Bella* likes to joke she’s “old but still naughty”.

Bella, in her early 80s, has lived alone since her husband passed away almost 20 years ago. Her relatives are all scattered across Australia, and she spent another festive season by herself.

She’s lost count of how many times she’s been alone during the holidays.

How we can help

Because loneliness is a social issue, we all have a role to play in addressing it.

We know older people are reluctant to disclose their loneliness. They don’t want to be labeled “lonely oldies”, as Bella pointed out.

So, how can we help?

Here are some valuable suggestions from our participants: