Do women make better caregivers?

I attended a health talk on nutrition for alzeihmer's patients during the weekend together with my sisters. 80% of those who attended the talk were women.

Even in my own family, me and my sisters are the main caregivers for our dad who has dementia. The brothers do their part by taking dad out once in a while but its not the same. We have come to the conclusion that women are better caregivers.

Women care for their children, their spouses and their parents better than men. Of course there are exeptions to this, exceptional men who look after their parents, spouses and children really well. I saw a man at a hospital gently leading his mum to the ladies washroom once. He then asked another lady to help out when they reached the toilet because he couldn't go in the ladies. I was touched by the scene.

There are exceptions but I think its fair to say that most men leave the taking dad or mum to the doctor part to the wife or sister. In fact, most men, would even leave the taking care of food and health part to their wives. They do not take responsibilities for their own health.

As a result, when you compare older men and women, older women are more likely to be able to look after themselves. We compared our parents and parents in laws and found that the single older women fared better. They cooked and looked after themselves single handedly when they are older whereas the single older men are more lost. They tend to rely on the children to look after them more.

What do you think? Do women make better caregivers? Is it that way in your family?

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