Individuals with Cancer in Assisted Living Centers
The American Cancer Society estimates that 1,479,350 new cases of cancer are expected to be diagnosed this year. They also estimate the number of deaths due to cancer will amount to 562,340 people. Cancer is the second most common cause of death next to heart disease. This amounts to 1 in every 4 people losing their battle with cancer per day.
There are many different types of cancer, and in all cases, living with cancer is very difficult for individuals. If that person is also faced with the added challenge of living in an assisted living center, life can become very difficult for them. Currently, there are no known cures for cancer of any kind, however, there are treatments that can help to manage and slow down the progression of cancer.
Types of Treatment for Cancer
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Radiotherapy
- Hormone therapy
- Biological therapy
- Cancer drugs
Treatments such as chemotherapy are used to slow the progression of cancer cells by injecting medications into the body that work to kill off cells in the body. These medications work to kill the cancer cells that spread throughout the body. However, this type of treatment could also kill off healthy cells in the body which could potentially harm the individual receiving the treatment. To help counteract this effect of chemotherapy, injections of stem cells are often injected into individuals to replace the healthy cells that chemotherapy has killed.
There are often side effects of therapeutic medications, and even of the cancer itself. Cancer can have a drastic effect on individuals both physically and mentally. Some of the effects that can occur are:
- Chronic Pain
- Sexual Dysfunction
- Infertility
- Fatigue
- Numbness
Other effects include incontinence, osteoporosis, hair loss and other types of cancer can even develop. The psychological effects of cancer can be equally harmful for individuals living with cancer. Some of these psychological effects include:
- Stress
- Low confidence
- Depression
Despite these effects, treatment for cancer is very important to try to keep the cancer from spreading through other parts of the person’s body. Living in an assisted living center, it is very important that your loved ones get to a facility in order to receive their treatments when they need to. In some cases, this may not always happen and at times, individuals are placed in very dangerous, even life threatening situations if they do not receive proper treatment for the type of cancer that they have contracted. Your loved ones should never have to face any type of negligence resulting from their caretaker’s lack of assistance preventing them from receiving the proper treatments while living in assisted living centers.
Contact an Arizona Nursing Home Advocate Attorney
Cancer is a very serious disease that should never go untreated for any reason, especially due to negligence from assisted living centers preventing your loved ones from receiving treatment. Your loved ones should not have to be victimized by staff members or anybody else in an assisted living center. Each resident has rights in the Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, and Tempe Area and an Arizona Attorney can help your family look into collecting damages for their emotional and physical suffering due to sexual abuse. For more information about sexual abuse in assisted living centers, visit www.nursinghomeadvocates.com for an Attorney near you.
