If it's one thing that a lot of blokes, particularly those of an older generation, don't want to talk about, it's their health.
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This week (Monday to Sunday June 13-19) is Men's Health Week and down at the Blayney Men's Shed, talking about their health is all part of a hard day's work.
"There's a real variety of ailments amongst us all here," said nominal treasurer Brian Griffiths. "There's often a discussion about which doctor they're seeing, the medications they're on, what their treatment plans are, etcetera."
A study investigating how men access health information - published by the CSIRO in February 2020 - indicated that for all ages the top preferred methods for accessing information included GP or specialists, online searches and pharmacists, with other preferences varying by age, severity and sensitivity.
Analysis revealed the five key themes that help explain men's decisions and actions about seeking health-information were:
- Denial.
- Delayed information seeking.
- Social constructs of masculinity.
- Difficulty initiating discussions about health.
- Perceived trust and validity of information.
Sitting outside the Blayney Men's Shed the men there were enjoying a rare moment of winter sunshine. As they sipped on steaming cups of coffee Mr Griffiths said that they all looked out for each other.
"It's really important that we get out out of the house, particularly during winter because it's just good for your mental health to come out and get yourself sorted," he said.
The men all meet at the shed on a Tuesday morning after 10am, but they also offer Sunday walks at 9am, followed by breakfast. They also have plans on opening on a Saturday to allow working men to come along.
"The shed has health benefits for the whole community," Mr Griffith said, "This is a common ground for us and it's open to all men to come along and catch up."
One of those men is Greg Hooper who attends the weekly meetings to socialise with old friends and to get out of the house for a while.
"I've known a lot of these blokes for years," he said. "When you know someone for that long they really do open up when you're chatting with them because we've all been through a lot."
The Blayney Men's Shed is tucked away behind the netball courts just off Carcoar Street and access is through Oldham Place near the Ambulance Station.
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