As a caregiver, you influence how a patient deals with their illness. Your support helps patients manage treatment plans and focus on recovery through proper nutrition and rest.

Caregivers are often responsible for keeping track of prescriptions, planning for upcoming tests and keeping doctors aware of any issues. Caregivers may also help loved ones with daily activities such as driving to appointments, picking up medicines, cooking meals or doing chores.

Helpful resources for caregivers:

• Managing medications
• Taking care of loved ones’ physical, mental and emotional health
• Communicating with the health care team
• Addressing legal and financial issues

When facing a cancer diagnosis, understanding and navigating the health care system can be challenging. Find helpful resources for navigating health insurance coverage so you can focus on what matters most.

The American Cancer Society’s online interactive guide may help caregivers answer the big questions so they can understand what their loved one is experiencing.

Additional Resources

• Being a Cancer Caregiver
• What you Should Know About Becoming a Cancer Caregiver
• Support for Caregivers of Cancer Patients
• How to Be a Friend to Someone with Cancer
• Caregiver Support Video Series

The American Cancer Society offers several resources for families supporting a pediatric cancer child. Resources address difficult topics like coping with the news of a diagnosis, helping siblings adjust to a new environment and navigating the health care system when caring for a child.

Resources are available below:

• If Your Child Is Diagnosed with Cancer
• When Your Child Has Cancer
• When Your Child Is Going Through Cancer Treatment
• Navigating the Health Care System When Your Child Has Cancer
• Helping Siblings of Children Diagnosed with Cancer
• When Your Child’s Treatment Ends

Many cancer patients need help talking with their care providers due to age or illness. In these cases, the caregiver steps in to help by listening, asking questions, and updating the team on how the patient is doing.

Here are some simple steps caregivers can take to have these vital conversations effectively:

• Maintain notes of your appointments from the beginning. Treatment can be overwhelming, so keeping a record of what you’ve been told can help eliminate miscommunication and keep you focused.
• Ask questions. It’s the health care team’s job to help patients and loved ones understand the condition, its treatment and potential side effects.
• Don’t expect yourself to remember every question you have for the doctor. Write down questions and bring them to the appointments.
• Take notes during the appointment. It will be easier to reference these notes if you forget some of the details or your family asks questions.

Stress from this demanding role can cause health problems, including insomnia, appetite changes and feelings of anxiety, depression, or loneliness. You are not alone. About half of all caregivers don’t get enough continuous sleep, making them feel tired and leading to poor quality of life. You must take care of your physical, mental, and emotional health. Visit Healthier You for ways to care for yourself during this difficult time.

• Arrange respite care: Feeling overwhelmed? Respite care is temporary care for a person who cannot care for themselves and allows the person’s usual caregivers to have a break. Ask your loved one’s health care team about community resources if you have difficulty finding respite care.
• Reach out for emotional support: If your loved one is facing a cancer diagnosis, connecting with others can provide support and comfort. Contact family members, friends, those who share your faith or a support group. 
• Stay active: Regular physical activity can lower your risk for depression.
• Research your options: Many caregivers provide financial support, reduce work hours or even quit their jobs to care for their loved ones. Resources are listed below that may assist you.

Transitioning out of the caregiver role can be a gradual process. Talk to your loved one about what they need and how you can help. If your loved one is able to take on a more independent role, be supportive and encourage them to do so. Keep the lines of communication open.

After cancer treatment ends, there are many ways to support your loved one during survivorship. For example, you can:

• Learn about the possible late side effects of treatment and watch for them.
• Join them during follow-up appointments and offer emotional support.
• Help them collect medical records as they transition back to their primary care doctor and from an oncology team.
• Create a survivorship care plan with members of the health care team and your loved one. The plan should include:
  • Summary of diagnosis and treatment
  • Responsibilities of all members of the health care team
  • Plan for follow-up care
  • A screening and testing schedule
  • Side-effect management plan