WOMEN OVER 50 in the Killarney area of south Kerry often felt they were being "sucked into minding the next generation" due to lack of opportunity, lack of self-esteem and isolation, a study has found.
A lack of technology skills and access to the internet further isolated women because, increasingly, Government agencies provided information on websites, it also found.
The research carried out by the Killarney Women's Organisation for Training and Empowerment also found below-average representation of women at local authority level in the area; large numbers of carers among the female population who recorded higher levels of education than males, and a great need for information on pensions and health needs.
"A centre that has a visible presence in the town [of Killarney] can provide a focus for women," it concluded.
The research found that older women with low self-esteem and lack of income suffered from depression. It also found that women whose homemaking skills were redundant needed to discover new talents and needed more information for the jobs market.
"For women with few skills outside the home, it is easy to get sucked into minding the next generation," the study found, citing a number of women's answers to the questionnaires. "Women over 50 years have their usefulness abused and are used to mind grandchildren. They need a sympathetic approach and encouragement to get out of the house to rediscover themselves," it stated.
"Many women, especially in rural areas, have postponed travelling due to childrearing, only to find they were then minding the grandchildren as well," said Sheila Martin, author of the report and a specialist in employment law.
More than 200 questionnaires were filled in and the findings were backed up by the South West Counselling Centre in Killarney, she said.