01/14/2026
💙 Dementia & Pain: What Families Need to Know
One of the most common things we hear is:
“Mom doesn’t feel pain anymore.”
“He doesn’t say he hurts.”
“They don’t seem to understand pain.”
Here’s the truth — pain does not go away with dementia.
What changes is the ability to recognize it, describe it, or ask for help.
When someone is living with dementia, pain often shows up in different ways:
• Agitation or sudden anger
• Anxiety or restlessness
• Aggression or resistance to care
• Pacing, wandering, or fidgeting
• Grimacing or changes in facial expression
• Changes in sleep or appetite
These behaviors are often misunderstood — but many times, they are a person’s way of saying, “Something hurts.”
At Pacific View, we don’t see behaviors first — we look for the cause.
Because when we understand that pain is still very real, we can respond with empathy, comfort, and proper care.
💙 Dementia changes communication — not humanity.
💙 Pain is still felt — it’s just spoken differently.
If you ever notice changes in your loved one’s behavior, please reach out to our care team. Together, we can listen, look deeper, and ensure comfort comes first.
