You have to get off your backside, otherwise you'll never get out: Older male carers' experiences of loneliness and social isolation

Loneliness is framed as an enduring problem for carers of all ages, including older carers, however there is little examination of older men’s experiences of caring, loneliness and social isolation. Based on interviews with 25 men (aged 68-92 years), we discuss findings from a study of older male carers’ experiences of loneliness in England. Within their accounts, loneliness is framed as a future, rather than present, problem as caring provides a time-limited buffer to loneliness while concurrently increasing social isolation. Further, the findings shed light on how male carers seek and benefit from carers support groups while also maintaining autonomy.