''We have the knitting circle, and they call it ‘stitch and bitch’... Is a male really going to want to stitch and bitch?'': Engaging Elderly Male Extra-Care Tenants in Social Activities

Abstract

Purpose: Extra-care is a form of social housing that provides self-contained accommodation for ageing persons in an environment (schemes) intended to promote independent living and social engagement. Social Isolation becomes more prevalent with age and the risk for men is higher than women. Observations that male extra-care tenants participate less in social activities form the basis of this study in exploring the barriers and facilitators of male social engagement in extra-care through service-provider and service-user perspectives.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five scheme managers and six male tenants across four extra-care schemes in Wales, comprising a total of eleven participants. Interview questions concerned scheme-organised social activities, hobbies and social support. Interview transcripts were analysed through Reflexive Thematic Analysis to produce themes related to barriers and facilitators of male social engagement.

Results: Findings revealed Organisational Factors related to limited resources and the female dominated population in extra-care as barriers to male social engagement. Individual Factors concerning the personal circumstances of male tenants identified risks to social isolation including lack of social identification with the scheme community, poor health and widowhood as barriers to social engagement. Facilitators of social engagement involve Individual Factors pertaining to social or hobby group membership and family support which protect male tenants from risks associated with social isolation.

Conclusion: This study offers valuable insight into the risks of social isolation for male extra-care tenants and how certain facets of this housing model are counterproductive to alleviating these. Efforts should be made to establish male-oriented groups and social activities in the schemes. In doing so vulnerable male tenants will have opportunities to develop social identification with the scheme community and social capital through group membership. Guidance for extra-care provision and admissions should be reviewed and refined to strengthen its viability as a housing model that promotes independent living for the ageing population. As a minority group in extra-care, future research should consider exploring the impact of the feminisation of care-settings on men.

Date of Award	2024
Original language	English
Sponsors	KESSII
Supervisor	Philip Tyson (Supervisor), Daniel Bowers (Supervisor) & Klara Price (Supervisor)