The Vital Role of Home Health Occupational Therapy During the Prehabilitation Phase of Chemotherapy

Abstract

While it is well-known that chemotherapy significantly impacts clients physically and emotionally, what tends to be overlooked are the impacts on clients before chemotherapy treatment begins.  Prehabilitation in the cancer care continuum, the time after cancer diagnosis, but prior to acute treatment, is a critical, preparatory time.  Research indicates that early interventions during prehabilitation benefit clients and improve their functional outcomes, yet no clear standard of care exists.  Indeed, occupational therapy is not typically offered during chemotherapy prehabilitation, even though many of the areas impacted fall well within the scope and practice of occupational therapy.  This essay details the unmet needs of clients during prehabilitation and provides an in-depth analysis of how home health occupational therapy can play a vital role in filling this gap in care.  Specific interventions addressed include precautions in the home, as well as chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, cognition, chemotherapy-induced alopecia, cancer-related fatigue, pre-existing conditions, and emotional distress.