Part of being an effective caregiver is taking active steps to take care of yourself as well as your loved one. Studies have shown that by educating and supporting caregivers it may help relieve the stresses associated with providing care for a loved one with cancer. In fact, caregivers who received this type of help, reported significant increases in the degree to which they felt informed about and confident in their ability to provide care.  If you are a caregiver of a loved one with cancer, be sure to care for yourself and know you are not alone.

Visit the pages below for a variety of tools to prepare you for changes and challenges that you will face and to help you as a caregiver.

• 10 Steps to Getting You Started as a Caregiver
• 10 Tips for Family Caregivers (PDF)
• A glimpse into the life of a cancer caregiver
• The 3 Stages of Caregiving
• Sharing the Caring: An Action Guide for Caregivers and Those Who Care about Them (PDF)

Organizations:

• By My Side offers a wealth of free information specifically designed for caregivers of patients with cancer.  Designed to help you stay in control during your loved one's treatment, By My Side offers simple steps you can take right from the start to manage, lessen, or (in some cases) prevent the side-effects of chemotherapy.

• National Alliance for Caregiving offers reports on caregiving and caregiving products. They have a "Tips for Caregivers" section on their Web site and a very useful tool for searching for caregiving resources like books, videos, and other multimedia.

• National Family Caregivers Association is an organization for family caregivers that provides advisory services, prescription drug discounts, as well as newsletters and up-to-date caregiving information. (800) 896-3650

• National Organization for Empowering Caregivers is an organization for family caregivers, especially caregivers of the elderly. The group offers online and in person support groups, referrals for counseling and respite care, lectures, programs and seminars, as well as monthly publications. (212) 807-1204

• Well Spouse Foundation is a national group for husbands, wives, and partners of chronically ill patients. They host discussion groups, publish newsletters and organize conferences, lectures, and outings for caregivers across the U.S. and Canada. (800) 838-0879

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