Jan Skora, 72, has been living in his three-building condominium community in Ottawa for nearly 20 years, and despite the buildings’ large senior population, he’s noticed that one demographic was notably absent from the community’s activities: older men.

“We were a naturally occurring retirement community, and everything was going along fine, except we found that there were few men participating, and so we were trying to figure out how to best deal with that,” said Jan.

Jan’s discovery is not unique. According to the 2023 NIA Ageing in Canada Survey, over half of older men — specifically, those who live alone — report having weak social networks, defined as the number, closeness and frequency of important social contacts, and reported loneliness as captured by the frequency of feeling left out, isolated and that companionship is lacking.

To understand why older men are socially isolated, lonely, or struggling to participate in their communities, we can look towards the values associated with manliness and the antiquated societal expectations older men grew up with. When stoicism is regarded as a key indicator of one’s masculinity, it’s no wonder that men choose to keep their feelings to themselves, struggling in silence even during some of life’s biggest changes, including the transition from a fast-paced, social work environment to a quiet retired life at home.

As an older man himself, Jan knew very well that, while women often socialize face to face, men are more comfortable working shoulder to shoulder. Once men get to know and trust one another, he remarks, they tend to open up about the real issues they’re struggling with in their lives. That’s when Jan and other like-minded men in his condo community decided to start a Men’s Shed: a space where men could do handiwork and other activities of their choosing side by side, and, hopefully, have some meaningful conversations along the way.

“Older men are very independent, very autonomous, and don’t think they need anybody. But once you start working next to someone and getting to know them, you find it opens up all kinds of opportunities.”

Robert Goluch, Executive Director of Men’s Sheds Canada, has seen firsthand how Men’s Sheds have helped older men across Canada — from small prairie towns to cities like Ottawa and Calgary — to transform their social lives and start putting themselves out there:

“Loneliness continues to be a global problem, so the significant value of organizations like Men’s Sheds cannot be overstated. Governments, health care providers, and communities must recognize and support organizations like Men’s Sheds, and Sheds should become a critical part of public health strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of social isolation. Community is medicine.”

Men’s Sheds aren’t limited to traditionally manly activities like woodworking or bicycle repairs. Sheds take on whatever projects their participants, called “Shedders,” want to do, including organizing bake sales, starting a choir, and a whole host of other activities. What binds Men’s Sheds together is their purpose: to be a safe space for men, by men.

For Gerry Garceau, who founded Ambleside Men’s Shed with Jan Skora, being part of a Men’s Shed isn’t about the projects the group tackles together. It’s about what his Shed has given him:

“My experience with my Shed is that I open up and ask for help. I’m not used to that, asking for help – that’s what Men’s Sheds has given to me.”

Kristen Lonergan is the Communications Manager for HelpAge Canada, a registered charity that helps older people in Canada and around the world lead healthy, active, and dignified lives. References

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