Learning that you have an incurable disease is bound to be quite a shock. Give yourself some time to process the news and come to terms with your diagnosis. Once you feel ready, face your conduction head-on with a plan to move forward. Charting a course of action can help you cope with your condition and find ways to live with the accompanying symptoms. Below, we share some of the next steps you should take after receiving your diagnosis.
Aroga Home Care Services can give your senior loved one high-quality care and attention. Contact us to find out how we can help.
Organize Your Medical Files
Keeping your medical files organized will help you advocate for yourself as you navigate the healthcare system. GoodRx Health explains that organizing your own medical records will help you better understand your health needs and access important information on demand. This will also make it easier to move between doctors and specialists while maintaining consistency in your care.
PDFs are the preferred file format for storing and sharing medical information. If your medical documents exist in other file formats, such as Microsoft Word or Excel, use a PDF converter. The PDF converter lets you drag and drop your files into the converter and download your new PDFs to your device.
Review Your Health Insurance Policy
Try to review your health insurance policy as soon as possible after receiving your diagnosis. You may need to make changes to your coverage, especially if you require expensive medications, tests, or treatments. If you work as a freelancer and don’t have medical coverage, start researching your insurance options. Ideally, you would be able to join your partner’s employment health insurance plan. Otherwise, look for health plans through the marketplace or the Freelancer’s Union.
Move into an Accessible Home
Certain incurable illnesses can make day-to-day life more challenging. Living in an accessible home is a great way to overcome these challenges and maintain your independence. Consider selling your home and moving into a new place that better accommodates your needs. For example, a single-story home with an open floor plan might be easier to navigate if you require a walker or wheelchair.
Research your local real estate market to learn about local home prices in your area. This will also help you determine whether or not now is a good time to sell. If you’d prefer to rent, there are over 600 homes for rent in the Charlotte area at a variety of price points.
Improve Your Sleep Quality
Incurable illnesses that cause pain can wreak havoc on your sleep quality. Medications that are prescribed for pain and other conditions can further interfere with sleep patterns. But getting enough high-quality sleep every night is essential to your mental and physical well-being. According to Swedish.org, research shows that more hours of sleep correlate with lower levels of pain. Creating a cool, dark, and comfortable bedroom environment is one of the first things you should do to improve your sleep quality.
Create a Stress Coping Plan
Living with an incurable illness is undeniably stressful. Come up with a plan to cope with stress so you can focus on living your life. Take everything one day at a time, breaking up your treatment into steps. Schedule activities into your calendar that don’t revolve around your condition—things you really want to do and look forward to. Don’t hesitate to lean on friends and family when you need help and support. Finally, remember to practice self-compassion. Try developing a gratitude practice and seeking resources on mindfulness and acceptance.
No one is ever ready to receive a diagnosis of a chronic illness. Once you’ve come to terms with your diagnosis, make a plan to face your illness moving forward. Organize your medical documents into PDF files, review your health insurance policy, consider moving into an accessible home, and take steps to improve your sleep quality.
Aroga Home Care Services is your go to 5-star rated private duty skilled caregiver agency in the greater Charlotte area. Contact us today and request a professional home care adviser consultation. www.ArogaHomeCare.com or call 704-319-5500
Content Credits: Jennifer Scott | SpiritFinder.org