OABC Lunch and Learn Educational Series
Thank you to everyone who has joined us for our Lunch and Learn events! Check back for information about future educational events in this series.
View recordings of prior events and other educational videos
OABC Coffee Hour: Virtual Support Groups for Older Adults With Breast Cancer
We offer monthly, virtual drop-in support groups for older Dana-Farber patients with breast cancer to share experiences, resources, support, and friendship. Please note that you must be a Dana-Farber patient to attend these sessions.
We offer separate groups for patients living with metastatic breast cancer and for patients with early stage breast cancer. If you aren't sure which group is right for you, we can help. All sessions are held virtually over Zoom.
Metastatic Breast Cancer: First Monday of the month, 10-11 a.m. ET, and third Tuesday of the month, 2-3 p.m. ET
Early Stage Breast Cancer: Second Monday of the month, 10-11:15 a.m. ET
Coffee Hours are facilitated by a licensed clinical social worker (LICSW) from Dana-Farber's Breast Oncology Center. A Zoom link is emailed to participants the day before each session, and assistance with Zoom is available upon request. Come just once or every month – we would love to have you join us!
Sign up here to be added to the Coffee Hour email list.
For more information, please contact us at 617-632-4300 or oabc@dfci.harvard.edu.
Age-Related Health Concerns
When facing a cancer diagnosis, it can be tempting to prioritize treating your cancer and push other health concerns to the back of your mind. However, the success of your cancer treatment depends partly on your overall health. For many older patients, the issues and challenges associated with the disease are quite different from those that affect younger patients.
The program staff includes breast cancer experts who understand the concerns of older people who are more likely to have other health conditions that can complicate their treatment for breast cancer including:
- Bone health: Some cancer treatments may affect the bones. This can be concerning for older adults who may already be at risk for osteopenia and osteoporosis.
- Heart health and blood pressure: Some cancer treatments can affect the heart and/or blood pressure. This is often more of a concern for older adults, who may already have a higher risk of these conditions.
- Memory: Problems may include memory loss, difficulty remembering things (such as medications or doctor appointments), and confusion.
- Nutritional needs: Eating a healthy diet is very important to help ensure that your cancer treatment is as effective as possible. This is true for everyone but especially so for older adults who may face other challenges such as diabetes or heart disease.
- Activity and exercise: Regular physical activity is an important way to reduce fatigue caused by cancer treatment, maintain your strength, and improve your overall quality of life.
There are additional tools and resources patients and caregivers can explore on their own, which are related to considerations for older adults:
- The Cancer and Aging Research Group (CARG) offers a geriatric assessment tool, as well as a litany of resources for older adults on topics including emotional support, nutrition, memory, and living and care options.
- Cancer.org is a patient information website developed by the American Cancer Society to provide timely, oncologist-approved information for patients and their families.