Seniors' lives: Organizations give men a place to talk and find support

Miter His sawing of saws and the pungent smell of wood preservative Punches that something is happening in his Jackson's spacious Edmonton garage It's a clue that shows.

But that something is not only in the yard of the permanent support house he creates six picnic tables. And the Men's Shed exists because it creates a place for men to share and support each other through life's ups and downs.

Gatherings in garages and basement workshops have therapeutic value, says Jackson, one of the organizers of his Men's Shed in Edmonton. There are now hundreds of chapters from Denmark to Kenya.

"A lot of men don't talk about things that bother them," says Jackson. "But in garages and sheds...they may be fixing lawn mowers, but now we're talking."

This column is about his life in his 60s. . This has been his decade of transition for many moving from the workplace to the new and often the unknown. It can be difficult when you realize that people still have meaning now that work is done and children have left home for their own adventures.

“A lot of men are used to going to work and seeing a lot of people,” says Morris Read, 62, a former tradesman and project manager. "Friends, colleagues, and you see them five days a week. A lot of men miss that interaction."

There are now over 50 groups nationwide, and approximately 11 groups in Alberta. In Edmonton, the Sage Seniors Association is supporting some of the movement, moderately funded through local government and foundation grants.

The pandemic has been tough on his Men's Shed, according to the Edmonton organizers, who said six groups had reduced him to three. But for the man who has conducted his 99 meetings via Zoom over the past two years, the get-together has been a boon.

"I couldn't take a step," he says, 74-year-old Brian Christenson. It's battling isolation, which is probably the worst thing. After COVID, isolation is a big issue.

According to the organization's Canadian website, Men's Shed was founded to help people cope with isolation, depression and loneliness, which are often problems after retirement.

"For men, sitting around the table drinking coffee and playing his game of cards helps people open up," Reed says.

The movement aims to be active in the community, but you don't have to build a picnic table to participate. Many members are not interested in the traditional male pursuits of woodworking or golf.In Calgary, Men's Sheds repaired bicycles for immigrant children. The Edmonton gathering features speakers on men's health and local history. One of the members of the Méti, an artist, she leads a painting workshop.

Other connections are less organized. The chef taught another member who had lost his wife how to make a delicious spaghetti sauce from scratch. Some men just come in for a coffee and a chat and need nothing more.

Christenson, who joined the movement in 2018 after joining the “The players were welcoming. . They advertise in local newsletters. Sometimes they meet in the park and carry signs beckoning people who might be interested. The group recently connected with a church in downtown Edmonton and hopes to expand membership by improving access to meeting space and on-site workshops.

"I bring whatever I have to the table," Reed says.

Spending time in Jackson's sawdust-scented garage reveals that the people he works with on this bright summer's day bring much to his table, including his sense of humor. it is clear. They plan to create a fundraising calendar featuring a man wearing little more than a tool his belt and standing behind a strategically placed table his saw.

"People may pay us not to make calendars.

My guess is that calendars will sell well. For more information visit menssheds.ca

— Liane Faulder writes the Life in the 60s column