Addressing Burden in Caregivers of Older Adults with Cancer

Authors

Lora Rhodes, LCSW, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Kristine Swartz, MD, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Caroline Glavin, LSW, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Charlotte Zuber, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Kuang-Yi Wen, PhD, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow

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Description

Background

Forty-two million adults in the United States are providing unpaid care for a family member or friend over the age of 50. For approximately 2.5 million of these caregivers, cancer is the primary illness or disability of their care recipient (National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, 2020). As baby boomers continue to age, and the number of cancer survivors continues to increase, the need for informal caregivers will expand exponentially.

While Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is recommended for older patients with cancer and distress screening is recommended for all cancer patients, there are currently no recommendations regarding screening for burden among caregivers. This study was designed to identify factors associated with burden in caregivers of older adults with cancer to better understand the needs of this vulnerable yet often overlooked population.

Publication Date

1-2024

Keywords

caregiving, cancer, older adults

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences | Oncology

Comments

Presented at the 2024 Annual Conference of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society.

Recommended Citation

Rhodes, LCSW, Lora; Swartz, MD, Kristine; Glavin, LSW, Caroline; Zuber, Charlotte; and Wen, PhD, Kuang-Yi, "Addressing Burden in Caregivers of Older Adults with Cancer" (2024). Department of Medical Oncology Posters. 20.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/medoncposters/20