Reducing Your Parent’s Risk of Lung Cancer

Elderly Care in Northport NY

A diagnoses of cancer is something that everyone dreads, and as a family caregiver you may experience this dread even more. The thought of your loved one developing this disease is terrifying and you want to do everything that you can to protect them. August 1 is World Lung Cancer Day. This is the ideal opportunity for you to learn more about lung cancer and its risk factors so that you can make changes in your care efforts and encourage changes in your parent’s lifestyle that may reduce their risk of developing this leading cause of cancer death.

Risk factors of lung cancer and how you can help protect your parent include:

• Family history. While this is a risk factor that you cannot change, family history of the disease increase the chances that your aging parent will develop it. Knowing that a sibling, parent, or child has had the disease can make you aware that your parent is at increased risk and can help you to be more vigilant about detecting possible changes that may indicate the development of the disease. As with most types of cancer, early detection is key to giving your parent the highest chances of success in treatment.
• Smoking. Arguably the best-known contributor to the development of lung cancer is smoking. If your elderly parent smokes, encourage them to stop. There is no benefit to the use of tobacco products, but there are many dangers. If they are struggling, talk to their doctor to get recommendations for ways that you can help them to get through their addiction and live a healthier lifestyle.
• Exposure to radon gas. Radon gas is a gas that can be present in homes but is difficult to detect because it is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. Arrange for your parent’s home to be tested for radon gas, and if there is a high level present, take steps to abate it.
• Exposure to secondhand smoke. It is not just your parent smoking that puts them at risk of developing lung cancer. If they live in the home with or frequently spend time with people who smoke, they are also at higher risk of the disease. Encourage everyone your parent lives with not to smoke or to only smoke outside, and discourage your parent from visiting places that are frequently filled with smoke.

If you are looking for effective ways to improve your parent’s health and help them to have a stronger, healthier, and more fulfilling lifestyle as they age in place, elderly care may be the ideal option. An elderly home care services provider can create a customized approach to your parent’s care tailored specifically to their individual needs and challenges, as well as their personality, likes and dislike, and personal health goals. This enables them to give your parent the care, support, and assistance that they need to make better choices, stay more active, and keep up with their own care guidelines so that they can be as safe, comfortable, happy, and healthy throughout their later years as possible.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring elderly care in Northport, NY, call the caring staff at Artful Home Care today at 631-685-5001.

Sources:

http://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/lung-cancer/learn-about-lung-cancer/lung-cancer-fact-sheet.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lung-cancer/basics/risk-factors/con-20025531

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/lungcancer/