Each year, approximately 440 per 100,000 people are diagnosed with cancer. Of those who have cancer, only 163 of every 100,000 lose the battle. With treatment, odds are high that your dad will beat it.
Common cancers for men include prostate, colorectal, lung, and skin. The odds of surviving them are good, especially when caught early. This is why it’s important to make sure that your dad sees his doctor regularly. From there, he needs to listen carefully to his doctor’s recommendations and keep appointments with his oncologist.
What Happens When He’s Diagnosed?
Depending on the type of cancer, your dad may have a surgical procedure to remove the cancerous cells. He may need chemo or radiation. He will need support at home. He may feel nauseous and weak. He may need rides to his appointments. Home care services can help with all of that.
What Happens When He’s Done Treatments?
When he’s through the treatments, he will want someone at home to help him keep the house clean. It will help him having someone to schedule follow-up appointments. He may find it helpful having someone to do his laundry and prepare his meals. At this point, he may not need as much help from a caregiver as he was getting, but he’ll still need some help.
You can be the one supporting him, but you need to weigh the pros and cons. You’ll want to be there for him. That’s understandable. You do need to consider your own responsibilities and needs, too. If you work full-time, you may not be able to afford to go weeks without working. Balance your dad’s care needs with your work hours by pairing family care with home care.
The Benefits of Home Care
Home care services are a fantastic way to support your dad as he goes through cancer treatments. As he recovers, it’s easy to reduce the amount of help he needs. Once he’s signed up for home care services, he can adjust the services to meet his needs. He doesn’t have to keep his caregiver around for the same number of hours when he feels better.
He must continue to make and attend follow-up screenings and appointments. If he can’t drive or struggles to remember appointments, it’s a good time to talk about transportation services from a home care agency. A caregiver comes when needed to help your dad with the tasks that are harder for him to manage like scheduling and transportation. Call a home care agency to get started.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Home Care in Spartanburg, SC, contact Heart of the Carolinas Home Care at 864-991-3116. Providing Home Care Services in Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Anderson, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Seneca, Laurens, Charleston, Columbia and the surrounding areas.
Sources:
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/statistics
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