Is Senior Care Truly Different for Men?
Senior Care in Jenison MI
It is no surprise that men are outnumbered by women within the senior care community. Longer life expectancies, social conventions, and the fact that women are far more likely to care for their 
husbands in later years rather than relying on care providers means that many people automatically think of the needs of women when it comes to creating senior care approaches. What happens, however, when it is men that end up in a care relationship with an adult child acting as a family caregiver, or with a senior health care services provider? Should the care truly be different from the type of care designed for women?
Traditionally, life expectancies for men as a whole have been about seven years shorter than those for women. There is no one explanation for why this occurs, but many believe it is a combination of genetics, lifelong stress levels, greater risk for certain illnesses and health complications, and the greater propensity for men to engage in aggressive, risky behaviors throughout your life. In recent years, however, this pattern has shown signs of changing. Men are living healthier and longer than in past generations, which means that there are more elderly men in need of the care and assistance of a senior health care services provider or family caregiver.
Many experts say that this trend means it is time for people to start thinking about senior care differently and design care approaches around the specific needs of men. Some of these differences include:
• Desire for independence. As a whole, women tend to be more accepting of help than men. Aging men often maintain a strong sense of responsibility toward others and feel the need to be an independent leader rather than accept help. This means discussions about care should focus on the maintenance of independence throughout life rather than the emphasis of receiving care
• Need for control. Men tend to desire and expect control and feel uncomfortable when they feel that people around them are trying to control their lives. Ensure your father feels like an active element of planning every step of his care plan whenever possible
• No-nonsense communication. Emotion tends to be less of an issue with men than with women, and men generally function better with straight-forward, matter-of-fact communication rather than fluff or euphemism. Instead of trying to appeal to his emotions or being coy when discussing needs, men respond better to clear, unfettered conversations about their needs and how they should approach them
• Masculine activities. Many activities planned for elderly adults tend to be geared toward women or couples rather than men. It is important to make an effort to find activities and events that appeal to your father’s tastes such as sports, fishing, or “guy” movies.
Get in touch with the elder care agency in your area to learn more about how planning senior care for your father should be different than for a woman, and find out about hiring a senior health care services provider who can help you give your father the care and assistance he needs throughout his elder years.
If you or someone you know needs help with senior care services in Jenison, MI, contact Gauthier Family Home Care. We provide quality and affordable home care services in our community. Call us at (616) 258-2300 for more information.
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