Kidney cancer
If you've been diagnosed with cancer, your treatment and medical care will probably be the first thing on your mind.
But there are other aspects of your life to think about and it's important to know exactly what kind of assistance is available and where you can get it.
If you're finding it difficultto cope with day-to-day life,talk to your doctor or nurse. They'll be able to refer you to a social worker who will carry out an assessment and recommend specifichelp tomeet your needs(see below).
Care attendantscan help with housework, dressing and washing, and they can even keep you company and give your carer a break. Look into this as soon as you can becausemany care attendants have waiting lists.
Carers Trustis an organisation in England and Wales that helps carers by visiting homes and taking over the caring responsibilities for a while. Visit the Carers Trust (external link) or phone0844 800 4361.
Contact your local council aboutits meals at home service.It will usually be able to offer financial assistance to help pay for this. VisitGOV.UK (external link) for details of your eligibility.
You may be eligible for income support,disability living allowance or attendance allowance. Get in touch with the Benefit Enquiry Line for more details on0800 882200 (textphone 0800 243355) or online at theDepartment for Work and Pensions(external link).
Occupational therapists can provide a detailed assessment of your home needs, making life easier by arranging equipment and making adaptations to your home.
The aim isto create a comfortable and practical place to live during your treatment. For example, it could involve putting in a shower downstairs or adding handrails around the house to assistyour mobility.
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Find out about kidney cancer, including what the symptoms are, how it's treated and what the outlook is.
Find out about the main symptoms of kidney cancer, including blood in your pee and pain in your lower back or side.
See your GP if you have symptoms of kidney cancer . They will do some simple checks and can refer you for further tests if necessary. Your GP may ask you about the symptoms you've been having, etc.
Find out about the main treatments for kidney cancer, including surgery, medication and radiotherapy.
If you've been diagnosed with cancer, your treatment and medical care will probably be the first thing on your mind. But there are other aspects of your life
Caring for someone who's ill can be very demanding due to the broad range of medical, personal and emotional needs they can have.