Geriatric Oncology

The Geriatric Oncology Program is an essential part of the comprehensive care available at the Tate Cancer Center. Geriatric cancer patients often face many barriers in treatment that differ from younger cancer patients.

The program is designed for cancer patients who are 80 years of age or older and whose doctor feels would benefit from certain support services offered at the Tate Cancer Center.

Our multidisciplinary team includes specialists from surgical oncology, geriatric care, medical oncology, palliative care, pharmacy, and rehabilitation. Our comprehensive team reviews patient’s diagnosis and treatment information and then makes recommendations and referrals to the appropriate services that could benefit the patient.

Geriatric Oncology Program Services:

• Palliative Care: Addresses the treatment of pain and symptoms, helps navigate the healthcare system, provides guidance with complex treatment choices, provides support for the psychosocial and spiritual aspects of care, helps with advanced care planning, assists with advanced directives and assists with medication management.
• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation: Offers services to patients who have difficulty with their balance, walking, weakness, lymphedema or decreased endurance with activity.
• Occupational Therapy Rehabilitation: Works to improve the ability to perform activities of daily living such as dressing, bathing, grooming, and energy conservation techniques for decreased endurance.
• Speech Language Pathology Rehabilitation: Addresses swallowing/speaking problems that have resulted from surgery and/or radiation treatment.
• Pharmacy: Our pharmacist provides expertise in medication management. Each patient referred for pharmacy review will undergo a comprehensive medication assessment that focuses on drug optimization, drug interactions assessment, and de-escalation of inappropriate therapies. The pharmacist works alongside the patient’s primary care provider, oncologist, and other specialists to ensure appropriate medication use.
• Hospice: We provide palliative care for terminally ill individuals who are no longer receiving curative treatment for their underlying disease.
• Social Work: Practical and emotional needs of patients and family members are addressed, including financial, insurance, housing, spiritual, and transportation concerns.
• Nutrition Counseling: Our nutrition specialists help manage symptoms before, during and after treatment. They incorporate individual dietary needs and goals to develop a nutrition plan that works best for the patient and complements their health conditions.

For more information or to speak with a Tate Cancer Center representative about the program, please call 410-553-8146.