I’m a man, can I do live-in care work?
It is a very sad fact that there are not as many male live-in carers as are needed. There is a huge need for men as well as women in the care industry.
The huge deficit of male carers is largely because most men do not think they can do the job. They feel that either they will not be as good as their female colleagues, or they feel that the job does not pay as well as other fields they could move into.
Traditionally 84% of care staff are female with just 16% being men. Live-in care work is also traditionally seen as ‘women’s work’. This stems from the outdated belief that it is the women who look after kids, and care for older relatives. This leads naturally into accepting care work of any sort.
In a world when men are living to a greater age than that of twenty years ago, it makes sense that there are more men in the care industry to take care of those who prefer a same sex carer.
This is particularly true of live-in care work. There are often male clients who would prefer someone of the same sex taking care of their personal duties, rather than have a woman attend to them.
There is no reason why a man cannot be a live-in carer. The same reasons for not taking a care job apply to both genders. It may be argued that being away from home for any length of time will place stress on a relationship. This is true whether the carer is male or female.
When considering a competitive salary, it is true to say that most live-in care positions pay well. Some agencies ask more than others – this is true, but it is very easy to find out which are the better paying agencies and sign up with them instead. Private live-in care work pays better than most agencies, with weekly wages being close to £1000 in some cases.
So, can a man be a live-in carer?
Yes, absolutely! While there should be no lifting in the placement, there are often hoists to move around which can be heavy for women.
There are also some circumstances where a man may be better, such as in cases where a male client becomes aggressive. Often, he will be calmer when faced with a man instead of a woman. There is also less chance of sexual harassment when a male client is faced with a male carer.
Many men make excellent cooks! While you may not need to provide gourmet meals every day, solid and nutritious meals are well within most men’s abilities.
Learning to use a washing machine or vacuum cleaner are easily managed by both male and females, in fact this may need to be done at every placement because they are all different.
As for personal care – there are many women who have no preferences as to who helps them, if the carer is kind and considerate. There are, however, male clients who would prefer a man to take care of them instead of a woman.
To sum up
Other than society dictating that live-in care is classed as ‘women’s work’, there is absolutely no valid reason why more men should not be doing this job. If you feel that you have the skills and temperament to be a live-in carer, then you should apply for the position. Rest assured that you will be greatly appreciated, not only by male clients, but also by live-in care companies.
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