QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
What Role Does Gender Play in Senior Living?
New realities, expectations drive changes and choice By Sara Wildberger
N
ationally, senior residences are home to more than twice as many women than men, according to
a 2017 Argentum report. A Pew research study shows more older couples living to- gether. A British study reveals nearly half of older men suffer from loneliness that could compromise their health. A lawsuit in a bullying incident against an LGBT woman makes national headlines. These realities send the signal to senior
living leaders that gender identity matters. To provide optimum quality of life in com- munities, now and in the future, gender is an element that can’t be overlooked. And more states, most recently Massachusetts and California, are requiring LGBT cul- tural competency training for caregivers.
28 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE JULY/AUGUST 2018
How important is gender in senior living? Individual preferences aside, gender or conventions around it affect everything in senior residences: activities, design, work- force, resident satisfaction levels. How se- nior living leaders handle gender can make a difference in branding and marketplace positioning, as well—from visual identity to media and community image. In a residence itself, complaints and per-
ceptions can be of the minor variety that end up having a major effect on quality of life—too many floral prints, too many floral scents, too many salads and teas. But gender issues can also create social isolation or, at worst, an unsafe environment.
Choice: It’s not just for menus For many leaders, the key to handling this dis- parity is to offer more choices. In 2016, Com- monwealth Memory Care in Virginia began offering separate floors for men and women. “It’s definitely about choice,” for residents
and for families, said Bernie Cavis, vice president of resident programs at Com- monwealth. “If someone can benefit from it, then we can offer it.” The provider also now has a male-spe-
cific community in Hampton, Va., where there’s a large former military population. “The gentlemen can tap into that and have camaraderie,” Cavis said. Demand is high for the “elite unit” of
about 20 rooms, Cavis said, and she’s also noticing that while women are still the
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