SIE was launched in Australia more than 20 years ago to reduce loneliness and help men after retirement.
Professor Barry Golding’s claim that “men don’t talk face to face, but shoulder to shoulder” was instrumental in creating Men’s Sheds, where friendships are forged through volunteer sessions involving wood, metal and gardening.
Now eight years after the first was set up in Scotland in 2013, a large study suggests that they offer tangible benefits for both mental and physical health.
Research from Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) and Age Scotland found that participants who previously drank heavily had reduced their alcohol consumption after attending the sessions.
There were improvements in diet and fitness – through participation in physical work – and men reported having less reliance on formal health visits such as medical visits and medication to treat illnesses.
CONTINUE READING: Health: are men lagging behind on health issues? Six common problems and what to do about them
The study participants said they treated the sessions like a job and felt a new purpose.
The researchers interviewed 62 members of Give Sheds from across Scotland and the general population.
The median age of the Shed members studied was 67 years old, and although the participants weren’t interviewed until the age of 24, the participants were mostly older and retired.
“You look up at the sky and think how long I have until I’m up there?
Awareness of health concerns has been raised through conversations with other men and visits from health workers who deliver lectures aimed at raising awareness of the diseases that cause men to have a lower average life expectancy at 77 compared to 81 have as women.
The “dropouts” also reported that practical activities that provided a positive distraction would help them cope better with illness.
However, the study concluded that although health behaviors improved, men’s dandruff should not be viewed as a substitute for more formal care.
They primarily attract older members, often with aging-related health problems of their own or long-term disabilities that limit their ability or willingness to care for others, especially those with complex conditions like dementia.
Some men reported that putting up sheds was a “difficult task”, particularly getting government premises in a fully accessible location.
There are now more than 190 sheds in Scotland in a network of 1500 in the UK and Ireland, and the GCU has put together a toolkit (https://bit.ly/3AyYOJu) to help more communities set up.
CONTINUE READING: Glasgow’s gap between rich and poor is wider now than it was 20 years ago
“There is no doubt that the dandruff has a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of a hard-to-reach group of men,” said Dr. Dannielle Hutcheon, research assistant at the Yunus Center for Social Business and Health at the GCU.
“Going into the shed gives a lot of men a sense of purpose, they treat it almost like a job. It gives them a sense of confidence and worth in their life that they didn’t have before.
“The key to the success of Men’s Sheds is the ability of men to talk shoulder to shoulder when completing a task, rather than face to face in a lunch club or pub.
“It’s a relaxed, informal, welcoming environment.”
Men’s sheds reopened for the first time since the lockdown last week, and researchers found that the pandemic had caused the health and wellbeing of participants to deteriorate.
“A lot of the shedders we spoke to only left the house a few times a week to go to the store or the men’s shed,” said Dr. Hutcheon. “That was the only social contact they had all week.
“You can only imagine the effects of the coronavirus when people are stuck at home.”
Case study
For some, retirement is a chance to focus on neglected hobbies and enjoy a slower life. However, research shows that losing the routine can be difficult for some, leading to anxiety, restlessness, and loneliness.
Bill Core recalls feeling a sense of fear as he neared retirement.
“I remember sitting full around the house wondering what my life would be like when I was fully retired? What the hell should I do? ”
The 78-year-old, who worked in the furniture trade, said co-founding a men’s shed in Barrhead “gave him back a purpose to get up in the morning”.
The group was founded in 2014 in an industrial plant in the city and has grown to 58 full members.
“In the summer it’s fine to go out and do something, but in the winter when the weather is bad it can feel like the walls are collapsing.
“You look up at the sky and think how long I have until I’m up there?
“The Shed made me wake up in the morning, it was a place to meet people like me, get busy, laugh and have fun.
“The guys look forward to coming and arriving with a smile on their face and leaving with a smile on their face. There is satisfaction in helping other people and keeping the mind active.
CONTINUE READING: Early Covid symptoms differ between men and women, research shows
“Many members have had high-level jobs in the past, there is a real cross-section of society.
“I really enjoy making clocks from pieces of wood. I am very happy with it. Some of the things we have produced have been donated to local schools and kindergartens so that the whole community can benefit from the shed.
“If someone is sitting at home and thinks they would like to come, I would advise you to put your coat on and do it. You won’t regret it, it will change your life for the better. ”
The Briefing Paper – Sheds for Sustainable Development Project: Men’s Sheds as an alternative route for male health engagement – is published here https://bit.ly/3yIANPR
source https://www.bisayanews.com/2021/08/17/glasgow-caledonian-university-study-finds-mens-sheds-are-improving-health/
No comments:
Post a Comment