Here are some things you and the person you're caring for can do to prevent chemo brain from interfering with his ability to carry out day-to-day tasks and stay on top of his life.
- Organize his home and car. Establish specific places to keep his keys, wallet, cell phone, and other important items. For example, you might place a hook near the front door where he can leave his keys when he enters. Don't move everything around, though, since keeping things in familiar places will help him remember where they are.
- Make lists. Have him keep a small pad of paper in his breast pocket -- or if it's a woman, in her purse -- and have him write down anything and everything he'll need to remember. He can make lists of medication schedules, things he needs to do that day, items he needs at the store, names he wants to remember, even where he parked his car.
- Use a calendar or organizer. Keep track of appointments, tasks, things to do, social commitments, and special days such as birthdays and anniversaries. If it's a wall calendar, hang it in a prominent place, perhaps on the refrigerator, and remind him to look at it often. If it's a personal organizer, he can carry it with him and then keep it by the phone or on the kitchen counter when he's at home, so he can remember to enter information. When he writes down an appointment, have him include pertinent information, such as the address and phone number.
- Leave reminder messages on his phone. You can use his answering machine or voicemail to remind him of appointments, events, and other information he needs to remember.
- Have conversations clear of distractions. When you need to talk to him about something you want him to remember, have the conversation in a quiet, uncrowded place to avoid distractions. Suggest that he make this a habit with others as well.
- Repeat information out loud. When the doctor or someone else gives you and the person you're caring for important information, have him repeat it so it's committed to memory. Suggest that he write down key points such as instructions and directions on his pad or personal organizer and say them out loud while doing so.
- Proofread everything he writes down. One way that the fuzzy thinking of chemo brain drives people crazy is that it causes them to make silly spelling and grammar mistakes, such as leaving out words. Have him proofread everything he writes, or offer to read it for him. You want it to be clear for others and to you if you need to refer to it later.
- Do one thing at a time. Talk to him about the dangers of multitasking, which is not a good strategy for those with chemo brain. If he can train himself to do one task at a time with complete focus, he's much more likely to complete it successfully and remember it afterward.
- Use memory cues. Memory experts say one of the best ways to commit something to memory is to use visual and auditory clues. If your family member keeps misplacing his cell phone, for example, he can train himself to pause and look at the phone where he's placed it on the kitchen counter and say to himself aloud, "I'm putting my phone on the kitchen counter."
- Put his brain to work. A fun way to boost memory is to do puzzles like Sudoku or crosswords or to learn something new. Suggest that he attend a lecture on a topic that interests him, take up a new hobby, or pull out his old Spanish or biology texts and brush up.
- Let people know about memory issues. Unless he's just too embarrassed, it can be helpful to tell family and friends that he's having memory issues. They can help with reminders and will be more understanding when something slips his mind.
- Get plenty of exercise and sleep. Deep sleep is essential for memory and concentration, and getting at least some physical activity each day will help him sleep better. If pain or other problems are interfering with his sleep, talk to his doctor about it.
I totally disagree with #11 to tell them they are not remembering things. They are very sensitive as to how people see them and feel very self-conscious already, no need to confirm their doubts. My sister had brain surgery 5 years ago and still has short term memory loss, but I will never intimidate her by telling her she is not remembering things as she used to. She is proud of still being alive and believes she is mentally able to fight the further spreading of this Stage 3 cancer called Astrocytomo. She is a Hero to go through with what she has had to endure. She stays positive as much as she can.
Lost much memory and concentration. Lots of problems before the treatments for the cancer so I was blaming those issues. Who knows..it's bad so maybe both.
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Sorry, but I must give one example of the UNhelpful tone of the article. You suggest that a caregiver PROOF EVERYTHING THE PERSON WRITES! And go through their belongings to organize them? HOLD ON. GIVE THE PERSON WITH CHEMO BRAIN THEIR BRAINS BACK. THE PERSON NEEDING HELP IS IN CHARGE OF THEIR OWN BOUNDARIES AND PRIVACY! WE ARE NOT BRAIN DAMAGED. HELP US HELP OURSELVES. SPEAK/WRITE DIRECTLY TO US, AS IF WE WERE COMPETENT. WE ARE.
