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Date issued: October 2023

Review date: October 2025

Ref: D-405/RB/Oncology/Older adults and cancer services

PDF:  Older Adults and Cancer services final October 2023.pdf [pdf] 150KB

What is the service?

Frailty is a term you may have heard health care workers use. The term is often misunderstood, but it simply describes how people who are getting older, or have long-term health conditions, can have more trouble bouncing back from minor illnesses, injury, or stressful events.  Around 10% of people aged over 65 live with frailty, increasing to up to 50% in those over 85 (Age UK).  It can mean that small events may have a bigger impact on your health, make it harder to recover your normal level of ability after illness, or may mean you need more help with everyday tasks in the short or long term. 

The new Older Adults with Cancer Service has been funded through Macmillan Cancer Support and is offered to patients with a new cancer diagnosis who are aged 65 or over. We know that the majority of cancers are diagnosed in people over 65, and we also know that older people often have other health conditions they are already living with and can be living with frailty.

What are the aims of the service?

The aim of the service is to optimise fitness and keep our patients healthy, while living with their cancer, and undergoing cancer treatment. We aim to identify goals, and develop personalised care plans, to help you stay as well as possible throughout this time. We may also put you in touch with other health professionals who can offer support and services (for both yourself and your loved ones), in the hospital or community. 

We also hope to be able to reduce the risk of any hospital admissions or treatment toxicities, whilst undergoing cancer treatment.

What do I need to do?

One of our senior oncology nurses will meet with you (and your loved one/carer if you wish) to discuss the service. If you are in agreement, you will be asked to complete a short questionnaire, either with the nurse, or by yourself on a smart phone/tablet if you’d prefer.  With that information, we will look together at whether you may benefit from a more in-depth assessment, which can really help to provide a personalised care plan for you, and make referrals, if appropriate to other services. 

We appreciate you may not need any services or additional support at this time, but your responses can form a record that can help to identify any future decline in your health. To do this we may ask you to complete the assessments again in the future.

We hope that each questionnaire will take you less than five minutes to complete. our responses to the questionnaires will be stored in your hospital records and accessible to other health care professionals if needed. All your responses will be treated confidentially.

It is not compulsory to complete the questionnaires, and therefore if you feel you do not wish to meet with the nurse, then please do let us know.

What can I do, to keep as well as I can during cancer treatment?

Patients who aren’t frail and have a cancer diagnosis, can experience fatigue, often described as a feeling of tiredness, lethargy, or difficulty in engaging fully with every-day tasks. Fatigue can creep up on people without them knowing, as the symptom can initially be mild.

However, we know there is lots that can be done to help prevent and manage the challenges of both frailty and fatigue, especially if we think and plan ahead.

Here are some general tips to improve your general wellbeing at this time.

• Eat and drink well: This gives your body energy, helps avoid constipation, falls and infections.

• Keep active: It’s good for everyone to keep active to keep your muscles strong. Even a short walk will help.

• Keep your mind active: keep in touch with loved ones and friends. Consider joining local groups to avoid feeling lonely.

There are many local activity groups, support groups (for both you and your loved ones), and advice centres available within the local area. Please see the useful contacts we have attached.

Useful contacts

www.macmillan.org.uk  Cancer information and support. Phone free on 0808 808 0000, 8am to 8pm, or web chat via website.

www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/mustard-tree  Our local Macmillan Support Centre, for patients and their carers. Available for counselling, psychology support, complementary therapies and financial advice. Drop in advice available Monday to Friday, 9am to 4.30pm.

www.ageuk.org.uk General information and advice. Information on local groups and support available.

www.eldertreeplymouth.co.uk Local service in Plymouth, providing befriending service and lots of varied activities/groups you can join. Call 01752 227447.

www.improvinglivesplymouth.org.uk Information, advice and support services for carers, and people and with disabilities and long-term health conditions. Lots of local group information and support through their website.  

We look forward to meeting you in clinic, or speaking with you on the phone soon.  However, in the meantime if you have any queries about the service or comments, then please do email on plh-tr.oacservice@nhs.net, or telephone 01752 202082 and ask for the operator. Then ask for bleep 81640.