Loneliness in Geelong - Leaders for Geelong 2019/20
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Loneliness
in Geelong
Leaders for Geelong 2019/20
Loneliness in Geelong The Committee for Geelong acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as Australia’s First Nations people and the Traditional Custodians of the land and waterways. We pay our respects to the local Wadawurrung people of this land, their Elders past, present and emerging. Prepared by: Bree McLennan Luke Kelly Marie O’Dell Rebecca Lester Robert Hodgson
Contents Project Purpose � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1 Goals & Objectives � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 3 Background Research � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 4 Data Analysis � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 6 Recognising & Coping with Loneliness � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 16 Local Services in the Geelong Region� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 18 Raising Awareness & Initiatives � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 20 Pathway for Future Action � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 26 Conclusion & Recommendations � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 27 Thank You� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 28 References � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 29
“
Loneliness in Geelong
If you’re lonely when you’re alone,
you’re in bad company.
— Jean-Paul Sartre
iv Leaders for Geelong 2019/20
Loneliness in Geelong
Project Purpose
To understand relevant contributing factors to loneliness and its impact on physical and mental health,
to inform recommendations to address loneliness in the Geelong community, specifically young adults
(18–24 years), so as to better target existing services and develop relevant information for dissemination.
Leaders for Geelong 2019/20 1
Loneliness in Geelong
“ The most terrible poverty is loneliness,
and the feeling of being unloved.
— Mother Teresa
2 Leaders for Geelong 2019/20
Loneliness in Geelong
Goals & Objectives
The key goals and objectives for this project are to:
Develop a better understanding of both the prevalence and the impact of loneliness in the Geelong region
based on existing data sources and using a strength-based approach.
Collate a list of existing services available in the Geelong region that may be appropriate to address
loneliness. Identify any gaps in service coverage and propose solutions. Identify opportunities for
collaboration between service providers.
Develop material to promote education and awareness of loneliness in the public realm (for example,
possible targets could include workplaces, schools, universities, Barwon Health, City of Greater Geelong,
Geelong Cats etc.
Identify a pathway to extend the impact of this project beyond its life time by embedding the work
in community and research organisations who can continue to implement our findings.
Disseminate our findings across key stakeholders including a report of actionable findings to Barwon Health.
There are many benefits associated to the project:
A healthier and more socially-connected community.
A proactive approach to mental health rather than being reactive.
Better targeted resource allocation for services in the community to address loneliness.
Breaking the cycle of concomitant health issues enabled through loneliness, allowing health providers
such as Barwon Health to reduce the number of acute care patients.
Ultimately, improved physical and mental health outcomes, including lower suicide rates in the Geelong
region.
Leaders for Geelong 2019/20 3
Loneliness in Geelong
Background Research
What is loneliness?
Loneliness is a subjective experience, making it difficult to definitively identify and measure, but it is something
everyone has experienced at some point. It is separate but related to being alone or either physically or socially
isolated.
As the experience of loneliness varies among individuals, so too do definitions of loneliness vary across
the scientific literature. The most generally accepted definition of loneliness is as a distressing feeling that
accompanies a perceived discrepancy between actual and desired social relationships which is more closely
related to the quality of relationships rather than the number (Peplau & Perlman, 1982). More simply, loneliness
can be defined as perceived social isolation (Cacioppo & Hawkley, 2003). The element of perception here is
critical to an understanding of loneliness, explaining how individuals can live solitary lives and not feel lonely,
while others may have many social relationships and yet still experience feelings of loneliness.
Loneliness is also understood as an evolutionary force. Loneliness is the social equivalent of physical pain,
hunger, and thirst; the pain of social disconnection and the hunger and thirst for social connection motivate the
maintenance and formation of social connections necessary for the survival of our genes (Hawkley & Cacioppo
2010).
Loneliness is seen to be rising across the globe as we increasingly live alone, work from home, and rely on digital
communication. In a recent report, researchers have predicted that loneliness will reach epidemic proportions by
2030 unless action is taken (Holt-Lunstad et al. 2015).
Why does loneliness matter?
Loneliness is increasingly recognised as a public health issue with significant impacts on both physical and
mental health. The current status of research on the risks of loneliness and social isolation is similar to that of
research on obesity three decades ago, however current evidence indicates that heightened risk for mortality
from a lack of social relationships is even greater than that from obesity (Holt-Lunstad et al. 2015).
