Men As Dementia Caregivers

A few years ago, I heard someone speak about the unique challenges that men have as dementia caregivers.  I hadn't thought of it before but it made sense.  Recently, I was glad to see more articles and discussion about this topic.

Caregiving for any illness can be overwhelming but we already know the special aspects of dementia caregiving.  Men, as the primary caregiver, face even more hardships as many cultures do not adequately prepare them for such a role.

Think of the traditional household that many men grew up in; they may have observed caregiving, nurturing and household tasks being done, but have they really had experience doing them?

For many, the answer is no!  All the day to day tasks of taking care of another person:  bathing, toileting, feeding, giving medication, cooking, cleaning may really be tough if the person who is now the caregiver has been cared for and lacks the knowledge.

Of course, all this information is learnable.  The biggest issue is the fact that it happens so fast and it feels so overwhelming.

Who is a male caregiver out there with a story to share?  What resources have male caregivers used to answer some of these tough questions?