On his own terms: everyday lives of older men living alone

The chapter explores the everyday lives of older men living
alone. We contrast the demands of some of the “aging well” literature with the public stereotype of the older man living alone, presumably unable to follow
the moral obligation not to age. The chapter sums up
existing knowledge on older men living alone and reports the results from a qualitative interview study of solitary men. The
analysis reveals a tension between keeping up appearances and
coming to terms with a sometimes rather slow-paced everyday life
and declining bodily strength. At the same time, the men do manage
their everyday lives, sometimes with a little help from family
or professionals from the welfare state, and continually monitor
their abilities to manage living alone.