Is The Gender Bias In Senior Care Changing? Find Out!
You may have noticed that private assisted living communities are occupied mostly by women. Statistics show that men are an afterthought in assisted living and senior care. The primary reason for this is the lower life expectancy of men in comparison to that of women. Studies show that on average, a man’s life has seven fewer years.
However, newer statistics show a gradual narrowing down of this evident gap between the two genders. Thus, it is projected that more and more assisted living facilities will start up and expand with the growing rate of men living longer. Studies suggest that in the coming years, more men will live into their 90s and beyond.
An increasing number of private assisted living communities are therefore becoming equipped to handle and care for the needs of male residents. Similarly, even families have to prepare to discuss and plan for the care requirements of their elderly male relatives.
Ease into the difficult conversation about senior care!
Men in old age struggle with independent living yet prefer it to being in a care facility. If you bring up the proposition of making arrangements for help, it certainly becomes a challenging conversation. The approach toward fathers must be distinctly different from that of mothers. The reason is simple: The thinking processes and lifestyles of men and women are different from each other. Thus, even the assisted living communities have to keep certain characteristic differences in mind while making arrangements for senior care for male residents.
In any case, the discussion of planning for their care is not going to be very easy, as a lot of emotion will be involved, shrouding the conversation.
Keep the following in mind, and it’ll be easier to break the ice!
● A sense of leadership comes naturally to men and persists even with aging. Thus, before deciding everything on your own, involve your father in the process of decision-making for his own care needs. Give him the space to lead the discussion.
● Men often insist more on independence. So, make sure that you consider all the probable ways to ensure your father’s independence both at present and in the days to come. This must be done while chalking out care plans.
● “Present-bias” is a dominant characteristic in men. It is important to mold your father’s thoughts toward the future, but with care. Your own example may work brilliantly; you can say that you are doing fine at present, but who knows what old age awaits? Convince him that it is best to take precautions.
● Men typically prefer to-the-point communication. So, it is best to avoid beating around the bush while discussing his care needs. Get to the point straight away and explain your concerns for him.
● Know that fathers have a tendency to think in terms of either black or white. They hardly give notice to the gray. So, make sure you discuss his care needs for the future in a manner that doesn’t agitate him, but helps him to understand your points.
Is there any hope for a gradual change in the traditional gender-bias notions?
This can be said both in terms of senior care and the arrangement of activities during their stay. Private living communities are often more feminine in their approach. So before choosing an assisted living community for your father, it is crucial to get all the most pressing questions answered.