The Crucial Roles Cancer Caregivers Provide For Patients

The Crucial Roles Cancer Caregivers Provide For Patients

Cancer patients are the center of attention by doctors, nurses, and caregivers. But we often forget cancer caregivers’ crucial roles in the patients’ relative health! As a result, caregivers become physically and mentally stressed, increasing the risk of burnout.

Cancer Caregiver Defined

A cancer caregiver is a person who assists the cancer patient in many aspects of daily life on a volunteer basis. For this reason, this article doesn’t discuss paid professional care providers for their care-related services.

The relationship between the patient and his caregiver can vary, but usually, it has a personal nature established before the cancer diagnosis. As such, caregivers are typically partners (e.g., spouses), relatives, and close friends without professional training for the job. But even without professional training, the caregiver becomes the patient’s lifeline, especially in trying times.

Cancer Caregiver Roles

Caregivers have several roles that change with their treatment and response to it. If you are such a person, you must adjust to the roles as these change. Indeed, being flexible in your approach will benefit your patient, especially when you are involved in your patient’s daily care.

Regardless of your current roles, you have to remember that you significantly influence your patient’s response to his disease and its treatment. Therefore, your roles include but aren’t limited to:

  • Become part of the medical team, consisting of doctors, nurses, and other medical staff members. Sometimes administer drugs (e.g., Herceptin) that manage other medications’ side effects and report medical staff issues. In addition, you must coordinate with the doctors and nurses for patient care.
  • You become a problem solver, especially when patients face new challenges and even deal with old issues. You can, for example, ensure that your patient is in the hospital when needed and coordinate the going-home process with the family.
  • You take care of the daily tasks. You may assist your patient in daily life activities, such as eating, using the toilet, and taking a shower. You may also do some household chores.

Of course, the most crucial role of a caregiver is emotional support. Your patient will likely be troubled many times during and after his treatment. You can become his sounding board, among other roles, since most patients sometimes need a friendly ear that listens to them.

As a cancer caregiver, you should never forget to care for yourself. Be sure to take a break from your duties to rest your mind and body.