Working papers - BHF National Centre - physical activity + health

Working with older men CONTINUED
1. Men’s participation in physical activity
Surveys consistently report higher participation in physical activity by men and higher scores of functional capacity
amongst older men than older women. (Skelton et al 1999).
Those levels of participation decline significantly with age and at each stage, levels of the majority of older men are
insufficient for health.
However many agencies report difficulties in recruiting older men to physical activity programmes (Age Concern 2007).
This working paper sets out to raise a number of questions relating to improving opportunities for older men
to become physically active and maintain activity throughout the later stages of life.
2. Key issues relating to older men in the population
There are an increasing number of older men in the population. In 1951 there were 77 men aged 50+ per
100 women; by 2003 that figure had increased to 85 and is expected to increase to 90 by 2031.
1.7 million single older men could be living in isolation in the UK. Nearly 400,000 of these are single older men
aged 75 and over. It is also estimated that 289,000 single older men are living in poverty. (Age Concern 2005)
In 2003 there were only 40 men per 100 women aged 85 and over, this is estimated to increase to 65 men by 2031.
Within these figures are a number of key issues:
• older men are more likely than older women to be married and to live with their spouses
• older men – particularly those who are bereaved, divorced or never married – are more likely than
older women to be excluded from wider social relationships
• grandfathers are less likely to see their grandchildren if they are not married and living with their wife
• men’s life expectancy is lower than women’s, although there are significant social class differences as well
• older men are major providers of care, with those over 75 providing more intensive care
(50 hours or more per week) than women
• in general, male pensioners have higher incomes than females, with the greatest difference between
married pensioners. For single, divorced and widowed older men, the differences are much smaller
• older men have more access to cars, mobile phones and the internet than do older women
• older men are more likely than older women to be self-employed
• older men are more likely to smoke and drink than older women
• women are more likely to take part in religious activities than men
• loneliness resulting from the death of a spouse, poor social support and physical illness or disability
can lead to self harm and suicide in older age – particularly amongst older men.
“A picture emerges of considerable differences both between older men and older women
and between different groups of older men”. (Age Concern 2007)
Married men retain significant economic and social advantages over bereaved, divorced or never married men. As the
number of older men increase, along with the associated increases in bereavement and divorce, access to services is
likely to become even more important and the need to find appropriate services more pressing.
Section 4 Active for later life | 127