Guidance for Cancer Caregivers: Prostate Cancer

Caring For You

When you suddenly find yourself acting as a cancer caregiver, the lifestyle adjustment can be jarring. Many people welcome the role of cancer caregiver and the opportunity to help out someone they care about deeply — but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

Filling a caregiver role can be extremely stressful and caregivers often neglect their own needs, which can create a host of additional problems. Experts stress that you will be a better caregiver if you also prioritize caring for yourself. Taking care of your health — whether that be with diet, exercise, or making time for activities you enjoy — is still crucial.

Julie Bulger Gives Some Tips on How Caregivers Can Care for Themselves.

“It is important to have some things that you can do that’s kind of outside of the focus of caring for somebody that you love with cancer,” Julie Bulger, manager of patient and family-centered care at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, told SurvivorNet. Bulger suggested caregivers find some activities that help them relax — like taking a walk or going for a massage.

“There’s a lot of opportunities for support virtually through educational resources, support communities,” she added. “You can talk to somebody. You can get therapy virtually now.”

Seeking Professional Help or Counseling

When a stressful life event occurs — like a loved one being diagnosed with cancer — people respond in a variety of ways.

“The way people respond is very variable,” Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik told SurvivorNet. “Very much consistent with how they respond to stresses and challenges in their life in general.”

When struggling with a new stressor, there are many different, and healthy, ways to cope. For some people, this may mean seeking out traditional therapy, but it’s not the only option.

Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik Breaks Down How People Respond to Stressors Differently.

If you are struggling mentally due to the stress of being a cancer caregiver, there are many options to help you cope.

These include:

• Seeking professional help from a psychiatrist or therapist
• Medication such as antidepressants
• Adding more physical activity to your routine
• Adjusting your sleep schedule
• Connecting with others via support groups
• Mindfulness and meditation

Resources for Veterans

Screening Matters: 1 in 8 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. For Veterans, that risk increases to 1 in 5. While there is some debate about when to begin prostate cancer screening (and how frequently to do it), the general consensus is that most men should start screening at age 50, and as early as 40 if there is high risk from a family history of prostate cancer.

Access The VA:  You can get screened and treated through the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) community care network. If care cannot be provided at a VA facility, the government pays for vets to access quality healthcare outside the VA.

Check out SurvivorNet’s in-depth guide for veterans facing prostate cancer.

Financial Help For Cancer Caregivers

Figuring out finances can be a particularly stressful part of being a cancer caregiver. It’s often difficult to find resources (and particularly difficult to determine what sort of assistance programs any given patient may be eligible for).

In some states, you may even be able to receive compensation for taking on the role of caregiver if you need to take time off from your normal work.

If your loved one is being treated at a cancer center, you may be able to enlist the help of a social worker or patient navigator. These employees may be able to direct you towards financial assistance programs, help negotiate bills and payments plans, talk to your insurers, and link you up with advocacy groups.

NYU Langone’s Dr. Kathie-Ann Joseph Explains How Patient Navigators Can Help Patients and Their Families.
There are also many options cancer patients and their loved ones can look to for assistance covering costs, including:

Covering Caregiver Costs

• Some states offer compensation to cancer caregivers. You can check with the Department of Health and Human Services for local resources.
• CancerCare offers free services to caregivers as well, and their oncology social workers may be able to connect struggling caregivers with mental health professionals, support groups, and other resources.

Help With Treatment Bills

• The Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition can direct patients and their families to available local services.
• Many treatment centers offer extended payment plans and some may offer temporary payment delays, according to the American Cancer Society.
• CancerCare, which connects patients with oncology social workers, may be able to assist with co-pays, transportation, and other costs associated with care.
• The HealthWell Foundation may be able to help uninsured patients pay for treatment.
• The American Cancer Society may be able to link patients and their families up with local resources (they offer a 24/7 helpline).
• The Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) works with patients and their insurance companies to resolve issues and may provide direct financial support to some patients.
• The Patient Access Network Foundation may be able to help with out-of-pocket costs associated with cancer treatment.

Help With Transportation and/or Housing

• There are several programs that may be able to assist patients if they need to travel by plane to get treatment, including Air Care Alliance, the Corporate Angel Network, and PALS (Patient Airlift Services).
• Patients with Medicaid may be entitled to help paying for transportation costs to and from treatment.
• The American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery program can hook patients and their families up with volunteer drivers.
• Mercy Medical Angels may be able to help patients and their families pay for transportation.
• The Healthcare Hospitality Network can assist with housing if a patient must be treated far from home.
• The American Cancer Society Hope Lodge Program gives patients and their caregivers a free place to stay during treatment in dozens of cities across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Help With Food

• Food assistance may be available to people going through cancer treatment and their caregivers. Look into the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – aka SNAP – or a program like Meals on Wheels.