ROSEVILLE, California—In these peak summer months, Always Best Care franchise teams nationwide are encouraging seniors and their families to take skin cancer awareness seriously. As leading providers of non-medical in-home care and senior living referral services, Always Best Care professionals know caregivers can play a crucial role in monitoring seniors for any concerning skin changes and helping them get prompt medical attention when needed.
Sonya Meade-Settles is the owner of Always Best Care in Norfolk, Virginia. She believes that caregivers, who often assist with activities of daily living like bathing, are in a unique position to support seniors in maintaining skin health. In fact, a member of her team noticed a discolored spot on a client’s chest that turned out to be skin cancer. “Our professional caregivers at Always Best Care know that small changes in skin condition can evolve quickly, so they are trained to report any changes right away in case a doctor referral is needed. Without this care team member’s careful attention to detail and persistence in reporting what she observed, our client would not have received medical care.”
Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide, and seniors are particularly at risk due to past sun exposure and fragile skin that can be easily overexposed to damaging UV rays. Caregivers can help by encouraging them to wear sunscreen, stay in the shade as much as possible, wear UV-protective clothing and use accessories such as wide-brimmed hats and umbrellas to shield themselves when they are outside.
“Early detection is critical in improving the outcome of skin cancer treatment, and Always Best Care in-home care teams have an important role to play in helping clients with their routine skin checks and overall sun-safe behaviors,” said Jake Brown, president and CEO of Always Best Care. “Our franchise owners across 29 states and Canada have built a network of referral partners in their local territories to offer their clients a continuum of care when specialists or additional consultations are needed. We urge all seniors and their families to focus on their skin health this summer and throughout the year to reduce the risk and impact of skin cancer.”
Meade-Settles also wants people to know that skin cancer does not discriminate.
“Skin cancer can affect anyone regardless of skin color, age or gender,” she said. “That is why it’s so important to schedule routine skin checks with a dermatologist, in addition to watching for any changes in the skin at home. We tell our caregivers to monitor the skin for any new or changing moles, lesions or patches, including something that may just look like a scratch or sore. If they see discoloration, bleeding, crusting or any type of change, they know how important it is to speak up so that senior can be evaluated. Early detection really does save lives.”
Always Best Care recommends the following tips for seniors and their caregivers to promote skin safety:
- Educate seniors about how important it is for them to have regular skin examinations and protect themselves from the sun.
- Encourage them to wear sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, stay in the shade and wear protective clothing like wide-brimmed hats and long-sleeve shirts. Caregivers may also need to help with the application of sunscreen and reminders to reapply.
- Perform Regular Skin Checks: Assist seniors in monitoring their skin for any changes and reporting any suspicious findings to their healthcare provider in a timely manner.
- Schedule routine dermatology appointments for seniors, especially for those who have a history of sun exposure or skin cancer.
Always Best Care is a provider of non-medical in-home care and senior living referral services, with skilled home health care in limited markets. The company delivers its services through an international network of more than 250 independently owned and operated franchise territories throughout the United States and Canada. By working with case managers, social workers, discharge planners, doctors and families, Always Best Care franchise owners provide affordable, comprehensive solutions that can be specifically matched to meet a client’s particular physical or social needs.
For more information on available territories and franchising with Always Best Care, contact Sean Hart at rshart@abc-seniors.com, call (916) 545-2786 or visit alwaysbestcare.com/franchising.
