Caring for a Loved One with Lung Cancer
Learning a loved one has lung cancer is a challenging situation to get through. According to the American Lung Association, lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, with 2.1 million new cases yearly. Most lung cancer diagnoses are in the elderly, with nearly 86 percent of patients older than 60.
If you care for a loved one with lung cancer, know you’re not alone. It’s a difficult situation, and it’ll take time to adjust, but consider the following tips to help you care for a loved one with lung cancer.
Educate yourself about lung cancer
One of the best first steps in preparing yourself to care for someone with lung cancer is to educate yourself about the condition. Lung cancer starts in the lungs and often doesn’t exhibit signs or symptoms until the later stages of the disease. Once the cancer advances, individuals may experience a persistent cough, shortness of breath, chest pains, hoarseness, unexplained weight loss, and bone pain.
There are two types of primary lung cancers; small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer.
- Small cell: This lung cancer tends to develop in heavier smokers and is a result of smoking
- Non-small cell: This lung cancer is an umbrella term for less common types of lung cancer. A few non-small cell lung cancers include squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma.
While heavy smoking is one of the primary causes of lung cancer, not everyone who develops lung cancer is a smoker. Additional risk factors include exposure to secondhand smoke, having undergone radiation therapy, exposure to radon gas, or a family history of lung cancer.
You can find additional resources on lung cancer from your loved one’s doctor or online from reputable organizations such as the American Lung Association or the American Cancer Association.
Stay positive
It’s normal to feel many emotions after learning your loved one is living with a condition such as lung cancer, and you should take time to process and express those emotions. However, once the initial shock wears off, try to remain optimistic about the circumstances, especially in the presence of your loved one. The more positivity you can bring to the situation, the easier it will be for your loved one to remain calm, happy, and hopeful.
Practice patience and compassion
Living with cancer is a significant change, and it may take your loved one time to settle into their new reality. Remember to practice patience and let them cope and grieve at a pace that works for them. Your patience lets your loved ones know you’re there when they need you and allows time for them to go through the experience at their own pace. Try not to force them into having serious conversations about their health and next steps. Instead, you can initiate the discussion but let them dictate the speed.
Take care of yourself
You can’t provide quality care for someone else if you’re not taking care of yourself. Make sure you’re still getting everything you need, whether setting aside time for activities you enjoy or establishing boundaries for how much you can help your loved one. Taking care of yourself also includes eating nutritious meals, sleeping, finding healthy ways to relieve stress, and continuing to stay active in other parts of your life, such as with family or your career.
Don’t hesitate to ask for help
Taking care of a loved one takes time and effort. It’s even more strenuous when the individual is living with an illness such as lung cancer. Many family caregivers also have to manage their careers and personal lives while remaining available for their loved ones.
If you’re a family caregiver feeling overwhelmed or burnt out by the demands of caregiving, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Talk to friends and other family members to see if you can create a career schedule or work to balance responsibilities between more people. If you don’t have loved ones nearby who can assist, you may consider hiring a part-time or full-time caregiver.
Professional caregivers like those at Visiting Angels can help you and your aging loved one with various non-medical tasks such as light housekeeping, meal preparation, personal grooming, and transportation. Visiting Angels Garland serves those in Fate, Heath, Lucas, Quinlan, Rockwall, Rowlett, Royse City, Sachse, West Tawakoni, and Wylie. If you’d like to learn more about our services, send us a message or call 214.703.8123.