A Review of Service Provision for MEN AGED 50+ (Belfast) Paula Devine, Janet Carter Anand, Lorna Montgomery, Caoimhe Ní Dhónaill and Laura O’Hagan Final Report 18 June 2014 Contents Executive Summary .............................................................................................................. 7 Aims and objectives .......................................................................................................... 7 Key findings ...................................................................................................................... 7 Literature review (Objective 1) ....................................................................................... 7 Mapping exercise (Objective 2) ..................................................................................... 7 Interviews with men (Objective 3) .................................................................................. 8 Interviews with stakeholders (Objective 4) .................................................................... 8 Key issues and concerns .................................................................................................. 8 Knowledge of services ................................................................................................... 8 Impact of services.......................................................................................................... 9 Extent of services .......................................................................................................... 9 Suggestions ...................................................................................................................... 9 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 9 Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................10 Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................11 What is old? .....................................................................................................................11 Social isolation .................................................................................................................12 Men’s health .....................................................................................................................12 Addressing need ..............................................................................................................13 Figure 1: Structure of health and social care in Northern Ireland .....................................14 Impetus of this research ...................................................................................................14 Aims of project .................................................................................................................15 Objectives ........................................................................................................................15 Project team .....................................................................................................................15 Chapter 2: Methodology ......................................................................................................16 Objective 1: Literature review ...........................................................................................16 Objective 2: Mapping current provision ............................................................................17 Objective 3: Interviews with older men .............................................................................18 Qualitative research methods .......................................................................................18 Identifying interviewees ................................................................................................19 Objective 4: Consultation with stakeholders .....................................................................19 Peer researchers .............................................................................................................19 Ethical approval ...............................................................................................................19 Chapter 3: Literature Review (Objective1) ...........................................................................20 Loneliness, social isolation and men ................................................................................20 A Review of Service Provision for Men Aged 50+ (Belfast) 2 Men’s experience of ageing .............................................................................................21 Defining social isolation ....................................................................................................21 Table 1: Factors associated with loneliness and social isolation ......................................22 Social isolation as a public health issue for older men .....................................................22 Older men’s experience of social isolation across the Ireland of Ireland ..........................23 Masculinities and engagement with services ...................................................................24 Barriers to engagement ....................................................................................................25 Table 2: Barriers and facilitators to engagement ..............................................................26 Provision of services to address social isolation of older men .........................................26 Box 1: One to one services ..............................................................................................26 Box 2: Community Navigators ..........................................................................................27 Box 3: Group services ......................................................................................................27 Box 4: Community development ......................................................................................27 Box 5: Therapeutic intervention .......................................................................................27 Box 6: Social media and technology ................................................................................27 Box 7: Volunteering ..........................................................................................................28 Service provision for older isolated men ..........................................................................28 Guidelines for best practice ..............................................................................................29 Health professionals in the assessment of social isolation in older men ..........................30 Policy, funding and governance for men’s services .........................................................30 Summary: key messages derived from the literature on combating social isolation in older men ..................................................................................................................................32 Chapter 4: Mapping current provision (Objective 2) ............................................................33 Figure 2: Number of services for different target groups ..................................................33 Capacity ...........................................................................................................................34 Gaps ................................................................................................................................34 Funding ............................................................................................................................35 Sustainability ....................................................................................................................35 Potential ...........................................................................................................................35 Diversity ...........................................................................................................................36 Chapter 5: Interviews with older men (Objective 3) .............................................................37 Background details of the participants .............................................................................37 Table 3: Demographic characteristics of the ten men interviewed ...................................38 Case study 1: Joseph.......................................................................................................40 Case study 2: John ..........................................................................................................41 Case study 3: Gerard .......................................................................................................42 Case study 4: Vincent ......................................................................................................43 A Review of Service Provision for Men Aged 50+ (Belfast) 3 Case study 5: Louis..........................................................................................................44 Case study 6: Eamon .......................................................................................................45 Case study 7: Adrian ........................................................................................................46 Case study 8: Martin ........................................................................................................47