In home care helps cancer patients in a number of ways; helping patients and their families. Cancer has touched everyone’s life in some way and Accredited Home Care wants to bring information about in home care for cancer patients to the forefront.

Quick List of Ways Home Care Helps Cancer Patients

At home care for cancer patients can be made easier for everyone with a combination of in-home health care services along with professional & family caregiving. Home care helps cancer patients in a number of ways.

• Comfort
• Familiar Surroundings
• Family Nearby
• Professional Level of In-Home Care
• Friends Nearby
• Emotional Support of those who around the patient
• Privacy that may not be available in an after-care facility
• More Time with Loved Ones
• Helpful Resources (provided in a number of ways by various organizations)
• Accommodating Visitations (there are no set hours, visiting is personalized without “strangers” around, people can call the patient’s home before visiting to see if the patient is up for a visit)
• Independence at Home
• Shared Care between Friends, Family, Professional Health Care providers & Caregivers

How Home Care Helps Cancer Patients

The list above is a simple, quick listing of ways that dealing with cancer at home may be a better option for some people. Below is a more extensive explanation of how using in home care for cancer patients can offer a number of solutions.

1. Emotional Support – Hearing that you have cancer changes your life; however, knowing that you have support all around you can make a world of difference. Being cared for at home allows you to have friends and family nearby to talk to, discuss options with, visit when you are up to it, and so much more.
2. Sharing the Caring – Using in home caregiving, professional in home health care, and the caregiving of friends and family helps share the many jobs that come with battling cancer. It helps to share in the caregiving process and will help make sure that everything isn’t placed on just one person; but shared together as a unit or caregiving team.
3. Independence – As a cancer patient you will be going through a lot. Being able to stay in your own home either after cancer surgery or during treatments may help you feel empowered and independent. This is an especially common feeling for seniors who fear being placed into care facilities and losing their ability to return to their home.
4. Ease of Mind – Home care allows the patient to rest while knowing that things like light housekeeping, keeping track of appointments, and meals are prepared. The patient has the ability to concentrate on rest and a healthy lifestyle while still being as active in the home as physically possible.
5. Another Point of View – Having professionals as a part of the home care is often like the glue that keeps it all together; allowing for a caring professional’s view and thoughts to help families deal with the cancer. A hired professional may find it easier to recognize signs of decline or special need.
6. Less Stress at Home – The changes that can be involved with going from a hospital to a temporary skilled nursing facility and then on to full time skilled nursing can cause extreme distress and fear. Knowing that a person is coming home where “they belong” and utilizing skilled home health care services along with in-home caregiving services can reduce at least one aspect of stress and cancer.

Cancer Resources

The resources we are providing are not associated with or a part of Accredited Home Care. The sources are varied in hopes of helping a variety of patients and families of patients who are dealing with many types of cancer. These resources are an addition to how home care helps cancer patients by providing knowledge & resources.

• CancerCare^{™ [1]} Website – This organization offers a number of resources; including funding for transportation in San Diego & Imperial counties of California, online resources & information, counseling, and more.
• Adult Children – Dealing with a parent who has cancer is difficult. If you are caring with a parent who has cancer while also caring for your own child(ren) Cancer Net offers this resource page with tips and information.
• Caregivers eBook – The website of Cancer.Gov offers an excellent eBook (in PDF format, Kindle™ and ePub format) for free. The publication is called “When Someone You Love is Being Treated for Cancer: Support for Caregivers” and you can choose the format you prefer from the link provided above.
• Cancer in Children & Adolescents – Another resource provided by Cancer.gov; this web page offers a number of resources and fact sheets. Unfortunately, as a parent you will feel overwhelmed and as if you should be the soul caregiver for your child. The truth is, having others help you will keep you healthy and more capable to concentrate & think clearly to help your child through the battle of cancer.
• Survivors – The National Cancer Institute offers this free eBook called “Facing Forward: Life After Cancer Treatment.” It is an excellent resource for not only helping about choices in life but helping to determine if, what and when check-ups should happen.

[1] Accredited Care is not associated with CancerCare™ & is referring to the organization as a reference for a number of assets, including possible financial aid. They are among many valuable resources regarding cancer.

Photo by Roswell Park