Senior Care in Las Vegas NV
The thought of developing skin cancer usually does not cross our minds until we notice a new mole or skin growth that we have never noticed before. Adults over the age of 65 are at a higher risk of developing melanoma compared to young adults because of a weakened immune system that comes with aging. Sadly, most elders with new skin growths rarely report the change to their doctor because they pass it off as a normal aging change, resulting in a high mortality rate among this age group.
Since most older adults will not notice a new spot on their skin, you may want to consider hiring a senior care aid who can monitor your loved one’s health and check their bodies daily for any changes. The best way to prevent your loved one from developing melanoma is to generously rub sunblock on all exposed skin, wear lightweight clothing that covers their arms and legs, wear a wide-brimmed hat, and keep the eyes covered with sunglasses. But if your loved one does have a cancerous skin growth, there are ways to treat it that do not involve surgery. Here are a few ways to get your loved one healthy and feeling like themselves in no time.
Radiotherapy: This treatment option is ideal for elders who are not candidates for surgery and provides a 90 percent 5-year cure rate. It takes several treatments over a timespan of several weeks in order to remove the cancerous skin growth. By receiving elder care, your loved one will be able to get transportation to each appointment from a caregiver. This is especially helpful if the elder can’t drive themselves.
Cryotherapy: Liquid nitrogen is used to kill the dermis in a matter of seconds using subsequent inflammation and intracellular ice formation. Only 1 treatment is needed and needs very little wound care and has a low risk of infection.
Electrodessication and curettage: This treatment option also requires just 1 trip to the doctor’s office, but will need the patient to be under anesthesia. The skin growth is then scraped away in layers. Once that step is completed, cauterization is then used to remove the remaining cancerous tissue. It does require between 4 and 6 weeks to heal and may leave a scar, but has a high cure rate of 92%-95%.
The elder should discuss all treatment options with their doctor to determine which one is right for them. Also, the earlier a skin growth is detected, the better your loved one’s chances are of a full recovery.
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE ARE CONSIDERING IN-HOME SENIOR CARE IN LAS VEGAS, NV, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT GOLDEN HEART SENIOR CARE. CALL TODAY 702-800-4616.