Male loneliness: the role of camaraderie and community involvement

Australian men are statistically more likely to have a lower life expectancy, be overweight and experience higher rates of a range of chronic diseases in comparison to women, according to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

According to Mental Health First Aid Australia, as many as one in four men will experience a mental illness in their lifetime.

With an aim to encourage Australian men to improve their health and wellbeing by connecting through shared interests, camaraderie and community involvement, aged care provider Whiddon has launched a new campaign: Age Well, Together.

The campaign, launched in celebration of International Men’s Health Week (12–18 June), is calling on older men both inside and outside of the Whiddon community to discover new ways to stay connected, try new hobbies or rediscover old ones to help improve their physical and mental health.

“Loneliness has a negative impact on everyone’s health, both physical and mental. Men in particular acknowledge that they are more socially isolated as they get older, and this can have a significant impact on their quality of life. There are ways to combat this by staying interested and engaged in interests and hobbies as you age, such as joining a Men’s Shed, which can be a great way of finding meaningful connection with others,” said Karn Nelson, Whiddon Executive General Manager of Research & Positive Ageing and Board Member of Ending Loneliness Together.

“At Whiddon, we are proud to launch the Age Well, Together campaign and be a part of the movement to reduce the stigma around loneliness by encouraging men to talk more openly about their feelings and find ways to become more involved in their communities,” Nelson said.

The company is also a founding member of Ending Loneliness Together, a national coalition of organisations that have come together to raise awareness and address loneliness as one of the biggest social and health issues in Australia.

Whiddon recently released the findings of an internal qualitative LIFETIME Wave 4 Report, which highlighted the importance of social connection and impact of gender on resident and client wellbeing and quality of life. Males were more highly associated with negative outcomes such as social isolation and were less inclined to join in activities on offer. Emphasising the importance of activities such as Men’s Sheds and developing further activity initiatives to specifically engage men.

The Age Well, Together campaign highlights the influence of Whiddon’s 11 Men’s Sheds and groups across metro, regional and rural areas of New South Wales and Southeast Queensland in supporting improved health and wellbeing for men.

The Men’s Shed movement has garnered recognition as a powerful initiative addressing men’s health and wellbeing, empowering men to stay connected as valued and productive members of their local communities.

In uniting volunteers and members of the Whiddon community, the Men’s Shed program provides meaningful activity through hands-on projects to support connection and social networks.

Reflecting on the role of the Men’s Shed in promoting social connections, Easton Park Men’s Shed Volunteer Bill Dickinson said, “I think the activities here are important, because it’s not good to see the guys sitting in their rooms all day watching TV. It gets them out and about chatting to people. I encourage a few of my mates to come down and enjoy a few hours out of the house. Having a hobby is important because it gives people in older lives purpose and meaning in life. I’ve seen a few of the guys lose their wives and they feel they have nothing to live for. That just isn’t the case, we’re all here to support them.”

“The old adage that men don’t bond face to face, they bond shoulder to shoulder is true. Our male residents and clients tell us that they find it harder to make new, meaningful social connections with other men as they age. Working together on a project, such as those in our Men’s Sheds, gives them a sense of purpose and belonging,” Nelson said.

Image caption: Whiddon CEO, Chris Mamarelis with Member of Whiddon's Easton Park Men's Shed.