Pillar 2 - Research Photos Helped Older Cancer Patients Share “What Matters Most” in WorldFirst Study at Regional Centre core component of age-friendly care. The photographs provided a unique opportunity to ask that question. Patients welcomed the opportunity to share photographs, noting that it helped clinicians look beyond the cancer diagnosis and gain a deeper understanding of the person behind the disease.” The success of the feasibility trial positioned the AWRCC as a national leader in developing age-friendly, patient-centered cancer care. Researchers believed it was the first time photographs had been used in this way within a clinical cancer setting anywhere in the world and was made possible through community donations. “This work would not have been possible without the support of our community through the Trust Fund,” the research team said. “By listening to patients and giving them the tools to share their stories, we not only shaped better cancer care locally, but also set an example for cancer centres across Australia and beyond.” A world-first research project at the Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre (AWRCC) used photographs taken by patients to help doctors better understand their priorities, challenges, and personal circumstances during cancer treatment. Entitled ‘Geriatric Assessment in the Instagram Era,’ this project drew on the modern reality that almost all of us now carry a camera in our pocket and that sharing photos has become part of everyday life. The feasibility trial, undertaken in partnership with La Trobe University and funded by the AWRCC Trust Fund with $18,988 in community donations, explored whether patient photos could be integrated into geriatric assessments for older adults living with cancer. As part of the trial, 18 patients aged 70 and over were asked to provide 4 photographs on the following themes: their identity, their home environment, transport to appointments and something that was important to them. The aim was to find photographs that they felt best reflected their lives and “What Matters Most”. Photos ranged from family photos to pets and hobbies, to their cars, and pictures of their house and garden. These photographs became the starting point for in-depth conversations with researchers, who then created multimedia case reports for discussion with the patient’s multi-disciplinary team. And the results? The researchers found that this new approach provided powerful patient insights that were not usually captured in routine medical assessments. The photos and resulting conversations highlighted “What mattered most” to patients while also revealing their individual strengths, challenges, and personal goals. This new method for capturing information about each patient helped to guide decisions about their treatment. “Photographs taken in their own environment provided patients with a way to communicate more openly and allowed clinicians to understand the context of their lives,” said A/Prof Christopher Steer, Research Lead. “We have learnt that this approach supports age-friendly, personalised care. We experienced improvements in communication between both us and the patients, which in turn helped us to ensure treatment was centered on each individual’s needs. Determining “What Matters Most” is a • A WORLD-FIRST: Research participant Harry Thomas with one of his 4 photos that assisted researchers and clinicians to look beyond his cancer diagnosis
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