The experience of <answer>pain</answer> has many cultural dimensions. For instance, the way in which one experiences and responds to <answer>pain</answer> is related to sociocultural characteristics, such as gender, ethnicity, and age. An aging adult may not respond to <answer>pain</answer> in the way that a younger person would. Their ability to recognize <answer>pain</answer> may be blunted by illness or the use of multiple prescription drugs. Depression may also keep the older adult from reporting they are in <answer>pain</answer>. The older adult may also quit doing activities they love because it hurts too much. Decline in self-care activities (dressing, grooming, walking, etc.) may also be indicators that the older adult is experiencing <answer>pain</answer>. The older adult may refrain from reporting <answer>pain</answer> because they are afraid they will have to have surgery or will be put on a drug they might become addicted to. They may not want others to see them as weak, or may feel there is something impolite or shameful in complaining about <answer>pain</answer>, or they may feel the <answer>pain</answer> is deserved punishment for past transgressions.
What might an aging adult not respond to the same way as a younger person would?
pain