Loneliness Epidemic Among Older and Younger Australians

Younger and older Australians are disproportionately lonely and face increasingly poor health and higher mortality. Loneliness is of epidemic proportions with at least one in three Australians reporting the experience, a parliamentary inquiry heard on Nov. 15. Ending Loneliness Together CEO Michelle Lim said those aged 18 to 24, the elderly, and people in remote areas are disproportionately affected with the pressing public heath concern, spawning a host of health problems. “Loneliness is bad for health and wellbeing, but when we actually have those persistent states, or more chronic states, that’s where we actually exacerbate our incidence of high mortality and increase our risk to developing future health problems,” she told a panel of researchers, mental health experts and policy advocates....