Men’s Sheds are on the frontline of promoting and supporting men’s health and wellness, whether proactively through presentations, projects, workshops, and webinars, or through the “health by stealth” manner of Shed members reaping the benefits of having somewhere to go, something to do, and someone to talk with.
Here are links to relevant organizations, articles, reports, and research dedicated to advancing health and well-being with a specific interest in older adults and/or men.
Active Aging Canada is a national not-for-profit organization committed to promoting healthy aging among older Canadian adults from coast to coast to coast through participation, education, research, and promotion. AAC provides valuable healthy aging resources through newsletters, blogs, and links on its website.
The Canadian Men’s Health Foundation is a national, registered charity providing information, tools, and motivation for men and their families to live healthier. CMHF’s Don’t Change Much campaign is aimed at inspiring men and their families to lead healthier lives.
Canadian Coalition for Seniors’ Mental Health is committed to improving the quality of care and support for older adults throughout Canada by working to bridge gaps in knowledge and practice, ensuring that mental health receives the attention it deserves within the realm of aging. The Coalition’s mission is rooted in evidence-based approaches, compassionate advocacy, and the unwavering belief that every older adult deserves the best possible mental health care. An area of focus is research and resources on social isolation and loneliness in older adults.
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is Canada’s federal funding agency for health research is composed of 13 Institutes, collaborating with partners and researchers to support the discoveries and innovations that improve health and strengthen our health care system. In 2007, CIHR’s Institute of Gender and Health (IGH) instigated the 11 year Boys’ and Men’s Health Initiative to address the urgent need for increased attention and research capacity in boys’ and men’s health:
Advancing Boys’ and Men’s Health – Outcomes from 11 years of CIHR-IGH Funded Research
Things You Might Not Know About Boys’ and Men’s Health
McMaster Optimal Aging Portal provides direct and easy access to evidence-based information on health and social conditions to help you stay healthy, active and engaged as you grow older.
Men’s Health Network (MHN) is a national (U.S.) non-profit organization whose mission is to reach men, boys, and their families where they live, work, play, and pray with health awareness and disease prevention messages and tools, screening
Mental Health Commission of Canada provides a variety of resources and training, such as Mental Health First Aid – Supporting Older Adults and Older Adult Mental Health and Well-being
Movember is a global charity that supports groundbreaking projects all over the world, engaging men where they are to understand what works best and accelerate change, and prioritising funding for the three biggest health issues facing men: mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.
Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada provide online resources on seniors and men’s health issues, such as Aging and Seniors and Just for You – Men
Statistics Canada’s Quality of Life Hub and StatsCAN Plus articles Men’s mental health: How are Canadian men doing? provide relevant data resources.
The Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA) is a charitable, non-profit organization that enhances the quality of life and care for older adults through research, education, and practice.
World Health Organization – Reducing social isolation and loneliness among older people
Did you know that social isolation or loneliness could increase your risk of early death by up to 32%? How would you know if you are socially isolated and how does it impact your health? Alana Officer explains and gives tips to overcome social isolation in WHO’s Science in 5: Social Isolation