Changes in Activity Levels of Older Adult Cancer Survivors

Older adult cancer survivors often experience disability after cancer treatment, but little is known about how they adjust their daily activities during recovery and their opinions about those adjustments. Forty-three cancer survivors older than 60 years completed an oral interview using standardized and semi-structured assessments of activity level and mood. Overall, participants had a 12% reduction in their activity level at 3 months post-treatment. Greatest reductions were seen for high physically demanding leisure activities (34% reduction) and social activities (16% reduction), with lesser reductions in instrumental (7% reduction) and low physically demanding leisure activities (4% reduction). Twelve percent reported clinically significant depressive symptoms and none met criteria for anxiety disorders. Although cancer treatment is only one factor affecting activity routines, it creates challenges and older adults often reconsider priorities regarding how to spend limited energy. A customized balance of energizing and energy-depleting activities may be most conducive to recovery after cancer treatment.