Older men come from a generation in which much of their self-worth was derived from work. They may have prepared for retirement with a focus on financial planning but with little attention to knowledge or skills for coping with life after work. Some older men may resist showing emotions, talking about their feelings, or asking for help. This may make adjusting to losses more difficult, as studies have shown the grief process may actually be intensified by the in-ability to talk about or show feeling. Older men have not typically spent a lot of time and energy developing support systems outside of work and family that could help them with adjustments in later life.
Older men see themselves as being self-reliant.
Yet they may lack skills in self-care, such as cooking, shopping, and doing laundry. While most caregiving is provided by women, some older men find themselves in this role and are unprepared for the demands and stress. Many older men lack information about available services and programs or perceive the services and programs as being irrelevant to them. Mental Health Issues for Older Men Mental health problems are often overlooked or misinterpreted with older people, and mental health services are underutilized. This may be even more true for men than for women.