Jim’s GP suggested he contact the Wellbeing Service after he mentioned he’d been feeling low while at an appointment to check his blood pressure and medication. At our drop-in clinic he opened up more about his low mood with our advisor and explained that he’d been struggling with feelings of isolation after retiring from work and felt like the loss of his normal structure in his day left him unmotivated and unsure of how to spend his time.

Jim has a physical health condition which he is able to manage well through medication but his low mood was affecting his sleep and he was less motivated to prepare healthy food and get out for exercise. Eating sweets gave him a temporary boost but he was worried about this because of the impact on his health.

Jim told us he felt better after opening up, and that it was the first time he’d really sat and explored why he felt low and what was missing for him. He agreed he wanted to take some steps to make changes in his life, but he wasn’t quite sure yet what to do next.

We met with Jim again a week later after asking him to reflect on what he has enjoyed in the past and what could give him the structure he was craving. Jim told us that when he was younger he had loved wood working at school, but didn’t pursue this in adulthood as work and other commitments had got in the way. He also really wanted to brush up his skills on the computer so that he could use video calls with family confidently.

We put Jim in touch with a local men’s shed who were looking for volunteers to help their groups to run, which included a woodworking group. We also gave him information about drop in IT sessions at his local library where he could bring his iPad along to get support with getting the most out of it.

Through his volunteering at the men’s shed Jim not only got to meet new people and have more regular routine in his week, he also accessed training and qualifications through the local volunteer centre. He was able to walk there and back, giving him a chance to exercise and get some fresh air.

The support he received through the drop-in IT class helped him to be more confident in connecting with loved ones online.

Jim told us that while he still struggles with low mood at times, being able to reconnect with old hobbies, volunteering in the community, and his confidence with IT have helped him to feel more resilient and ‘ride out’ the bad days. He has a lot more hope for the future and is even considering more volunteering or paid work opportunities since he can see what’s out there. He maintains his physical health well and told us: 

“I sleep like a baby after being run off my feet by the auld yin’s at the centre all day!”