Optimising care for older people with cancer

Melanoma Nursing Webinar Program

This workshop took place on 15 May, 2026.

This workshop focused on knowledge, skills and practical strategies that can be used by advanced practice nurses to optimise care for older people with cancer. It foregrounds person-centred assessment, raises awareness of assumptions and bias about ageing and preferences for care among older people. The workshop will introduce pragmatic tools for age-friendly care and the new optimal care pathway for older people with cancer.

Learning outcomes:

Understand why it is critical that we consider the needs of older people living with cancer
Increase awareness of the harms of common biases, assumptions and attitudes that influence care for older people with cancer.
Explore how the Optimal Care Pathway for Older People with Cancer (OCP) aims to combat ageism in the system and set a gold standard pathway of care for older people with cancer
Gain insight into the practicality of using the G8 screening tool in clinical practice and integrating findings into care planning.
Learn about the OlderCan website and This Is Me tools to enhance age-friendly care.
Leave with a set of concrete actions that can be implemented the next working day to improve care delivery.

Audience: MIA program nurses. Recording to be available to a larger nursing cohort.

Speakers

	Professor Mei Krishnasamy, Professor of Nursing (Cancer), Department of Nursing, University of Melbourne; VCCC Alliance Cancer Nursing Lead Professor Mei Krishnasamy is Professor of Nursing in the Department of Nursing at the University of Melbourne, the VCCC Alliance Cancer Nursing Lead, and honorary Research Fellow in the Centre for Health Services Research in Cancer at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Mei's career has been defined by a commitment to advancing equity of access to evidence-informed cancer care by developing the capability of nurses to develop and implement value-based health service innovation. She has an established record of collaborative co-design research focusing on the development and evaluation of approaches of care and strategies targeted at improving patient and carer experiences of living with cancer, demands of treatment and symptom profiles, linking experience of care innovation to improved patient outcomes.
	Catherine Devereux Catherine is an allied health clinician (Orthoptist), groupwork facilitator, co-design researcher and education resource developer whose particular interests are in experiential learning, communications skills and person-centred approaches to care. In the last 10 years as a Research Project Manager with Peter Mac and University of Melbourne Catherine has led 8 qualitative co-design studies which have all partnered closely with consumers and have prioritized the production of tangible outcomes for patients, carers and health professionals. Three supportive care digital resources have been co-created: for people affected my pancreatic cancer; to empower older people with cancer wecan.org.au/oldercan/ ; and to support patients and carers who are Preparing for End of Life Catherine has also co-created multiple education and awareness raising videos – in recent studies these address: optimal communication; safe mobility of inpatients; and staff training for enquiry of people at risk of elder abuse Emotional Elder Abuse - a sensitive conversation (youtube.com)

	Paul Baden Pauls’ professional career was in hospitality recruitment, human services and business mentoring, running a successful business for over 25 years. Diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s mantle cell lymphoma in 2005, Paul had an Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant in Dec 2005 at The Royal Melbourne Hospital. Paul has been a consumer Advocate/Representative for the past 17 years. Currently involved on several committees including Cancer Education & Training Advisory Group (CETAC) with the VCCC Alliance. The Consumer Research Advisory Group (CRAG) and the Partnering with Consumers Committee at The Royal Melbourne Hospital. He has been on many research projects and is currently leading a Consumer Steering Group on a 4-year Research Clinical Trial with Monash University. Paul was a collaborator for the - ‘The Older and Wiser’ project -Development of a co-designed, online, supportive care resource for older adults affected by cancer. A project, funded by a Cancer Australia Grant (2018-2021).
	Nicole Webb Nicole is a McGrath Cancer Care Nurse with Albury Wodonga Health, specialising in advanced lung and primary brain cancer. In addition to her clinical role, she holds a position as a research fellow at LaTrobe University, focusing on research in supportive care for older adults with cancer. Graduating with a Bachelor of Nursing from LaTrobe University in 1993, Nicole has worked in aged care, rehabilitation, and oncology. She completed a Master of Cancer Sciences from the University of Melbourne in 2021 and alongside her nursing qualifications, holds a Diploma in Education Studies and a certificate IV in Leadership and Management. Nicole is a member of Cancer Nurses Society of Australia and Clinical Oncology Society of Australia. In her spare time, she loves running, bushwalking, yoga and listening to audiobooks.
	Dr Sharon de Graves, Senior Manager Cancer Nursing, VCCC Alliance and Program Manager, Nursing and Midwifery Research Collaborative, Department of Nursing, University of Melbourne Sharon is the Program Manager of Nurse-Led Research at the VCCC Alliance. She has a nursing career that spans over 25 years with a background in paediatric and adolescent oncology and cancer nursing more broadly. She has expertise in the fields of nursing research, education, leadership, and management. Sharon is passionate about developing opportunities and supporting nurses to integrate research and critical inquiry into their everyday practice.