jazz: Male Residents Want Nursing Home Activities that Appeal to Men ...

: Elderly Men Want Advanced Care Facilities to Provide Activities Suitable to Men - pedrosimoes7

Male patients & caregiver families believe nursing home activities should interest both sexes. Men tend to gravitate to gender-specific activities.

Women tend to live longer than men and thus have dominated the patient population in nursing homes for decades. Nursing home and assisted-care facilities offer programs that are open to all residents, but some activities are more female-oriented than others. Seniors and their families want male residents to get involved in mixed activities; additionally, men need quality activities that appeal exclusively to their gender.

Male Interests Often Overlooked in Nursing Homes

Baby boomers have always been on the front lines of change; in fact, their generation initiated more changes to benefit humanity than any other generation in history. This time will be no different. Not all elder-care nursing home issues can be fixed overnight, but small significant changes can take place over short periods of time. The sum of many small changes can make a huge impact on the quality of a person's life.

Women may still dominate the population of elderly folks that reside in nursing homes for years to come. Many activities will still lean toward female interests. However, as the flood of aging boomers moves into advanced-care nursing facilities, more and more men are beginning to demand equal benefits. It's not just a "guy thing". Families of male nursing home residents agree that male interests are often overlooked in nursing home settings.

Nursing Home Programs and Activities that Cater to Men are Long Overdue

Nursing home administrators may want to think twice if they believe these feisty boomer elders ? male and female ? are going to settle for Saturday afternoon sing-a-longs. As for men, a friendly game of bingo just isn't going to cut it. Nursing homes are just going to have to get with the program and add activities to reflect male interests. What, exactly, do men want in a good nursing home? They want poker games and weekend football on TV; and don't forget the beer and snacks.

Pam Gerhardt of The Washing Post National writes, "We need to think harder about men?s needs as they age and their numbers increase." That's where boomers enter the picture. Not only do the men want ESPN and select places to hang out with their new-found buddies (other male residents), but they also want a more suitable name for the type of residence they're living in. Gerhardt adds, "Some of the buzzwords are ?aging in place? and ?the village movement? ? caregiving communities, rather than institutions, that allow folks to live independently among like-minded people."

Men Want It All in Dependent Residential Living

To what extent will men go to get what they want? It's too early to tell, but as more boomers cross into old age, the evidence will speak for itself. Upgraded nursing home programs ? as well as overhauled advanced-care and assisted-living facilities ? will have both women and men in mind right from the start.

There are times when women want their own space, and there are times when men want to hang out with the boys. A few harmless modifications aren't such a bad thing if it makes men more receptive to getting the help they need. Instead of resisting the transition to an advanced-care residence, men won't have reason to argue. To the relief of their caregiver families, the men probably won't put up any fuss at all. Be ready to answer any questions when the time comes; inquiring men will want to know if the facility is properly equipped with a big-screen TV and a bar.