10/21/2022
What Is the Male-to-Female Resident Ratio in an Assisted Living Home?
What Is the Male-to-Female Resident Ratio in an Assisted Living Home?
Many prospective residents of assisted living facilities worry about fitting in with their neighbors in the community, often asking about the age and gender of the residents to gauge how well they’ll get along. Assisted living homes typically have more women than men, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that a male resident will struggle to make friends.
Keep reading to learn about male-to-female gender ratios in assisted living homes and explore why women outnumber men in the senior living resident population.
What Are the Gender Ratios of Assisted Living Near Me?
According to National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) statistics, 67% of assisted living residents are women, and 33% are men. While you can largely attribute the difference in the number of women and men to the fact that women live longer, other factors like health and social roles play a part.
Why Are There More Women in a Nursing Home?
Several factors influence the large gap between the number of men and women in assisted living facilities, such as:
Women have a higher life expectancy than men
Women are typically younger than their spouses
Men are less likely to be capable of caring for their spouse at home
Men are more at risk for chronic conditions and comorbidities
In the US, the life expectancy for women is 79.1 years, almost six years longer than men, who have a life expectancy of 73.2 years. Women who outlive their spouses are more likely to transition to the comfort of an assisted living facility, where they can benefit from meals, transportation, and personal care to help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and walking.
Men have a higher risk of developing health conditions that require more intensive medical care in their later years, meaning they would not be living in an assisted living facility. Additionally, while many senior women care for their aging spouses, men are less likely to have the skills to care for their spouses in their homes.
In one recent study, researchers found that men typically report a lower quality of life in nursing homes than women. Men are less satisfied with the activities, the smaller social circle, and the inability to rely on familial support. At the same time, women are more likely to find assisted living a source of respite.
Are Gender Ratios Helpful When Choosing a Community?
Rather than relying on numbers to tell you if an assisted living facility is a good fit, observing the community for yourself can be much more telling. Most people fear the unknown, so getting familiar with the location, staff, and other residents can help determine if a community would be a good home for you.
If socializing is a priority for you, you likely want to know whether you can make friends at the facility. Even if women outnumber men among the residents, it doesn’t mean that only female residents are active in the community. During your initial tour, you can keep an eye out for which residents are engaging with others, giving you an idea of the facility’s social circles and gender ratios.
Asking questions about the amenities, services, and activities during your visit is very helpful in aiding your decision. Depending on your preferences, you might prefer a small assisted living community with a family-like atmosphere or a large one with plenty of residents to meet and greet. The goal is to find a home that provides the best quality of life while providing the high-quality care you need.
Choosing an Assisted Living Home or Nursing Home Near Me
While gender ratios might give you an idea of the resident demographics in an assisted living facility, they are far from the most important factor in choosing the right long-term care community for you.
At Well Homed, we provide unique levels of care to our beloved residents in an engaging, respectful environment in Elkton, Maryland. We value our residents like family, ensuring that each community member can preserve their independence and individuality despite needing assistance with daily living.
For more information about our home or to schedule a tour, contact us at 410-498-6090.
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Well Homed Assisted Living
1800 Singerly Rd, Elkton, MD 21921
https://wellhomed.com
+14103437592
M522+P6 Elkton, Maryland
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At Well Homed, we provide unique levels of care to our beloved residents in an engaging, respectful environment in Elkton, Maryland.
