Family and Health

Family is the one thing that most people count on when cancer strikes. It is a husband or wife, a child or parent that walks with the patient through the diagnosis and treatment. Family is there when friends don’t know what to say or how to react to the news. They are there when no one else is. So when cancer strikes, who takes care of the family? There is a growing need for the family of patients to find respite and rejuvenation as well as emotional healing while caring for their loved ones.

According to a growing body of research, family of cancer patients take on various roles as they strive to care for their family member (Walsh E10). They become chauffeur as they take the patient to endless doctor appointments; they are another ear as the patient receives the diagnosis and must decide what treatment is appropriate; they are caretaker as the patient stays at home to fight; and, they are emotional support at every moment. And these are just a few of the responsibilities family caretakers fulfill. The cost of their commitment, however, can range from overwhelming psychological symptoms to becoming ill themselves (E10). 

 Because “creative art programs in which patients and family members participate actively in hands-on art experiences are a growing trend in healthcare,” a study was done to see if family caretakers’ anxiety and stress levels were significantly lower after participating in a two hour art-making class (E10). What the study found is that participants’ anxiety was significantly reduced, and their stress level was moderately reduced (E13). Even more notable is that the class provided a community-building environment in which participants felt allowed to participate in self-care (E14). 

At Feel Beautiful Today, we believe that the health of those caring for the patient is just as important as the health of the patient. We have seen countless times the joy on a mother’s face as she works on a bracelet with her young daughter, or the stress and tension dissipate as a daughter helps her mother assemble the beads for her bracelet. We offer our programs in hospitals because we want to be where the weary and tired reside, and it gives us such great satisfaction to provide, even if only for a moment, a way for those caring to have a moment of rest.

Reference:

Walsh, S.M., Radcliffe, R.S., Castillo, L.C., Kumar, A.M., & Broschard, D.M. “A Pilot Study to Test the Effects of Art-making Classes for Family Caregivers of Patients With Cancer". Oncology Nursing Forum 34.1 (2007): E9–E16. Web. 6 June 2015.