Monday, 6 October 2025
Shedder Story: Hearing Aids and Feeling Heard Helped Me Reconnect.
Bill worked in a busy, noisy factory and was planning to travel around Australia with his wife, Eileen, when he retired. “Well, the in-laws dumped a fly in the ointment; they both got sick, and needed Eileen to look after them.” So, the caravan trip was put on hold; Bill and Eileen moved to a regional town and became carers.
Eileen “took to country life like a duck to a pond,” joining the CWA, volunteering at the Op Shop and Meals on Wheels, and helping with local events. Bill tagged along sometimes but spent a lot of time alone and bored. “I didn’t think about joining anything. I guess I thought I wouldn’t fit in, being a city bloke all my life.”
When Eileen’s parents passed away, Bill focused on renovating a caravan. One afternoon, he and Eileen were relaxing in front of the television and drifted off to sleep. Bill said, “I woke up, but she didn’t. We had been together 60 years.”
Over the next 12 months, Bill struggled. Initially, friends visited often, bringing meals. “I ate an awful lot of lasagna,” he laughs. But visits dropped off, and he became very lonely. “Sometimes I would wait outside for the postie because he was the only person I saw all week.” Bill even planned to end his life.
A few days before his planned exit, Mary, a friend from Meals on Wheels, persuaded him to visit the local Men’s Shed after showing him a newspaper story.
Bill met John, the wellbeing officer. “I think he saw right through me. Nosy bugger. I got choked up, so we went outside for a quiet sit. I didn’t tell him everything, but I think he cobbled it together.” He stayed for the day, meeting “lots of good blokes” and laughing a lot.
Mary also contacted Bill’s son, who arrived for an unexpected stay. “I was so grateful to see him. He’s very busy, but there he was, so I had to postpone my exit plan.”
Talking to John helped Bill open up to his son about how hard things were. On Monday, Bill returned to the Shed with his son to ask about local services. John suggested hearing aids and a doctor’s appointment. “I’m pretty deaf from the factory and hadn’t seen a doctor in three years. My son organised it, and things got better.”
Bill now attends the Shed four days a week and volunteers with Meals on Wheels one day. “Yeah, bloody Mary. She wore me down; I ran out of reasons not to go.” He sold the caravan, saving for future trips with Shed mates. John adds, “only if you wear your hearing aids!” Bill chuckles, “nosy bugger.”
Did the Shed save Bill’s life? “Well, in a way it did, because I’m still here. It was John really, but the other blokes helped too. Us old fellas need to be busy, keep each other company, and have a good laugh. That’s exactly what a Shed offers.”
If this article has brought up any feelings for you. It’s normal to feel affected by stories about grief, loneliness, or mental health. If you need support, you don’t have to face it alone. You can contact:
Beyond Blue 1300 224 636
Lifeline 131 114
MensLine 1300 789 978
Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467
Veterans Line 1800 011 046
Grief Line – 12-3pm 7 days: 03 9935 7400
