Arizona Cancer Caregivers Awareness week is November 16-23, 2019. According to the American Cancer Society, there will be an estimated 37,490 new cases of cancer in Arizona and an estimated 12,470 deaths. For every new cancer patient, there will be at least one new caregiver. The good news is that cancer patients are surviving longer thanks to new treatments and research. However, caregivers are dealing longer with the demands of caregiving. According to the National Alliance of Caregiving: 85% of caregivers care for a parent or family member and 15% for a friend or neighbor. The average cancer caregiver devotes 44.6 hours per week performing caregiving tasks. Caregivers can suffer from stress, anxiety, depression, and develop serious health issues. Educating cancer caregivers about how to take better care of themselves can improve their own quality of life and lead to better patient outcomes. It can help reduce negative economic effects, allowing them to keep their job while their patient recovers.
