Appendix
Financial and Legal Matters
Resources
Learning To Relax
The financial challenges that people with cancer and their families face are very real.
During an illness, you and your family may have found it hard to find the time or
energy to review your options. Yet it's important to keep your family financially healthy.
For hospital bills, you may want to talk with a hospital financial counselor. You may be
able to work out a monthly payment plan or even get a reduced rate. You may also want
to stay in touch with your insurance company to make sure costs are covered.
For information about resources that are available, see the Resources section. You can also
get the NCI fact sheet "Financial Resources for People with Cancer" at www.cancer.gov, search terms
"financial assistance." Or call toll-free 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) to ask for it.
Legal Documents
If you haven't developed an advance directive, you may want to consider it. Advance
directives are legal documents that let a person decide important issues ahead of time,
including how much treatment to receive and who should make decisions if he or she
can't. Having an advance directive helps ensure that you get the treatment you want.
Understanding your wishes will also make it easier for family members if a time comes
when treatment decisions need to be made.
Advance directives:
- A living will lets people know what kind of medical care patients want if they
are unable to speak for themselves.
- A durable power of attorney for health care names a person to make
medical decisions for a patient if he or she can't make them. This person, chosen
by the patient, is called a health care proxy.
Other legal papers that are not part of the advance directives:
- A will tells how a person wants to divide money and property among his or her
heirs. (Heirs are usually the surviving family members. Other people may also be
named as heirs in a will.)
-
A trust appoints the person a patient chooses to manage money for him or her.
-
Power of attorney appoints a person to make financial decisions for the
patient when he or she can't make them.
A lawyer does not always need to be present when you fill out these papers. However, a
notary public may be needed. Each state has its own laws about advance directives.
Check with your lawyer or social worker about the laws in your state. See the Resources
section for more information.
National Cancer Institute
NCI provides current information on cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment,
genetics, and supportive care. It also lists clinical trials and specific cancer topics in
NCI's Physician Data Query (PDQ®) database. The following free material may also be
helpful. To order, visit NCI's Web site or call NCI's Cancer Information Service (CIS) tollfree.
For a Complete List of Resources
|
See the fact sheet, "National Organizations That Offer Services
to People With Cancer and Their Families," at www.cancer.gov,
search terms "national organizations." Or call 1-800-4-CANCER
(1-800-422-6237) to ask for it.
|
Cancer Information Service
CIS answers questions about cancer, clinical trials, and cancer-related services and helps
users find information on the NCI Web site. It also provides NCI printed materials.
Administration on Aging
The Administration on Aging provides information, assistance, individual counseling,
organization of support groups, caregiver training, respite care, and supplemental
services.
Phone: | 1-202-619-0724 |
TTY: | 1-800-877-8339 |
Web site: | www.aoa.gov |
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services provides information for consumers about
patient rights, prescription drugs, and health insurance issues, including Medicare and
Medicaid.
Phone:
Web site: (for Medicare information)
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
EEOC provides fact sheets about job discrimination, protections under the Americans
With Disabilities Act, and employer responsibilities. It also coordinates investigations of
employment discrimination.
Phone: | 1-800-669-4000 |
TTY: | 1-800-669-6820 |
Web site: | www.eeoc.gov |
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging/Eldercare Locator
The Eldercare Locator is a nationwide directory assistance service designed to help older
persons and caregivers find local resources for support. Areas of support include
transportation, meals, home care, housing alternatives, legal issues, and social activities.
U.S. Department of Labor/Office of Disability Employment Policy
The U.S. Department of Labor provides fact sheets on a variety of disability issues,
including discrimination, workplace accommodation, and legal rights.
Phone: | 1-866-ODEP-DOL (1-866-633-7365) |
TTY: | 1-877-889-5627 |
Web site: | www.dol.gov/odep |
American Cancer Society/National Cancer Information Center
ACS provides cancer information and support to patients, families, and caregivers. It
also supports research, community education, and advocacy and public policy issues.
CancerCare
CancerCare provides free, professional support services to anyone affected by cancer:
people with cancer, caregivers, children, loved ones, and the bereaved. CancerCare
programs - including counseling, education, financial assistance and practical help -
are provided by trained oncology social workers and are free of charge.
Cancer Hope Network
Cancer Hope Network matches patients and families with trained volunteers who have
recovered from a similar cancer experience.
Family Caregiver Alliance
FCA addresses the needs of families and friends who provide long-term care at home.
Gilda's Club, Inc.
Gilda's Club provides social and emotional support for patients, families, and friends.
Lance Armstrong Foundation
The Lance Armstrong Foundation seeks to inspire and empower people living with,
through, and beyond cancer to live strong. It provides education, advocacy, and public
health and research programs.
Phone: | 1-512-236-8820 (general number) 1-866-235-7205 (LIVESTRONG SurvivorCare program) |
Web site: | www.livestrong.org |
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
NCCS provides information and resources on cancer support, advocacy, and quality-oflife
issues to cancer survivors and their loved ones.
