Is Your Parent at Increased Risk for Lung Cancer?
With the exception of skin cancer, lung cancer is the second-most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women throughout the United States. Each year more than 220,000 new cases are diagnosed, and nearly 156,000 die from the condition. As a family caregiver, it is important to recognize any particular risks that your senior might face so that you can help your parent reduce those risks to protect them from the disease, or prepare yourself to help them get the care that they need if it does develop.
Senior Care in Grand Rapids MI: Lung Cancer Risk Factors
Some of the risk factors related to lung cancer include:
- The leading risk factor for lung cancer is smoking. In fact, use of cigarettes is linked to between 80 and 90 percent of cases of lung cancer. People who smoke are between 15 and 30 times more likely to develop lung cancer or to die from the disease than those who do not smoke.
- Exposure to second-hand smoke also dramatically increases the risk of developing the disease. If your parent lives with, or has lived with, someone who smokes or frequents locations that have a lot of smoke, they are at increased risk of the condition.
- Exposure to radon, which is a naturally-occurring gas, can put your senior at increased risk.
- There is evidence that family history increases the risk for developing lung cancer. If your parent has a direct family member, including a parent, child, or sibling, who has suffered lung cancer, they are at increased risk of experiencing it themselves, especially if they smoke.
Starting senior care for your aging parent can be one of the most meaningful and valuable decisions that you can make for them in the course of your caregiver journey with them. A senior home care services provider can be there with your aging parent on a customized schedule that is specifically designed to ensure that they get the care that they need, while also supporting as much independence and autonomy as possible. This can be particularly beneficial if you live at a distance from your parent or have a busy schedule and are not able to be with them as frequently as you would like to be. This care provider can fill care gaps, handle potentially sensitive tasks that your aging parent or you are not comfortable with you handling, and offer companionship and support that encourages a higher quality of life throughout their later years.
If you or someone you know needs help with senior care in Grand Rapids, MI, contact Gauthier Family Home Care. We provide quality and affordable home care services in our community. Call us at (616) 258-2300 for more information.
Sources
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung/statistics/index.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung/basic_info/risk_factors.htm
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