Which Myeloma CAR T Support Resources Care Partners Lean On?
Are there resources available to care partners supporting a loved one who is undergoing CAR T-cell therapy? Dr. Adriana Rossi, a myeloma specialist, reviews resources and explains the important role of support groups and in-home services.
Dr. Adriana Rossi is Director of the CAR T and stem cell transplant program at the Center for Excellence for Multiple Myeloma at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City. Learn more about Dr. Rossi.
See More from The Care Partner Toolkit: CAR T-Cell Therapy
Related Resources:
 CAR T-Cell Therapy for Myeloma | Why a Care Partner is Vital |  Practicing Self-Compassion | A Critical Component of Being a Care Partner |  Understanding Your Role as a CAR T-Cell Therapy Care Partner |
Transcript:
Jamie Forward:
I think that makes good sense. So, there are obviously social workers at the centers, and obviously these larger CAR T-cell therapy centers have a number of resources. So, what is available to help care partners during this time?
Dr. Adriana Rossi:
So, social work will meet with the patient and the caregiver to tailor resources, and plans, and support in any way that is specifically useful to them.
Again, if there is specific paperwork that needs attention. If there are resources, for example, lodging, transportation. All of these things are really tailored to the needs of each individual.
Jamie Forward:
Okay. And obviously, this isn’t for everybody, but support groups are always a good idea, even if online.
Dr. Adriana Rossi:
Absolutely. And, we have a number of those. We’re lucky to have a group of social workers, and they each lead different groups. So, if one doesn’t seem to be a good fit, I also think keep looking. There are very specific ones like younger patients or patients of any particular group. But, there are also general patients. There are transplant-specific. And, more and more, there are CAR T-specific groups where patients share their experience.
Jamie Forward:
Yeah. It’s always nice to know that you’re not alone in these situations.
So, are there in-home services that can be useful for CAR T-cell therapy care partners during this time?
Dr. Adriana Rossi:
I’d have to say that’s probably very specific to geographic areas. I happen to work in New York where there are a lot of home services, and it’s very population-dense, and a lot of the services are driven to that. I imagine in parts of the country where there’s quite a bit of distance between the facilities, there are probably programs that are more structured to provide those services. So, that’s probably fairly program-specific. But generally, yes. I just don’t know what they are for each part of the country.
