Keeping the thread: older men's social networks in Sydney, Australia

Objective: to find out more about older men's experience of social activities including their preferences for creating and maintaining satisfying social connections and to identify barriers and enablers to their participation in social activities.Method: men aged 65 and older living in Central Sydney Area Health Service (CSAHS) were recruited for five focus groups (n=29). The men were asked about their experience of social interaction, with the transcripts of the groups analysed thematically.Results: retirement, health changes, divorce, widowhood and changing personal relationships challenged social well‐being. Strategies employed to combat these challenges included: a positive attitude, physical and mental activity and involvement in meaningful activities. Participants outlined their preferences for socialising within activities and suggested these differed from women's.Conclusion: activities that men saw as meaningful helped them cope with challenging events. Older men have preferred ways of maintaining social well‐being and constructing social networks that may be influential in developing services.