The cost/benefit of cancer rehabilitation

Due to improved screening, earlier detection and more effective treatments cancer survival rates are increasing and now sit at about 50% for all cancers.

This means that one can estimate that about 4-5% (4-5 out of 100) of the population will be cancer survivors by 2015.  Many of these survivors do not return to their pre diagnosis levels of health, with about a third never returning to work.  They may suffer from a variety of ongoing effects, such as fatigue, depression, lymphoedema, and anxiety.  These issues mean, not only is a survivor’s quality of life diminished, but their ongoing health care costs are greater.  Many studies have shown that multidisciplinary rehabilitation (more than one type such as exercise and psychological support) provide physical and psychological improvements, which lead to a better quality of life. 

A recent article, in The Oncologist medical journal, has also shown that physical rehabilitation alone and multidisciplinary rehabilitation provide greater economic benefits than usual treatment. 

In summary, not only is it good for the cancer survivor to have access to multidisciplinary rehabilitation, but it also saves healthcare costs and social care costs.

What better reasons could you have to make multidisciplinary rehabilitation available to cancer patients?

Reference: The Oncologist 2012;17:1581–1593 www.TheOncologist.com

From clinic to athlete

You may think that there are few similarities between the two extremes of my client base, which range from people in ‘end of life care’ through to elite athletes who represent Great Britain.  However, I have found that they have the following common factors that are vital for everyone wishing to achieve a new goal.

1.                       Needs – both groups need programmes tailored to their needs, goals and available support to give them a chance of completing their goal and succeeding.

2.                       Mindset – both groups need to have coping mechanisms that help them determine their response to a stressful situation.

3.                       Training – benefits are not going to be seen unless they push through the monotony of training and maintain focus on the goal, whether it be symptom relief or a gold medal.

4.                       No pain no gain – the level they work at needs to feel at least moderately hard, which means it will probably feel uncomfortable.  Whether this is chair stands or high intensity interval work.

5.                       Back on the Wagon – if they have a result that has put them back, they will show the determination to restart without thinking ‘I failed last time, so I will fail this time.’

Try using some of these strategies to help you achieve your health and fitness goals and you will succeed.

Achieving your goals

One of the best ways of making sure your new healthy habits stick is by setting SMART goals:

·    Specific

·    Measureable

·    Achievable

·    Realistic

·    Timed

Within this, ensure you set both a long-term target and smaller, more short-term targets.  Write the goal down and put it somewhere you will see it whether that be the fridge, your diary or on the bathroom mirror.  Then, also take some time to think of the supports or barriers you that you may have and how they will help or hinder you achieving your goal.  Write these down along with ways that you will use the supports and overcome the barriers.

Then when you achieve the smaller targets, take time to reward yourself. Pick anything that you enjoy, from a meal out to a family day out. This stepping stone approach prevents the long-term target from being too daunting, and keeps you from throwing in the towel.

Go on set a goal and achieve it, whatever it is, it will feel great when you celebrate!

Multidisciplinary rehabilitation post treatment

Following a cancer diagnosis, patients often enter a protracted treatment period that can last many months.  During this time, they will be having regular appointments with medical specialists, nursing staff and allied health professionals.   Eventually their treatment cycle, a combination of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery or other targeted therapies, will end. Suddenly they are out in the world again with only a follow up appointment in 3-6 months time.

Many of my CanMove clients have said that this is an incredibly tough time and that there is a lack of direct support from health professionals during this time.  The post treatment period often leaves patients with ongoing psychological and physical side effects that can last years.  Fatigue has been reported to last up to 5 years.    

Not every patient needs follow up care, but it has been reported that about 1 in 3 would benefit from, amongst others, physical, nutritional, or psychological support.   A study that evaluated a rehabilitation programme in Belgium concluded that multidisciplinary programme should become part of cancer patients total care plan.  These programmes should become standard care as they have been for cardiac or pulmonary rehabilitation since the late 80s.