How do people cope?

Tuesday 30 November, 2010

Reviewed: Annie Angle, cancer nurse (Dip. Oncology Nursing, Royal Marsden, London)

On this page: Try these ideas ι In the bathroom ι Dressing ι House work and gardening ι Shopping ι Meal preparation ι At work ι Childcare ι Leisure

---

If you feel fatigued, be honest about it: with yourself and others. Check with your doctor if there is a medical treatment that could help you.

Try these ideas

• Set small, manageable goals.
• When you plan your day, include rest times.
• Keep a record of how you feel during the day. For example, if you notice that you are especially tired in the morning, plan to rest at this time.
• Have several short naps or breaks, rather than one long rest period.

• Don't do more than you comfortably can. Stop before you get tired.
• Eat as well as you can and drink plenty of fluids. Some people find that a diet with lots of fruit and vegetables and grain-based foods (like pasta and rice) gives them a feeling of energy. Others might get the same feeling from having more meat in their diet. A dietitian will be able to help if you want to change your eating habits.
• Smoking reduces your energy. If you smoke, talk to your doctor or the Quitline on 13 78 48 about stopping.
• Exercise if you can. Exercise will keep you stronger and improve your sense of wellbeing. If you are not used to exercise, you could start a gentle walking program, beginning with 5 to 10 minutes and gradually increasing as you feel able. You could also try other light exercise. If you have been used to more vigorous or strenuous exercise, try easier or shorter versions of activities you enjoy. For example, instead of running, try yoga or tai chi.
• Try to do things that make you happy. The joy you get from laughing with friends or playing with your dog may give you a boost.
• Listening to music, reading and meditating are not physically tiring and may help you to relax.
• Do the things that you need and want to do. If you have people around you who are able and willing, let them take on some of your usual activities.
• Limit the number of visitors you have, if you need to.
• Avoid stress where possible: relaxation techniques and exercise can help to reduce unavoidable stresses.
• Call the Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20 to be put in touch with a Cancer Connect volunteer, who can share their story of how they coped.
• Join a cancer support group. The Cancer Council Helpline can help you find one near you. Talking about your feelings can ease the burden of fatigue, and you can hear how other people in similar situations have managed.

Contact your local council and ask about the services they offer. (Search the White Pages, business section for the council's name.) These include meals on wheels; home cleaning, maintenance and gardening; day care for adults and children; pet walking and grooming; and volunteer visitors. Some of these services are free or low-cost.

The social worker at your hospital can advise you about other services. A physiotherapist or occupational therapist can also help.

In the bathroom

• Sit down to bathe and dry yourself.
• Long, hot showers and baths could make you feel more tired.
• Use a shower/bath organiser placed where you can easily reach it.
• Install rails and handles where you need them, for example, in the shower and near the toilet.
• Use extension handles on sponges and brushes.
• Install a raised seat on the toilet.

Dressing

• Plan what you will wear and have your clothes ready before dressing.
• Sit down to dress and try to avoid bending from a standing position.
• Wear comfortable clothes and low-heeled shoes.

Housework and gardening

• See if your local council can provide a house cleaner or gardener.
• Let family and friends help with tasks where possible.
• Schedule household tasks over the week (for example, washing one day, vacuuming the next) so you don't do too much on one day.
• Lower your standards for a while!
• Where you can, sit to do housework and gardening.

Shopping

• Use a shopping trolley rather than a basket.
• Have your groceries delivered. You may be able to order from home.
• Ask for help. Use shops where the staff are considerate and will carry your bags and boxes to the car.
• Shop at less busy times (evenings or early in the morning).
• Organise your list by aisle if you know your supermarket well.

Meal preparation

• Use frozen foods.
• Make meals you don't need to toil over: tinned sardines, tuna and salmon, salad, omelettes and scrambled eggs, baked potatoes, steamed vegetables, grilled lean chops, vegetable stir fries and fresh fruit salad are healthy and easy to prepare.
• Rearrange things so you don't have to bend or reach.
• Store frequently used saucepans and utensils on a bench rather than in a cupboard.
• Order take-away food sometimes if you can afford it.
• Accept offers of meals with friends and family.
• Soak dishes instead of scrubbing and let dishes air dry.
• Wash up after each meal so the dishes don't build up.
• If you're making a soup or pasta sauce, make extra portions that you can freeze.

Childcare

• Encourage games where you can sit: drawing pictures, playing board games, reading and computer games.
• Have children climb onto your lap instead of being lifted.
• Feed children at their own level (such as a play table) if they're too small to climb onto a chair at the dining/kitchen table.
• Arrange childcare so that you have regular rest times on your own.

At work

• If you're suffering cancer treatment-related fatigue and finding your usual duties difficult, consider discussing with your employer whether your duties or hours can be modified. (Note: if you have problems with employment or your employer because of your cancer or anything related to your cancer treatment, be aware of your rights. Call the Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20 or see our Cancer: Legal Rights and Responsibilities section.)
• If the fatigue is making working difficult, consider taking leave or reducing your hours for a short term.
• If you can, plan to work most intensively when you will feel most energetic and plan short rest periods for when you are likely to be tired. If your work involves a lot of bending and movement, see if it is possible to change your duties for the short term.
• Reduce the amount of bending and reaching you have to do by placing frequently used items in easy reach. Bend from your knees, not your back. Use a cart to move larger items.
• Delegate if you can: ask others to do things that you find difficult to do.

Leisure

• Going out with a companion or companions is easier than going out alone.
• Do things gradually at first; aim for major activities only when your fatigue is lessening.
• Plan rest times between activities.
• Try not to get overtired.

Back to top

Email this page   Print friendly