{"entity":{"id":"idea-acc-caregiver-training-as-covered-service","kind":"idea","name":"Caregiver training and respite as a covered service in cancer care for older patients","aka":[],"tldr":"Older cancer patients depend on family carers who receive no training or support. Paying for carer training and short breaks would keep patients at home and out of hospital.","summary":"Informal caregivers manage medications, symptoms, and appointments for most older patients with cancer, often with high distress and no preparation. Structured caregiver training (symptom recognition, medication management, when to call) and respite services reduce caregiver burden and, in some studies, patient hospitalisations. Making these reimbursable services within cancer care would recognise carers as part of the care team.","asOf":"2026-09-08","links":[{"label":"Bottleneck evidence (Older and multimorbid patients are excluded and undertreated): Mohile et al., Evaluation of geriatric assessment and management on toxic effects of cancer treatment (GAP70+, Lancet 2021)","url":"https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01789-X"}],"tags":[],"related":[],"cancers":[],"sections":["supportive-care"],"technologies":[],"targets":[],"drugs":[],"companies":[],"institutions":[],"pathways":[],"terms":[],"trials":[],"people":[],"bottlenecks":["b-aging-comorbidity","b-patient-voice"],"keyPapers":[],"journals":[],"dependsOn":[],"notes":[],"hypothesis":"Covered caregiver training and respite will reduce unplanned admissions of older patients by at least 15% and reduce caregiver distress scores, at net cost savings.","rationale":"Caregiver interventions have evidence in dementia and heart failure; older cancer patients have similar dependency with more acute crises.","test":"A randomised trial of covered caregiver support versus usual care for 800 patients over 75 with admissions, caregiver distress, and cost as endpoints.","maturity":"early-clinical","actor":"payer","cost":"medium","horizonYears":3},"route":"/ideas/idea-acc-caregiver-training-as-covered-service/","neighbours":{"section":[{"id":"supportive-care","kind":"section","name":"Supportive Care & Survivorship","route":"/fronts/supportive-care/"}],"bottleneck":[{"id":"b-aging-comorbidity","kind":"bottleneck","name":"Older and multimorbid patients are excluded and undertreated","route":"/bottlenecks/b-aging-comorbidity/"},{"id":"b-patient-voice","kind":"bottleneck","name":"Patients lack understanding, navigation and agency","route":"/bottlenecks/b-patient-voice/"}],"technology":[{"id":"rejuv-life-carers","kind":"technology","name":"The carer's own recovery: what is known about the person who is not the patient","route":"/technologies/rejuv-life-carers/"}]}}