Man or woman, Who Will Make an Ideal Home Care for Elderly?

Being an ideal home care, once thought of as exclusively a woman’s role, is now becoming more and more of a man’s role as well. . As traditional gender roles change, the new generation of male carers are more willing to take on jobs and responsibilities traditionally associated with females. In the future, more and more carers will be needed to assist an ageing population, which means gender stereotypes will need to be challenged and overcome.

As recently as 2009, only about 34% of the 65 million family caregivers in the U.S. were male (according to a National Caregiving Alliance/AARP study). A 2012 Pew study indicates that number is up to more than 45%.

Similarly in the professional realm, nursing was once considered a female occupation, but that has begun to change.  Home health aide jobs, companion work and at home caregiving remain female-dominated (in a 2007 CDC survey of home health aides, 95% were female and recent numbers from the Department of Labor indicate that the field is still about 90% women). However, more men are seeking home care careers and becoming certified nursing assistants, home health aides or companions.

A 2017 article pointed out that unemployed men could be the key to solving the high demand for home care workers. However, “potential male hires, along with women and clients, are uncomfortable with men filling these traditionally feminine roles”. So, it’s worth turning a critical eye to our assumptions and exploring how to determine the best possible caregiver match.

The fact is that, while caring and the tasks related to be an ideal home care are typically associated with women, men can equally be highly effective, nurturing and efficient carers. A lot of elderly and disabled men actually prefer to receive their care for men rather than women, especially when it is personal care such as help bathing, going to the toilet or getting dressed.

How to Choose Between Male Caregiver or Female?

The best way to determine the ideal home care for your loved one is to have a structured “job description” which can be called a careplan. Knowing the elderly’s specific needs and the duties involved helps determine who can best fulfill them.

We recommend meeting the caregivers even if they do not fit your preconceived ideas. As one male home care shared on a forum, families often tell they do not want a man. However, he has never had a client or family ask for someone else once they have met and worked with him.

When hiring a home care agency, find out what process they use to hire, train and match caregivers. Ask how they arm the home cares with the information on how you want care delivered. If your loved one has preferences like having his/her bed made first thing in the morning or food prepared a certain way, these can be the things that make or break the experience. If you are hiring someone directly, think about how you will determine if the person can handle the elderly’s needs and how you’ll prepare them for the job.

Sometimes families think the ideal home care for Mom is a female caregiver because they think Mom would be more comfortable with a female home care for personal care. We understand this concern. However, it is important to know the training caregivers receive for providing personal care with dignity. Whether a male caregiver or female, a well-trained caregiver ensures all personal care is provided in a safe, comfortable and dignified manner.

Does The Gender of Home Care Make Any Difference?

There is nothing inherently female about the skills required by an ideal home care. Skills like managing medication, preparing food, assisting with personal care and helping people to move about may be required, as well as empathy and commitment.

Some of these skills, such as being a sensitive person or managing personal care, may be more traditionally associated with women. But others, such as helping a person move around or lifting somebody from a chair or bed, are skills that rely on qualities more generally associated with men, such as bodily strength.

Traditional gender roles are changing throughout society, so men moving into the professional care space are adapting with them. The fact is that this is a position that any determined adult can fulfil, as long as they have the capabilities required for being an ideal home care. Their gender should not prevent them from aspiring to do this job, nor should they let stereotypes about what a “typical carer” looks like get in their way.

There are many examples of men succeeding in jobs and tasks done by an ideal home care which are traditionally supposed to be reached by women. For example, many talented cooks and award-winning chefs are men. It is also now acknowledged that men are more than capable of the same sensitivity and compassion as women! There are plenty of dedicated men who take on caring roles in their private life – as siblings, fathers, sons or friends – who are as qualified and empathetic as women with the same experiences.

Many people think that male home cares are not allowed to look after female clients, but there are no regulations concerning gender when it comes to providing quality care to both male and female clients. However, according to the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulation 9), people who receive care have the right to express preferences as for who looks after them (including the carer’s gender).

In fact, there are certainly times when male carers feel their gender helps them to do a better job. Imagine a scenario where a disabled man has fallen and cannot lift himself up. His male carer arrives for his shift and is able to lift him appropriately so he can get back into his wheelchair or seat. That is not to say that female carers are unable to lift, but typically physical strength is linked to size, and disabled and elderly clients may feel more confident in a man lifting them from the floor after a fall than they would a woman.

We all enjoy spending time with people we can relate to, or who have shared interests – and many men (and indeed some women!) will find this easier with male carers. Younger disabled people are usually particularly welcoming of diversity in their carers and personal assistants, although older people may feel more comfortable with the more stereotypical gender breakdown in their care staff.

Conclusion

It is the 21st century, and nobody would dare to argue that women can not launch a career as an airline pilot, a barrister or a surgeon. However, some people express surprise when it comes to men doing work traditionally associated with women, such as care.

Male home cares may also bring a number of strengths to their role. A 2012 study conducted by Bowling Green University showed that men dealt with the stress inherent in caregiving better than women.  The study found that “men seem better at dealing with caregiver stress because they take a ‘block and tackle’ approach to tasks”.

If you are seeking caregiving services and trying to choose an ideal home care, we suggest you stay open about your preferences such as gender. If you (or your loved one) has such a preference or concern, consider interviewing/meeting prospective home cares.

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