Participants’ perceptions of groupwork in the management of cancer symptoms in older people
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1921/gpwk.v19i2.670Keywords:
<i>Rehabilitation</i>, <i>cancer</i>, <i>oncology</i>, <i>palliative care</i>, <i>groupwork</i>, <i>specialist palliative day care unit</i>, <i>symptom management</i>, <i>physiotherapy</i>Abstract
This paper explores groupwork within rehabilitative palliative care on three distressing cancer symptoms: pain, dyspnoea and fatigue. This was achieved through qualitative methodology using a phenomenological orientated psychological approach in a cohort with a median age of 66 years. Groupwork, which included: social, exercise and divertional therapy groups were seen as important components within rehabilitative palliative care. Through semi-structured interviews the participants’ perceptions of their symptoms, beliefs and attitudes towards their groupwork within rehabilitative palliative care were explored. The relevance and benefits of the groupwork were then identified using quality of life markers established during data analysis. The main factors uncovered and shown to contribute to the groupwork were: environmental factors, mobilisation and normalisation. However more research is required to comprehend how different forms of groupwork can help reduce pain, dyspnoea and fatigue in older people with cancer.
References
Ahern, M., Nicholls, E., Simionato, E., Clark, M. and Bond, M. (1995) Clinical and psychological effects of hydrotherapy in rheumatic diseases. <i>Clinical Rehabilitation</i>, 9, 204–212\nAmedzai, S. (1997) Palliation of respiratory symptoms. in D. Doyle, G.W.C. Hanks, and N. MacDonald, N. (Eds.) <i>Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine</i>. Oxford: Oxford University Press (pp. 349–378)\nBauer, D. (Ed.) (1989) <i>Foundations of Physical Rehabilitation: A management approach</i> Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone\nBernabei, R., Gambassi, G., Lapane, K., Landi, F., Gatsonis, C., Dunlop, R., Lipsitz, L., Steel, K, and Mor, V. (1998) Management of pain in elderly patients with cancer. <i>Journal of the American Medical Association</i>, 279, 1877–1882\nCancer Research UK (2008) <i>Cancer Research UK Statistical Information</i>. <a target="_blank" href='http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/incidence/risk'>Http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/incidence/risk</a>\nChartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) (2002) <i>The Effectiveness of Physiotherapy in the Palliative Care of Older People</i> available at <a target="_blank" href='http://www.csp.org.uk'>www.csp.org.uk</a>\nCleary, J. F., and Carbone, P.P. (1997) Palliative medicine in the elderly. <i>Cancer</i>, 80, 1335–1347\nCohen, M. and Fried. G. (2007) Comparing relaxation training and cognitive-behavioural group therapy for women with breast cancer. <i>Research on Social Work Practice</i>, 17, 313–323\nColaizzi, P. F. (1978) Psychological research as the phenomenologist views it. in R. Vale, and M. King (Eds). <i>Existential Phenomenological Alternatives for Psychology</i>. New York: Oxford University Press (pp. 48–71)\nCorey, M. S. and Corey, G. (2002) <i>Groups: Process and practice</i>. (6th ed.) Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole\nCorner, J., Plant, H., A’Hern, R., and Bailey, C. (1996) Non-pharmacological intervention for breathlessness in lung cancer. <i>Palliative Medicine</i>, 10, 299–305\nCreswell, J.S.(Ed.) (1998) <i>Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing among the five traditions</i>. Thousand Oaks CA: Sage\nCurtis, E.B., Krech, R., Walsh, T D. (1991) Common symptoms in patients with advance cancer. <i>Journal of Palliative Care</i>, 7, 25–29\nDalal, S., Fabbro, E.D., and Bruera, E. (2006) Symptom control in palliative care – part 1: oncology as a paradigmatic example. <i>Journal of Palliative Medicine</i>. 