Caregiver support

Caregiver support

Receiving support

As someone living with cancer, you may have a community of people — your spouse, partner, family members, friends, colleagues — or a single caregiver supporting you. While comforting, it can be hard to ask for help or know what to delegate to someone else while focusing on your care. Here are some ways you can involve others in your care and take a few things off your plate so you can stay focused on your care and connected to your network.

Ongoing care and recovery

  • Managing prescriptions to ensure taken as prescribed
  • Monitoring and supporting rehabilitation exercises and noting progress
  • Checking in on emotional state and knowing when to get help (be sure to take advantage of the Employee Assistance Program for support navigating physically and emotionally challenging situations)

Administrative tasks

  • Helping with recording and keeping medical records (consider keeping a daily journal online, using sites such as CaringBridge)
  • Managing appointments (follow-up, scheduling, transportation) and attending to help take notes and advocate for care needs
  • Helping to deal with billing and insurance
  • Health Advocate is available to you and your eligible family members and provides confidential access to a Personal Health Advocate, typically a registered nurse, supported by medical directors and benefits and claims specialists who can help you navigate the complexities of health care. To contact a Health Advocate, call 866-695-8622, or visit www.HealthAdvocate.com/wolterskluwer

Care for others

  • Providing community updates and meal needs via an online resource such as CaringBridge, Lasagna Love or Meal Train
  • Finding and managing childcare and household needs, such as:
  • Picking up a carpool shift or helping transport kids to school
  • Walking the dog, feeding pets or pet-sitting
  • Preparing a meal or coordinating a schedule of people bringing meals
  • Cleaning out the refrigerator, taking in trash cans, mowing the lawn, shoveling the driveway or picking up groceries

Giving support

Caregivers are an essential part of any recovery journey. If you’re a caregiver for a loved one, here are a few ways you can help with ongoing care:

  • Discuss your role and how you and your loved one want to share information and be sure to communicate clearly and often; note some provider’s electronic medical record systems allow direct access to family members to view upcoming appointments, visit notes and medications, so discuss if this makes sense for you and your family.
  • Attend doctor appointments to help take notes, ask questions and monitor follow-ups.
  • Help manage medications, including making sure they’re picked up and taken as prescribed.
  • Share community updates with close friends and family using tools like CaringBridge or Meal Train.

As a caregiver, it’s important to balance your needs with those of your loved one. As you’re helping them navigate this journey, be sure to take the time you need for yourself too. Support for you might include:

  • Flexible work arrangements: To help you balance work, family and personal commitments
  • Paid time off: If you need to take some time away, talk to your manager
  • Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): Time off to care for a family member with a serious health condition or your own serious health condition, if eligible
  • Options to pay: Determine what health insurance covers, then look into possible sources of help, like non-profit organization CancerCare, which offers limited assistance for copayments and treatment-related costs
  • Self-care: Remember to take meaningful time to take of yourself as well, like going for a walk, getting a haircut or sitting down to watch a movie

Create a chemo care package

If you’re looking to support a friend or family member undergoing treatment, a chemo care tote bag can provide a huge source of comfort, relief and relaxation during this uncertain time.

Ideas for what to include