Journal Article

Pilot study of a telehealth perioperative physical activity intervention for older adults with cancer and their caregivers

Kim, Jae Y., Raz, Dan J., Fong, Yuman, Sun, Virginia, Melstrom, Laleh, Varatkar, Gouri, Hite, Sherry, Lee, Byrne, Singh, Gagandeep, Lafaro, Kelly J., Ruel, Nora, Erhunmwunsee, Loretta

2020

Overview

Background Older adults undergoing cancer surgery are at greater risk for poor postoperative outcomes. Caregivers also endure significant burden. Participation in perioperative physical activity may improve physical functioning and enhance overall well-being for both patients and caregivers. In this study, we assessed the feasibility of a personalized telehealth intervention to enhance physical activity for older (≥ 65 years) gastrointestinal (GI) and lung cancer surgery patients/caregivers. Methods Participants completed four telehealth sessions with physical therapy/occupational therapy (PT/OT) before surgery and up to 2 weeks post-discharge. Outcomes included preop geriatric assessment, functional measures, and validated measures for symptoms and psychological distress. Pre/post-intervention trends/trajectories for outcomes were explored. Results Thirty-four patient/caregiver dyads (16, GI; 18, lung) were included. Accrual rate was 76% over 8 months; retention rate was 88% over 2 months. Median for postop of a 6-min walk test, timed up and go, and short physical performance battery test scores improved from baseline to postop. Participant satisfaction scores were high. Conclusion Our conceptually based, personalized, multimodal, telehealth perioperative physical activity intervention for older patient/caregiver dyads is feasible and acceptable. It offers an opportunity to improve postoperative outcomes by promoting functional recovery through telehealth, behavior change, and self-monitoring approaches. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03267524

• Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Adults / Aged / Batteries / Behavior change / Behavior modification / Cancer / Cancer surgery / Caregiver burden / Caregivers / Caregivers - psychology / Customization / Dyads / Exercise / Exercise for the aged / Feasibility / Female / Functional impairment / Geriatric assessment / Humans / Intervention / Lung cancer / Male / Medical screening / Medical technology / Medical treatment / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Neoplasms - nursing / Neoplasms - psychology / Nursing / Nursing Research / Occupational therapy / Older people / Oncology / Oncology, Experimental / Original Article / Pain Medicine / Patients / Physical ability / Physical activity / Physical fitness / Physical fitness for the aged / Physiotherapy / Pilot Projects / Postoperative Period / Psychological distress / Quality of Life - psychology / Registration / Rehabilitation Medicine / Satisfaction / Selfmonitoring / Surgery / Telecommunications / Telemedicine / Telemedicine - methods / Test scores / Therapy / Well being