September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month: Is Your Mom at Risk?

Senior Care in Abbeville AL: September Is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, so it’s a good time to brush up on information about ovarian cancer. It’s also a good time to think about your aging mom and whether ovarian cancer might be a concern for her.

Ovarian Cancer Starts in the Ovaries

A woman’s ovaries are located on either side of her uterus and are responsible for producing eggs. They also secrete the hormones progesterone and estrogen. Ovarian cancer starts in an ovary but may spread to other parts of the body. Unfortunately, ovarian cancer is often not discovered until it has already spread. As a result, ovarian cancer is frequently fatal. However, when ovarian cancer is found before it spreads beyond the ovary, treatment is usually more effective.

Risk Factors for Ovarian Cancer…

Ovarian cancer typically strikes after a woman has reached menopause, making your mom’s age a risk factor.

-Other risk factors include-

-Family History: If your mom’s mother had ovarian cancer, or if she has a sister or daughter who had ovarian cancer, she is at a greater risk.

-Genetics: Some women have a certain gene change that puts them at the highest risk of developing ovarian cancer. This gene change is often present in people with a family history of cancer.

-Age of Menstruation: If your mom began to menstruate before she was 12 years old or stopped menstruating before age 52, her risk may be higher.

-Pregnancy: Women who have never been pregnant have a higher risk.

-Hormone Replacement Therapy: If your mom used estrogen replacement therapy for menopause symptoms, her risks are elevated. This is particularly true if she was on hormone replacement therapy for an extended period of time or was taking high doses.

-Smoking.

-Use of an Intrauterine Device (IUD) for Birth Control.

-Having Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

If your mom has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, hiring a senior care provider to assist with her care can be a great help to both your mom and your family.  Senior care providers will come to your mom’s house to help her with things that may be too difficult for her to do on her own because of the illness.  For example, a senior care provider can help her move safely around the house, helping her to get to the bathroom and other areas of the house.  Senior care providers can also cook for your mom, perform light house cleaning tasks, and assist her with personal care, like bathing and dressing.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering senior care in Abbeville, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.

Sources
http://ovarian.org/about-ovarian-cancer/am-i-at-risk
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ovarian-cancer/basics/definition/con-20028096
http://www.webmd.com/ovarian-cancer/guide/ovarian-cancer-what-increases-your-risk
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ovarian-cancer/basics/risk-factors/con-20028096

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Thad and Allyson Johnson

Owners at Wiregrass HomeCare

Thad and Allyson Johnson were both born in the Wiregrass area.After graduating from Auburn University, they spent their early years in Birmingham, Alabama, working in the banking and health insurance industries. In 1997, the couple returned to Dothan, Alabama to raise a family – a decision they have never regretted. It was a sincere desire to meet the rapidly growing needs of the aging population in the Wiregrass that led them to open a home care business. The decision to remain a local, independently-owned company has offered the flexibility, autonomy, and responsiveness needed to best serve clients.

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