Looking after someone who has fatigue

What you can do Back to top

• Understand the different ways of dealing with fatigue - reading the information in this section may help.
• Encourage your relative or friend to use the fatigue diary and write down how fatigue affects their daily life as well as how it affects yours.
• Use the fatigue diary to find out the times when the person you care for has more energy to do things such as shopping or having the family to visit. Plan to make the most of these times.
• Try reducing fatigue by helping your relative or friend make simple improvements to their sleep habits, and diet and exercise habits.

You can go with your relative or friend on their visits to hospital and take the fatigue diary with you. Discuss with the doctors and nurses:

• how the fatigue is affecting both of you
• what could be causing the fatigue
• what techniques you’ve tried to reduce fatigue and what has or hasn’t been helpful
• other ways the doctors may be able to treat the fatigue.

Getting support Back to top

Caring for another person can be exhausting. It’s important that you also look after yourself and avoid getting overly tired. This can be difficult when you have a lot to do and you don’t want to let your relative or friend down.

You may need to involve other people or organisations to help with the caring, especially if you also have an illness that makes you feel tired. Try not to feel guilty if you do need extra help, and try to remember it’s not helpful if you both feel tired.

We have more information on caring for someone with cancer|, and working while caring for someone with cancer|.