5 Ways to Reduce Your Parent’s Cancer Risk

Cancer is an extremely common disease in the United States. According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 1,735,350 people were expected to be diagnosed with cancer in 2018. Sadly, over 609,000 people were expected to die from cancer. Because of the prevalence of cancer, taking steps to reduce the risk of cancer is a wise idea. If you’re wondering how you can help your elderly parent to lower their cancer risk, below are 5 ideas to help.

#1: Talk to the Doctor About Screening

Home Care Auburn AL: Seniors and Cancer Risk

There are screening tests for several kinds of cancer that can catch cancer early, and in some cases, even stop it from developing. Talk to your parent’s doctor about the types of screenings they should have and when they should have them. It can also be helpful to know your parent’s family history of cancer as it can help doctors to make better decisions about cancer screenings and preventative measures.

#2: Quit Using Tobacco

Both smoking and using chewing tobacco raise the risks of certain kinds of cancer. Smoking has been associated with numerous kinds of cancer, including lung, throat, pancreas, bladder, and several more. Chewing tobacco increases the risk for oral and pancreas cancer. No matter how long your parent has been a tobacco user, quitting will improve their health and reduce their chances of getting cancer. Quitting can be hard, but a doctor can help with smoking cessation medicines and techniques.

#3: Make Good Food Choices

Eating a healthy diet that includes lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can lower the risk of some kinds of cancer. However, eating red meat and processed meat has been associated with increased risk of cancer, so those should be limited. Instead, choose poultry, fish, beans, and legumes as protein sources.

#4: Stay Physically Active

Being physically active will help your parent to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, which lowers their risk of several kinds of cancer, like lung, colon, and kidney cancer. Even if your parent is at a healthy weight, physical activity itself is still associated with reducing certain kinds of cancer.

#5: Use Sunscreen

Skin cancer is very common, but it’s also preventable. To prevent skin cancer, your parent should protect their skin from the sun by using sunscreen and wearing clothing that protects the skin. In addition, it’s a good idea to limit exposure to the sun during the midday hours and sit in shady areas when outside.

Home care can assist your parent with cancer prevention measures. A home care provider can plan and prepare healthy meals that include fruits and vegetables while limiting red meat. Home care providers can also help seniors to be more physically active by including them in household activities, going for walks with them, or driving them to exercise facilities. Home care providers can also drive older adults to screening appointments and other medical appointments.