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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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Isolation: the emerging crisis for older men
— a report exploring experiences of social isolation and loneliness among older men in England | | Author(s) | Brian Beach, Sally-Marie Bamford |
| Corporate Author | Independent Age; International Longevity Centre UK - ILC-UK |
| Publisher | Independent Age, London, 2014 |
| Pages | 56 pp |
| Source | Independent Age, 6 Avonmore Road, London W14 8RL. Website: www.independentage.org http://www.ilcuk.org.uk/images/uploads/publication... |
| Keywords | Older men ; Loneliness ; Isolation ; Services ; Reports ; England. |
| Annotation | Despite a growth in activity from across the ageing sector to tackle the challenge of loneliness and social isolation amongst older people, this report illustrates why services still need to adapt to meet the unique needs of older men. The population of older men growing faster than that of women, so it is important that we understand how and why older men's experiences of loneliness and social isolation differ from women's and how, as a society, we need to respond. The report outlines the literature on how men and women differ regarding social isolation and loneliness. It considers these factors which characterise older men's experiences of social isolation and loneliness: socio-economic circumstances; age; partnerships; family and friends; informal care provision; and physical and mental health. It provides examples of interventions and services aimed at preventing social isolation and loneliness among older men, such as Men in Sheds. The report finds that older men are more isolated than older women; and loneliness is not an inevitable consequence of age, but is driven by poor health and low income. It recommends that men approaching later life need to make efforts to retain and build their social network among friends, families and interest groups. Service providers should routinely monitor use by gender and address any gaps in the numbers of older men accessing their service. The Department of Health (DH) must prioritise the development of a new measure that will help us to understand the real scale of loneliness and how the problem affects older men. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-150616009 B |
| Classmark | BC: DV: TP: I: 6K: 82 |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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