Older Men’s Lives – A Qualitative Study Niall Nordell B.A. (Hons.) Submitted for the award of Masters of Art (MA) Waterford Institute of Technology Research Supervisor: Fergus Hogan Submitted to Waterford Institute of Technology, April, 2011 1 Declaration This work has not previously been accepted for any degree and is not concurrently submitted in consideration of any degree. This thesis is the result of my own investigations. Signed …………………………. (Candidate) Date ……………………………. 2 Abstract This study explores the experiences of older single men living alone and in poverty in a post-Celtic Tiger society. It traces the lives and living environment of twelve older men many of whom were born around the foundation of the State. It examines the life course events which influenced these older men’s present living circumstances in an attempt to answer the question did these older men benefit from a good quality of life as envisaged by the founders of The Republic of Ireland, and if not why not. Through semi-structured qualitative ‘conversational’ style interviews (Rubin and Rubin, 1995), the older men recall aspects of their lives and events which they found to be important. The study illustrates the difficult and harsh times these men, their exiled siblings and parents lived through. It is perhaps timely to have the benefit of the insights of these older men who lived through some of the world’s harshest economic periods, just as we face into a decade of enormous fiscal and social challenges due to the current domestic financial crisis and global recession. This generation however has the advantages of modern technology to support them in their quest for self-fulfilment and the benefit of a sound education to assist them in furthering their life goals. The modern world is globalised and multi-cultural unlike the world that the older men of this study were reared in. 3 Acknowledgements I would like to thank the following people for their assistance in completion of this work: My wife Penelope, for her support and encouragement My children Amanda & Geoffrey The Respond! Housing Association, their staff and residents The South Kerry Partnership Development their staff and service users 4 Table of Content Declaration ............................................................................................................................. 2 Abstract .................................................................................................................................. 3 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................ 4 Table of Content ..................................................................................................................... 5 List of Figure and Tables ....................................................................................................... 8 List of Abbreviations.............................................................................................................. 9 Chapter 1 - Introduction ....................................................................................................... 11 Preamble ....................................................................................................................... 11 Current national context of study ................................................................................. 12 The research questions ................................................................................................. 14 Definitions .................................................................................................................... 14 The study outline .......................................................................................................... 15 How the aims of the study will be achieved ................................................................ 20 The background to this study and my interest in older men ........................................ 20 Outline of subsequent chapters .................................................................................... 23 Chapter 2 – A Contextual Overview of Older Men’s Early Years ...................................... 26 A national overview ..................................................................................................... 26 The rural environment .................................................................................................. 31 The urban environment ................................................................................................ 35 Older men’s early influences ....................................................................................... 41 The Church ................................................................................................................... 42 Chapter 3 – Review of the Literature relating to Older Men ............................................... 50 Why the current interest in older men .......................................................................... 50 Older men a growing population ................................................................................. 53 5 Older men and ageing theories ..................................................................................... 55 Older men and health ................................................................................................... 59 Morbidity and mortality ............................................................................................... 60 Older men and masculinities ........................................................................................ 68 Older men and participation ......................................................................................... 72 Grandfatherhood .......................................................................................................... 73 Loneliness .................................................................................................................... 74 Fear of crime ................................................................................................................ 77 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 78 Chapter 4: Methodology ..................................................................................................... 80 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 80 Background .................................................................................................................. 81 The objectives of the study .......................................................................................... 81 The influences in choosing the methodology............................................................... 82 Criteria for selection of participants ............................................................................. 83 Ethical approval ........................................................................................................... 85 The interview format .................................................................................................... 85 Collection of data ......................................................................................................... 90 The process used to analyse this data ........................................................................... 92 Limitations of this study .............................................................................................. 93 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 94 Chapter 5 – An Analysis of the Life Course of Older Men ................................................. 96 Rural participant profile ............................................................................................... 97 John’s story ................................................................................................................. 98 Mike’s story ............................................................................................................... 101 6 Urban participant profile ............................................................................................ 106 George’s story ............................................................................................................ 107 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 116 Chapter 6 – Theme Identification and Analysis ................................................................. 120 Loneliness .................................................................................................................. 120 Health ......................................................................................................................... 121 Education.................................................................................................................... 123 Accessibility - participation and socialisation............................................................ 125 Poverty ....................................................................................................................... 128 Older men’s homes .................................................................................................... 129 Spirituality and religiosity .......................................................................................... 131 Summary .................................................................................................................... 132 Chapter 7 – Conclusion and Recommendations ................................................................ 135 Aims of Study ............................................................................................................ 135 Recommendations - Introduction ............................................................................... 135 Education.................................................................................................................... 136 Accessibility - participation and socialisation............................................................ 137 Poverty ....................................................................................................................... 138 Older men’s homes .................................................................................................... 138 The Research question answered ............................................................................... 138 Bibliography ....................................................................................................................... 143 Appendix 1 ......................................................................................................................... 154 Appendix 2 ......................................................................................................................... 155 Appendix 3 ......................................................................................................................... 156 7 List of Figure and Tables Figure 1. Age Pyramid of Irish Population Table 1. Percentage of men complying with the Food Pyramid Serving Consumption Guidelines Table 2. Overview of Participants 8 List of Abbreviations ADL Activities of Daily Living AIB Allied Irish Banks CAP Common Agriculture Policy CBS Christian Brothers Schools CIE Coras Iompar Eireann CSO Central Statistics Office DFLE Disability Free Life Expectancy EMEA Europe the Middle East and Africa ERP European Recovery Programme EU European Union FDI Foreign Direct Investment GAA Gaelic Athletic Association HSE Health Services Executive ICI Immigration Council of Ireland IFA Irish Farmers Association NAMA National Assets Management Agency NASA National Aeronautics Space Administration NCAOP National Council on Ageing and Older People NOSP National Office of Suicide Prevention QOL Quality of Life 9 RHA Royal Hibernian Academy RTE Radio Telefis Eireann SEG Socio-Economic Group SLAN Survey of Lifestyle, Attitude and Nutrition SSRC Social Science Research Council UCD University College Dublin UK United Kingdom US United States VOIP Voice over Internet Protocol WHO World Health Organisation WWII World War Two 10