With home care for mesothelioma patients, a caregiver works in the patient’s home to provide services comparable to what patients receive in the hospital. Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer — and as it progresses, it can be debilitating. Mesothelioma home care allows patients to get care from skilled nurses, social workers, housekeepers, and more, keeping them healthy and safe outside of a hospital setting.
What Is Mesothelioma Home Care?
Home care for mesothelioma allows professionals to address your health care needs, taking some burdens off you and your loved ones.
A home caregiver (such as a nurse) can help with daily tasks like getting dressed and even administering some cancer treatments like chemotherapy.
Other mesothelioma home care duties may include:
Bathing
Cleaning and home maintenance
Driving to appointments
Helping with finances
Offering companionship and emotional support
Planning meals and feeding
Scheduling appointments
In-home caregiving services are often available for patients diagnosed with early- or late-stage mesothelioma.
There are also existing financial resources to help you cover home care costs for mesothelioma. Contact us to learn more about mesothelioma home care and ways to help pay for it.
Types of Mesothelioma Home Care
Nurses
Registered home health nurses can help patients by facilitating a prescribed mesothelioma treatment plan, administering chemotherapy through an IV, managing the side effects of medications, and even providing emotional support. Their work is tailored to each specific patient’s needs.
Home Health Aides
Home health aides can provide some medical care, but they are often not registered nurses, which limits their activities. However, these home mesothelioma health aids can help patients in a variety of ways, such as walking around the home, getting out of bed, and providing medical services (such as medication management) with proper training and nurse supervision.
Social Workers
The American Cancer Society (ACS) describes social workers as case managers for cancer patients, connecting them to care options in the community and providing emotional support.
“Many people ask oncology (cancer) social workers, ‘What do you do?’ and to us, the more pertinent question might be, ‘What is it you don’t do?’. Oncology social workers provide information on resources, medical and insurance coverage, and how to talk to your family and the children in your lives about cancer.”
– Penelope Damaskos, Director of Social Work at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Housekeeping Agencies
Workers at housekeeping agencies help with daily tasks such as making meals, bathing, dressing, and keeping the home clean.
Physical Therapists
Physical therapists can help mesothelioma patients regain their strength after undergoing major treatments. For example, pleural mesothelioma patients undergoing lung-removal surgery can work with a physical therapist to perform exercises and improve their breathing.
Pharmaceutical and Infusion Therapy Companies
These companies deliver medications and equipment to patients who need IV treatments at home. They also teach cancer patients and loved ones how to administer the treatments from the comfort of their home.
Medical Equipment Providers
Medical equipment companies deliver respirators, oxygen tanks, wheelchairs, and walkers. They also set the devices up and teach mesothelioma patients and their caregivers how to use them.
In-Home Hospice Care
Hospice at home includes a skilled team of experts and volunteers who provide palliative or end-of-life care services. The incredible and caring hospice team helps family members care for patients and do everything possible to ease their pain and improve their quality of life.
VA Homemakers and Home Health Aide Care
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may provide personal aides to veterans with mesothelioma. These aides and homemakers are trained to help patients eat, bathe, and get dressed under the direction of registered nurses. Veterans can pursue these services by filing for VA benefits.
Benefits of Home Care for Mesothelioma Patients
Home care for mesothelioma can help you:
Manage your cancer treatments: For example, if you must take daily chemotherapy drugs, a nurse can ensure you do so.
Avoid treatment complications: It may take several weeks or months to recover from a major mesothelioma treatment like surgery once you’re discharged from the hospital. In-home nurses and therapists can help you gain your strength back and avoid possible complications in the process.
Feel less alone: Life after a mesothelioma diagnosis can be isolating and scary, especially if loved ones or family live far away. Home caregivers can provide companionship and ease this sense of loneliness.
Hiring in-home care services can also take some of the caregiving responsibilities from your loved ones and allow them to recharge.
Finding a Home Caregiver
As you search for a home caregiver, finding one that best suits your needs and can address your greatest concerns is important.
Questions to ask when hiring a home health care provider include:
Are you accredited by a nationally recognized organization?
Are you Medicare-certified?
Do you have written statements that list your services?
How many years have you been in service?
Will you create a medical care plan based on my specific needs?
Can you offer professional medical advice?
Are references available?
Do you require a family or other primary caregiver in the home at all times?
How do you handle payment and billing?
If a respirator or oxygen machine is provided, who is available if equipment problems occur?
Do you have a 24-hour phone number for any questions or concerns?
Is there an emergency plan in case of a power failure?
How quickly can you start?
These questions can help you determine how much experience a caregiver has and if they are a good fit for you. You can get care from several home care providers to ensure all your needs are met.
Paying for Mesothelioma Home Care
To afford home care for mesothelioma, you can start by contacting your insurance company. This will give you a better idea of what services will be covered and which aren’t.
Did You Know?
Home care for mesothelioma patients must be considered medically necessary for coverage by most health insurance plans. Different plans have different policies, and Medicaid coverage varies based on the state a patient lives in.
You may still have out-of-pocket costs even with health insurance. However, you may be entitled to mesothelioma compensation to help cover these expenses.
Asbestos-caused mesothelioma is a preventable disease. Negligent manufacturers knew their asbestos products could cause deadly illnesses, but they hid this knowledge from employers, consumers, and the military. For this reason, compensation is available to victims harmed by these products.
For more information on pursuing financial compensation and finding top mesothelioma treatments and doctors, check out our free 2023 Mesothelioma Guide.
Contact us now to learn more about finding home care for mesothelioma and how to pay for it. Our team of Patient Advocates is available 24/7 to answer your questions and help you get the care you deserve.
Mesothelioma Home Care FAQs
How do I find home care for mesothelioma?
There are many ways for mesothelioma patients to find home care help. For example, they can reach out to:
Home health agencies
Hospice organizations
Home care aid agencies
A member of your cancer care team or a hospital social worker may also be able to provide you with a list of organizations that provide home care services in your area.
Contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma Hope at (866) 608-8933 for more information about finding and paying for home care for mesothelioma.
What is the purpose of home care for mesothelioma?
Home care allows mesothelioma patients to get their care while at home. This can help take some of the burdens of this terrible disease from the patient and their loved ones.
Home care workers can help with daily tasks like bathing, cleaning, and even administer mesothelioma treatment.
They also help mesothelioma patients manage their medications, avoid treatment complications, and feel less alone.
You can access mesothelioma home care from: