Living in a cold home is challenging for anyone, but for people undergoing chemotherapy, it can bring extra hardship. Luckily, if yourself or a another member of your household is undergoing chemotherapy, there is support available to make sure that heating your home is one less stress.
In this article, we’ll look into how a cold home can present further challenges for those having chemotherapy, how you can mitigate these risks, and how to access support.
What is Chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs to destroy or slow the growth of cancer cells. Unlike other treatments, it works systemically, affecting the entire body. This makes it effective for treating cancers that have spread or are difficult to target.
Although chemotherapy kills cancer cells, it can also destroy other healthy cells in the body. This is why it can cause some unpleasant side effects throughout the body, which subside when treatment stops.
How Does a Cold Home Affect Chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy can be a difficult process, without the added stress of a cold home. Living in a cold home can have a range of impacts on people undergoing a course of chemotherapy, including:
Disrupted sleep: Staying in a cold home may make it harder for chemotherapy patients to sleep well. Poor sleep can impact their ability to heal and recover, and the discomfort of being cold may interrupt rest. Sleep disturbances are already common among chemotherapy patients due to factors like nausea, pain, and anxiety.
Joint and muscle problems: Cold environments can increase joint and muscle pain, which is a common side effect of chemotherapy. This can make mobility and comfort difficult
Reduction in nutrient intake: Cold environments may discourage patients from eating or drinking enough, especially if they experience nausea or loss of appetite as side effects of chemotherapy.
Weakened effectiveness of medications: In extreme cases, prolonged exposure to cold could potentially affect chemotherapy medications that require proper storage at certain temperatures. For example, some chemotherapy drugs need to be stored at controlled room temperatures,
Energy Support For Those Undergoing Chemotherapy
Undergoing chemotherapy whilst living in a cold home can feel daunting, but small changes can make a big difference. By managing triggers and improving your home’s warmth and ventilation, you can mitigate some of these risks.
If your home isn’t energy efficient and you are undergoing a course of chemotherapy, you can access a government-backed grant to upgrade your property. These grants are designed to improve the energy efficiency of homes across the UK by installing various home upgrades. These include solar panels. insulation, and heat pumps – all of which are provided and installed completely free of charge.
These measures save the average household hundreds each year off their energy bill. If you have asthma and your property qualifies, your income does not matter. You can check if your property qualifies in under a minute by clicking the button below.