After writing a long comment here, I forgot my Caring password (chemo brain?). By requesting the password, my Comment was erased. Can you fix the site so one can sign in without losing a Comment in progress? I like this site but for the 2nd time in 3 months I am offended by the patronizing tone the article is written in. It is written NOT to the person with chemo brain -- they do not have brain DAMAGE or Alzheimers that renders them incapable--but to their caregiver. PLEASE KNOW that for many people (like me), they are their own caregiver. AND NOT ALL OF US ARE MALE. PLEASE--write every other paragraph with SHE/HE. The content is ok but the patronizing is offensive, particularly for a site which purports to be caring for those with cancer. I have chemobrain and am a perfectly capable adult. If Caring.com is only for caregivers of male persons, and the site does not offer dignity in addressing people with cancer, I cannot be part of it.
Great ideas. Finished chemo 9 months ago. My brain function has greatly improved. Still get a bit foggy at times. This list surely will help me make a full brain recovery.
It is important for me to do one thing at a time and it is also essential for me to write things down or I will forget them.
My first chemo was in 1993 and I still have some of the effects. Seems to affect short term memory the most.
It is good to know that Chemo Brain is finally recognized as a usually long term side effect.
Chemo Brain - my legacy of 2005 forward is very simple - I still have the symptoms but not as dramatic as then. I have found that having a 'daily pocket scheduler' AND a "daily scheduler' for on the table or desk that I am now reinforcing what my appointments, commitments, etc., are and they both should compliment each other as well as others who come to visit can read or see what I have to do. I also have a Stenographer pad that I note - with bullets - wht functions I have done or accomplished throughout the day. This also allows me to be more direct in my daily diary. My exercising program has increased dramatically as well. This now takes charge of my strenous activity in lieu of looking from a chair and thinking of simply moving something from Point A to Point B. Before this exercise I would only be able to accomplish my brain doing all the work with no physical interfacing. That bothered me and gave me quite anxious moments. I am quite thrilled with my interjections of adjustments having gone through Stage 4, Chemo and radiation. Love who I am as the 'New Me." If ahyone reasponds to this please make sure you place a notation in the subjet line - "Chemo Brain (date) " Thank you or I will delete it as a spam. I also am available for speaker programs as well as advcate (confidential). Best Regards - CMarie
I thought all of the article was very helpful..I know I have been doing chemo. and it is true..but it does take a while to get over it. Plus, if a person should have anything else wrong with them like fibromyalgia. This also will cause Brain fog like chemo. I have fibro. to deal with..this is very painful. So, these tips will help me so much.
It's a good article, a good website, but in terms of useful tips, no...If any of those tips really worked, I wouldn't have chemo brain. They aren't going to work..
To me it is helpful. I have been undergoing a targeted therapy with Tarceva and it has been tremendously effective with my NSC Adenocarcinoma in both lungs, however I am not able to remember squat. I know I should remain happy that the disease has remained stable but I feel very frustrated with the way things are. My being alive is still much better than being dead. Having a community to share info and frustrations helps me with my limitations. Thank you!
Not helpful at all...if we could pull out the old text books, do a crossword puzzle, play some brain teasers, remember where we put our lists, put up with family members repeating everything I said (which would irritate us no end!) and all your other suggestions, we wouldn't have chemo brain. Go through our stuff to organize?? Nobody wants to have their stuff poked through...
Yes, this is helpful. However, chemo brain effects can last longer than months. I still have chemo brain problems and it's been 2 years since my last treatment! It is improving, but it's so frustrating; I've always had a good vocabulary, and now I'm constantly grasping for words that are just out of my mental reach. I can ask my kids a question, and literally seconds later their answer is gone! This is all especially worrying for me as my mom has Alzheimer's, and it's always in the back of my mind; is this really still chemo brain, or AD? Has anyone done any long-term research on chemo brain? I know I can't be the only one still having problems!
This is great to perhaps share some stories and get suggestions and answers.........Life at this point is so Uncertain
I know I have chemo brain....I am 78yrs old........friends I volunteer with that are 90plus remember better than I do.........it is embarassing, but I try to laugh it off.......must laugh and enjoy LIVING when one is in remission........No more Chemo after 5 yrs with NHL don't know what to expect now-----any one know?
doesn't help I'm 42 and have an issue with not remembering things. My dad went in for cateract surgery I knew it on Monday procedure for Tuesday and I FORGOT!! I didn't remember till I happened to call him on Wednesday. I was so upset. Please offer more advise.
I have been having chemo regularly for the last 7 years and the information is a great help especially over weekends and holidays when a health problem arises -its helps one to understand what one is dealing with. My thanks to you all