Men over 55: What are the barriers?

Healthwatch Staffordshire undertook a survey to understand the barriers preventing men over the age of 55 from accessing health, social care, and activities.  They heard from 52 men.

One of the main findings was the lack of social opportunities having a significant impact on men's mental well-being, as well as their emotional well-being. More than half of the respondents felt that there is a lack of male-oriented activities in the local areas, and the majority stated that digital technology was beneficial to them. 

When seeking support, men tended to turn to family members or friends, or professionals for help with health, emotional well-being, finances, or caring for themselves or a loved one.

Most men preferred driving over using public transport giving reasons such as unreliability, lack of availability, accessibility issues, cost, and safety concerns, especially at night. 

Improving access to health or social care was seen as essential, with a focus on more access to GP appointments, accessible information, better transport links, more specialised services, increased availability of NHS dentists, better access to hospital services, regular health checks, and befriending services. 

It is notable that the survey was predominantly completed by the White/British population of men. More feedback from diverse cultural backgrounds was needed to create a more comprehensive report.