In-Home Cancer Care

Battling cancer takes a lot of energy – energy that might normally be used for things like housework, cooking, and bathing. That’s where in-home cancer care comes in. People can come into your home and take care of those other tasks so you or a loved one can focus on fighting the battle against cancer and maintaining a quality of life for as long as possible

What is cancer care at home? What do in-home caregivers do for cancer patients? What is respite care for cancer patients? When is it time to get in-home care for cancer patients?

Here are the answers to all these questions and more so you can decide whether in-home cancer care is right for you or your loved one.

What Is In-Home Cancer Care?

In-home cancer care is a service that helps people stay at home during much of their cancer treatment rather than being forced to live in a hospital or assisted living facility. Cancer care at home typically handles non-medical care such as housekeeping, cooking, and personal care.

What Services Are Available for Cancer Patients?

Home-care services vary greatly from once-a-week housekeeping to 24-hour home care for cancer patients. There are various different types of home care cancer services, such as [1]:

  • Personal care services that help with activities of daily living, like dressing, bathing, housekeeping, or running errands.
  • Home health care focuses on skilled care provided by licensed healthcare professionals such as nursing visits or occupational therapy.
  • Hospice care is for people whose treatment can no longer cure their disease and are expected to live for less than 6 months.


Battling cancer takes a lot of energy – energy that might normally be used for things like housework, cooking, and bathing.

What Do In-Home Caregivers Do for Cancer Patients?

In-home cancer caregivers do things like:

  • Companionship
  • Safety and security
  • Light meal preparation
  • Laundry
  • Errands
  • Grocery shopping
  • Assistance with pet care as needed
  • Personal care like bathing, dressing, grooming
  • Help with light activity like going for walks
  • Tidying up the home, removing clutter that might result in a fall
  • Standby assistance to prevent falls
  • Light housekeeping
  • Communication with care team
  • Medication reminders
  • General support during times of illness

Providing exceptional Cancer Care at Home for seniors and families in Orange County, Los Angeles County, and San Diego County.

What Is Respite Care for Cancer Patients?

“Respite care is temporary care given to a person who is unable to care for himself or herself, so the person’s usual caregivers can have a break.”

Often, a cancer patient is primarily cared for by a family member or close friend. Caregiving full-time can be exhausting, so respite care allows a cancer patient’s usual caregiver to take some time for themselves to recharge their batteries so they can resume caregiving with more energy than when they were burned out and overstressed.

What Home Help Is Available for Cancer Patients?

Various types of home help may be available for cancer patients, depending on their needs, including [3]:

  • Companion
  • Housekeeper/personal attendant
  • Transportation
  • Home health aide
  • Skilled nurse
  • Social worker
  • Nutritionist
  • Meal delivery
We love hearing what others say about Canaan Home Care. Read our testimonials and find out what they think!
There are many specialty services offered by Canaan Home Care. Click here to see all of them.

We also provide In-Home Cancer Care for seniors and families in La Jolla, Del Mar, San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Tustin and Manhattan Beach.

What Should I Look for in an Agency Offering Private Home Care for Cancer Patients?

Cancer Care at Home in in Newport Beach, CA by Canaan Home Care

You or your loved one deserve the best possible in-home cancer care. Here are some questions you can ask to help you choose the best home care agency for your needs [6]:

  • Are you accredited?
  • How long have you been providing at-home cancer care services?
  • Do you have references?
  • How do you handle emergencies?
  • Do you provide a written treatment plan? Do you notify the family if that plan changes?
  • How do you handle billing?
  • Do you specialize in a certain aspect of home care?
  • How do you oversee the quality of care? Who can I contact if I have questions or complaints?

If you need help finding the right private home care for cancer patients, we can help. Contact us today to start searching for the perfect fit.

References

  1. What Are Home Care Services? American Cancer Society, https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/choosing-your-treatment-team/home-care-agencies/intro.html
  2. Cancer Caregivers: Caring for Yourself, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/survivors/caregivers/caring-for-yourself.htm
  3. How to Hire a Cancer Caregiver, WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/cancer/cancer-hiring-caregiver
  4. How to Assess When an Older Adult Requires Caregiving Assistance, AARP, https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/home-care/info-2021/assessing-need-for-caregiver.html
  5. Loneliness and Social Isolation Linked to Serious Health Conditions, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html
  6. Hiring Home Care Services, Cancer.Net, https://www.cancer.net/coping-with-cancer/caring-loved-one/hiring-home-care-services.

When Is it Time to Get In-Home Care for Cancer Patients?

These are some signs that you or your loved one may benefit from cancer care at home [4]:

Struggling to Take the Right Medications at the Right Times

Cancer treatment may involve taking a whole host of medications, while cancer treatment may cause fatigue or brain fog, making it difficult to remember when to take which medications. At-home care for cancer patients can help with medication reminders.

Failing to Keep Up With Housekeeping

Pain, nausea, fatigue – there are many reasons a cancer patient may struggle to keep up with things like laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning. In-home cancer care can take that off your plate.

Changes in Appearance

Is your loved one wearing the same clothes day after day? Have they lost a lot of weight? Are they struggling to bathe regularly? These are signs that a cancer patient needs a little help caring for themselves.

Inability to Drive

Symptoms of cancer and side effects from treatment can make it difficult or impossible for a cancer patient to drive. In-home cancer care can help with transportation to doctor appointments, grocery shopping, and running other errands.

Reduced Mobility

Cancer patients may struggle to get around the home in ways they didn’t before. Cancer care at home can help people transfer from a bed to a wheelchair or walk across the home without falling.

Mental Health Struggles

While at-home cancer caregivers are not licensed mental health professionals, their companionship can make a big difference in the life of a cancer patient.

“Loneliness and social isolation in older adults are serious public health risks affecting a significant number of people in the United States and putting them at risk for dementia and other serious medical conditions...Social isolation significantly increased a person’s risk of premature death from all causes, a risk that may rival those of smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.”

There are many specialty services offered by Canaan Home Care. Click here to see all of them.
We love hearing what others say about Canaan Home Care. Read our testimonials and find out what they think!

Canaan Home Care has a deep history of community service and caring for our neighbors. We are one of the oldest home care companies in the industry and we provide the absolute best caregivers at the most affordable rates. All caregivers are employed by Canaan Home Care and are fully licensed, bonded, and insured. All caregivers are thoroughly screened, including Live Scan background check, in-person interviews, behavioral screening, and skill-based examinations.

Canaan Home Care Value Guarantee: Your satisfaction is guaranteed. We are the only company we know of that guarantees your satisfaction and discloses its financial information. Caregivers generally make 10-15% more with Canaan Home Care than they do with other companies and our rates are generally 10% less expensive than our competitors. We guarantee you won’t find a better-qualified caregiver at a better rate, and you are not locked into any long-term contracts.

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