Overview

This webinar offers an introduction to the Cancer and Aging: Reflections for Elders (CARE) psychotherapy intervention model. Designed for adults aged 70 and older undergoing cancer treatment, CARE responds to the distinct emotional, developmental, and existential challenges that arise at the intersection of aging and cancer. This evidence based model was developed and evaluated at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in New York, USA. Grounded in the combined principles of psycho-oncology and geriatric psychology, the CARE model provides a structured therapeutic framework that supports older adults in managing cancer-related distress while engaging meaningfully with age-related life themes. These include navigating losses associated with aging, reflecting on one’s life experiences, processing regrets, and cultivating perspective and wisdom amidst uncertainty. The webinar will describe the development and implementation of the CARE model, which is delivered as a five session, telephone based program.

Please note: This webinar will run for one hour,followed by the Annual General Meeting (AGM) for Psychologists in Oncology Interest Group (POIG) members.

Schedule:
Webinar – 1 hour: 12.00 – 1.00pm AEDT NSW Time
AGM Follows: 1.00pm AEDT NSW Time

Members of POIG can view the 2024 AGM Minutes and 2026 AGM Agenda by please clicking here.

*please ensure you are signed into your APS member profile to access the PsyCommunity Library

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this event, participants should be able to:

• Describe the key psychological needs of older adults undergoing cancer treatment.
• Explain the conceptual foundations and therapeutic structure of the CARE (Cancer and Aging: Reflections for Elders) model.
• Identify how the CARE intervention integrates aging related themes—such as loss, life review, and meaning making—into psychosocial cancer care.
• Summarize the current evidence base emerging from ongoing clinical research on CARE.
• Recognize practical considerations for implementing geriatric focused psycho oncology interventions in clinical settings.
• Acknowledge that the webinar provides an introduction only and does not qualify attendees to independently deliver the CARE intervention.

Presenter(s)

Dr. Christian Nelson

About the presenter(s)

Dr. Christian J. Nelson is a psychologist who serves as the Chief of the Psychiatry Service and Attending Psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He is also a Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. Dr. Nelson specializes in the psychological care of older adults with cancer and patients with genitourinary malignancies. He works closely with the hospital’s Geriatric Disease Management team to provide psychological support for patients aged 65 and older. As the psychological liaison to the Genitourinary and Sexual Medicine Services, he also assists men experiencing treatment-related sexual dysfunction, working with them and their partners to optimize intimacy before, during, and after treatment. Dr. Nelson’s research focuses on understanding and addressing the impact of cancer on the quality of life for geriatric and prostate cancer patients. His specific research areas include developing geriatric-specific depression assessment tools and psychotherapies, exploring sexual dysfunction following cancer treatments, studying the cognitive effects of hormonal therapy in prostate cancer patients, and addressing distress in Black men with prostate cancer.

Notes

Target Audience

This session is designed for psychologists, oncology professionals, mental health clinicians, geriatric specialists, and other practitioners seeking to enhance supportive care for older adults living with cancer. The broader therapeutic themes addressed—such as meaning making, cognitive emotional integration, and structured life review— are also highly relevant to professionals working with older adults who do not have cancer, as well as those supporting individuals navigating chronic illness, major life transitions, or late life psychological challenges. As such, the webinar will be valuable to anyone interested in applying geriatric informed, evidence based approaches to promote psychological well being in aging populations.

Please note:

• This is a Member Groups event. All communication will be sent to the registrants’ registered email address. This includes event reminders with details (such as the Zoom link) and any pre-event or post-event resources, if provided by the facilitators.
• A post-event email will be sent within two weeks of the event’s completion to each registrant’s registered email address. This email will include the CPD certificate, event-recording, and any additional resources shared during the session.

Duration of Access

This event will be recorded. The recording will be emailed to all registered within 2 weeks post event and available for viewing up to 90 days.

CPD

It is up to attendees to assess and determine how learning from this event aligns with the requirements of their learning plan. The providers accordingly do not make any representation that the event counts towards attendees’ CPD learning requirements. If an attendee determines themselves that the learning they complete aligns to their learning plan, then they can decide to count those hours towards their CPD requirements for the registration cycle.

The information in this presentation has been prepared in good faith and for educational purposes only. Therefore, the information is general in nature and should not be relied upon in the treatment of any condition and you should seek your own independent professional and/or legal advice concerning any specific issue. The APS accepts no responsibility for any errors, omissions or decisions relating to the information. The content should not be reproduced without permission or unless permitted by law.

If you are experiencing registration difficulties please contact APS Events Support.