Easiest to understand is the link between loneliness and mental health. Studies have shown that:
Loneliness shares many symptoms with depression, and lonely people suffer more from depressive
symptoms (Mustaq et al 2014);
In older adults, loneliness is associated with a more than two-fold risk of dementia and a loss of cognition
(Mushtaq et al 2014);
Loneliness is recognised as a contributing, maintaining and poor prognostic factor in the development
of alcohol abuse (Mushtaq et al 2014);
Loneliness is recognised as a source of both acute and chronic stress (Mustaq et al 2014);
Socially-isolated young adults “rated everyday events as more intensely stressful” (Cacioppo & Hawkley
2003); and
Greater loneliness is a predictor of poorer health-related quality of life for individuals who have received
mental health crisis treatment. (Wang et al 2020).
4 Leaders for Geelong 2019/20
Loneliness in Geelong
The links between loneliness and physical health are still being explored, but high levels of loneliness have been
linked to:
Both the incidence of cardiovascular disease and related hospitalisations (Bu et al 2020) and being almost
three times more likely to die following discharge after hospitalisation for heart disease (Christensen et al
2019);
Greater likelihood of being physically inactive, being a smoker, and reporting both health-risk behaviours
(Shankar et al 2011);
Increased vascular resistance (a warning sign of later heart disease) in young adults (Masi et al 2011);
Elevated systolic blood pressure in older adults (Masi et al 2011); and
Poorer quality and less restorative sleep and consequently increased daytime dysfunction (Hawkley et al 2010).
What do we already know about loneliness in Geelong?
To date, there has been little work done to investigate the incidence and impact of loneliness in the Geelong
region, however there are broader studies that help us understand our region.
A 2018 report by the Australian Psychological Society found:
One in four Australian adults are lonely. One in two (51%) Australians feel lonely for at least one day in a week,
while one in four (28%) feel lonely for three or more days;
One in four Australians experience high levels of social interaction anxiety;
Lonely Australians have significantly worse health status (both physical and mental) than connected
Australians;
Lonely Australians are 15% more likely to be depressed and 13% more likely to be anxious about social
interactions than those who are not lonely;
Younger adults (compared to adults over 35) report more social interaction anxiety (among 18–35 year olds)
and more depressive symptoms (among 18–25 year olds);
Higher levels of loneliness are associated with higher levels of social interaction anxiety, less social
interaction, poorer psychological wellbeing and poorer quality of life.
A 2019 survey of young Victorians for VicHealth found:
One in six adolescents and one in three young adults reported feeling problematic levels of loneliness;
Loneliness was associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing higher depression and social anxiety;
and
Young adults reported higher depression, social anxiety, negative affect, and less positive affect when
compared with adolescents.
Loneliness and COVID-19
The impact that COVID-19 and associated public health initiatives are having on loneliness is not fully understood
but is expected to be profound. From some of the research done, loneliness has been seen to be the strongest
predictor of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder in those affected by the pandemic (González-
Sanguino et al 2020). We also know that individuals with lower incomes may be particularly at-risk for the negative
psychological outcomes of COVID-19 (Tull et al 2020).
Interestingly, although being under a stay-at-home order was associated with increased loneliness, the perception
that COVID-19 had a greater impact on one’s daily life was associated with increased social support and reduced
loneliness (Tull et al 2020).
Leaders for Geelong 2019/20 5
Loneliness in Geelong
Data Analysis
We identified and obtained access to two main existing data sources that are relevant to determine the prevalence
and impact of loneliness in the Geelong region. These are tweets posted on the social media platform Twitter and
the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey.
Twitter
We extracted and analysed 1400 Twitter Tweets of Geelong region users who expressed mentions of loneliness
over a 6-week period between June and August 2020. In a Geelong-region first, we applied international social
science research (Kivran-Swaine et al. 2014; Ruiz et al. 2017) to quantify and measure expressions of loneliness
on social media. We then documented the technical process and methods used for the benefit of Barwon Health’s
Data Analytics teams to reproduce, utilise and further develop, if desired.
Our initial findings from this analysis indicate:
The expressions of loneliness vary greatly between people.
Using six primary categories to quantify loneliness, ‘Ambiguous social loneliness’ (where the duration of
loneliness experienced is unclear from the Tweet) and ‘Enduring social loneliness’ describes 80% of the
users analysed.
The highest proportion of ‘lonely’ Tweets were created between 4am to 10am.
Wednesdays and Thursdays were the most frequent days for ‘lonely’ Tweets.
53% of users were seeking interaction from other people.
Other key observations included:
Identified three additional aspects of the expressed loneliness context which were beyond the scope
of original research that we adapted for use here.