9, 2, 391–408\nData Protection Act 1998 available at <a target="_blank" href='http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/19980029.htm'>http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/19980029.htm</a>\nDepartment of Health (DOH). (2000) <i>National Health Service (NHS) Cancer Plan</i>. London: HMSO\nDisalvo, W.M., Joyce, M.M., Tyson, L.B., Culkin, A.E., and Mackay, K. (2008) Putting evidence into practice: evidence-based interventions for cancer-related dyspnea. <i>Oncology nursing</i>, 12, 2, 341–352\nDonnelly, S., Walsh, D., and Rybicki, L. (1995) The symptoms of advanced cancer: ID of clinical and research priorities by assessment of prevalence and severity. <i>Journal of Palliative Care</i>, 11, 27–32\nField, D., Clark, D., Corner, J. and Davis, C. (Eds.) (2001) <i>Facing Death: Researching palliative care</i>. Buckingham: Open University Press\nFleming, U. (1985) Relaxation therapy for far-advanced cancer. <i>Practitioner</i>, 299, 471–475\nFrampton, D. (1986) Restoring creativity to the dying patient. <i>British Medical Journal</i>, 293, 6562, 1593–1595\nGessler, S., Low, J., Daniells, E., Williams, R., Brough, V., Tookman, A. and Jones, L., (2008) Screening for distress in cancer patients: is the distress thermometer a valid measure in the UK and does it measure change over time? A prospective validation study. <i>Psycho-Oncology</i>, 17, 6, 538–547\nGibbon, B. and Kenny, M. (1993) Nurses’ attitudes to patient activation. <i>Nursing Standard</i>, 8, 8, 35–39\nGlazer, K.M. Emery, C.F. Frid, D.J., and Banyasz, R.E. (2002) Psychological predictors of adherence and outcomes among patients in cardiac rehabilitation. <i>Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation</i>, 22, 40–46\nGregory, A.C. (2001) Fatigue in cancer. <i>British Medical Journal</i>, 322, 1560\nHann, D. M., Denniston, M. M. and Baker, F. (2000) Measurement of fatigue in cancer patients: Further validation of the Fatigue Symptom Inventory. <i>Quality of Life Research</i>, 9, 847–854\nHately, J., Scott, A., Laurence, V., Baker, R., and Thomas, P. (2001) <i>A Palliative-Care Approach for Breathlessness in Cancer: A clinical evaluation</i>. London: Help the Hospices\nHellegerg, C. and Sjogren, P. (2002) Self-assessment in cancer patients referred to palliative care. A study of feasibility and symptom epidemiology. <i>Cancer</i> 94, 512–520\nHigginson, I. (1997) <i>Palliative Care and Terminal Care: Health care needs assessment</i>. Abingdon: Radcliffe Medical Press\nHockley, J. (1993) Rehabilitation in palliative care: Are we asking the impossible? <i>Palliative Medicine</i>, 1, 9–15\nHolloway, I. (Ed.) (1997) <i>Basic Concepts for Qualitative Research</i>. London: Blackwell Science\nLiverpool Care Pathway (2007) Marie Currie Palliative Care Institute. Liverpool. <a target="_blank" href='http://www.endoflifecareforadults.nhs.uk/eolc/eolcpub.htm'>http://www.endoflifecareforadults.nhs.uk/eolc/eolcpub.htm</a>\nLord, S., Mitchell. D., and Williams, P. (1993) Effect of water exercise on balance and related factors in older people. <i>Australian Physiotherapy</i>, 39, 217–222\nMcLeod, J. (1996) Qualitative approaches to research in counselling and psychotherapy: issues and challenges. <i>British Journal of Guidance and Counselling</i>, 24, 3, 309–316\nMock, V., Dow, K. H., Meares, C.J., Grimm, P.M., Dienemann, J.A., Haisfield-Wolfe, M.E., Quitasol, W., Mitchell, S., Chakravarthy, A., and Gage, I.