What to Expect When Caring for a Loved One with Cancer

Taking care of a loved one with cancer can be physically and emotionally challenging. As a caregiver, you may be providing physical care, emotional support, or helping coordinate medical care. Being prepared and knowing what to expect can help make the caregiving journey a little easier. Here’s an overview of what you may experience and how to cope.

Providing Physical Care

Cancer and cancer treatments often lead to debilitating physical effects like fatigue, pain, nausea, and loss of strength and mobility. As a caregiver, you may need to help your loved one with:

• Daily tasks like bathing, dressing, cooking, cleaning
• Medications and side effect management 
• Transportation to and from medical appointments
• Basic wound care and changing bandages
• Managing equipment like oxygen tanks, IVs, catheters

Caring for someone physically can be demanding. Be sure to use proper techniques when lifting or moving your loved one to avoid injury. Take breaks when needed. Don’t be afraid to ask family and friends, or hire help for respite care. Home care services in Greensboro, NC, are there to help with cancer care, such as helping patients in and out of bed, bathing, and palliative care.

Providing Emotional Support

A cancer diagnosis is emotionally devastating. Your loved one may experience shock, anger, sadness, anxiety, depression, fear, or frustration at different points in their cancer journey. As a caregiver, you can provide emotional support by:

• Being a patient and empathetic listener
• Talking through their fears and concerns
• Providing reassuring words and encouragement
• Distracting them from negative thoughts through activities like reading, puzzles, or watching movies
• Helping them stay engaged with friends and family

You may want to suggest counseling or a support group to help them cope. But just being present and letting them know you care goes a long way.

Coordinating Care

As a caregiver, you may find yourself coordinating doctor visits, managing insurance issues, filling prescriptions, tracking medications, and more. This “care manager” role can be complicated. Tips to stay organized include:

• Maintaining a binder with medical records, test results, medications lists, and appointment information
• Creating spreadsheets to track treatment costs and insurance claims
• Setting up a pill organizer to manage multiple medications
• Using online patient portals to access test results and communicate with medical teams
• Keeping a notebook of questions and things to discuss at appointments

The administrative work of caregiving can be time-consuming. See if other family members can share the load. And utilize resources like social workers to help navigate health systems.

Taking Care of Yourself

It’s easy to get burned out as a caregiver if you don’t take care of yourself. Be sure to take breaks each day, even if they are short. Get enough sleep and eat healthy foods, and make sure to exercise when possible to relieve stress.

Caring for someone with cancer is a team effort. Don’t try to do it all alone. Seek and accept help from others whenever possible. And don’t neglect your own well-being - preserving your health will allow you to be the best caregiver possible.