» 1) We identified a range of people whose Tweets can be categorised as ‘advocates’ of championing
loneliness awareness;
» 2) There were people who used loneliness as a ‘projectile’ to project an assumed loneliness status
or a threat onto another person;
» 3) The impacts and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Identified that there are no current social media hashtags to capture ‘Loneliness in Geelong’. There is an
opportunity to explore and leverage the design and creation of a #hashtag to represent elevating awareness
of loneliness in Geelong with an aim to drive its trending on social media.
Acknowledge the low sample size of this analysis; more data are needed to form more robust conclusions.
The analysis presented here can augment and enhance existing social and health science data to strengthen
supports for improving the loneliness situation of the Geelong region and nationwide.
Identified that the emotion and feeling triggers for loneliness could be explored further via observations of
linked multimedia content on social media, such as books, songs, videos, memes, poetry and artwork and
measuring the evoked emotional responses from users in the social network.
Identified a pathway to find users with high numbers of followers and observe patterns and behaviours
in tweet content and follower responses who could be used to explore the impact of social influence. An
example guiding query could be, what would happen in the social media community if a high-profile social
influencer changed their views on loneliness?
6 Leaders for Geelong 2019/20Loneliness in Geelong
The 6 primary categories used to quantify the expressions of loneliness are illustrated in the diagram below:
Twitter
Text Post
Transient Enduring Ambiguous
Loneliness Loneliness Loneliness
Individual Social Individual Social Individual Social
Loneliness Loneliness Loneliness Loneliness Loneliness Loneliness
Transient Transient Enduring Enduring Ambiguous Ambiguous
Individual Social Individual Social Individual Social
Loneliness Loneliness Loneliness Loneliness Loneliness Loneliness
The 6 primary categories use these definitions:
Temporal Bounding: This is a reference to the time duration of the experience of loneliness.
There are three sub-categories:
Transient: The expression of loneliness included references to the experience being momentary, at present
or potentially short-lived, such as “I’m so lonely right now”.
Enduring: The expression of loneliness was temporally framed in a way that suggested a long-lasting state,
such as “I hate feeling like this. I’m so lonely and depressed all the time.”
Ambiguous: No mentions or references of any kind of temporal bounding.
Loneliness Type: A reference to the connections and bonds between individuals, groups and networks.
There are three sub categories:
Individual Loneliness: Occurs when a person is missing someone special or close to them such as a spouse
or friend whom they had a close, emotional bond.
Social Loneliness: Refers to the absence of a social network made up of a wide group of friends, neighbours
and colleagues.
Not Loneliness: When no mentions of ‘lonely’ or ‘loneliness’ are observed or the mentions of these words are
outside of the scope and context of human loneliness and do not fit the above descriptions of individual and
social loneliness. Tweets which were flagged as ‘Not Loneliness’ were excluded from this analysis.
Microsoft Power BI was used to explore the initial analysis data before commencing the text analysis component
of the data analysis work.
Leaders for Geelong 2019/20 7Loneliness in Geelong
Twitter Data Exploration
Loneliness Temporal Bounding
Ambiguous
Enduring
Transient
0 200 400 600 800 1000
Total Statuses
Loneliness Types
Social Loneliness
Not Loneliness
Individual Loneliness
0 500 1000
Loneliness Social Context
Online
Offline
0 200 400 600 800 1000
Total Statuses
8 Leaders for Geelong 2019/20Loneliness in Geelong
Context: Context: Context:
Physical Loneliness Romantic Loneliness Somatic Loneliness
160 161
12% 12%
524
38%
844
62%
1,208 1,207
88% 88%
COVID-19 References Intent: Advocating Awareness
Seeking Interaction for Loneliness
313
352 23%
26%
649
47% 719
53%
1,016
1,055
74%
77%
Projecting Loneliness Tweet Contains Emoji
to Another
214
287
16%
21%
Yes
1,081 No
1,154
79% 84%
Leaders for Geelong 2019/20 9Loneliness in Geelong
The text analysis and assembly of the analysis group categories was performed using the R statistical programming
language. The user and tweet frequencies per primary analysis categories are shown in the table below:
Primary Analysis Category Total Users Total Tweets
Ambiguous Social Loneliness 484 631
Enduring Social Loneliness 228 251
Transient Social Loneliness 64 68
Enduring Individual Loneliness 48 52
Ambiguous Individual Loneliness 47 49
Transient Individual Loneliness 12 12
Totals 883 1,063
The preliminary view of the most common words used across all tweets in the data are illustrated in the word-
cloud and summary table below:
10 Leaders for Geelong 2019/20Loneliness in Geelong
Overall Occurrence
Word
Count
feel 225
people 145
friend 98
time 84
covid 68
live 65
lockdown 65
isolation 64
sad 63
day 61
life 57
mental 54
love 53
health 51
social 49
Leaders for Geelong 2019/20 11Loneliness in Geelong
Some examples of popular tweets are shown below. The first, an example of social media influence, a newly
released book which contains “lonely” in the title and evokes a strong empathetic response from social media
users. The second example, a Victorian Government member of parliament broadcasting a public service
message about supports for social isolation, mental health and wellbeing.
