Comparison of Home Palliative Care for Elderly Patients with Cancer between Age Groups : A Multicenter Study

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This study was performed to compare the characteristics of home palliative care for elderly patients with cancer between age groups. Methods: The clinical records of 1,032 patients with cancer who received home medical care from June to November 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were classified as non-elderly (<65 years old), young-old (65-74 years), old-old (75-84 years), or oldest-old (≥85 years), and these groups were compared with respect to demographic characteristics, patient/family problems, outcomes, and medical care and services provided. Results: There was a higher percentage of patients with no caregiver in the oldest-old group than in the other groups (18%, p=0.014), while the young-old and oldest-old groups had a higher percentage of problems related to caregiving such as caregiver burden or absence of a caregiver (32% and 33%, p=0.002, respectively). In addition, the percentage of patients who required visiting nurses and care was higher in the old-old group (86% and 30%, respectively) and oldest-old group (89% and 35%, respectively) compared with the other two groups. Conclusion: Problems related to caregiving, such as caregiver burden or absence of a caregiver, were greater in the old-old and oldest-old groups, and a higher percentage of patients required visiting nurses and care in those two groups.