Learning you have cancer as a young adult can be daunting, but with the right treatment and care plans, you can lead a fulfilling life at home. If a young person in your life has been diagnosed with cancer, you may worry about how you can care for them properly.
Today, we’ll explore home care options for young adults with cancer. Whether you choose to become a primary carer or explore visiting and live-in care options, we at Country Cousins can support you every step of the way.
Understanding the Unique Needs of Young Adults with Cancer
Cancer care at home is often defined by the type of cancer an individual has and its current stage of progression. However, it can also be adjusted based on a person’s age, as young adults often face unique challenges throughout their treatment journey.
When caring for a young adult with cancer, you may witness them experiencing the following challenges:
- Mental health: High risk of anxiety and depression, especially when life is disrupted by treatment and symptoms, a loss of independence, and difficulty expressing emotions.
- Social isolation: Young adults may push loved ones away, which can exacerbate feelings of loneliness and sadness.
- Identity and future crisis: It’s common for young patients to worry about their future careers, education, and relationships while facing a diagnosis.
- Long-term health effects: Young adults are likely to live longer than older patients, meaning they’ll face unique late effects of treatments that could impact their careers, cognitive function and long-term health.
- Education and work: Young adults may need to balance work and treatment time, managing absences and protecting their futures while navigating this significant diagnosis.
Most young adults with cancer experience unique needs because of their age. Receiving a diagnosis during formative years can significantly impact independence, career and family building. Older adults who receive a cancer diagnosis may not have to deal with this.
Practical Daily Living Support for Young Adults with Cancer
Cancer and subsequent treatments can make everyday tasks feel overwhelming, especially for young adults who are used to living independently. Practical daily living support should focus on maintaining their comfort and independence.
There are several ways you can support a young person with cancer at home, including:
- Assistance with daily living tasks: You can help with washing, dressing and grooming, especially after treatment, where fatigue and reduced mobility are most common.
- Mobility support: Assistance with steadying and support while moving around the home can help maintain independence.
- Foster independence and dignity: Wherever possible, encourage your loved one to do things for themselves to avoid creating dependency and improve their confidence.
- Household chores: Your loved one may find it beneficial for you to help with cleaning, laundry and cooking, so they can conserve their energy to use on work, studying, relationships or rest.
- Transportation to and from appointments: Driving your loved one to their appointments can help them conserve energy and provide emotional support.
- Day-to-day planning: Establish gentle routines to bring structure to their day without feeling restrictive. Where possible, keep their routine as similar to before their diagnosis as possible to reduce stress.
To learn more, read our handy guide on how to care for cancer patients at home.
Improving Mobility and Safety at Home
Reduced strength is a common side effect of cancer treatments, along with balance issues and fatigue. These can all affect your loved one’s mobility, even if they’re usually active. Creating a safe home environment is essential for preventing falls and injuries.
Simple changes can be made around the home, such as:
- Remove trip hazards: Walk around and check for any wires, cables, loose rugs or carpets, or low-lying furniture that could pose a trip hazard.
- Improve lighting: Use bright bulbs and motion-sensor lights to help your loved one navigate their home without having to use the bathroom in the dark, especially if they frequently need to use the bathroom at night.
- Keep most-used items within reach: Keep their phone, charger, book, remote, glasses, water bottle and other most-used items in a basket that they can keep close to them.
- Make adaptations for mobility: Non-slip mats in bathrooms and secure handrails can help maintain independence and safety.
Encouraging regular gentle movement can support circulation, muscle strength and mood. If your loved one is feeling up to it, you could ask them to go on a short walk with you, or ask their physiotherapist for recommended exercises. Adapt these to their daily energy levels, as these are likely to change.
With this being said, rest is equally as essential for young adults with cancer, so encourage your loved one to balance activity with rest and listen to their body.
Medication and Symptom Management
Young adults with cancer are often prescribed multiple medications to manage treatment, pain and other side effects. Keeping track of these can be stressful, especially with other aspects of life to consider, which increases the risk of missing doses.
To support your loved one, ask them if they’d like help with managing their medications. You could organise their prescriptions to ensure they never run out of medication, and set reminders to help them stay on top of daily doses. A pill organiser is beneficial when prioritising living independently.
You should also monitor your loved one’s symptoms to determine how they change from day to day. Some days may be worse than others, but it’s important to notify their healthcare team if you notice a trend of worsening symptoms.
Prioritising Energy Through Nutrition and Hydration
Maintaining energy levels is important through any cancer journey, but especially for young adults who may need to continue working or maintaining their social lives. Nutrition and hydration are key for supporting strength, recovery and overall well-being.
To help your loved one maintain their energy levels, you could:
- Offer smaller meals: Small meals and snacks can be more manageable than large portions, especially if your loved one has lost their appetite.
- Choose nutrient-dense foods: Maximise calories through dense foods, such as leafy greens, eggs, seafood, legumes, grains, yoghurt and nuts.
- Protein shakes: Nourishing drinks can boost protein intake and energy levels without making your loved one feel overwhelmed.
- Share mealtimes: Eating and cooking together can make nutrition feel less daunting and more like a social event that you can both look forward to.
Learn more with our guide on nutrition support for people with cancer at home.
Companionship and Emotional Support
One of the most common feelings young cancer patients feel is isolation. Along with caring for their physical symptoms, you should also consider their emotional needs. Companionship is incredibly important for individuals with cancer.
Companionship doesn’t mean extravagant outings and high-energy plans. Sometimes, it can be as simple as a conversation without judgment. You could also share their hobbies, such as painting or reading, to reduce feelings of loneliness and create a sense of normality at home.
Knowing When and How to Get Extra Help
As cancer progresses or treatment side effects change, your loved one’s care needs may increase. Recognising when extra help is needed can improve the quality of life for both you and them.
Key indicators that extra support may be helpful include:
- Daily tasks become difficult: You might find it increasingly difficult to keep up with your loved one’s needs, which can leave you feeling burned out or guilty.
- Symptoms progress: Symptoms like fatigue, mobility restrictions and cognitive decline may become more than one carer can handle.
- You’re feeling overwhelmed: There’s no shame in asking for help when the burden becomes too much.
- Your loved one feels uncomfortable: In some cases, individuals prefer a professional carer to help with washing and dressing than a family member.
Live-in or visiting care lets your loved one remain in familiar surroundings while receiving tailored support. At Country Cousins, we create a living care plan that changes with your loved one’s requirements, so we can always stay on top of their needs while you get on with your own life.
Seeking help early can reduce your own stress and make sure the right level of care is in place at the right time, supporting your loved one’s independence, comfort and dignity at home.
Talk to Our Team Today
As the UK’s longest-serving introductory live-in care agency, we have been providing compassionate live-in care to those who need it since 1959 – all from the comfort of their own homes.
Give us a call today on 01293 224 706. Our experienced team is on hand to help from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm and Saturday to Sunday 9 am to 5 pm. Alternatively, contact us through our online enquiry form.
