In the context of the Horizon Europe funded EU Navigate project, partner AGE Platform Europe organised a user forum on 24 October 2024 with its members interested in dignified and healthy ageing. The consultation with representatives from organisations of and for older people aimed to gain insights on what matters to older people and how navigators will serve the purpose of good care and good quality of life.
AGE members from Germany, Finland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Cyprus, France, Poland and Norway first described what quality of life means to them – autonomy, dignity, meaningful connections with family, friends and community – before sharing their thoughts on good quality of care which centred around autonomy, respect, and compassionate support from carers.
Needs of older people with cancer and their families
Having laid the groundwork, participants were invited to think about the needs and resources that older people with cancer and their families may have in terms of practical, emotional/psychosocial and physical/medical needs.
Older adults with cancer need comprehensive physical and medical support, including timely, affordable and personalized access to treatment, palliative care, and clear communication from medical professionals.
Having a strong emotional and psychosocial support network, addressing mental health needs, is important for older adults with cancer. Access to counselling, support groups, spiritual care and being able to discuss end-of-life questions were also highlighted. Families and informal carers of older people with cancer also require psychosocial and emotional support, as well as respite care. All participants agreed that informal carers need to receive more public recognition.
In terms of practical needs, participants mentioned support for mobility, in the home, with cooking and personal hygiene.
EU Navigate
Following these discussions, the project coordination team from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel presented the EU Navigate project and specifically the tasks of the navigator: to visit the older person with cancer ever 2 weeks, listen, form a trusting relationship, connect, empower them, help with practical and emotional needs, and refer them to resources and services.
How can navigation address people’s needs?
The group then discussed if and how navigators can help address the identified needs. Navigators can mostly address psychosocial and emotional needs directly: listen to the older person with cancer, talking about end of life, provide emotional support, address loneliness, provide information. Indirectly, a navigator can help address a person’s need by identifying and referring them to other services: services providing mobility assistance or help with personal hygiene, counselling, peer support, or palliative care.
Participants also cautioned not to overload the navigator and to ensure that responsibilities that should be performed by paid professionals are not shifted to volunteers.
The findings from the first EU Navigate user forum, as well as the second which is scheduled for the end of 2025, will feed into the recommendations for policy makers at the end of the project.
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