Supporting your physical and mental wellbeing
This photo does not represent an actual patient and care partner.
Physical health: encouragement and staying active together can make a positive impact
Caring for someone with prostate cancer can be physically and emotionally draining—making it even more important to take care of your own body. Staying active and eating well not only supports your energy and emotional resilience but can also encourage your loved one to stay engaged in healthy routines, creating benefits for you both.
If you’ve been out of the habit of moving your body, getting started again can feel like a big step—but it’s one worth taking. Gentle movement like short walks or light stretching can help ease stress, lift your mood, and build stamina for the demands being a care partner brings. Start slow, take breaks, and do what feels manageable. If your loved one is able to join you, that’s a bonus—but your physical well-being matters on its own.
Adding physical activity to your daily routine can still include your loved one
There are creative ways to stay active together and enjoy new experiences:
Light physical activity
- Take a walk after dinner
- Walk the dog daily
- Find 10-minutes to stretch
- Visit the local farmer’s market each week
- Pack a picnic for a fun day out
Moderate physical activity
- Ride bikes together
- Dance together in your living room
- Exercise together while watching TV
- Play some golf or visit a pro shop
Stress-reducing activities
- Practice deep-breathing exercises
- Take a class in yoga or tai chi
- Pause for a 20-minute meditation
- Spend time together without talking about cancer
Enriching activities
- Start a vegetable and herb garden
- Learn something new together through audiobooks or podcasts
- Take up a new hobby or art class
Exercise plays a key role in helping you become your strongest and healthiest self.
"If the patient can't do anything, watch some comedies. Turn on the TV and just watch some comedies. Spend a whole day laughing."
—Susan*, care partner
*Name changed for care partner privacy.
Mental health: What to do if you start to see changes
Supporting someone through prostate cancer can take a quiet toll—leaving you feeling drained, isolated, or even invisible at times. It’s easy to put your own needs last, but your well-being is just as important.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or emotionally stuck, consider speaking with a mental health professional who understands the caregiver experience. And if you notice emotional changes in your loved one that are impacting you, it’s okay to raise those concerns with their care team. A strong support system—one that includes mental and emotional care for you—may make a meaningful difference.
Make holistic healthy changes
Clean living isn’t about restriction. It’s about making space for what helps you feel your best, physically and
emotionally
Making small, intentional changes like choosing cleaner foods, reducing toxins in your home, and staying active, can help you feel more in control. These shifts are about creating a healthier environment for healing, energy, and long-term well-being and will benefit your loved one as well.
Try:
- Finding recipes to make from a healthy cuisine style, such as the Mediterranean diet
- Using non-toxic cleaning and personal care products
- Installing air or water filters to reduce environmental exposures
- Cooking at home with simple, clean ingredients like extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- Exercising with resistance training for weight control and maintaining bone density
- Keeping insulated tumblers handy and refill them often with cold water to drink to stay hydrated
This photo does not represent an actual care partner.
“We made that change together. And that’s part of the caregiver role too — leading those changes, even when the patient is focused on other things.”