If your elderly family member has been diagnosed with cancer, you likely aren’t sure which end is up just yet. It can take some time to come to terms with the diagnosis and to figure out what happens next. Give both of you time to adjust and to determine what you need right now.
Don’t Jump the Gun
An initial diagnosis of cancer is not something that you or your elderly family member likely want to hear. But there may still be more testing and information gathering to do. There are times when an initial diagnosis isn’t as accurate as your senior’s doctor wants it to be. This is where specialists and other treatments can come into play. Keep gathering information so that you have the full picture.
Determine What the Treatment Options Are
Part of this information-gathering stage is going to involve determining what the different treatment options are. There may be some treatments your elderly family member doesn’t want to have and that’s something that she can choose. Many cancer patients blend alternative treatments, like massage, with oncology treatments like chemotherapy. It’s about what your senior wants during this time.
Make Reasonable Changes
This can be an excellent time to make some reasonable changes in your senior’s life. Eating healthier foods, for instance, gives her body the fuel that it badly needs right now to cope with both the illness and the treatments that she chooses. Other changes might involve adding exercise to her routine if her doctor agrees and finding ways to relieve stress and anxiety in a natural way.
Get Some Support Now
Now is the time to get some extra emotional, mental, and practical support lined up. You and your elderly family member will need the help of experienced senior care providers at some point. It might be easier to establish those relationships now. Something else to consider is joining support groups so that each of you has people to reach out to who understand what you’re facing on a daily basis.
Finding the new normal might be a little difficult at first, but you and your senior can do it. A cancer diagnosis doesn’t mean that she’s necessarily at the end of the road right now and there are a lot of treatment options available. It’s important to approach the situation with an open mind and with as much information as you can gather.
If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring Elder Care in Hillcrest, CA, or the surrounding area, please contact the caring staff at Love 2 Live Care. Call Today 1-619-291-4663