Keeping Mates Connected: Supporting Shedders Living with Dementia
Men’s Sheds have always been about more than tools and projects. They bring people together, build friendships and give members a place to share skills, contribute and stay connected.
Those connections can be particularly important for someone living with dementia.
An estimated 88,200 Queenslanders are living with dementia in 2026, and around two in three Australians living with dementia live in the community.
People can and do live well with dementia, continuing to take part in the activities and communities that matter to them.
Dementia Australia’s Dementia-Friendly Communities program is part of a global movement supporting communities to become more inclusive of people living with dementia. Often, it’s simple things that make a difference – understanding, clear communication, familiar surroundings and finding ways for people to stay involved.
And that’s where Men’s Sheds already have a lot to offer.
A practical toolkit for Queensland Sheds
Queensland Men’s Sheds and Dementia Australia’s Dementia-Friendly Communities program are exploring the development of a practical, industry-led toolkit, shaped by the experience and needs of Sheds themselves and informed by people living with dementia.
Building on the Australian Men’s Shed Association’s existing Your Shed and Dementia manual, the idea is to create something simple and easy to use, with practical ways to support a mate living with dementia to stay involved in Shed life.
We’d like to hear from Sheds that have experience supporting a member living with dementia, as well as Shedders with an interest in this area.
What’s worked in your Shed? What have you found challenging? What would make things easier?
Your experience will help determine what goes into the toolkit and what would be most useful to Sheds across Queensland.
Men’s Sheds already have some of the most important ingredients of a dementia-friendly community – mateship, purpose, connection and a place to belong.
This project is about building on that.
We’d like to hear from you
If you have experience or ideas you’d be willing to share, contact Nadia Licence, Community Development Officer – Dementia-Friendly Communities, Dementia Australia at nadia.licence@dementia.org.au.
