What’s the current state of older men’s mental health in Australia?
How is COVID-19 impacting the mental health of men over 65? What are the key things we can do to keep older mentally well and healthy? These are some of the big questions that will be addressed during the first week of the Men’s Health Connected online summit.
In a day dedicated to older men’s health on Friday 5 June across zoom, “Working with older men – responding to COVID-19” – will be of particular interest to men over 65 and people working with and running services for older men.
The event is free though you will need to register to attend:
There are four sessions throughout the day starting at 10am with “Giving older men a voice”, which will ask the question: “Who’s advocating for blokes over 65?”
The session will be led by Dr Anthony Brown, a leading men’s health expert and distinguished member of the Australia Associate of Gerontology. Anthony will be joined by a number of speakers including Gary Bryant, CEO of the Coalition of Australian Men’s Sheds and Philip Green of MenzDen.
Dr Anthony Brown
Session 2 at 11.45 is titled “The impact of COVID-19 on older men” and features a great line-up of speakers who will share how their services have been responding to the challenges created by the pandemic. They include:
· Lindsay Oates, President of the Victoria Men’s Sheds Association
· Christopher McNamara, Head of Community Services and the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia are among the speakers
· Louise Adcock, Manager of The Older Men’s Network (TOMNET)
· James Wild, CEO of Men’s Sheds WA
· Ken Young of Greensborough OM:NI Men’s Discussion Group, a program of COTA Victoria.
At 1pm there’s a change of pace with a Lunchtime of Lectures featuring three academics:
Dr Kylie King (Monash University) and Dr Maris Schlichthorst (University of Melbourne) present their research on suicide in older men and Dr Deborah Mulligan, University of Southern Queensland, discusses her study on the effectiveness and sustainability of men's sheds.
After lunch, a 2pm session on emotional and mental wellbeing explores “what’s working for older men” with a panel chaired by AMHF President, Greg Millan.
He will be joined by Peter Efford and Wes Carter OAM of The Menswork Project, who co-designed the ‘The Elders Way’ programs in Bali; Ross Prout who has worked with older men through the Circle of Men Project and Frank Cowell of Shed Happens Mackay.
Frank Cowell: Shed Happens Mackay
The day wraps up with a final session reflecting on the conversations of the day and giving everyone who attendees an opportunity to contribute to the discussion.
TAKE ACTION FOR MEN’S HEALTH
Register for Day 5 of the Men's Health Summit - Working with Older Men - Responding to COVID-19
Read: Male suicide debate starts Men's Health Connected summit (AMHF)
Read: Join the Movers in Men’s Mental Health (AMHF)
Find out more about the Men’s Health Connected Online Summit running throughout June
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