Dr. Michael Poch shares practical self-care strategies for bladder cancer care partners, explains why taking care of yourself is essential to supporting your loved one, and shares trusted resources that can provide guidance, connection, and support along the way.
Dr. Michael Poch is a urologic oncologist specializing in bladder cancer and prostate cancer at Moffitt Cancer Center. Learn more about Dr. Poch.
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Transcript
Katherine Banwell:
Dr. Poch, being a care partner can be taxing. Can you share some tips for care partners to prioritize their own self-care?
Dr. Michael Poch:
Sure. I think that it’s important. When I think about this, I think about the three pillars. Or, when I talk to the caregivers about this, I think a lot of it has to do with getting rest and sleep, and appropriate sleep. It has to do with getting nutrition and adequate sustenance. Because oftentimes, we either forget to eat or we’re rushing around trying to help our family member. And the last one is alone time. I think some caregivers just need access and alone. Doesn’t necessarily mean alone by yourself, but it may be away from the person that you’re helping just to get a little bit of break, and I think that that sort of mentally resets you and lets you be the best support you can be, but at the same time, taking care of yourself.
Because if you’re not taking care of yourself, you’re not going to be able to take care of somebody else. It’s sort of like the best analogy is that airplane analogy. You’ve got to put on your own air mask before you can put on somebody else’s air mask.
And so, you have to make sure that you’re aware of that.
Katherine Banwell:
Are there resources or organizations that can provide support for care partners?
Dr. Michael Poch:
The best resource that we have is again, aside from our own institution where you’re getting treatment, is we rely heavily on an organization called the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network or BCAN.
Or, bcan, as they say. So, if you go to BCAN.org, I think they actually have a 24/7 help, but they also have a significant amount of resources. Patient-to-patient resources where they’ll actually hook you up and connect you with a patient that’s going through something similar to what you are, and that’s been a boon of a resource for all of our patients.