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Introduction to Caregiving

A person you love or are very close to has lung cancer. Because of this special relationship, you may have been called upon to become an important member of your loved one's healthcare team—a caregiver.

Very quickly, you may learn that the job is much more than it seems. You may have to make decisions, take action, and solve problems that you've never faced before. Suddenly, you may be expected to be an expert on a myriad of issues confronting both you and the person with lung cancer.

Assuming the role of caregiver can be a major change for both you and the one you are caring for. Another person may now be depending on you to meet his or her basic physical, emotional, and social needs. This adjustment can be a rewarding opportunity for personal growth, but it also can be stressful as you try to adapt to the fact that someone else's everyday needs and activities have become such a big focus in your own life. It can sometimes be overwhelming, especially when unexpected things erupt—just when you thought you had everything managed and under control!

Depending on your loved one's stage of illness, your duties and responsibilities may range from tasks that your loved one can no longer perform, such as meal preparation, paying bills, and driving to medical appointments, to hands-on physical care, including bathing, dressing, dispensing medications, and handling medical equipment.

For many caregivers, especially those who provide care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the physical challenges can be significant, and the emotional ones, even greater. As a result, your relationship with your loved one with lung cancer may change. You may find it difficult to deal with the sacrifice of your personal time, especially if others seem not to appreciate or support your efforts.

Even though nearly 90% of Americans believe a family member should be the one who cares for a seriously ill person, most caregivers may come to the job unprepared and without the resources they need. The content in this section of livingwithit.org, hopefully, will help prepare you for some of the challenges you may face.

What Do I Do First?

Learning as much as you can about lung cancer, caregiving, and the possible emotional issues facing you may help reduce the burden. Also, it is critical that you do not neglect your own physical and emotional health. Remember, you can do a better job of caregiving if you care for yourself as well.

This section of the Web site offers some practical approaches to common caregiver issues that may prove valuable to you. The information may help you find ways to cope, as well as offer resources to assist you with the physical aspects of caregiving. Remember, if your loved one's doctor or nurse gives you more specific or different instructions, be sure to follow them.

Click on any of the topics below for clear information and suggestions that we hope will support your efforts to take care of two important people: the person with lung cancer and the vitally important caregiver—you.

Coping as a Caregiver
Money Matters
Caregiving Options

More Information

By visiting this Web site, you've already taken an important step in finding support as a caregiver for someone with lung cancer. Undoubtedly, the insight and direction that you need will change from time to time, and you will have more questions. Please visit the following sections of this site for additional information:

Coping With Cancer
Diet & Activity
Money Matters

Sources of Information

There are many organizations that provide information and support for caregivers. You may contact them by phone, mail, or on the Internet.
  • National Family Caregivers Association
    10400 Connecticut Avenue, #500
    Kensington, MD 20895-3944
    1-800-896-3650
    http://www.nfcacares.org
    Provides education, support, and advocacy for family caregivers.

  • Family Caregiver Alliance
    690 Market Street, Suite 600
    San Francisco, CA 94104
    1-415-434-3388
    http://www.caregiver.org
    Provides education, services, research, and advocacy for caregivers.

  • Friends' Health Connection
    P.O. Box 114
    New Brunswick, NJ 08903
    1-800-483-7436
    http://www.48friend.org
    Provides two support networks: a Patient Network that connects individuals with health problems; and a Caregiver Network that connects family members, friends, and caregivers of people with health problems.

  • National Alliance for Caregiving
    4720 Montgomery Lane, 5th Floor
    Bethesda, MD 20814
    http://www.caregiving.org/
    Provides support to family caregivers of the elderly and the professionals who serve them.

  • The Well Spouse Foundation
    63 West Main Street, Suite H
    Freehold, NJ 07728
    1-800-838-0879
    http://www.wellspouse.org
    Provides support to husbands, wives, and partners of the chronically ill and/or disabled.

  • OncoLink
    http://oncolink.upenn.edu/
    A resource center from the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania that provides a "Coping With Cancer" section that offers support and resources for caregivers.

Additional Resources

Knowing where to find credible and accurate information about caregiving is an important step toward making life better for yourself and your loved one. The following resources may help:

A Caregiver's Survival Guide: How to Stay
Healthy When Your Loved One Is Sick
Kay Marshall Strom
InterVarsity Press
ISBN: 0-8308-2230-5, 153 pages
2000

Love, Honor, & Value: A Family Caregiver Speaks Out About the Choices & Challenges of Caregiving
Suzanne Geffen Mintz
Capital Books, Inc.
ISBN: 1-892123-56-8, 204 pages
2002

The Resourceful Caregiver: Helping Family Caregivers Help Themselves
National Family Caregivers Association
Mosby Lifeline
ISBN: 0-8151-5556-5, 144 pages
1996