Caregivers4Cancer Support Services

According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 1.4 million people in the United States will receive a cancer diagnosis each year. Cancer affects the entire family unit. Some caregivers spend 40 or more hours a week tending to their cancer patient loved ones. Yet, no one offers training on how to deal with being the cancer patient caregiver nor has there been in-depth training for the medical staff who assist caregivers through this medical maze.

Caregivers4Cancer’s mission is twofold:

• provide onsite support group meetings for cancer patient caregivers to give them the coping skills required to support and nurture their loved one as well as themselves
• provide interactive training sessions for healthcare professionals to assist the caregiver during this medical maze

For the Cancer Patient Caregivers

Caregivers4Cancer develops onsite support groups to help the cancer patient caregiver through the difficult journey of caregiving. Caregivers4Cancer assesses what services to offer caregivers, which could include the following topics:

• Interacting with the medical team
• Staying upbeat and motivated
• Eating healthy for yourself and for the patient
• Asking for help from family and friends
• Working through the insurance/medical circles
• Understanding the effects of chemo and radiation
• Getting financial affairs in order

It is critical we treat family and friends as ONE unit with the patient. Medical science has done an incredible job of extending the lives of cancer patients with newer drugs and fewer side effects. But, there are major financial and emotional issues facing caregivers. Hospital stays have gotten shorter, they have limited discharge plans and home healthcare technology suggests a do-it-yourself ability, all of which increases the responsibilities of the caregiver. They need more support!

For the Oncology Medical Teams

At the end of Caregivers4Cancer’s training sessions, the oncology team will know efficiently and effectively how to support the needs of the patient, while at the same time show respect and compassion toward the caregiver so they can become better advocates for their loved ones. According to the Journal of Family Nursing, a startling 62 percent of caregivers report feeling depressed or isolated. Forty-four percent of cancer patient caregivers are men, who are often less accustomed to nurturing and providing personal care.

This is a two-hour, upbeat, interactive session presenting a process and structure for meeting the needs of the caregiver and the patient. This session will enhance the effectiveness of medical staff members who play a part in the caregivers’ and patients’ experiences. And, securing better patient outcomes is key for all involved.

For Keynote Presentations

This keynote presentation is upbeat, entertaining and inspiring through stories of Betty’s and Gene’s journey with esophageal cancer. Even though it can be a devastating disease, humor plays a tremendous role in relieving the stress of this roller coaster ride. Each keynote is customized to meet the objectives of the conference.

Benefits to the Healthcare Facility

The Caregivers4Cancer program provides many direct and indirect benefits for your organization:

• Positions you as a true problem-solver among your cancer patient’s support network. This positioning increases positive word-of-mouth in the community, and moreover, increases the likelihood that you will be chosen by those caregivers for their own future care when needed.
• Enhances caregiver effectiveness thereby reducing patient and caregiver demands on your medical team.
• Generates prospective patient referrals to other practitioners (psychotherapists, etc.) within your healthcare organization.
• Creates a positive and distinct point of difference for your treatment programs versus your competitors’ programs.
• Helps solidify your position in the community as the “caring” provider and as the “full service” provider of treatment services.
• Enables you to create and sustain referral relationships with other community healthcare practitioners who treat caregivers in need of additional support and education. These caregivers (whose family member is not a patient of your facility) could pay a fee to participate in your program.

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