Factors associated with loneliness and social isolation and connection
We used data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey to identify a range
of factors associated with loneliness and the related concept of social isolation. The HILDA Survey is an annual
household-based panel study that collects information about economic and personal well-being, labour market
dynamics and family life.
Using the wave of the survey conducted in 2018, we identified 5438 respondents who were categorised as being
from major cities or inner regional locations that were not capital cities, which was the demographic best aligned
with residents in Geelong. Within those respondents, we were able to compare among age groups (focusing on
our target group of 18-24), across states and between those who were from major cities and those who were from
inner regional areas.
We identified those variables that were most likely to be related to (or influenced by) loneliness where there were
sufficient responses to provide a meaningful analysis (>500). These were selected based on the relevant literature
and the analysis of Twitter data described above. This resulted in 1018 variables describing possible factors
associated with loneliness.
To describe loneliness, we focused on the HILDA measures of wellbeing. These included a range of variables
including:
The individual question ‘I often feel lonely’ (referred to here as ‘Loneliness’)
Sense of social isolation
Sense of social connection (i.e. the opposite of isolation)
Satisfaction with life in general
Sense of vitality
Mental health
Overall wellbeing.
12 Leaders for Geelong 2019/20Loneliness in Geelong
The results across those variables were largely consistent, and so we present relevant findings for Loneliness and
Social isolation.
Differences in each wellbeing variable (e.g. loneliness, social isolation and social connection) were assessed using
analysis of variance (ANOVA). Three-way ANOVA assessed differences in age category, state and degree
of remoteness as fixed factors. The analysis was undertaken in the R statistical environment.
In order to understand the factors associated with loneliness, social isolation and social connectedness, we
undertook regression tree analysis. Regression tree analysis sequentially bisects the sample based on the value of
an explanatory variable where the differences between the groups are maximised while minimising the differences
within the groups. The analysis was undertaken in the R statistical environment using the package rpart, using an
ANOVA method, with a minimum split threshold of 50 cases and a complexity parameter (which determines the
amount by which each additional explanatory variable must increase the goodness of fit) of 0.025. We assessed
each wellbeing variable both for only the target 18–24 age category and also for all ages. Here, we present the
findings for the target group, but compare those findings to respondents of all ages.
Further analysis relating to the individual’s parents’ occupations was undertaken by selecting households in
which there was an individual who was aged between 18 and 24 as well as older adults who were possibly his/
her parent(s). To achieve this, we selected households in which there were singles with children or couples with
children. We narrowed these to households where there was at least one person over 25 and at least one person
younger than 25. We then matched household identification numbers and excluded any individuals who were
under 18, over 85 or between 26 and 34 (as they were unlikely to be the parents of an 18 to 24 year old). For
each individual aged between 18 and 24, we identified the degree of regularity of work and income level for the
older female (potentially the mother), the older male (potentially the father) and for both parents (when both were
present). Regression tree analysis was then conducted using those parental factors as possible explanatory
variables. This was used to understand the lists of occupations that were associated with different levels of social
isolation.
Levels of loneliness, social isolation and social connection all varied with age, state and region, and differences
according to age were inconsistent across the states and regions. Our target age group, in general, was lonelier,
felt more socially isolated and had less social connection than all other ages combined (although those >85 were
also more likely to be lonely) (Figure 1). Respondents from inner regional and major cities (excluding capitals) in
Victoria (i.e. including Geelong) reported feeling less lonely, less socially isolated and more socially connected
than those from other states (Figure 2). This suggests that the 18 to 24 year old target is important relatively, but
that the scale of the loneliness issue may be somewhat lower in Geelong than in comparable regions interstate.
50
45 18 to 24
All other ages
40
Degree of isolation/loneliness (%)
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Loneliness Social isolation Less social connection
Figure 1:
Relative level of loneliness, social isolation and social connection for respondents who were aged 18 to 24 compared with other age groups.
The measure of social connection has been reversed so that higher scores represent less social connection, to be consistent with the other two
variables shown. Error bars are standard deviation.
Leaders for Geelong 2019/20 13Loneliness in Geelong
50
45 Regional Victoria
All other regions
Degree of isolation/loneliness (%) 40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Loneliness Social isolation Less social connection
Figure 2:
Relative level of loneliness, social isolation and social connection for respondents who were located in a major city (excluding capitals) or inner
regional area in Victoria compared with other states. The measure of social connection has been reversed so that higher scores represent less
social connection, to be consistent with the other two variables shown. Error bars are standard deviation.
