How to Care for Someone With Pancreatic Cancer

Usually asymptomatic in its early stages, pancreatic cancer almost always develops in the exocrine cells that produce digestive fluids in the pancreas. While medical treatment can pose challenges, the good news is that there's plenty you can do to help with the home care of a loved one who's been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer with Internet access

Prepare the Patient's Home, and Prepare Yourself

1. Ask the patient which room he would prefer to spend the majority of his time in, especially when he is approaching the advanced stages of the disease. His mobility will be limited.
2. Position the patient's bed or chair near a window to allow him a view of the outdoors.
3. Decorate the walls with pleasant or inspiring pictures or photographs.
4. Place books, a stereo and/or a TV and VCR or DVD player within easy reach of the patient's bed or chair.
5. Be informed. Have, at minimum, a basic working understanding of the medical mechanisms at work in pancreatic cancer and its prognosis. MayoClinic.com is an excellent online resource (see Resources below).

Care for a Loved one With Pancreatic Cancer

6. Communicate with your afflicted friend or family member. Make daily inquiries to see if there are any simple items she needs or if there are any basic things you can do to improve her comfort.
7. Hire a home-care nurse. Someone dealing with pancreatic cancer, especially as the condition intensifies, will require daily, qualified medical attention.
8. Arrange for someone from your local Meals-on-Wheels service to deliver a meal if you become unwell or have to be away from the patient during the day. Be aware that you may have to pay out-of-pocket for this service in some localities.
9. Contact your local social services bureau to see if you qualify for the assistance of a social worker. Someone from social services can assist with practical tasks, such as laundering linen or sitting with the patient for a few hours or overnight while you rest or take a break.
10. Spread the workload. Whenever possible, enlist the help of the patient's friends and family members to provide you with occasional relief of your caregiving. Make time for yourself, too. You'll need respite and rest to keep your strength up.
11. Be aware that providing care for a cancer patient will involve lifestyle changes. If you are financially able, consider taking a leave of absence from your job to allow yourself ample time to both care for the patient and maintain a healthy lifestyle, including plenty of rest, for yourself.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask your family physician for help organizing a home-care nurse, occupational therapist or physiotherapist (depending on the severity of the patient's condition) to assist you in caring for the pancreatic cancer patient.
• Know that cancer patients have the right to opt for alternative treatment of their condition, and that health care and/or health insurance providers have an obligation to shoulder the cost, though some restrictions may apply. Check with your health care/insurance provider to see what, if any, restrictions apply to your loved one's particular case.
• Though your employer is not required to allow you time off to care for an afflicted friend or family member, check to see if they will grant you leave.
• Don't go it alone. Caring for a loved one afflicted with cancer, especially in advanced stages, can be psychologically taxing and traumatic. Discuss feelings of depression, hopelessness or helplessness with a mental health professional.