Cancer and dementia care options
There are different options for care for someone with cancer and dementia. This depends on what is available in their area.
Care options for someone with cancer and dementia
If possible, it can be helpful for the person you care for to think ahead and make some decisions about where they want to be cared for in the future. Making decisions about the future can be difficult. Each person’s situation will be different. Where they will be cared for depends on:
- what they want
- what help they have from family and friends
- what services are available locally
- their medical condition.
Related pages
Care at home
Many people prefer to stay at home, if they can, so they can stay in a familiar environment. They can still be surrounded by the people and things that are important to them. Care may be provided by family or friends or paid carers, such as a live-in carer.
If you are caring for the person in their own home, it is important to take a break sometimes. This means letting someone else care for the person you look after for a while. This is called respite care. Respite care options include:
- sitting services
- day centres
- short stays in a hospice, residential home or nursing home.
Contact your local adult social services department through your local council. You can ask for an assessment of your needs to see what might help you. This is called a carer’s assessment.
Related pages
Care in residential and nursing homes
Sometimes, it is not possible to meet someone’s care needs in their own home. Residential homes and nursing homes offer short-term and long-term 24-hour care. They may also provide different levels of care. A social worker or healthcare worker can explain more about this.
They can give you more information about local care homes and the type of care provided. They may also help you think about how to arrange and pay for different types of care.
Arranging a stay in a care home can take time. Lists of local care homes are available from your local adult social services department. The standard of care provided by care homes and care agencies is monitored across the UK by care regulators.
These include:
- in England, the Care Quality Commission (CQC)
- in Scotland, the Care Inspectorate
- in Wales, the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales
- in Northern Ireland, the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority.
Before choosing a care home or agency, you may want to check its standard of care with one of these organisations. It can be useful to find out whether they are able to meet the needs of someone with cancer and dementia. Your healthcare worker or social worker may be able to give you this information. You can ask to visit the care home before you decide, and talk to staff about how they might meet the needs of the person you support.
Hospice care
Sometimes the person you care for may become more unwell or develop symptoms caused by cancer. They may want to be cared for in a hospice or in the palliative care unit of a local hospital.
Their GP, district nurse, specialist community palliative care nurse or social worker may suggest a short stay in a hospice or hospital. This may be because they have symptoms that would be easier to control with specialist care. They may be given treatments until symptoms improve. They then may be able to go back home.
Hospices are generally smaller and quieter than hospitals. They usually work at a much gentler pace. Many have sitting rooms and space for family to stay overnight. Sometimes there is a waiting list to go into a hospice, but this is usually short. If you are not sure about hospice care, you can ask to visit before making a decision. Some hospices offer an Admiral Nurse service. Contact Dementia UK’s Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline to find where these hospices are.
Community palliative care
Palliative care teams include specialist nurses and doctors. These teams specialise in controlling pain and symptoms, as well as offering emotional support. They are sometimes based in hospices and can visit people who are being cared for at home.
Community specialist palliative care nurses will work closely with the person’s GP, district nurse and other hospital services. They will tell you more about their services, how to contact them and when they are available.
Dementia UK’s Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline can help carers find out what respite and long-term care options are available.
Emergency replacement care
In an emergency, some local authorities may be able to provide replacement care to the person with cancer and dementia. This is usually for up to 72 hours depending on the situation. You will need to contact the person’s local authority for more information.
About our information
This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan Cancer Support’s Cancer Information Development team. It has been reviewed by expert medical and health professionals and people living with cancer.
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References
Below is a sample of the sources used in our cancer and dementia information. If you would like more information about the sources we use, please contact us at cancerinformationteam@macmillan.org.uk
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Decision-making and mental capacity. NICE guideline [NG108]. Published 03 October 2018. Available from: www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng108 [accessed June 2023].
Surr CA, Kelly R, Griffiths AW, Ashley L, Cowdell F, Henry A, et al. Enabling people with dementia to access and receive cancer treatment and care: the crucial role of supportive networks. Journal of Geriatric Oncology. 2020;11(7): 1125–1131. Available from: www.doi.org/10.1016/j.jgo.2020.03.015 [accessed July 2023].
Dr Chris Jones
Reviewer
Speciality Registrar in Clinical Oncologist and Clinical Lecturer in Clinical Oncology
Date reviewed
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