In the future, there will be even more elderly women than elderly men. Science has yet to figure out how to extend the life of males to the point that it either equals or exceeds the average life expectancy of women. Additionally, there are dozens more centenarians living now than there were in the last decade, and the number is rising. There is still a life expectancy disparity between men and women who have reached the century mark, too, with more men dying right before or just after reaching this major life milestone than women.
So, what does that mean for senior home care? It means that there will be a shortage of care providers. It also means that elderly women will need more senior home care than elderly men. Here are a few more reasons why elderly women will need care more than their male counterparts of the same age.
Women Suffer from Alzheimer's and Dementia More
There seems to be a link between hormones and chromosomes suggesting that there is a reason why women suffer from Alzheimer's and dementia more often in old age. Even when women manage to reach years beyond the average life expectancy rate, their brains seem to deteriorate faster, causing many more health problems and consequences of health problems for this half of the population. Without proper care and treatment, these women wander from home or get caught in dangerous predicaments that could result in their deaths. It means that more nurses and nurses' aides have to be employed and engaged with monitoring female residents in care settings and in the patients' own homes.
Women Have More "Below the Belt" Troubles
Female genitals and the pelvic floor region as a whole have many more issues as women age. Urinary incontinence starts almost immediately after a woman finishes her child-birthing years, and continues to get worse with age unless surgical measures are taken. Prolapses of the uterus, anus, and even the bladder are common, requiring extensive care by qualified nursing personnel to prevent infections and help identify these problems. More surgeries may be needed to correct prolapses and incontinence issues if their quality of life is hampered by these troubles.
Women Tend to Gain a Lot of Weight, Causing Physical Problems
Shortly before, during, and after the menopause years, women gain a lot of weight. Their hormones are shifting, and causing issues with maintaining a healthy weight. The more weight women gain later in life, the more problems they have with their hips, knees, and feet. Hence, nursing staff spend more time helping women stand, walk, transfer to bed/chair/toilet, and prevent falls that could break bones.
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