On a showery and windswept day last fall, while on vacation in Ireland, I had the privilege to meet Paddy, Sean and Seamus and was invited into their Men’s Shed on Achill Island in County Mayo. This was on my “Bucket List”, and you may wonder why, but I have read quite a bit about various Men’s Sheds, and I wanted to learn more about them, to see them and understand why and how they work. I was curious about how these gentlemen were drawn to the Men’s Shed, and the value it has brought to them. If you’ve not heard of these, Men’s Shed are community based projects, where men can come together to learn, share skills and make long-lasting friendships together. First founded in Australia in the 1980’s, they have since expanded to other countries including Ireland, the UK, Canada, Iceland, and there are a few here in the US as well. 
They are in some ways similar to Senior Centers in the US, in that they drive connection, and create community, and on that windswept day I learned how incredibly important that is to these gentlemen. Paddy, Sean and Seamus shared with me the reasons why they sought out the Men’s Shed, and for each of them it was all about connection, community and a sense of purpose. Being on a remote island and a very rural area, the Men’s Shed is in many ways a lifeline to the men of Achill Island. The talk that morning included current events in Ireland and the world, their experiences during COVID, the very clear understanding they have of the importance of staying connected to maintain their health, and the current community project they were engaged in, as one of them so aptly stated, “If it weren’t for this place, I’d be home staring at my four walls”. I have to say after having spent 90 minutes with these gentlemen I felt buoyed and inspired which is why I am sharing this with you. In these times of uncertainty, I hope you know just how valued you are because of what you do. What you, Senior Center Directors and Staff, do each and every day, is help to build connections and you ARE the community! Senior Centers are such vital communities of connection for the older adults you are serving. We know that older adults who participate in senior center programs experience better psychological well-being across several areas, including:
- Higher levels of health
- Increased social interaction
- Greater life satisfaction
We also know that having numerous direct connections and social interaction with people, gives older adults alternative routes to valuable resources, increasing their chances of receiving support when it is needed. Therefore, those older adults who have larger networks tend to have better health, especially with frequent interaction. In addition there’s great research on how socially connected individuals at Senior Centers and/or Senior Activity Centers are also more likely to adopt healthy behaviors such as adherence to medical treatments, as well as participation in physical and mentally stimulating programs. The work you do to support the older adults in your communities is amazing, and the impact of all this work is helping older adults in your communities to thrive, maintain good health and age in place. If our Towns and Cities did not have you, this would place the older adults in your communities at serious risk of social isolation and loneliness, and poorer health outcomes, and we know what those outcomes look like because we saw them develop during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The lack of social ties is one of the main reasons that isolation can raise the chances of premature death from all causes. It’s a risk that the CDC has reported that rivals smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity. Social isolation and fewer connections can have an impact on the brain, and a meta-analysis of 19 studies showed that older adults with low social participation—had a 41% higher risk of dementia. So thank you. Thank you for working to keep our Older Adults safe, healthy, engaged, supported, valued and connected in our communities! With the deepest respect and gratitude, Betsy
