can one request carers of one's own gender?

[wornoutbattling]

My 90 year old aunt was told she was "entitled" to 2 days LA care support to wash, dress and put to bed at night/get up in the morning, following her return home from a short stay at a rehab hospital - she kept falling.

On the first day the two carers were female but on the second day two male carers arrived on her doorstep. By chance I happened to be visiting at the time, and despite me being surprised at two male carers, i asked my aunt if she was happy for the male carers to help her shower and dress her.

She said she definitely wasn't happy, and din't want them to come in. I told them I'd look after my aunt.

My question is - if they so choose, can people needing personal care require that care to be given by carers of the same gender as themselves?Surely that would be some kind of basic right? I do appreciate that it may not bother some people.

As my aunt said, if i hadn't happened to be there, she would have been alone in the house with two males when she was at her most vulnerable.

I suspect the accepted wisdom on this topic may be that the carers have seen it all before. but that's not much reassurance for a frail elderly lady who was terrified at the prospect presented to her.

[Henrietta]

Yes you can definitely choose to have carers of the same sex. I would say as a paid care worker myself that it is highly inappropriate to send two men together to give personal care to a lady and also quite unusual. It is harder on the whole for men to say they prefer men carers only as so few of them in the industry relative to women but less inappropriate you may say that way round anyway.
You must speak to the care office on behalf of your aunt and express hers and your wishes to have females only or at the very least chaperoned by one of two being female.

[bowlingbun]

There is a legal right to be able to choose the sex of the person caring for you, it's an exemption to what used to be called the Sex Discrimination Act, so should be part of the Equality Act. Sorry, no time to find all the details.

[jane_19031]

Yes, definitely - and you can specify male or female in ads for carers if involves intimate care.

[D_1706]

My partner was asked if he would mind having male carers. At first I thought they'd mistaken him for a woman but I now find most men prefer female carers. He doesn't mind but when they're accompanying him at the day centre the male carers are happier being in a workshop and talking about cars and tools and things so he has a better over all experience.

[Melly1]

Old thread, locking it for usual reasons.