The factors best associated with wellbeing, and loneliness, social isolation and social connection included making
time to connect with friends, physical health, parents’ occupations and community outlook and participation. The
factors best associated with social isolation (Figure 3) were general health, the father’s occupation, the individual’s
attitude as to whether people in their neighbourhood could be trusted, the industry in which the individual
worked and their relationship with their parents. Individuals in poor health reported being more socially isolated,
in general, than those in good health. Those who thought that people in their neighbourhood could be trusted,
particularly if they also had a good relationship with their parents, reported less social isolation than those who did
not. A series of father’s occupations were associated with being more socially isolated. These occupations tended
to be those that were poorly paid, relatively insecure or involve working irregular hours. Having a father who had
such an occupation was compounded by the individual also working in a series of particular industries. Those
industries were associated with having an irregular schedule of work days in a month.
This suggests that overall health is the primary determinant of how socially isolated individuals considered
themselves. This was true for 18–24 year olds, but also for people of all ages. People who are very unwell are
most likely to be socially isolated and lacking in social connection, but also have low satisfaction with life in
general. Parents played a significant role in the level of social isolation. This included the quality of the relationship
with parent as well as the occupation of the parents. The latter may be associated with the overall level of stress
in the household (e.g. young people may be more socially isolated if finances in the family household are tight) or
perhaps the accessibility of parents when young people are seeking connection or assistance (e.g. if parents work
long hours or in the evenings or on weekends). The exact nature of the connection requires further research to
identify. The importance of parents in determining an individual’s social isolation does not appear as important for
other age groups. This likely represents the importance of parents in the lives of 18–24 year olds. The other factor,
the individual’s attitude about the trustworthiness of people in the neighbourhood, was similar to factors across
all age groups (e.g. most of the time people try to be human, making time to connect to friends, most people you
meet succeed by stepping on other people). It is unclear whether these factors determine how socially isolated
an individual feels or whether the degree of social isolation that someone feels colours their perception of others’
trustworthiness. Again, additional research would be needed to clarify this.
Based on these findings, programs to address social isolation and loneliness in 18–24 year olds could be targeted
to those who are unwell, who work irregular hours or whose parents are in poorly paid, insecure occupations
or those involving irregular work hours. Programs could focus on connection with friends and attitudes of
trustworthiness in others, particularly neighbours.
14 Leaders for Geelong 2019/20Loneliness in Geelong
General health
(n = 501)
Good Poor
Father poorly paid or People in this neighbourhood
works irregular hours* can be trusted
(n=298) (n=203)
No Yes Agree Disagree
Least isolated Works irregular days* Relationship with parents Most isolated
(31%, n=206) (n=92) (n=170) (63%, n=33)
No Yes Good Poor
Moderate Very high
Low isolation High isolation
(34%, n=49) (49%, n=43) isolation isolation
(41%, n=129) (54%, n=41)
Figure 3:
A regression tree analysis identifying the factors best associated with the degree of social isolation expressed by 18–24 year olds who live in major
cities or inner regional areas outside capital cities. The tree consists of a sequence of white decision boxes and green terminal nodes. Beginning
at the top of the tree, each decision box contains a condition of an explanatory variable. For any individual, the tree should then be followed the
next box depending on the condition of the relevant explanatory variable (e.g. if health is good, then the three should be followed to the left while,
if health is poor, then the tree should be followed to the right, using the arrows as a guide). The tree should be followed in sequence until a green
terminal node is reached, indicating the likely overall level of social isolation for individuals with that sequence of conditions. Each terminal node
shows the relative degree of social isolation as a percentage (where 0 % is no isolation and 100 % is total isolation) and the number of individuals
to which that box applies (n).
*Two of the conditions identified in the regression tree related to occupations, either of the father or the individual his/herself. The original tree
listed a series of father’s occupations associated with higher or lower isolation, as well as industries in which the individual worked associated with
higher or lower isolation. In order to understand the combination of occupations, further analysis identified that those occupations were likely to
be poorly paid or involving irregular hours (for the father’s occupation) or associated with working irregular days (for the individual’s occupation).
These associations are used here in this figure for ease of interpretation.
Leaders for Geelong 2019/20 15Loneliness in Geelong
Recognising & Coping with Loneliness
As mentioned earlier in the report, loneliness is a subjective experience, making it difficult to definitively identify
and measure. Whilst it is not necessarily considered a medical condition, it can still have significant impacts on
both physical and mental health.
