Men’s shed welcomes new members
- Aged care centre residents have access to men’s shed
- Residents were after something just for them
- Extending the invitation has been a great success
- The Shed provides a place to work and socialise
The men’s shed at IRT Kangara Waters has welcomed aged care centre residents – a move which has been a great success.
IRT Kangara Waters men’s shed now welcomes residents from the community’s aged care centre and the move has been hailed a success.
Lifestyle Officer Gaurav Kumar says the original men’s shed, known as The Shed, opened some nine years ago, but now men from the aged care centre have been using the space since mid-2017, after they requested activities specifically for them.
“The men were asking for activities to do and it was suggested they get involved with the men’s shed,” he explains. ACT and Eurobodalla Business Manager Margaret Thornton also made that suggestion, and discussions between lifestyle staff, volunteers and residents followed, and the invitation was extended to residents in the aged care centre.
Gaurav says extending the invitation to more residents has been a great success.
“It’s a social gathering and it’s something just for them,” Gaurav says. “The members work on projects like fixing furniture, toys and tables. They’ve also made a rocking chair and a rocking giraffe.”
Gaurav says all the aged care centre men’s shed members are really enjoying The Shed. Residents from the retirement village also go to The Shed when the aged care centre residents are there and work with them. “They are very excited about The Shed and the space,” he says. “It’s keeping them busy. It also creates a place where people have group discussions and solve puzzles, have a chat and reminisce about various tools used in the past.”
He explains when the men from the aged care centre are busy in The Shed it creates a sense of calm and a relaxed feeling too.
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