(1997) Effects of exercise on fatigue, physical functioning and emotional distress during radiation therapy for breast cancer. <i>Oncology Nursing Forum</i>, 24, 6, 991–1000\nNational Council for Hospice and Specialist Palliative Care Services (NCHSPCS) (1994) <i>Research in palliative care: the pursuit of reliable knowledge</i>. <i>Occasional paper</i> 5 London: NCHSPCS\nNational Health Service (NHS) research and development (RandD) (1999) <i>Strategic Review of Ageing and Age-associated Disease and Disability</i>. London: NHS RandD/DoH\nO’Brien, J. (1980) <i>The Principle of Normalisation: A foundation for effective services</i>. Atlanta Georgia: Responsive Systems Associates\nO’Driscoll, M., and Corner, J. and Bailey, C. (1999) The experience of breathlessness in lung cancer. <i>European Journal of Cancer Care</i>, 8, 37–43\nPan, C.X., Morrison, R.S., Ness, J., Fugh-Berman, A., and Leipzig, R.M. (2000) Complementary and alternative medicine in the management of pain, dyspnoea and nausea and vomiting near the end of life: A systematic review. <i>Journal of Pain and Symptom Management</i>, 20, 5, 374–386\nPunch, K. F. (Ed.) (2000) <i>Developing Effective Research Proposals</i>. London: Sage\nRagan, S.L., Wittenberg, E., and Hall, H.T. (2003) The communication of palliative care for the elderly cancer patient. <i>Health Communication</i>, 15, 2, 219–226\nRhodes, V.A., Watson, P.M., and Hanson, B.M. (1988) Patients’ descriptions of the influence of tiredness and weakness on self-care abilities. <i>Cancer Nursing</i>, 11, 3, 186–194\nRogind, H., Bibow-Nielsen, B., Jensen, B., Moller, H., Frimodt-Moller, H., and Bliddal, H. (1998) The effects of a physical training programme on patients with osteoarthritis of the knees. <i>Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation</i>, 79, 1421–1427\nShaw, R., and Wilkinson, S. (1996) Building pyramids: Palliative care patients’ perceptions of making art. <i>Therapy and Rehabilitation</i>, 2, 4, 217–221\nSheehan, D.C. and Forman, W.B. (1997) Symptomatic management of the older person with cancer. <i>Clinics in Geriatric Medicine</i>, 13, 203–219\nSpiegel, D., Bloom, J., and Yalom, I. (1981) Group support for patients with metastatic cancer: A randomised prospective outcome study. <i>Archives of General Psychiatry</i>, 38, 527–533.\nStone, P., Richards, M., A’Hern, R., and Hardy, J. (2000) A study to investigate the prevalence, severity and correlates of fatigue among patients with cancer in comparison with a control group of volunteers without cancer. <i>Annals of Oncology</i>, 11, 561–567\nStromborg, F.M. and Wright, P. (1994) Ambulatory cancer patients’ perception of the physical and psychosocial changes in their lives since the diagnosis of cancer. <i>Cancer Nursing</i>, 7, 2, 117–130\nSyrjala, K.I., Donaldson, G. W., and Davis, M.W. (1995) Relaxation and imagery and cognitive-behavioural training reduce pain during cancer treatment: A controlled clinical trial. <i>Pain</i>, 63, 189–198\nTerpstra, S.J., de Witte, L.P., and Diederiks, J.P.M. (1992) Compliance of patients with an exercise program for rheumatoid arthiritis. <i>Physiotherapy Canada</i>, 44, 37–41\nVale, R. and King, M. (1978) <i>Existential Phenomenological Alternatives for Psychology</i>. New York: Oxford University Press\nWilliams, M. A. (1994) <i>Exercise Testing and Training in Elderly Cardiac Patients. Current issues in cardiac rehabilitation</i>. Monograph no. 1. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publication\nWorld Health Organisation (WHO) (1990) <i>Cancer Pain Relief and Palliative Care: Report of a WHO expert committee</i> Technical Report Series: 804 Geneva: WHO\n
Downloads
Published
2012-12-20
How to Cite
Belchamber, C. (2012). Participants’ perceptions of groupwork in the management of cancer symptoms in older people. Groupwork, 19(2), 79-100. https://doi.org/10.1921/gpwk.v19i2.670
Issue
Section
Articles
License
Copyright lies with the journal. Enquiries regarding reproduction should be sent in the first place to enquiries@whitingbirch.net