For this reason, like most health conditions, the first step is being aware of and recognising the signs and
symptoms of loneliness. Thus, it is important to raise awareness of loneliness amongst the Geelong community.
Once recognised, the next step is acknowledgement that there is a problem by the individual or assisting the
person suffering.
Loneliness is subjective and can be triggered by, or result from, many different reasons, feelings or circumstances.
Therefore, the best way to prevent or manage feelings of loneliness is to try and understand what is contributing
to these feelings.
Loneliness is often found to be associated with a significant life change that results in a loss in meaningful
connections, social or community network or a sense of belonging or purpose. Whilst many may think isolation is
one-and-the-same as loneliness, these are not always directly linked, as you do not necessarily need to be alone
or isolated to experience loneliness.
Based on our research, it seems that the common factor for experiencing feelings of loneliness appeared to stem
around some form of disconnection, whether it be physical or mentally related.
The following aims to provide a general understanding of signs and symptoms of someone experiencing
loneliness which include but are not limited to:
Withdrawing from social events, calls or social media
Disengaging from, or feeling a lacking sense of community
Having trouble finding meaning in life or a sense of purpose
Feelings of self-doubt, worthlessness or anxiety
Lacking energy and motivation
Having difficulties sleeping or poor-quality sleep
Suffering body aches and pains, headaches, stomach illness
Substantial change in appetite, whether it be an increase or decrease
Drug and alcohol or other substance abuse
16 Leaders for Geelong 2019/20Loneliness in Geelong
Common strategies recommended for coping with or helping someone who is experiencing symptoms
of loneliness include:
Making an extra effort to reach out to family and friends
Encouraging time spent outdoors in the fresh air and sun which can boost serotonin levels
Keeping active and exercising or even join a sporting club
Practicing mindfulness and making time for self-care
Finding a new hobby or making more time to focus on activities you enjoy
Adopting or spending time with pets
Volunteering or getting involved with community-based clubs and events such as:
» Neighbour Day — https://neighbourday.org an annual nationally recognised initiative (refer further details
in the raising awareness section of the report)
Making an effort to get to know your neighbours and people in your local community like small business
owners and employees.
Whilst the above are likely to provide someone relief who is experiencing more mild symptoms of loneliness,
for anyone with more serious or chronic it is recommended that professional help is sought.
(Image reference: https://iqdoodle.com/deal-with-loneliness)
Leaders for Geelong 2019/20 17Loneliness in Geelong
Local Services in the Geelong Region
Loneliness is not a condition. If you have a heart issue you know to go to a cardiologist, if you need some
mental health support you know to go to a psychologist. There is no loneliness doctor and people suffering
from loneliness do not have an easily identifiable way to seek help.
So, to access support, it is important to identify the main trigger for an individual’s loneliness.
In breaking down the providers available in the Geelong region, the following key drivers of loneliness were
identified:
Suffering a psychological crisis
Needing mental health support
Lacking social interactions, for example through local sporting clubs, workplaces, and circles of friends
Being disengaged at school or other educational providers
Living with poverty and an inability to put food on the table
Living with a chronic medical condition.
There is no need to reinvent the wheel, and so instead we aimed to connect existing, professional and successful
providers who can make a difference. We also considered that it would be helpful to attempt to bring hope into
the mix and focus on ‘where do I want to be’ in the future. This approach led to the wording used in the following
list of providers identified.
Lonely but looked after right now
Barwon Health emergency department — A safe place for anyone in crisis.
Come now at University Hospital Geelong, Ryrie Street Emergency entrance, Geelong
Lifeline Geelong — Lifeline is a national organisation that focuses on telephone crisis support.
Phone crisis support 13 11 14 (24/7).
Some informative tools are available their website
https://www.geelonglifeline.org.au/training/toolkits
Lonely but supported
Jigsaw Youth Mental Health Drugs and Alcohol Services — Specialist mental health services
for young people aged 16 to 25.
Three locations are available; get in touch now:
Jigsaw City — Level one, 126 Little Malop St, Geelong, P 4215 8300
Jigsaw Corio — Corio Shopping Centre, Corio, P 4215 8300
Jigsaw Colac — Colac Youth Hub, 15-17 Hart St Colac, P 4215 8300
Headspace — A one-stop-shop for young people who need help with mental health, physical health
(including sexual health), alcohol and other drugs or work and study support.
Learn more by visiting https://headspace.org.au or calling 03 5222 6690.
Mind Works Geelong — NDIA registered provider and an established Mutual Support & Self Help organisation
helping members, friends and families who have experienced mental health uncertainty.
