October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s also the ideal time to acknowledge the importance of breast health, mammograms and risk factors for seniors and their caregivers.

According to the National Cancer Institute, the odds of receiving a breast cancer diagnosis increases as females age. For example, women age 50 have a 2.38 percent (or 1 in 42) chance of having breast cancer. At age 60, that increases to a 3.56 percent (1 in 28) chance and by age 70, 3.82 percent (1 in 26).

“The strongest risk factor for breast cancer is age. A woman’s risk of developing this disease increases as she gets older. The risk of breast cancer, however, is not the same for all women in a given age group. Research has shown that women with the following risk factors have an increased chance of developing breast cancer,” says the National Cancer Institute.

Those factors include age, genetics, breast density and changes, family and personal histories, including menstrual and reproductive history, use of menopausal hormone therapy, body weight, race, alcohol use, and physical activity. The average American woman’s risk of developing breast cancer during her lifetime is 12.4 percent (1 in 8).

“An individual woman’s breast cancer risk may be higher or lower depending on a number of known factors and on factors that are not yet fully understood,” says the Institute.

In the last 10 years, there have been advancements in research to better understand cancer care for seniors and the well-being of cancer caregivers. The American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute have sponsored research to explore the ways in which caring for a family member at different points throughout a cancer experience can influence a person’s own physical health.

“Older family members appear to adjust psychologically and spiritually to the caregiving role, but are at higher risk for adverse effects on their physical health. Researchers demonstrated that caregivers who received social support were in better health, suggesting that it is possible to improve family caregivers’ quality of life,” reported the American Cancer Society.

Great Care Founder and CEO Julie Sullivan knows the importance of the added support needed when it comes to a breast cancer diagnosis for both elders and their caregivers. Her team provides help with in-home assistance to family members and loved ones with caregiving needs for seniors, including those with breast cancer, such as full-time, part-time, daily, hourly, overnight, companionship and respite care.

“As we acknowledge National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, we want families to know our in-home care services can go a long way in helping with the physical and emotional toll of this harrowing disease,” Sullivan says. “Through our partnerships, we also help seniors and their caregivers reduce the risk of breast cancer by supporting ways for women to stay active, maintain a healthy weight, and go to regular screenings that can often detect breast cancer early for successful treatment.”

For more information about breast cancer, visit http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer.

The professionals at Great Care are available to talk with you and your family about all of your home care needs. Great Care is a non medical in-home care agency providing quality and affordable elder care in Fishers, IN and the surrounding areas. Call (317) 595-9933 for more information.