About Cancer and the Elderly 
Did you know?
According to the CDC, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, behind heart disease. That translates to one in every five deaths is due to cancer on a national level. However, in the state of Florida, the rate of cancer is nearly 3% higher than the national average, and the two most common forms of cancer are female breast and prostate.
By age, older people are at higher risk of being diagnosed with a new cancer: although he national average for new cancers is about 403 per 100,000 people, that number jumps to 1,729 per 100,000 people who are 70 years or older.
Caring for Elderly with Cancer
Caring for someone with cancer can be a drain on time and energy for the care taker, and adds to the responsibility of providing care for an elderly loved one. So, ensuring that the cancer patient has the right support system is crucial to maintaining a healthy wellbeing despite the circumstances.
Medical care means closer scrutiny with respect to multiple medications, staying on top of doctor appointments and outpatient therapies, and an overall attention to the elder person’s physical condition while fighting the cancer.
Daily life care can also become more complicated due to the physical strains of cancer treatment. Cancer patients may require more help in their daily living tasks such as grocery shopping, personal hygiene and household chores.
Emotional care is also critical for an elderly cancer patient who may be experiencing fear, anxiety or depression. As with medical care it becomes important to know the signs of emotional distress so that proper care can be provided by medical professionals. But it is also important for family and caretakers to support emotional health by offering a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, or even engaging your loved one by spending quality time with them.
At BrightStar Care of Naples/Ft. Myers, we offer specialized care for adults who suffer from medical conditions or diagnoses such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, COPD and diabetes. “Our highly trained medical staff develop and oversee personalized medical plans for elderly loved ones who are managing medical conditions”, says Susan Nimnuan, Vice President. “We are always here to support our clients with their medical, emotional and practical care on a daily basis”.
Did you know?
According to the CDC, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, behind heart disease. That translates to one in every five deaths is due to cancer on a national level. However, in the state of Florida, the rate of cancer is nearly 3% higher than the national average, and the two most common forms of cancer are female breast and prostate.
By age, older people are at higher risk of being diagnosed with a new cancer: although he national average for new cancers is about 403 per 100,000 people, that number jumps to 1,729 per 100,000 people who are 70 years or older.
Caring for Elderly with Cancer
Caring for someone with cancer can be a drain on time and energy for the care taker, and adds to the responsibility of providing care for an elderly loved one. So, ensuring that the cancer patient has the right support system is crucial to maintaining a healthy wellbeing despite the circumstances.Medical care means closer scrutiny with respect to multiple medications, staying on top of doctor appointments and outpatient therapies, and an overall attention to the elder person’s physical condition while fighting the cancer.
Daily life care can also become more complicated due to the physical strains of cancer treatment. Cancer patients may require more help in their daily living tasks such as grocery shopping, personal hygiene and household chores.
Emotional care is also critical for an elderly cancer patient who may be experiencing fear, anxiety or depression. As with medical care it becomes important to know the signs of emotional distress so that proper care can be provided by medical professionals. But it is also important for family and caretakers to support emotional health by offering a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, or even engaging your loved one by spending quality time with them.
At BrightStar Care of Naples/Ft. Myers, we offer specialized care for adults who suffer from medical conditions or diagnoses such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, COPD and diabetes. “Our highly trained medical staff develop and oversee personalized medical plans for elderly loved ones who are managing medical conditions”, says Susan Nimnuan, Vice President. “We are always here to support our clients with their medical, emotional and practical care on a daily basis”.