OLDS – The Men’s Shed of Olds recently presented the Olds Healthcare Fundraising Committee with a couple of new benches, which were installed in the garden area of the Olds Hospital and Care Centre.
A Men’s Shed is place where men – often retired, but not exclusively so – can meet, socialize and work on projects to help reduce social isolation and improve their mental wellness.
The group has about eight projects underway.
Men’s Shed of Olds secretary treasurer Dennis McKernan and Lynn McDonald, who oversaw the creation of the benches, spoke to the Albertan about those projects.
McDonald said it all started when hospital officials asked if the Men’s Shed would be willing to refurbish some benches.
They did that and then were asked if they could make a couple of new ones.
Men’s Shed volunteers created and painted the wooden parts of the benches. Spearhead Manufacturing, a local firm in Olds, created and painted the metal parts.
The wooden bench parts are painted yellow and the metal parts are black.
McDonald figures it took 20 to 25 man hours to create each one.
McKernan says the project was perfect for the 30 or 40 Men’s Shed members who participated.
“We're thrilled,” McKernan said. “The whole purpose of Men's Shed is to have guys get together and overcome social isolation. That's our very reason for being.
“There's all sorts of studies out there that show as men age, as they retire, and their world grows a little smaller, they don't have the social connection that they used to have when they were working.
“That shrinking of social context in their life often results in feelings of isolation and depression.
“When you can overcome social isolation, people feel better, and when they feel better, they're in a better state of mental health, and their physical health improves as a result of their mental health.”
McKernan said when people retire, “they don't know what to do with themselves” and that problem is made worse if they move or lose a partner.
“They end up in a pretty isolated, lonely place,” he said.
“The Men’s Shed is a real combatant to that. It's a total opposite experience, where you come in and you're completely engaged, and you're conversing with other guys, and you're working on a project that benefits the community.”
“There's a lot of laughter at the Men’s Shed, an awful lot,” he added.
McDonald agreed.
“We've had a good bunch of guys, and lots of guys took turns helping, and sometimes people were away, and others filled in,” he said.
“It’s been good people. Some people didn't know much about carpentry. Some knew quite a bit. It's been a great experience I think, for everybody.”
Olds Healthcare Fundraising Committee chairperson Barry McCurdy is delighted by how the project turned out.
He noted that the committee’s fundraising campaign this year is focused on care for seniors.
McCurdy said the average person might not see the creation and installation of a couple of benches as that big a deal, but he said it is, especially for long-term care residents.
“If they are, say, up at the hospital in continuing care, or, the long-term care area, how much it means to them just to go outside, sit down on a bench, enjoy some fresh air, have the sunshine upon them,” McCurdy said.
“Just to get out, that means so much to somebody when there's not a lot change every day.
“Many don't have much to go on. Many don't have a lot of good days, but this will give them good days, so it's very touching.”
