Growing old is not for the faint of heart. In the name of celebrating the fathers, uncles, grandfathers and great-grandfathers who have helped shape our lives, let\u2019s take a moment to consider the unique challenges that aging men face. The more openly we discuss the social and psychological challenges unique to the men we love, the better equipped we\u2019ll be to help make their senior years the best they can be.<\/p>\n
Elderly men run a high risk of feeling socially and emotionally isolated in later life. Men have smaller social networks than women in general, and when you add to that the shorter life expectancy of your average American male, it\u2019s not uncommon for the guys who are left to find themselves without companionship or a social group. More and more elderly men are living on their own. In fact, the number of senior men living alone is expected to rise a whopping 65 percent by 2030.<\/p>\n
The overall concern about the increasing number of elderly men living alone stems from fact that the \u201ctypical male\u201d traits of men in the baby boomer generation, traits like fierce independence and stoicism, might have a detrimental effect on their mental and physical health in old age. We\u2019re talking about guys who are not interested in living in a senior community or assisted living facility. The reason for this is often twofold. Not only can the cost of such a move feel prohibitive, especially for someone raised in the thrift of the Depression Era, but also the historical mortality gap between women and men has conditioned senior care over the years to cater much more to the female gender.<\/p>\n
Author Pam Gerhardt provides a poignant example of the issues associated with gendered senior living in an article for the Washington Post:<\/p>\n
\u201cI noted the doilies and chintz while searching for a suitable assisted living facility for my father,\u201d\u00a0 the article begins. \u201cRight away, I knew I was up against a powerful force. The female problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s quite clear that as more men live into their senior years, the ways our society thinks of senior care will have to change. Doilies don\u2019t make sense for just everyone. But social change of that scale rarely happens overnight. Instead of waiting around for institutions to get their acts together, there are actionable steps that the friends and family of senior men can take to help them stay active and engaged while still living at home.<\/p>\n
Physical activity is a great way for seniors to channel their energy. Although few elderly men are likely to be gung-ho about sprinting around a track, they might be interested in enrolling in classes that are catered to bodies that have a little more wear and tear than your typical gym rat.<\/p>\n