Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

With increased longevity, more older men are using home support services. The provision of care by (mostly female) workers to male clients raises questions regarding the negotiation of gender and age relations in the private home space. This paper explores the challenges confronted by home care providers when supporting older men. Our objectives are: (a) to better understand the gendered dimensions of home support work, with a focus on care for older men; and (b) to provide policy and practice recommendations that will equip home support workers with the resources needed to safely and effectively care for older men. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 24 home care providers, including 22 home support workers and two managers, in Vancouver, BC. The interviews explored participants' experiences of work in the home care sector, with a focus on their relationships with male clients and their perceptions of older men's needs in various areas including personal care, household routines, and mobility. The findings presented are based on an interpretive thematic analysis of interview data. Our research identifies gender-specific challenges in the provision of care. Home support workers noted that some older men are reticent to engage in health practices and social activities and could benefit from increased support for their physical and mental health. Some care providers also reported instances where male clients made sexually inappropriate comments. Based on these findings, we urge home care organizations to develop training programs to prevent sexual harassment, and to make certain that workers have a way out of situations that threaten their comfort or safety. Expanded funding and scope of practice, so that workers have the time and resources to provide social care, is also necessary to promote male clients' health. Such changes would improve the well-being of care providers and clients alike; supporting the long-term sustainability of the home care sector.