How In-Home Care Helps After a Bladder Cancer Diagnosis

Every year, there are more than 83,000 new cases of bladder cancer. It’s not as common in women as it is in men. When it’s diagnosed, a person is usually around the age of 73. Here are things to learn during May’s Bladder Cancer Awareness Month and how in-home care can assist your loved one.

What are some of the factors that increase your risk of developing bladder cancer? Smoking is one of them. Exposure to certain chemicals, such as dyes and diesel, in the workplace also increases the risk. Constantly not drinking enough water also makes it more likely as you’re not flushing out the bladder often.

What Are the Treatment Options?

In-Home Care Middle Park NJ-Here are things to learn during May’s Bladder Cancer Awareness Month and how in-home care can assist your loved one.

Bladder cancer surgery is often used to treat this cancer. If it’s in the early stages, surgical removal of the tumors is one option. It leaves the chance for new tumors to grow in the bladder, however. Complete removal of the bladder may be advised.

If patients opt for tumor removal, other treatments are used to keep new tumors from growing. Chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapy drugs, and immunotherapy are options. Each method has side effects that range from mild to severe.

What if your mom or dad needs to have their entire bladder removed? A stoma is surgically inserted into the abdomen. From there, it directs urine out of the body and into a urostomy pouch. That pouch collects urine and must be emptied regularly. To ensure it contains urine, it must attach to the stoma and skin properly.

A catheter may be used to help drain the pouch. Learning how to care for the stoma, catheter, and urostomy pouch is essential.  Nurses can help clean and dress surgical incisions, teach how to change the bag and care for the stoma, and assist with any dietary changes.

Arrange In-Home Care Services As Soon As Possible

You can’t let the shock of a cancer diagnosis paralyze you. If your mom or dad has cancer, it’s time to take action. Join them for their oncology visits. Talk about treatment options and listen to your parent’s wishes. Schedule services for in-home care.

Ask your parent’s doctors and surgeons about in-home care needs. Ensure the doctors know if there are people around to help or if your parent is entirely alone after the hospital release. That enables you to get an idea of how often a nurse should visit and how much help you need for in-home care services.

Sources: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/bladder-cancer/about/key-statistics.html

If you or a senior family member are considering hiring In-Home Care Services in Middle Park NJ, please contact the caring staff at Caring Solutions Home Care LLC. In-home senior care servicing Bergen & Passaic Counties. Call today at (973) 427-3553.