Annual conference of ESREA (European Society for Research on the Education of Adults) network ELOA (Education and Learning of Older Adults) in Malta, on October 2014: "Innovations in Older Adult Learning: Theory, Research, Policy"

1. All „no“-s
Obstacles among older rural men
to be active in the community
Tiina Tambaum
Tallinn University, Estonian Institute for Population Studies

2. Estonia Malta
Population 1,3 M 0,4 M
Area 45 000 km² 300 km²
Area per face 0,0348 km²/pers 0,0008 km²/pers
Density 28,6 pers/km² 1320 pers/km²
SKT per capita $ 22 000 $ 27 000
Independence 1991 (1918-40) 1964

3. Tallinn
Ruhnu
Population total 1 300 000
65+ 240 000
27% up to 25
18% older than 65
M/F ratio among 65-85 2 M : 3 F
Among 85+ 1 M : 3 F
Estonia
15 counties:
226 municipalities
(193 rural municipalities + 33 towns)
Tallinn: 400 000 inhabitants
Smallest: Ruhnu island: 60
Tartu municipality: 7000
The municipality of Tartu provides low
level educational opportunities for older
adults. Almost no offers for older men.
20% of retaired people are still employed
The average number of healthy years 55
Retariment age 2014 63 for men 62 for women (growing gradually till 65 by 2027)
Avarage old-age pension 340 eur

4. Research problem
Theory
Learning has always the entity of activeness.
According to socio-cultural approach learning occurs only in interaction.
(Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky, Leontev, Bahktin; Cole; Lave; Wenger; Rogoff)
All kinds of social involvement enhance cognitive functions (Engelhardt et al., 2010).
Reality
There is only few older men active in interaction in communities. There
is the need to find different ways to attract them and engage them.
Survey OMAL
Direct questions about wishes, motivation and organisational expectations of
men regarding readiness to be involved social interaction.
Phenomenological approach to data: Older men were not explicitly asked
about their obstacles to be active in the community. Nevertheless, they
felt it necessary to talk about their barriers.

5. Semistructured interviews (1–1,5 h)
31 respondents
Respondents by age
in their 50-s 2 men (disabled)
in their 60-s 15 men
in their 70-s 11 men
in their 80-s 3 men
The main activity status:
retirement age, non-working 23 men
retirement age, working 6 men
disabled, non-working 2 men
Education level
7 with higher education
4 with vocational education
20 with secondary or basic education
Different villages and towns as
geographic location
Inductive content analysis method

6. Results
Major groups of internal reasons that prevent older men
from participating in social interaction:
1. no people around
2. self-imposed psychological limits related to age and
maturity
3. general disillusionment
4. domestic comfort zone that reinforces disengagement

7. 1. no people around
Engagement in learning endeavours presuppose a good
company. The reality is different:
> Friends are dead (8)
> Do not like the rest of acquaintances (5)
> People have changed (8)
> There are unfamiliar (new) people in the village (15);
> People are simply reluctant to join in activities (3).
“Only recently the municipality organised a tour of Piusa for pensioners. First, I
asked around the village, who would like to come. But they did not bother. And I
will not go alone if I have nobody to talk to. I didn’t go. But I will go in the winter [to
a seniors’ party], if for no other reason than to talk with S.”

9. 2. psychological limits related to age
and maturity
> People compare their current condition with their
previous selves (31)
> People compare themselves with younger people (5)
“Learning is such a thing that – well, you can read but you will not remember any
of that.“
“On many occasions I feel that have run out of time to start something big, to
waste capital.“
> Ability to predict the outcome (13) which make
things boring
> Difficult to find new things to get excited about (14).
“I am not that stupid to start learning something now. I have intermediate skills.
These are sufficient activities to fill the hours.”
“I will not start doing things like Kihnu Virve [a woman who made a parachute
jump at 80 years of age]. I would have the courage, but what’s the point?”

10. Sense of superiority acts as a barrier
between a person and changing society
Out of interviewed 31 men
7 were using or had used a computer
4 were against computers as a matter of principle.
20 were vague and hesitant in their opinions believing,
on the one hand, that they do not need a computer
while musing, on the other, that they should probably
learn to use a computer.
“I cannot use a computer, I get a headache. I do not want to learn. (Pause.)
Actually, it would be good to learn to use a computer. Payments and stuff. But
where would you go. Things [with learning] have not been finished. My brother
knows how. A good teacher would be good; one who would not get upset with a
dullard.”

12. 3. A general sense of disappointment
> Distrust of strange phenomena and frustration about
the state, the culture and the modern way of life (18)
“Our country is built like this. Have you ever heard someone talking about the
republic’s best plumber or the best toilet cleaner? They talk about artists! You can
live without art but what would you do if your toilet is clogged?”
“They fill sausages with bone paste, for God’s sake! You try to grill them and they
start to foam!”
> Criticism about the nation (6)
> Criticism about the status of a pensioner (16)
“In Sweden, you could see on the streets that people are stress-free. If a person is
stress-free he will immediately recognise stress. I was asked, ‘What is wrong?’
Everybody stared at me like I was an elephant. As far as I know, I do try to smile.
But I still have wrinkles in my face. “

13. Evidence from the Belgian Ageing Studies (De Donder, 2011) demonstrates that
neighbourhoods with poor physical environments and limited access to services
increase feelings of insecurity.
Dead circle: The disappointment is a result of social
passivity. But only social inclusion could break the general
disappointment

14. 4. Domestic comfort zone as a barrier
Increasing number of personal items including equipments
for different activities makes people more individualistic.
Children living farther away as a force majeure. Older rural
men can never be sure when the long-expected guests
arrive, it seems wiser not to make any appointments at all
“The friends are no longer expecting us. You always have to call in advance. In the
past, you could even go at midnight but now – they take the flowers and then tell
you that they have to go to the city, because their daughter is visiting and wants to
go with them [to the city]”
“You cannot plan everything in advance – if the grandchildren need something, I
will go with them.”

15. When the men talked about social obstacles, the
discussion was limited to describing the problem.
No solutions or compensating mechanisms were
suggested.

16. Recommendations: Events with the deliberate aim of
introducing people to each other
Awareness that managing one’s social health is as
important as working on physical health.
“What do you call yourself an adventure?“
Encourage and instruct them to share their skills

17. Thank you!
tiina.tambaum@tlu.ee
50% of Estonia is covered with different forests