It is hard walking this journey as a caregiver to a family member or loved one on your own. CANSA is here to support and guide you through this process.
We will help empower you and your family members to take care of your loved one at home, through CANSA’s ‘Family and Friends Care Course’.
Professionally trained CANSA staff members and our trained ‘patient care’ volunteers will arm you with information and skills to appropriately care for your loved one, through caregiving tips, referrals to community resources, health and support facilities (where possible), enabling your loved one to receive cost-effective, quality home-based care, including:
- Psychological care and support (family counselling and coping skills)
- Guidance regarding palliative care / pain management and end of life counselling if necessary
- Tips for practical care and support of the cancer patient
A nurse will do an initial home visit to assess the cancer patient’s needs, and based on the findings of the nurse, recommendations for care of the patient, by family member(s) will be given. CANSA is not able to provide caregivers.
A home visit costs R350 per visit and may be claimed back from medical aid. Should the home of the patient be outside of a 20km radius from where the nurse is based, an additional fee per km may be charged to cover transportation fees.
Queries:
| Province or Region | Contact Person | Email Address |
| Eastern Cape | Dorothy du Plooy | dduplooy@cansa.org.za |
| Free State | Dorothy du Plooy | dduplooy@cansa.org.za |
| Gauteng | Olivia Curlewis | ocurlewis@cansa.org.za |
| KZN | Olivia Curlewis | ocurlewis@cansa.org.za |
| Limpopo | Olivia Curlewis | ocurlewis@cansa.org.za |
| Mpumalanga | Olivia Curlewis | ocurlewis@cansa.org.za |
| North West | Olivia Curlewis | ocurlewis@cansa.org.za |
| Northern Cape | Dorothy du Plooy | dduplooy@cansa.org.za |
| Southern Cape / Klein Karoo | Dorothy du Plooy | dduplooy@cansa.org.za |
| Western Cape | Dorothy du Plooy | dduplooy@cansa.org.za |
*If your loved one is in need of full-time care, please inform the treating oncologist that you would like a referral to a service provider in your area that can provide this service.
You may also find service providers in the Palprac Service Provider Directory.
Read more about our CANSA Care Rooms…
Support Resources for cancer Survivors & Loved Ones
Please also consider joining our Facebook Support Group: CANSA Caring for the Caregivers or complete the online form to be added to our Caregiver or Bereavement WhatsApp Support Groups.
Find additional online resources for cancer Survivors (anyone who has heard the words ‘you have cancer’), caregivers or loved ones, and about coping with cancer.
Disclaimer
CANSA does not provide treatment, and if any abnormalities are detected during screening, then you will be referred to an appropriate specialist or healthcare professional.
CANSA does not prescribe or provide medication, as it is not authorised to do so.
However, our clincial specialist nurse, Sr Vlooi Venter vventer@cansa.org.za is able to provide free advice with regards to management of side effects of cancer, side effects of cancer treatment and pain.
