Using photographs, electronic geriatric assessment, and the “This is Me” tool to guide enhanced supportive care in older adults referred for treatment at a regional cancer centre.
Tshepo M. Rasekaba, Oliver Hodge, Irene Blackberry, Stacey Rich, Nicole Webb,
Christopher B. Steer
Journal of Geriatric Oncology Volume 17, Issue 4 102941
Accepted: March 2026
https://www.geriatriconcology.net/article/S1879-4068(26)00095-0/fulltext
Healthcare is increasingly shifting from a paternalistic model to one that prioritises person-centred care (PCC). Despite this trend, implementing PCC in the care of older adults diagnosed with cancer remains challenging. The Age-Friendly Health Systems (AFHS) initiative provides a structured framework – the 4Ms (What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility) - to promote consistent, evidence-based care for older adults. It has demonstrated benefits in general geriatric care; however, applying the 4Ms principles in oncology is underexplored.
This study aimed to assess the feasibility of enhancing geriatric assessment (GA) by integrating two novel person-centred elements: Photovoice (two patient-supplied photographs inspired by “Photovoice” principles but not constituting a full Photovoice methodology) and the “This is Me” (TiM) tool.
The study demonstrated that the eRFA-Photo-TiM assessment is feasible and acceptable for enhancing patient-centred geriatric care aligned with the 4Ms Framework principles. Further research should focus on optimising implementation in routine practice and evaluating its impact on clinical outcomes and care processes, particularly for patients with G8 scores ≤14, who are deemed more prone to geriatric vulnerabilities and treatment-related risks.