Blood Cancer Awareness Month in Assisted Living
Blood Cancer Awareness Month focuses on blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. For those in assisted living, this occasion highlights the importance of support in managing daily challenges. Assisted living provides crucial help with medication, treatments, and emotional support, ensuring residents with blood cancer maintain a good quality of life.
It also highlights caregivers’ pivotal role, as they work closely with doctors and nurses to provide comprehensive care. Most of all, it raises awareness and understanding of the needs of blood cancer patients in these communities. Simple actions like donating, sharing information, or supporting someone undergoing treatment can make a big difference.
What is Blood Cancer Awareness Month? | Assisted Living
September is declared Blood Cancer Awareness Month to support patients affected by the disease. It also promotes awareness and raises funds for research on blood cancer. Despite the advancement of treatment for this disease over the years, with increasing survival rates, there is still a lot of work needed.
That being said, the occasion aims to increase fundraising efforts aside from raising awareness for everyone. In response to the need for treatment and prevention of the disease, the U.S. Congress has designated September as Blood Cancer Awareness Month.
Common Signs, Symptoms, & Types in Assisted Living
Different ways exist to diagnose and treat blood cancers, such as leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. However, these types of cancers have one thing in common: they mostly start in the bone marrow.
Common signs and symptoms
Here are common signs of blood cancers that you and your loved ones in assisted living need to get familiar with.
- Chest pain and coughing are possibly caused by the build-up of abnormal blood cells in the spleen.
- Frequent infections are caused by the lack of white blood cells to counter routine pathogens.
- Chills, fever, and a lack of white blood cells lead to more frequent infections.
- Unexpected bleeding, bruising, or rash due to the lack of platelets that help blood clot.
Other signs include itchy skin, loss of appetite or nausea, and night sweats. On the other hand, those with blood cancer can experience persistent weakness and fatigue, shortness of breath, and some swollen, painless lymph nodes found in the armpits, groin, and neck.
What to do if you are suspecting symptoms
If you have the symptoms described earlier, you don’t have to worry because it may not be blood cancer. However, it is essential to know what is causing the symptoms. That said, you can immediately consult an expert and get medical help. Residents of assisted living facilities also need to be vigilant for the signs and symptoms of blood cancer.
Note that blood cancers are serious illnesses, whereas other types can be more deadly. Different survival rates exist for each of the three types of blood cancers. However, many people with blood cancer are expected to survive as long as others. Healthcare providers can diagnose blood cancer with help from your family members and medical history. This can be useful to diagnose blood cancer, along with several tests you must undergo.
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