Last month Catholic Family 鱿鱼视频app of Simcoe County (CFSSC) hosted a Men鱿鱼视频app Sheds information session and is in the early stages of birthing the first location in the region. The community-based program allows men to come together to learn, share skills and make long-lasting friendships while improving emotional health and wellbeing.
The Men鱿鱼视频app Sheds model has found the secret to getting through to even the most closed off is often putting them to working with their hands. It鱿鱼视频app also a way of creating opportunities for skilled seniors to give back to the community.
Through activities such as woodworking, games or building garden beds for a worthy cause, Jenna Wickens, mature minds coordinator at CFSSC, says the program creates an environment where men can feel comfortable and find the connection and purpose they are longing for.
鈥淲e鈥檝e all experienced loneliness at various points and what we found with older adults is that they had great concern for other people鱿鱼视频app (wellness) but not for themselves,鈥� said Wickens, whose role is funded by ShareLife and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Toronto.
鈥淥ne of the things I love about Men鱿鱼视频app Sheds is they provide a sense of purpose. If we sat a group of men in a circle and asked them how they鈥檙e feeling, you might hear crickets. But if you put a lawnmower in the middle of them and ask them to fix it, then they would talk about the things that were on their mind while they work.鈥�
CFSSC was put on to the program after beginning parish outreach to seniors suffering from loneliness. With mental health still largely a taboo topic in the elder demographic, many senior men have been suffering in silence, says Wickens. Since men tend to define themselves by their occupation and socialize within work settings, they often find themselves feeling lost after the novelty of retirement wears off.
A global movement, Men鱿鱼视频app Sheds began in Australia in the 1980s and has expanded into Canada, the U.S., Ireland and elsewhere. Doug Mackie founded the first Canadian shed (group) in 2011 in Winnipeg and has watched it expand across Canada.
Mackie, who turns 82 this month, worked as a travel agent, financial advisor and was an avid volunteer with various organizations. He had never heard of the Men鱿鱼视频app Sheds concept until 2008 when he was nearing retirement at age 68 and he received a timely phone call from his daughter Lisa, who suggested he start one.
Mackie says in most cases it鱿鱼视频app the women in men鱿鱼视频app lives that recommend they join a shed.
鈥淢en rarely refer other men,鈥� said Mackie. 鈥淚t鱿鱼视频app their spouse saying, 鈥榃hy don鈥檛 you go and do something?鈥� It鱿鱼视频app the daughter that cares about her dad. That鱿鱼视频app what happened with Lisa telling me to do this. 鈥� It鱿鱼视频app also starting to grow through social prescribing. Instead of prescribing pharmaceuticals such as anti-depressants, doctors, occupational therapists and nurses are referring men to Men鱿鱼视频app Sheds.鈥�
John Peters, who has taken the Men鱿鱼视频app Shed mantle in Ontario, was at the CFSSC event via Zoom where he shared the principles for building a shed from the ground up. Each shed is unique to a region and starts by building genuine connection and community within a small group of men.
Drawing more than a handful of men, the early stages of the Barrie shed looks very promising, says Wickens.
鈥淲e appreciate opportunities that we can support men鱿鱼视频app mental health by providing and partnering with some of these programs that are doing such great work around the world,鈥� said Wickens. 鈥淚t鱿鱼视频app such a huge win just to see men coming together. We鈥檙e grateful that we鈥檝e seen the men come out and we鈥檒l see where it goes. We鈥檙e hopeful and we have a bright view of what the future could look like for Men鱿鱼视频app Sheds in Barrie and Simcoe County.鈥