Cancer is the second-highest cause of death in the United States. Approximately 1.8 million Americans will learn they have cancer in 2020, while almost 600,000 people will die from cancer.
Cancer is a category for several diseases that involve abnormal cells multiplying rapidly and destroying healthy body tissue. Types of cancer include breast cancer, melanoma, lung cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia, and lung cancer. There are several different cancer treatment options, which vary based on the type of cancer, location, and severity of your condition. While some patients may be hospitalized during treatment, those who prefer to fight the disease while remaining at home can equip themselves with the resources required to accommodate their needs.
Necessities
Cancer can cause fatigue. You may find you spend many hours in bed each day, and you will want to be comfortable. Invest in a Sealy mattress to ensure you have the support you need. Sealy offers a range of options, including firm, cushion, and plush mattresses. The range of options ensures you’ll be able to find a mattress that suits your body type and preferences. You can also choose between spring mattresses and foam mattresses, which are softer. Sealy specializes in orthopedic mattresses that promote the alignment of your spine, head, and neck, which helps prevent pressure from building up in different areas of your body while you sleep.
It’s common for people to feel cold when they have cancer. One way to combat the cold is to invest in warm bedding. You can help stay warm by purchasing a heated mattress pad. Heated mattress pads can be set to different temperatures and will remain on for up to ten hours. You can pair your heated mattress pad with a thick comforter to prevent chills while you sleep.
A heated blanket is another excellent option. If you enjoy spending time sitting in your living room, you may want to keep a heated throw blanket handy. Like heated mattress pads, heated throw blankets have multiple heat settings. Heated blankets shut off automatically after three hours of use.
If you don’t have an armchair, you may want to purchase a recliner. A recliner offers you the option of sitting up in a relaxed position.
Invest in comfortable pajamas and clothing. You may find you prefer wearing silk or flannel pajamas, depending on the time of year. Avoid wearing tight clothes that restrict your movements or put unnecessary pressure on your skin. Individuals with cancer can bruise easily, and bruises can even be caused by restrictive clothing.
Resources
It’s normal for people with cancer to suffer from energy loss. If you’re battling your disease and fatigue, you may need help around the house. One option is to hire a personal care aide who can come to your home. Personal care aides can help cook and clean, provide personal care, transport you to medical appointments, and purchase necessities for you.
Home health aides provide many of the same services as personal care aides, but they are qualified to monitor your health and provide limited health care services. For example, they can give you medication and change dressings.
If you have a family who can look after your home and perform most tasks, you can also turn to organizations that help provide transportation for people with cancer if you have appointments to attend while your family members are at work.
You may be able to attend medical appointments from the comfort of your home with a smartphone or a laptop. With cancer care telemedicine, your doctor can assess your condition and determine whether your current prescriptions are effective. They can change the dosage or phone the pharmacy to authorize a refill or a new medication. Telemedicine enables you to stay at home, which can help you avoid exposure to viruses. Since cancer and cancer treatment weaken the immune system, cancer patients are more susceptible to infections. Attending medical appointments from home also enables you to conserve your energy.
Cancer patients can benefit from cannabidiol (CBD) products. Using CBD oil, gummies, and other products can alleviate occasional anxiousness and discomfort which can improve the ability to sleep and relax.
Financing Treatment
Cancer patients often face financial challenges while receiving treatment. Although those with health insurance may not be responsible for all of their treatment costs, monthly medications can cost thousands. In addition to the cost of medical appointments, treatments, and prescriptions, cancer patients may also need personal care and may not work while fighting the disease.
One option for financing the costs of treatment is to pursue a viatical settlement. A viatical settlement company can help you find a buyer for your life insurance policy. Although it’s an option to cash in your life insurance policy, you’ll receive more money from a viatical settlement. The buyer will make a single cash payment to purchase your policy. At that point, they become the beneficiary of the policy, but they also assume responsibility for any outstanding payments owed.
Although your life insurance policy will no longer pay benefits to your beneficiaries when you pass away, a viatical settlement will provide you with tax-free money you’re free to use in any way you choose. You aren’t obligated to use the money for medical treatments. You can use the funds to cover your monthly living expenses or spend the money completing your bucket list.
Viatical settlements are restricted to those with a terminal illness. You may be required to provide evidence of your medical condition when you contact the viatical settlement company. The buyer may also require periodic updates on your health.
Other Financial Options
Another way to secure access to funds is to pursue a life settlement. A company finds a buyer for your life insurance policy. You receive a cash payout, and the buyer becomes the beneficiary of the policy. In this respect, life settlements are similar to viatical settlements, but there are some key differences.
You do not need to be terminally ill to pursue a life settlement, which means you will not need to provide medical information or updates to the buyer. You also won’t receive as much money from a life settlement. The payout amounts for viatical settlements factor in the seller’s medical condition and are based on the likelihood that they will pass away within a few years of the sale. Since life settlements are not based on terminal illness, it could be decades before the buyer will receive benefits from the policy. The buyer is also responsible for the outstanding policy payments due.
In some cases, individuals who receive life settlements must pay taxes on some or all of the money they receive. Although a life settlement will pay more than the cash-in amount your life insurance company would offer you for your policy, there are some drawbacks to this option that should be considered.
Several organizations can help provide financing and services for individuals with cancer. You may also qualify to be part of a drug trial to test a new treatment’s effectiveness. The cost of the treatment is typically covered by the company, making this an affordable treatment option. Cancer patients may also qualify for benefits, such as food stamps and social security disability benefits.
