Syndicate
Special Thanks To...
The following organizations were early supporters of Mensactivism.org, and we thank them for their support. If you'd like to trade links with us, see our Mensactivism.org supporters page.
UK: 190,000 older men condemned to loneliness
Submitted by Broadsword on Mon, 2012-07-30 22:39
Article here. Excerpt:
'Polling among people over the age of 75 who live alone found that men are more likely than women to live lives dominated by isolation and loneliness.
Yet they are also less likely to seek help even if they are suffering from depression, the study on behalf of the Women's Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) found.
David McCullough, the charity's chief executive warned that many older men were suffering needlessly because of a “stiff upper lip” approach to their problems.
The study found that 36 per cent of men described themselves as lonely or very lonely - many of them going for days on end without speaking to anyone. Among women the rate was 31 per cent.
Based on recent Office for National Statistics figures showing the number of older people living alone, it suggests that just over 190,000 men over 75 live in serious isolation in Britain.'
- Log in to post comments
Comments
Not much difference between men and women
Looks like there isn't much difference between the %ages of men and women living in isolation in the UK. I imagine the numbers are not much different here in the US.
My take, and maybe I am over-simplifying the issue here, is that to some degree it is up to individuals to seek out new company when they feel they need it. This isn't limited to the age of the person so long as the person is capable of getting out (there are people who are infirm and can't physically get out of their house/apt., and for these people, my comments are not meant). It seems that people in this situation, regardless of their sex, need to make an effort to make new connections. Reaching out to others of all ages, and specifically to others of their own age group, would probably help a lot.
But I am not at their age yet and so maybe I just don't fully understand what they are facing. I can use my imagination and think after decades of living, losses of mate(s), disappointments of all kinds, and general tiredness of life, perhaps it seems too daunting a task to try to make too many new friends once one has reached a certain age. Or maybe, he or she is just too damned tired to be bothered that much. I really can't say. I guess I will find out myself one day, if I make it that long!