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Elderly parents

Why do carers assume the woman will handle elderly parents' care?

47 replies

Ghostlyglow · 17/07/2026 09:07

Why do all staff (nurses, carers, all of them) always think the woman present will do all the caring? Dealing with these people in regard to my partner's parents is a nightmare because they direct everything to me. Obviously my partner will intervene if necessary but it just seems to waste so much time. I've had to start turning away, or even walking away, when they talk to me instead of him all the time which feels really rude but it's the only way sometimes.
Anyone else experiencing this? It's driving me mad because of course I'm interested and of course I care but these aren't my parents!

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notyouimean · 17/07/2026 21:07

One of the things that always strikes me about ‘I had more than one child so my existing child wasn’t the only one dealing with me when elderly’ posts is ‘well I hope you have more than one daughter, then!’

W0tnow · 17/07/2026 21:09

Ghostlyglow · 17/07/2026 18:09

Both really @W0tnow
I kind of hoped we weren't still stuck with those stereotypes but honestly we seem to be moving backwards as a society.

I don’t want to depress you but you should read Invisible Women, by Caroline Perez. It’s worse than you think.

Papyrophile · 17/07/2026 21:12

itsallcheese · 17/07/2026 09:26

Patriarchy. Sexism. Misogyny.

I think these are the wrong words, but I agree with the sentiment. IM very unscientific opinion, I think it is psychological wiring. Women are hard-wired to be sympathetic to the needs of any vulnerable being. Small furry critters, babies especially. My personal window for that has closed, because I have aged out of the caring zone. So more like most men I know, I do not think it is my job to pick up the pieces anymore.

SereneGoose · 17/07/2026 21:12

"Have the men had enough" Margaret Foster...

Rhaidimiddim · 17/07/2026 21:13

Because they're sex realists?

Yetanotherone12 · 17/07/2026 21:16

How much do you do?

I did none. Dh did the phone calls, arranged visits, was there at meetings. I only got involved when needed- generally paperwork and form filling.

they always deferred to dh.

however it was more defined in our case as social services had removed pil from the care of Dh’s sister due to abuse and he had stepped forward.

notatinydancer · 17/07/2026 21:23

AmazonQueeen · 17/07/2026 09:14

Are they your parents or your partner’s?

if it’s your mum and dad, and you’re there with the nurses and carers then why wouldn’t they expect you’re the right person to talk to?

Did you read the post ?

Ghostlyglow · 17/07/2026 21:36

Too much! @Yetanotherone12 He always wants me to be involved with everything, go everywhere! It's just how it is, I get it, but I'm exhausted and I know it sounds dramatic but it's really ruining my life. I'm so tired.

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Sherunswithwolves · 17/07/2026 21:54

What happens when you say 'no' to him?

xino · 17/07/2026 22:23

God yes this drives me mad. Social services, carers, all of them - they email and phone me about my stepfather (who I’ve never been close to) rather than his actual son! I try and close a conversation quickly and tell them to contact the son, but it makes little difference. I find it hilarious. The care sector lives in the 1950s it would seem.

Ghostlyglow · 17/07/2026 22:39

Sherunswithwolves · 17/07/2026 21:54

What happens when you say 'no' to him?

Don't judge me please, I'm doing my best to be a good person.

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Gofaster2023 · 17/07/2026 22:40

You may not like it, but as a carer I can honestly only think of two clients I've ever had whose primary carer wasnt a female. We have quite a few male carers in our company and I certainly don't think of caring as a female only job. But 9 times out of 10, in my personal experience, it is a female member of the family who is the main contact for my clients, even with in laws. (And this is stated in the client's care plan)

Ghostlyglow · 17/07/2026 23:02

You're right @Gofaster2023 I don't like it one bit.

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Sherunswithwolves · 17/07/2026 23:09

Ghostlyglow · 17/07/2026 22:39

Don't judge me please, I'm doing my best to be a good person.

Sorry, my question must have come across badly but I wasn't judging you at all. Just curious and actually wanting to help you. You say your husband wants you to be involved in everything. But you have your own agency and should feel able to say 'no'. Your husband must be able to shoulder the responsibility for his own parents.

I have found myself in a caring role for a parent over the past 18 months. I have had to start refusing (or letting things drop, or carefully scheduling when I can help) because I will reach breaking point otherwise. I came quite close. Like you I was exhausted by it all. And caring for a parent then has a knock-on effect on my own life and my child's - and that was the point I found I wasn't willing to compromise on any longer. My child can't be affected by my parent's decisions. So I still help but my help is planned around my own life rather than my life being planned around helping.