Phone 03 5222 5999 or jump on their website at https://mindworksgeelong.org.au
18 Leaders for Geelong 2019/20Loneliness in Geelong
GROW Geelong Peer Groups — Peer-to-peer led support group, where newer members are supported and
mentored by experienced members who have worked through the Grow Program and have taken on a leadership
role within the group. No prerequisite to attend a Grow group meeting; groups aim for social inclusion for all
members of the community.
If you would like to join a local group (two groups available), please contact vic@grow.org.au or call 1800 558 268.
Barwon Child, Youth and Family — A not-for-profit community organisation supporting children, young people
and their families to be safe, connected and empowered to live well.
Get in touch and learn about their programs through https://www.bcyf.org.au or call 03 5226 8900.
Lonely but social
Read the Play — A mental health literacy program designed for the junior levels of sports clubs.
For more information, call 0422 669 892 or check out the website https://www.readtheplay.org.au
Your workplace social club — If you are employed, check with your colleagues as you may be able to access a
social club run by your organisation. This could include a Christmas party and other regular social events. This is
a good way to meet new people in a more informal setting.
Social groups though Meetup or Facebook – These two social media platforms offer the opportunity to search
and find social groups open to new friends.
Some groups are available here, more to discover:
https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/cities/au/geelong/social
https://www.facebook.com/geelongsocialsmeetup
Lonely but engaged at school
Reconnect (Diversitat) in Geelong or Colac – Mentoring to help young people find the right course that suits
their strengths, interests and career aspirations.
To find out about eligibility and the program, visit https://diversitat.org.au/services/youth-services/reconnect
Lonely but fed
Community meals – Geelong is a tight-knit and generous community with many community organisations
offering some food and a smile.
To know where to go, use the tool https://www.feedgeelong.org.au/where-can-i-eat
Lonely but in good health
Betterhealth.vic.gov.au – Taking care of our physical and mental health can be key to how we feel inside.
Use this website to connect with health care providers.
Some great information about staying connected here https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/blog/
blogcollectionpage/staying-connected
So where to from here? With the support of Barwon Health and the City of Greater Geelong, we can disseminate
information in the community about loneliness: educate about the symptoms, raise awareness and break down
the stigmas associated with it, and connect with an existing provider. There is a lock for every key.
Leaders for Geelong 2019/20 19Loneliness in Geelong
Raising Awareness & Initiatives
As a part of this project, we wanted to include a deliverable that would have an immediate impact on the Geelong
community by raising awareness of loneliness and the local services that are available for support within the
Geelong region.
The following three initiatives were focused on by the project team:
A social media post to raise awareness of loneliness in Geelong region, to be posted and disseminated
by key Geelong based stakeholder and supporter groups.
Neighbour Day, which is a nationally recognised annual initiative
Loneliness Forum, which could be a virtual or physical event targeted at young adults.
Hardcopy awareness raising material (i.e. posters) had also been proposed to be distributed to various
educational institutions as a more focused target to the 18–24-year-old age group however, due to the current
COVID conditions limiting physical access, the decision was made not to proceed.
Social Media Post
The project team, in conjunction with the graphic designer Todd Murphy from Future Boy, have produced a social
media post consisting of a series of four tiles to raise awareness of:
Loneliness and key statistics
Signs and symptoms of loneliness
Ways to manage or prevent feelings of loneliness
Local support services in the Geelong region
Following consultation with representatives at both Barwon Health and the City of Greater Geelong (CoGG),
it was agreed that the messaging within the social media post was to be angled towards recognising signs
and symptoms of loneliness in others rather than those suffering from loneliness themselves.
The following potential key stakeholders and supporters have been identified to disseminate the social media post
and help raise awareness of loneliness within the Geelong region:
Barwon Health
Committee for Geelong (CfG)
City of Greater Geelong
Deakin University
Gordon Institute of TAFE
Western Victoria Primary Health Network
Geelong Cats Football Club
G21
Batforce
641DI (Brendan Fitzgerald)
It is hoped that a number of the identified supporters will circulate the social media post on their various platforms
so as to generate awareness and promote discussion particularly amongst young adults of loneliness and
identifying this increasing health condition. It is also hoped that it will create a ripple that results in future initiatives
to help combat loneliness amongst the Geelong community.
20 Leaders for Geelong 2019/20Loneliness in Geelong Leaders for Geelong 2019/20 21
Loneliness in Geelong
“ We have all known the long loneliness and
we have learned that the only solution is love
and that love comes with community.
— Dorothy Day
22 Leaders for Geelong 2019/20Loneliness in Geelong
Neighbour Day
The project team also wanted to explore interest from Barwon Health, CoGG and other community businesses
and groups to leveraging an existing nationally recognised annual initiative ‘Neighbour Day’ within the Geelong
region.
