Older individuals are at a higher risk of developing cancer, with more than half of new diagnoses occurring in those over the age of 65. Cancer treatment can be challenging for older men and women, and the transition back home after being discharged from the hospital can be risky without proper guidance on at-home care. A new approach involving a silver-haired avatar is being implemented to help older patients understand how to recover effectively at home.
Professor Victoria Loerzel, PhD at UCF College of Nursing, has spent two decades as an oncology nurse and has witnessed many patients being readmitted to the hospital due to not following post-discharge instructions. Common reasons for readmission include poorly managed pain, nausea, and vomiting. To prevent these incidents, Professor Loerzel has developed a game where patients follow a silver-haired avatar home after being discharged. The decisions made in the game mirror the choices that patients will need to make for themselves once they are back home.
The game takes only 15 minutes to play but its impact can save patients days and weeks that would have otherwise been lost to illness or readmission. Older cancer patients, especially those over 65, are at a higher risk of experiencing severe side effects from treatment such as chemotherapy-related symptoms like nausea and vomiting which can lead to dehydration and toxicity if not properly managed. By playing the game, patients learn how to care for themselves at home more effectively and avoid complications that could result in hospital readmissions.
Professor Loerzel has secured a significant grant from the National Institutes of Health to conduct a larger study involving 500 patients over a six-month period post-treatment. The goal is to monitor patients’ outcomes and see the effectiveness of using the avatar game to improve at-home care and prevent hospital readmissions. This innovative approach aims not only to save time and resources but also to empower older cancer patients to take charge of their own care and recovery at home.
Overall, this new approach involving a silver-haired avatar holds great potential in improving at-home care for older cancer patients