National Family Caregivers Association
NFCA provides information, education, support, public awareness, and advocacy for
caregivers.
NeedyMeds
The NeedyMeds Web site lists medicine assistance programs available from drug
companies. NOTE: Usually, patients cannot apply directly to these programs. Ask a
doctor, nurse, or social worker to contact NeedyMeds on your behalf.
Patient Advocate Foundation
PAF provides education, legal counseling, and referrals to cancer patients and survivors.
It specializes in matters related to managed care, insurance, financial issues, job
discrimination, and debt crisis.
The Well Spouse Association
The association provides support to wives, husbands, and partners of chronically ill
and/or disabled persons.
The Wellness Community
The Wellness Community is a national organization that provides support groups, stress
reduction and cancer education workshops, nutrition guidance, exercise sessions, and
social events.
Many people with cancer have found that
practicing deep relaxation has helped relieve
their pain or reduce their stress. The exercises
on the next few pages may not be right for
everyone. Ask your doctor or nurse if these
exercises can help you. Before trying the full
exercise below, first practice steps 1 through 5,
so you can get used to deep breathing and
muscle relaxation.
You may find that your mind wanders. When
you notice yourself thinking of something else,
gently direct your attention back to your
deepening relaxation. Be sure to maintain your
deep breathing. If any of these steps makes you
feel uncomfortable, feel free to leave it out.
Exercise 1
- Find a quiet place where you can rest
undisturbed for 20 minutes. Let others
know you need this time for yourself.
- Make sure the setting is relaxing. For
example, dim the lights if you like, and find a comfortable chair or couch.
- Get into a comfortable position where you can relax your muscles. Close your eyes
and clear your mind of distractions.
- Breathe deeply, at a slow and relaxing pace. People usually breathe shallowly, high in
their chests. Concentrate on breathing deeply and slowly, raising your belly, rather
than just your chest, with each breath.
- Next, go through each of your major muscle groups, tensing (squeezing) them for
10 seconds and then relaxing. If tensing any particular muscle group is painful, skip
the tensing step and concentrate just on relaxing. Focus completely on releasing all
the tension from your muscles and notice the differences you feel when they are
relaxed. Focus on the pleasant feeling of relaxation.
In turn, tense, hold, and relax your:
- Right and left arms. Make a fist and bring it up to your shoulder, tightening your arm.
- Lips, eyes, and forehead. Scowl, raise your eyebrows, pucker your lips, and then grin.
- Jaws and neck. Thrust your lower jaw out, and then relax. Then tilt your chin down toward your chest.
- Shoulders. Shrug your shoulders upward toward your ears.
- Chest. Push out your chest.
- Stomach. Suck in your stomach.
- Lower back. Stretch your lower back so that it forms a gentle arch, with your stomach pushed outward. Make sure to do this gently, as these muscles are often tight.
- Buttocks. Squeeze your buttocks together.
- Thighs. Press your thighs together.
- Calves. Point your toes up, toward your knees.
- Feet. Point your toes down, like a ballet dancer's.
- Review these parts of your body again and release any tension that remains. Be sure
to maintain your deep breathing.
- Now that you are relaxed, imagine a calming scene. Choose a spot that is
particularly pleasant to you. It may be a favorite comfortable room, a sandy beach, a
chair in front of a fireplace, or any other relaxing place. Concentrate on the details:
- What can you see around you?
- What do you smell?
- What are the sounds that you hear? For example, if you are on the beach, how
does the sand feel on your feet, how do the waves sound, and how does the air
smell?
- Can you taste anything?
- Continue to breathe deeply as you imagine yourself relaxing in your safe,
comfortable place.
- Some people find it helpful at this point to focus on thoughts that enhance their
relaxation. For example: "My arms and legs are very comfortable. I can just sink into
this chair and focus only on the relaxation."
-
Spend a few more minutes enjoying the feeling of comfort and relaxation.
- When you are ready, start gently moving your hands and feet and bringing yourself
back to reality. Open your eyes and spend a few minutes becoming more alert.
Notice how you feel now that you have completed the relaxation exercise, and try to
carry these feelings with you into the rest of your day.
Practicing Relaxation To Relieve
Pain and Stress
|
Relaxation can help you feel better -
both mentally and physically. For most
of us, though, it is not easy to "just
relax." Relaxation is a skill, and it
needs to be practiced, just like any
other skill.
Many people wait until they are in a
lot of pain or feel a lot of stress before
they try to relax, when it can be
hardest to succeed. Then they might
try to relax by overeating, smoking,
or drinking - activities that are not
helpful and might even be harmful.
Take the time to learn helpful
relaxation skills and practice them
often. You can also take a class or buy
a relaxation tape or CD.
|
Exercise 2
- Sit comfortably. Loosen any tight clothes. Close your eyes. Clear your mind and
relax your muscles using steps 4 and 5 above.
-
Focus your mind on your right arm. Repeat to yourself, "My right arm feels heavy
and warm." Stick with it until your arm does feel heavy and warm.
-
Repeat with the rest of your muscles until you are fully relaxed.
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