dwelling older adults and their caregivers. Ultimately, our goal is to empower these caregiver–care recipient dyads to manage chronic pain with greater autonomy by using self-management strategies and tools.