Seniors and Skin Cancer – What You Need to Know

Senior Care in Westfield NJ

Skin cancer is a very common form of cancer, but many seniors may not know that the risk for it increases with age.  In fact about 40-50% of Americans who live to age 65 and beyond develop skin cancer at some point in their lives.  The good news is, many skin cancer cases can be treated if they are detected early and skin cancer can be preventable.  Many seniors may believe that if they didn’t protect themselves from harmful UV rays in their younger years, there’s nothing they can do now to lower their risk.  However, this is not true!  In fact there are many ways seniors can protect themselves from skin cancer.  Read on for a few helpful tips.

Get Regular Skin Exams

You probably encourage your seniors loved one to get regular physicals, eye exams, and dental exams, so don’t forget about skin exams, too!  A dermatologist can perform a full-body skin exam in about 10 minutes and this can be a life-saving procedure.  They will check your senior loved one for any lesions or moles that could potentially be cancerous.

Don’t Skip Self-Exams

Getting a full exam performed by a dermatologist is important, but many times skin cancer can be detected at home.  Caregivers should help their senior loved one to check their skin on a regular basis, not ignoring “hidden” parts such as the scalp and in between fingers and toes.  Caregivers and seniors should be on the lookout for any moles or lesions that have increased in size or shape, changed color, and/or are larger than a pencil eraser.  It is important to make note of any open sores that are not healing and ones that itch, bleed, or become painful.  If you spot something of this nature, do not delay in making an appointment with a doctor.

Sun-Protection is Key

Even if your senior loved one has had bad sunburns in the past, there is no reason why they should not actively prevent future ones.  When spending time outdoors, encourage your loved one to stay in the shade, wear protective clothing, and apply sunscreen.  The proper amount of sunscreen to use is about 2 tablespoons for the entire body and it should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure.  Sunscreen should be reapplied every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring professional senior care in Westfield, NJ, please talk to the caring staff at Generations Home Health Care today. Providing Home Care in Somerset, Essex, Union, Morris and Hunterdon Counties. Call us today at (908) 290-0691 or (973) 241-4534.

Source:  http://www.skincancer.org/get-involved/your-community/senior-centers

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Susan Myer, RN, BSN, CCRN, CDP

Co-Owner at Generations Home Healthcare LLC

Susan is the Co-Owner of Generations Home HealthCare and has 35 years of business experience and entrepreneurship. For the last 10 years she has been a Registered Nurse working at St. Luke’s Hospital (Bethlehem, PA) in the Neuro/Trauma Unit and as a critical care nurse at Hunterdon Medical Center. She has a B.S. from Rutgers University and a BSN from Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA.Susan is currently in the process of obtaining her Master’s in Gerontology. Susan is married, has 2 children and 2 grandchildren.

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