Tips
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Nausea, which affects about half of those who undergo chemotherapy, is often triggered or made worse by a sensitivity to odors -- a tuna sandwich, auto exhaust, the dog's wet coat -- brought on by cells in the digestive tract that reject harmful chemicals. One way you can help: buy a small tabletop ...
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To keep nausea caused by chemotherapy in check, make sure the person getting treated starts each day drinking a tall glass of water or watered-down juice and gets six to eight glasses (eight ounces each) a day. The reason: When the body has enough water in the tissues, its metabolism works more smoo...
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One of the common side effects of radiation treatment to the brain is earache, caused by wax hardening inside the ear -- which in turn leads to fluid buildup. Ask your parent's doctor about inserting tubes to drain the fluid, just as doctors do for kids with chronic ear infections. The tubes not onl...
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It's common among cancer patients to complain of a constant bad or metallic taste in the mouth, sometimes a side effect of chemo or radiation therapy and sometimes caused by dry mouth, mouth sores, or the cancer itself. Known as dysgeusia, it's usually temporary and goes away after treatment is over...
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The drugs used for chemotherapy have the unfortunate side effect of stripping the protective coating from nerve endings, resulting in tingling, numbness, pain, and loss of balance. The damage can last up to 15 weeks or even be permanent. The amino acid L-glutamine has been shown to speed up the repa...
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Antacids can help reduce mouth sore pain as a result of chemotherapy or radiation. Learn how to alleviate mouth sore pain by using common antacids.
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Doctors typically suggest taking vitamin B6 -- sometimes with folic acid -- before and during chemo to prevent and treat neuropathy (numbness, tingling, and pain caused by nerve damage). Chemo agents can cause a B6 deficiency, which is associated with neuropathy symptoms. However, if the B6 doesn't ...
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How can you help lower your parent's blood pressure and put a smile on her face? Give her a small square of dark chocolate every day. In the July 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers found reason to celebrate, reporting that 30 calories of dark chocolate eaten dail...
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If you think your loved one may have had a stroke, or may be having a stroke, act F.A.S.T.:
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Do you ever feel like you're being bombarded with information when accompanying your parent to doctors' appointments? If your parent has a complicated medical condition like heart failure, you can easily become overwhelmed with technical terms and instructions. Ask the doctor if you can bring a smal...
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If your parent has had a stroke, is he neglecting his stroke-affected side? In her book After a Stroke: 300 Tips for Making Life Easier, stroke survivor and nurse Cleo Hutton recommends putting your parent's watch on the wrist of his affected arm. He will be reminded of his affected side whenever he...
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If your parent has heart failure, one of the important symptoms that needs to be monitored is fluid retention. Make a daily weigh-in part of the morning routine: your parent should step on the scale at the same time each day, after urinating but before breakfast. Write the weight down in a notebook ...
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If your parent resists bathing, consider using baby soaps and shampoos. They rinse off easier and faster than regular soaps, won't sting the eyes, and are gentle on sensitive, dry skin, which can be part of aging. If this is still too much water contact -- some people with Alzheimer's or dementia ar...
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If your parent has trouble keeping track of medications, consider investing in an automated medication dispenser. Costing about $200 to $1,000, these locked devices automatically dispense pills at preprogrammed times. When it's time for your parent to take a dose, the device will remind him with an ...
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Even if your parents have private healthcare insurance, they should apply for Medicare when they turn 65. Here's why: if they sign up later, they'll likely be subject to underwriting -- which means they'll pay higher premiums if they have any illnesses or are in poor health. Also, if they don't enro...
