NCCN issues first guidelines for people caring for cancer patients
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network released new resources to address the physical, mental, and financial challenges faced by caregivers.
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has issued its first-ever guidelines for people caring for individuals living with cancer, according to a report by Deccan Herald.
Titled NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Caregiving for People with Cancer, the document aims to address the challenges faced by those managing appointments, medications, household responsibilities, and financial concerns.
The guidelines note that at least 70 per cent of caregivers balance their jobs with other responsibilities, while around 60 per cent live in a separate home from those they care for.
The NCCN, an alliance of leading cancer centres in the United States (US), includes a specific chapter dedicated to the well-being and self-care of caregivers.
Heather Kopecky, a member of the NCCN Foundation Board of Directors who was diagnosed with breast cancer, said that access to clear, trustworthy information gives people the ability to understand choices and have a voice in care.
Anthea A Gray, a rehabilitation psychologist at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Centre, explained that caregivers often juggle cancer-related tasks alongside everything else in their lives.