Should Your Parent Start Thinking About Treatment Before a Lung Cancer Diagnosis?
The time to start thinking about your aging parent’s care during their cancer journey is actually before they are even diagnosed. While the time leading up to a diagnosis can be stressful as your parent wonders about what could come next in their life, it is also a fantastic opportunity to prepare both of you. One part of this preparation can be starting to think about treatment options, and what your parent might wish to consider if this disease becomes part of their later years.
Elder Care in Deerfield IL: Thinking About Treatment Before Diagnosis
Some reasons your parent should start thinking about treatment before a lung cancer diagnosis include:
- Before their diagnosis, they do not have the same level of emotional pressure as after a diagnosis. While they may be concerned about the diagnosis, not having an absolute diagnosis yet means they likely can think more clearly, and really evaluate their thoughts and beliefs on the topic.
- Thinking about treatment before a diagnosis means more flexibility in learning about and considering the different treatment options available. This gives them more of a chance to think about various different options, medical teams, treatment centers, and more, so they are more educated and can make a more thorough and accurate decision.
- During this time, your parent may be more receptive to hearing input and suggestions from you, their medical team, and others in their care network. While this will ultimately be their personal decision, hearing suggestions and opinions from others can help them to better evaluate each option, interpret their own emotions and beliefs, and come to the decision that is right for them.
- Thinking about treatment options before your parent is even diagnosed means a faster final decision making process after diagnosis. If they have already chosen the type of treatment they think is right for them, or are closer to making such a decision even before they are diagnosed, it won’t take as long to start treatment after diagnosis. The sooner your senior settles on the method of treatment and management that is right for them, the faster they may be able to experience benefits.
Elder care is not just for those who are extremely elderly, suffering from extensive health problems, or who need tremendous help with their daily needs. Instead, having an elderly home care services provider with your aging parent can be a fantastic way it to enhance their life, and encourage better quality of life as they age in place even if they only need mild to moderate support. As a family caregiver, it should always be your priority to help your parent live their best life, and that means helping them manage their health challenges and limitations, support their mental and emotional well-being, and encourage them to enjoy a more fulfilling lifestyle. Elder care can help you to achieve this by offering personalized services designed specifically to help your parent cope with their challenges and limitations, pursue more activity and engagement with the world around them, and find ways to live as satisfying a lifestyle as possible regardless of their health problems or needs.
If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in Deerfield, IL, contact the caring staff at Companion Services of America today at (847) 943-3786. Our home care service area includes Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Des Plaines, Skokie, Lake Forest, Wilmette and the surrounding areas.
Source:
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/non-small-cell-lung-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
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