A Male Carer’s Perspective

A male carer contacted us who worked for a care agency from 2017-2019. He told us people had to agree to having male or female carers under the rules of the care provider, otherwise the provider refused to provide a care package. He told us: “If a woman said no to a male carer the agency would insist on continuing to send men round to ‘try to get the woman to change her mind.’ One woman would continually say ‘no’ and in theory she wasn’t allowed to (on the basis of her contract), and this was very awkward when I went round. She would refuse to let me in and I didn't want to pressurise her further.  A female supervisor would have to be sent later to give the care.  With some women I got the impression given they would rather not be receiving intimate care from a man, they seemed uncomfortable. One woman did not want me to do the full range of care for her because she felt uncomfortable having a male provide intimate care so I would walk the dog or cook meals instead…Even though sometimes women said no, for example to a night time visit, carers would be told they had to do the welfare check regardless. So, the house key would be available, normally outside the property in a key safe and the carer would let themselves in anyway (whether male or female), to do the check whether or not the woman had said no.”