#54: Cancer Rehab for Older Adults with Mackenzi Pergolotti

OT Potential Podcast | Occupational Therapy CEUs

About half of cancer survivors report difficulty with ADLs and a third difficulty with iADLs.

But, unfortunately, only around 1 in 10 older adults with cancer who have a known functional limitation receive a referral to OT or PT.
Even less make it to an eval.
And, even less than that, complete their full course of rehab.
Why are we failing to support such a large percentage of this population? And, what is the best way to support them when they do make it to us for occupational therapy?
Honestly, the results from this randomized control trial we are exploring in this 1-hour episode were not what we hoped to see. The OT/PT provided did not improve functional deficits or maintain functional status for these patients. And, instead of giving a glimpse of how to improve the barriers to receiving OT care, it only seems to drive home the obstacles.
Luckily, this is not the full story.
After we break down the article, we will be joined by the article’s lead author, Mackenzi Pergolotti, PhD, MS, OTR/L about how this paper changed the course of her career. It spurred her to research further into service delivery models that do open the doors to more patients—and points to the improved outcomes we hope for.
In order to earn credit for this course, you must take the test within the OT Potential Club.
You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/cancer-rehab-ot
Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Pergolotti, M., Deal, A. M., Williams, G. R., Bryant, A. L., McCarthy, L., Nyrop, K. A., Covington, K. R., Reeve, B. B., Basch, E., &; Muss, H. B. (2019). Older adults with cancer: A randomized controlled trial of occupational and physical therapy. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 67(5), 953–960.

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