Saintfield Men’s Shed welcomes Age NI Good Vibrations programme
- Movember-backed project addresses a gap in mental health support for older men.
Members of Saintfield Men’s Shed, based in Saintfield, have been benefiting from a new Age NI men’s health information booklet aimed at supporting the mental health and wellbeing of men in Northern Ireland aged over 50.
The information brochure comes as part of Age NI’s Good Vibrations programme which has been funded by Movember and is one of only 16 projects selected across the world for its ‘Scaling What Works’ Mental Health Grant funding.
The programme also includes a new website platform:
This is a new podcast series, “How’s the form?”, hosted by Joe Lindsay and featuring some of Northern Ireland’s best known older men. Men aged 50+ can also sign up for a six week group programme.”
Stephen Wilson, Treasurer of Saintfield Men’s Shed said: ‘‘This was an excellent booklet full of helpful tips and advice. Not just on health issues but on financial matters also. A well thought out and produced booklet.’’
Age NI’s research with over 300 older men revealed that they don’t know where to turn for advice and information on the new challenges of life beyond 50.
This could be on issues of financial worries such as pension and retirement planning in the later stage of working life.
Or it could centre round the transition into retirement;, or even be the stress of taking on caring responsibilities, managing a chronic illness or facing bereavement.
And it may be a wake-up call triggering a re-evaluation of how to take better care of their health.
Of course, all of these critical life challenges can have a massive impact on an individual’s stress, mental health, and overall health and wellbeing.
Thanks to the funding support from Movember, Good Vibrations aims to fill this information gap with tailor-made support, information and advice on all the topics men of this age group have told us they want to know more about.
This programme has been co-designed and developed with input from older men and tapping into a wealth of expert health and wellbeing advice, on everything from stress, sleep, physical activity, relationships and healthy eating.
Age NI’s Good Vibrations is the result of a unique partnership including Business in the Community, mental health charity Inspire, and grassroots community organisations Northern Ireland-wide including Groundwork NI’s network of Men’s Sheds.
Other partners include Action Mental Health, Counselling for all Nations, NICSSA, Public Health Agency, CANS, Relate NI, Men’s Health Forum Ireland and Ulster University.”
For more information on the Good Vibrations programme, or to request a copy of the Good Vibrations Men’s Health Guide, visit:
