Older men acting as carers for their partners or family find themselves like fish out of water. They are sometimes ignored by GPs, isolated and unwilling to ask for help, research shows.

This may not be that unexpected, given conventional ideas of men and male roles. But it is an important finding to explore, because it’s at the centre of a larger issue of who will be taking on caring roles as UK society ages, combined with the impact on health services if fewer people either want to take on the job or feel capable of doing it.