老年癌症病人接受治療之照護需求

Care Needs of Elderly Patients With Cancer Receiving Treatment

癌症的發生率與高齡呈密切相關。隨著老年人口的遽增，老年癌症病人數也逐年增加。與成年病人相比，老年癌症病人在接受治療過程中所呈現的健康問題較為複雜；老化、衰弱性、共病症、認知功能障礙和多重用藥等是影響老年癌症病人治療效益的重要因素。鑑於癌症在老年族群的盛行率與特殊性，醫護人員須關注其在治療與照護的個別需求，提供完整評估與適切的照護計畫，使其獲得安全及完善的照護管理。醫療照護人員可透過跨專業團隊合作，運用周全性老年評估，了解病人的功能狀態、認知狀態、共病、營養狀況、治療耐受性和個人意願，提供符合身、心、社會與靈性個別需求之照護。此外，癌症照護人員除具備腫瘤專業照護訓練外，應具有老年照護專業知能，以增進評估老年癌症病人需求之敏感度，進而能提供符合病人需求的治療計畫與照護措施、提升照護品質。

Cancer incidence is closely related to age. With the sharp increase in the elderly population in recent decades, the number of older adults with cancer has increased each year. Compared to middle-aged patients, older adults with cancer have relatively more-complex health problems during treatment, with aging, debilitation, comorbidities, cognitive dysfunction, and polytherapy important factors affecting the benefit received by these patients from their treatment. In view of the prevalence and particularities of cancer in the elderly population, health professionals must focus on individual needs in treatment and care as well as provide complete assessments and appropriate care plans to enable their safe and complete care management. Health professionals may use interprofessional teamwork and comprehensive geriatric assessments to understand the functional and cognitive statuses, comorbidities, nutritional status, treatment tolerance, and personal preferences of their patients and then provide care that meets their specific physical, mental, social and spiritual needs. In addition to having professional cancer care training, oncology care specialists should have professional knowledge of geriatric care to increase their sensitivity in assessing the needs of their elderly patients with cancer, provide treatment and care plans that meet their needs, and improve quality of care.