Isolation: the emerging crisis for older men: a report exploring experiences of social isolation and loneliness among older men in England

Authors:
BEACH Brian, BAMFORD Sally-Marie
Publisher:
Independent Age
Publication year:
2014
Pagination:
56
Place of publication:
London

Explores the experiences of older men who are socially isolated or lonely. The research has used newly released data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), as well as interviews, focus groups and existing evidence. The report looks at the differences between the way older men and older women report feeling lonely and isolated and how partners, families, health, financial circumstances and major life transitions, such as retirement and bereavement, influence their experiences. It shows that over 1.2 million older men reported a moderate to high degree of social isolation and over 700,000 a high degree of loneliness. Older men are more isolated than older women, and at increasing risk of loneliness. This is because older men are more dependent on their partners and less likely to engage with projects to tackle isolation and loneliness and to seek help. The report suggests that while loneliness is not an inevitable consequence of age it is driven by poor health and low income. It also considers what kind of service provision could help address social isolation among men and encourage their participation and recommends: monitoring service use by gender to address gaps in service access; targeting services at older men and their specific needs, including reaching out to men who have suffered bereavement; pre-retirement packs for older people with a focus on retention and development of social networks; planning by the health and wellbeing boards for the expected growth of isolated and lonely older men, recognising that traditional befriending approaches may not work for this group. (Edited publisher abstract)

Subject terms:
older people, gender, social isolation, loneliness, bereavement, men;
Content type:
research
Location(s):
England
Link:
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