There are few things more frightening than receiving a serious diagnosis.
At Affinity Senior Care, we understand that this is a difficult time for you and your family, so we wanted to offer some tips to deal with the scenario and ease into the treatment and recovery process.
1. Start with gathering information.
The first step is to get as much information about the health condition as possible. This will help you understand what’s happening and how it will affect your loved one’s life.
2. Reach out to people who have gone through a similar experience.
It can be tough to cope with a severe illness, but talking with someone who has been through a similar experience can make it easier for your loved one. Having someone to speak with might provide comfort while going through the treatment options.
3. Help your loved one stay physically and emotionally healthy.
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed and disappointed with the news. Often it can lead to neglecting our current health. Remember to help your loved one to eat well, stay hydrated, and get enough rest to help with the healing. Let them know that it’s okay to ask for help from others and talk about how they are feeling.
4. Research the treatment options.
If the treatment option involves surgery or radiation therapy, find out what happens before, during, and after the procedure. Learning as much as possible about the side effects of the treatment and how to alleviate the discomfort can help reduce anxiety about the process.
5. Keep your loved ones close by.
Once you’ve gotten over the initial shock of your diagnosis, reach out to your family and let them know how much they mean to you and how crucial their support is in this difficult time.
6. Seek out financial and legal help.
Look for financial and legal resources to help ease some of the burden of treatment costs, and safeguard your assets if necessary.
7. Stay positive and work at building their resilience towards the journey ahead.
Navigating a severe health diagnosis is a huge challenge and requires a lot from all involved. Help your loved one to reach out and stay connected with those who care about them. Take advantage of all the resources available to meet this challenge head-on.
How have you changed as a person after overcoming a serious health diagnosis in your family? We would love to hear about your journey. You can write to us at info@affinityseniorcare.com. If you or your loved one are facing an impending diagnosis, you can talk to Affinity Advisors about our homecare services and how we can help with your caregiving plan. Call 248.657.7674.