Good luck. You do sound like a good person.

Ghostlyglow · 17/07/2026 23:40

Sorry @Sherunswithwolves I'm probably a bit overwhelmed and oversensitive right now. I appreciate that you read my post and replied.
And thank you.

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ErrolTheDragon · 18/07/2026 00:04

Oh my goodness, you poor thing.Flowers It really doesn’t have to be this way. My DH didn’t expect me to do much at all at the point when his parents needed care sorting out - our DD was in school so we couldn’t both be off down the motorway anyway. I don’t think anyone involved in my in-laws care even had my phone number.

And with my own parents, they had done a good job of setting up their own care but my brother lived much closer so he was the one to support them when needed.

Gofaster2023 · 18/07/2026 09:00

Ghostlyglow · 17/07/2026 23:02

You're right @Gofaster2023 I don't like it one bit.

I completely understand. It's odd because thinking of me and my siblings, my oldest sister is the best at organising things, my middle sister is the best at getting things done but myself and my brother are the best at personal care and the emotional side of things. Sex doesn't come into our strengths. My brother does do less but that's because he lives at the other end of the country. You know whats worse in my examples, that you've only just got me thinking about? I actually thought quite highly of the son in one of the 2 cases where the male was the primary carer. Why? Why is him doing what countless women are doing every day admirable to me? And one time the daughter didnt want to take her mum out so she let her down and I felt quite cross with her. Would I have felt that way if it had been a son who didnt want the hassle of taking his mother out? I bet I would have been more understanding towards him. Thank you for this thread! You've massively got me thinking!

thedevilinablackdress · 18/07/2026 09:01

Looking at this from the other side, when my DM was suddenly and dramatically hospitalised, DH supported me in various practical and emotional ways, and more at the beginning when there was a lot going on. But he certainly wasn't there all the time or involved in every detail. I think that's reasonable. Your DH may want your support with everything, doesn't mean that's fair and reasonable.

Yetanotherone12 · 18/07/2026 09:02

xino · 17/07/2026 22:23

God yes this drives me mad. Social services, carers, all of them - they email and phone me about my stepfather (who I’ve never been close to) rather than his actual son! I try and close a conversation quickly and tell them to contact the son, but it makes little difference. I find it hilarious. The care sector lives in the 1950s it would seem.

I dunno, I do think it’s partly because we as a society do tend to stick to gender roles.

when women have kids, how many then choose to go pt or give up work? How many women would “allow” or even consider their partner becoming a sahd or reducing their hours?

posts here are almost exclusively women as the sah or pt parent. Discussions are always around the pros and cons of the woman’s decision. It is never, or very rarely, suggested that dad takes on a bigger role at home.

so when it comes to elderly care, the set up already exists. Man is out at work ft, and it’s the woman who has the flexible or part time job, or is at home full time and is more able to take on those responsibilities.

when mil became ill, it happened that dh was working PT and doing the bulk of the parenting while I worked ft. So it fit into his day much better, between school runs etc. I simply wasn’t around to be dragged into it.

if women as a class want to stop being shafted with caring responsibilities, we need to take that into account when we choose to become financially dependent on a man in exchange for providing care and support at home.

not saying this is you o/p, just musing generally.

Gofaster2023 · 18/07/2026 09:05

Although I don't often meet the family, as my role is to deliver the care at home and all contact goes through the office (unless I happen to meet them if they come over or in a few cases, family live at home with my client). But you've got me thinking about the wider picture.

MermaidEyes · 18/07/2026 09:57

Ghostlyglow · 17/07/2026 21:36

Too much! @Yetanotherone12 He always wants me to be involved with everything, go everywhere! It's just how it is, I get it, but I'm exhausted and I know it sounds dramatic but it's really ruining my life. I'm so tired.

As hard as it may seem now, you do need to learn to say no. I assume your husband is capable of holding down a job without you by his side? So why does he need such a handhold now? Are you someone who typically has always done everything for him, even things he’s capable of doing himself?

When my elderly parent was in and out of hospital I dealt with everything by myself. I wouldn’t have asked my husband to help because realistically, what’s the point? Why does it take two people? It doesn’t. As someone upthread said, he was there to help emotionally and with practical things I couldn’t do, like DIY and rearranging furniture in my parents home when it was needed.

If and when his parents eventually become ill I won’t be doing anything, I have no real relationship with them anyway. That will be up to him and his siblings.

Ghostlyglow · 18/07/2026 15:12

@Yetanotherone12 i take your point and it's fair enough in some situations. It wasn't my intention to "drip feed" information but it seems right to mention at this point that both me and DP are retired.

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