Author: Lucia Carragher

Edition: Volume 57, Number 3, November 2017

Summary: The changing social and economic landscape across European Member States and beyond has had a disproportionate effect on older adults. Nowhere is this more keenly felt than among the “buffer generation” of men caught between the silent, strong, austere masculinity of their forefathers and contemporary society—progressive, open and individualistic (Wyllie et al., 2012). In most countries, men have shorter life expectancies than women and higher mortality rates from most common causes of death. This imbalance arises from issues broader than disease related mortality, with post-industrial society seen to have reduced opportunities for men with regard to work and full time employment, further compounded by dispositional barriers to learning (European Commission, 2011). This paper presents findings from a mixed methods study of 297 older men participating in community-based Men’s Sheds in Ireland and particularly explores the contributions generativity through Men’s Sheds makes to the well-being of older men. The findings show men giving back to the community in different ways, including through the sharing of skills and experiences. It is argued that community-based Men’s Sheds provide opportunities for generativity, with identifiable health benefits for older men, holding important lessons for policymakers to enable greater visibility of men’s perspectives.

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This article is part of AJAL, Volume 57_3. The entire volume is available in .pdf for purchase here.