Top tips

For managing if you live alone

Many people have support through their diagnosis and treatment, either through their healthcare team, family or friends. However, if you live alone, you may find some of the things you do at home are harder if you are undergoing treatment or recovering. Finding support from outside the home, or knowing how to ask for help, can be empowering. And family and friends often appreciate being able to help too, they just might not know how to offer.

We asked members of our Facebook Support Group for their ‘top tips’ for managing if you live alone. Here is what they told us. Thanks to everyone for sharing their tips.

Getting out and about

Ask friends and family for lifts to your appointments, or to the shops or for a break away from home and change of scene.
Try to get out if you can for a walk, even if it’s just 10 minutes. The fresh air will help with your recovery and keep you motivated and you may bump into people for a chat.
Arrange to have a walk or go to a café for a coffee with a friend, so you don’t feel that you are isolated.
Your hospital may have details of ‘Good Neighbour’ schemes and networks, where volunteers can help with transport at a reduced rate.

“ I set up a WhatsApp group with my friends and family, to keep them updated but also to ask for help when I needed transport.

Kasia

At home

Colour code calendar sheets to look for any patterns. For example, red days for feeling poorly, amber for starting to feel ok and green for good days. You can share this with family and friends so that they can see when to check in on you or when you may need extra support.

“ I bought a dated diary so that I could write in appointments, symptoms and anything of note in case I forgot, as I didn’t have anyone to remind me of those things.

Helen

Try to get in the habit of taking medications at fixed times. You can link it with a particular activity (such as brushing your teeth or eating breakfast), or set an alarm to remind you to take them.
Pill organisers for your medication are also helpful so that you can keep track of what to take and when.

“ I kept a hospital bag packed in case I had to be admitted to hospital quickly. It means you can say to ambulance team, ‘stripey bag in spare bedroom’ if you need to and they can find it easily.

Karen

A striped bag on the floor next to a bed

Arrange to have your food delivered from the supermarket so that you don’t have to go to the shop if you are feeling unwell.
On the days when you have more energy, batch cook and freeze the meals for the days when you are fatigued or poorly.
If your friends or family offer to cook or bake something for you, accept! Meals and cakes can be frozen for when you need them, and your friends and family will know that they are really helping.
You don’t have to be alone, join the Lymphoma Action Facebook Support Group, attend Online Support Meetings or use the Lymphoma Action Buddy Service.

“ As well as keeping ready meals in the freezer, I used paper party plates (that can be recycled or composted) in pretty patterns. And I made sure to treat myself to goodies that I really enjoyed.

Ruth

Pets

Dogs will still need daily exercise so accept offers from friends who can take them on a walk for you. And when you feel able to, you can join them for walks, even if just for a short time.
Try and set up some emergency care for your pet just in case you need to go into hospital. This might be a neighbour or friend, or through an organisation like The Cinnamon Trust (that helps older people with pet care if they become unwell).
If you are at risk of infection, use disposable gloves for changing cat litter or cleaning up any mess

And also...

Carry a mobile phone in a pocket or bag in case of emergencies, so you can call from wherever you are.
Arrange check-in calls from friends and family if you’d like to stay in touch. Or consider updating just one person (and asking them to update everyone else) if you prefer. You can also consider telling people what you’d like to chat about for example, not wanting to talk about your health but focus on something else.