Christian Nelson on Nursing Care for Older Patients with Cancer

Christian Nelson, PhD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses what nurses should be aware of when caring for an older patient with cancer as opposed to a younger patient.

Older patients are more likely to need more time for their care due to limitations such as physical problems, difficulty hearing or seeing, or cognitive impairment.

Nurses should also acknowledge the concept of ageism as well as the nature of growing older, which can include losses associated with aging and loneliness, Nelson said.