As a caregiver, you influence how a patient deals with their illness. Your support helps the patient continue with the possibility of a demanding treatment plan and take steps to get well, such as eating healthy meals and getting enough 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.

Recursos útiles para cuidadores:

• Manejar los medicamentos.
• Taking care of loved ones’ physical, mental, and emotional health.
• Comunicarse con el equipo de atención médica.
• Tratar los asuntos legales y financieros..

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.

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

Recursos adicionales para cuidadores:

• Lo que hace un cuidador de una persona con cáncer | Sociedad Americana contra el Cáncer.
• Cómo convertirse en cuidador de una persona con cáncer | Lo que necesita saber.
• Apoyo para cuidadores de pacientes con cáncer | NCI.
• Cómo ser amigo de alguien con cáncer.
• Cómo ser un cuidador (cancer.org).
• Serie de vídeos de apoyo para cuidadores (cancer.org).

La Sociedad Americana contra el Cáncer ofrece varios recursos para familias que apoyan a un niño con cáncer pediátrico. Los recursos abordan temas difíciles como hacer frente a la noticia de un diagnóstico, ayudar a los hermanos a ajustarse a un nuevo entorno y revisar el sistema médico cuando se cuida a un niño.

Los recursos están disponibles a continuación:

• Si a su niño le diagnostican cáncer
• Cuando su niño tiene cáncer
• Cuando su niño está pasando por un tratamiento contra el cáncer
• Cómo revisar el sistema de atención médica cuando su niño tiene cáncer
• Cómo ayudar a los hermanos de los niños diagnosticados con cáncer
• Cuando el tratamiento de su niño termina

Many cancer patients need help talking with their care providers due to age or illness. Sometimes it’s because of age or because of 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 effectively have these vital conversations:

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 questions in a notebook and bring them to the appointments.

Use that same notebook to take notes during the appointment. It will be easier to reference these notes as questions arise.

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. It’s important you take care of your physical, mental, and emotional health. Visit Healthier You for ways to take care of yourself during this difficult time.

• Feeling overwhelmed? Try to arrange for respite care. Respite care is temporary care for a person who is unable to care for themself and allows the person’s usual caregivers to have a break. Ask your loved one’s health care team about community resources if you are having difficulty finding respite care.
• If your loved one is facing a cancer diagnosis, connecting with others can provide support and comfort. Reach out to family members, friends, those who share your faith, or a support group for emotional support.
• Manténgase activo. La actividad física regular puede reducir su riesgo de depresión.
• Many caregivers provide financial support, reduce their work hours, or even quit their job to care for their loved ones. Resources are listed below that may provide assistance.

Fuente: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/survivors/caregivers/caring-for-yourself.htm
Publicación https://www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/caring-for-the-caregiver

La transición para dejar el papel de cuidador puede ser un proceso gradual. Hable con su ser querido sobre lo que necesita y cómo puede ayudarlo. Si su ser querido puede asumir un papel más independiente, bríndele apoyo y anímelo a que lo haga. Mantenga abiertas las líneas de comunicación.

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 scans.
• Help them collect medical records as they transition back to their primary care doctor and from an oncology team.
• Offer emotional support.
• 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/testing schedule, and side-effect management.