Question open to everybody regarding elderly care.

[Tibby]

Not sure where is the best place to ask this as I can't find a forum to ask a general question to all concerned so mod's please feel free to move.

I have many years experience working in health care and have discussed an idea with my husband for a future venture I would like to do, he is in full support but I need to do some market research into the viability of the idea.

As it stands residential care for the elderly (in the UK) is provided on a geneal basis, where all elderly people can be placed in a home or cared for wthin their own home, they may be given a preference as to the gender of the carer but are not given a choice about the carer's peference to them. A carer is expected to provide care in an unbiased way but may refuse to provide care for a person if they deem inappropriate. You may request a carer dress you in a certain way but they do not need to agree if they feel uncomfortable at the request.

Many of you here may not be of retirement age or needing assistance with care yet but what happens when you do reach that stage? Are you still going to be able to have the choice and dignity to dress as you want or would you be expected to conform to how society views you?

I am considering (in the future) setting up a care provision aimed at transgender, to cover crossdressing, gender reassignment, transexxual etc, where the person is given the freedom to continue their natural life in the way they should, cared for by people who accept and actively assist in this.

The question is would this be an area of care provision which is needed? Would you prefer to have care provided by carers who are transgender, CD etc? Would you choose to enter a care provision aimed specifically for you or would you prefer to be cared for in a general care provision?

I'm thinking of as we get older, will my husband still have the chances he has now to be able to dress as he wants, when he wants, if we had to rely on carers in our more mature years.

[Leah Lynn]

Definately something to ponder. I like the concept of a specialized facility.

[Angela Campbell]

An interesting idea, but will there be enough of a demand? For me it doesn't matter. I have told my kids when it is time for me to go into a home just to make sure the nurses are pretty because I intend to be a dirty old man.

[Tibby]

An interesting idea, but will there be enough of a demand? For me it doesn't matter. I have told my kids when it is time for me to go into a home just to make sure the nurses are pretty because I intend to be a dirty old man.


This is what is on my mind, not the dirty old man thing but I like your way of thinking :). It's what would the demand be. Would there be the fear of people finding out for those who haven't told family and friends, is it something which would be wanted. As I said it's something I would love to do in the future, the thought of giving care to the elderly in a way of dignity and solely on their choices. I can't help looking at my husband and just thinking, what if you couldn't have that choice. I see how relaxed he is and it would certainly cut costs on anti-depressant medication for the elderly given how relaxed and mellow he goes when he's dressed up :)

[GaleWarning]

An interesting idea, but will there be enough of a demand? For me it doesn't matter. I have told my kids when it is time for me to go into a home just to make sure the nurses are pretty because I intend to be a dirty old man.

Your point(s) are both valid. I just don't think there will be a great enough demand for the service, even in a large city. And a lovely nurse is a great pick-me-up, even when I can't remember what I dropped!

An alternative option would be to go for home care. The provider sends in someone who does all of that stuff in the privacy and comfort of your own home. I guess one would be able to choose how one was dressed in such circumstances.

And if someone were to want to service the TG community in this way, they could always set up a business to provide such an option as part of the general care provision. It would then become viable.

[Kate Simmons]

I wasn't too concerned about this really as my GF and I have a mutual understanding that we will care for one another as long as possible ( we are both 65 and retired). Both of us have family situations that lend to that anyway. If it came to the point where she passed before I did, I had always considered a "Golden Girls" type arrangement with myself and other M T F CDers. Not only would that probably work out but it would be like life imitating art in that case. I'm not sure the care home idea would catch on in a big way but possibly regionally or locally. I know it would make the papers in any case ;). This is something I would be interested in pursuing also perhaps if I go that far. Who knows, this may be a viable endeavor. :)

[Tibby]

That's a point which I had never considered, any potential media interest. That could have some serious adverse effects, could that lead to it being a target from narrow minded individuals who seem to relish in causing upset? There's always a way round every problem and I'm sure I'd find one. Hey Kate, if you do decide to go that far, business partners :)