Higher Mortality and Hospital Use Linked to Dependency in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Among Cancer Patients
A recent study out of Brigham and Women’s Hospital advises that older cancer patients receive routine assessments of their ability to conduct certain daily living activities to identify those who need supportive intervention. The study, led by Clark DuMontier, MD, geriatrician and research fellow in Brigham and Women’s Division of Aging, found a correlation between patients’ ability to live independently and their odds of being hospitalized or dying.
Many older patients with hematologic cancers have another condition to worry about—one they don’t always feel comfortable discussing with their health care team. As people are living longer, memory problems have become increasingly prevalent. However, little is known about the impact of cognitive impairment, and specific domains of cognitive impairment, on older cancer patients and their survival.
As a primary care physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 
When an older person suffers a trauma resulting in multiple broken bones and other injuries, often due to a fall or car accident, ensuring he or she gets appropriate care can be challenging. This is especially true when health care providers don’t have training or experience in geriatrics.
Falls that lead to bone fractures occur frequently in older people. These injuries, especially those that require surgery, often start patients down a path toward mounting health problems that threaten their ability to live independently or maintain a good quality of life.
Treating cancer is always a challenge, but elderly patients can add another level of complexity. For that reason, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute banded together to create the