Joining a Men's Shed resulted in improvements to quality of life, less isolation, and fewer risky behaviours, according to a study presented at ShedFest West in Edmonton. "Older men are not necessarily going to go to a bereavement group, they're not going to go to social services, they're not going to go to therapy, because that direct approach doesn't necessarily work with older men," Raza Mirza of HelpAge Canada said as he presented his research on April 29.
Edmonton is home to eight Men's Sheds, which bring men together to work on projects and socialize, with group members deciding on whether to pursue woodworking, bicycle repair, gardening, or any number of activities. ShedFest West featured panels and keynote speeches about the value of such spaces. Mirza and his team discovered that 67% of respondents said their life had improved since becoming a Shedder, with 59% saying they felt completely at home at their Shed. "This is the stuff that I get quite excited about," Mirza said. "Men's Sheds are working, the data is fairly clear here." About one-quarter of the men said they felt isolated, but that dropped to less than 10% once they joined a Shed. "Loneliness has its own mortality risk," Mirza said.
Mirza and Men's Sheds Canada encouraged conference-goers to take a federal government survey aimed at improving support for boys' and men's mental and physical health. "People have been asking me, 'What Shed do you belong to?'" Mirza said as he closed his presentation. "I don't belong to any of the Sheds yet, but … I feel like I belong to all the Sheds now."