‘I Feel Comfortable Enough and Trust the People Around Me to Be Able to Open Up’: Exploring How Mental Health Community Support Groups Help Older Men Navigate Mental Health and Masculinities in Later Life

Context: The use of community support groups and peer support are expanding across mental health and older people’s services, however, there is a lack of evidence on how such support may be beneficial to older men who might struggle with aspects of traditional mental health help seeking due to male identity, ageing and isolation. Objective: This article explores older men’s experiences of using community support groups to manage their mental health and wellbeing, and (re)establish constructions of masculinities in later life. Method: Using a qualitative approach, 21 in-depth semi-structured interviews with older men (65+) who attended a community support group for their mental health and wellbeing were conducted during 2022. Findings: Thematic analysis revealed three overarching themes which explored how men benefited from the groups and the ways in which they supported them to navigate their mental health and sense of self. Community support groups enabled men to seek out social connections with similar others, fostering belonging and a sense of self, which was crucial to their mental wellbeing. These groups provided a safe space that legitimised emotional vulnerability and allowed for the re-establishment of positive self-identity and masculine roles. Limitations: The cross-sectional design and small number of participants do not capture older men’s long-term engagement in mental health and social care support over time. The sample lacks ethnic diversity and misses the isolated and disabled older men’s voices. Conclusions: The findings offer insights into how older men engage in mental health-specific support and highlight a need for considering age and masculinities in community support group provision.