Numerous surveys and studies, including our own analyses, suggest that loneliness is related to a lack of
community and neighbourhood engagement. One such study by HSBC Bank in 2018 found ”1 in 4 one in four
Australians do not speak to their neighbours, with 19 per cent only knowing their neighbours by sight and seven
per cent saying they wouldn’t know their neighbours if they fell over them.”
“We know that the impacts of feeling lonely and isolated impede your health, whether that’s your mental health or
physical health. The most effective way to reduce loneliness is to make people feel connected to their community.
Those communities may not be geographic – for example, they may be online for LGBTI youth or rural young
people, but what’s important is they share common interests and develop meaningful connections.” advises Irene
Verins, Manager, Mental Wellbeing at VicHealth.
“Social connection is critical for our health and wellbeing. Social connection also makes us feel better as it helps
prevent loneliness, isolation and depression. Neighbours are important because good relationships with others
can transform communities.” (https://neighbourday.org)
Neighbour Day is intended to be an annual celebration of community, encouraging people to connect with those
who live in their neighbourhood. The principal aim of Neighbour Day is to build better relationships with the people
who live around us, especially the elderly and vulnerable. Neighbours are important because good relationships
with others can transform communities. Social connection also makes us feel better as it helps prevent loneliness,
isolation and depression.
Neighbour Day 2021
Whilst Neighbour Day is officially celebrated on the last Sunday in March each year, the purpose of the campaign
is to raise national awareness of the importance of social connection and neighbourly actions throughout the year.
It encourages people to make meaningful connections that last beyond the day itself.
The Neighbour Day 2021 official theme is ‘Every day is neighbour day’, building on the growing movement of
people taking neighbourly actions every day of the year.
The principal aim of Neighbour Day is to increase positive and sustainable social connections between people
and communities throughout Australia. In doing so, Relationships Australia, as the home of Neighbour Day, aims
to support healthy relationships and assist in tackling the loneliness epidemic in this nation.
(https://neighbourday.org/neighbour-day-2021-theme)
Whilst this is not necessarily targeted at the ‘young adults’ demographic, Neighbour Day initiative could have
ongoing positive impacts, breakdown barriers and increase social connections to the broader Geelong community
and be inclusive to all age brackets and demographics.
Leaders for Geelong 2019/20 23“
Loneliness in Geelong
All great and precious things
are lonely.
— John Steinbeck
24 Leaders for Geelong 2019/20Loneliness in Geelong
Loneliness Awareness Raising Forum
Another possible initiative which would need further investigation, organisation and possible funding would be
to hold a forum, be it physical or virtual, focused on loneliness to further raise awareness and provide advice
on ways to identify and deal with loneliness. This ideally would be specifically targeted at the young adult
demographic through promoting the forum through the Deakin University, Gordon Tafe and numerous high
schools in the Geelong region.
An example of a forum with a focus on loneliness is being held on April 15th 2021 at Queensland TAFE –
‘Loneliness Lets Be Connected Forum’ organised by Humanitix and supported by the Sunshine Coast Council.
Refer weblink for more information: https://events.humanitix.com.au/loneliness-let-s-be-connected-forum
Leaders for Geelong 2019/20 25Loneliness in Geelong
Pathway for Future Action
A collaboration has been established with Professor Sharon Brennan-Olsen, the Professor of Social Inclusion
at Deakin University. Professor Brennan-Olsen has engaged with the project and team and together we have
identified several pathways for continuing the project beyond the life of the Leaders for Geelong timeframe.
This includes Masters students at Deakin University and a funding application to the Western Victorian Public
Health Network funding call for social connection partnership grants, developed by Professor Brennan-Olsen,
but including our aims. We have also established connections with researchers at the Australian National
University and have similar opportunities for student project pathways to continue our work.
We have connected with the City of Greater Geelong and are working towards embedding the findings of our
project within their youth programs, and will be seeking endorsement from the Youth Council. We also have
in-principle support from Barwon Heath and Western Victoria Primary Health Network to promote the findings
of this project to their stakeholders and participate in the promotion of the social media post and Neighbour Day
2021.
These avenues provide a clear pathway for future research and action to tackle loneliness in the Geelong region.
26 Leaders for Geelong 2019/20Loneliness in Geelong
Conclusion & Recommendations
Loneliness is subjective and relates to the level of meaningful interactions that individuals have relative to their
expectations or desire.
COVID has been a focus of social media tweets about loneliness, and we have identified a positive proactive
attitude to dealing with loneliness that was not apparent in similar research overseas.
Our target group, 18–24 year olds, are more likely to be lonely or socially isolated than other age groups,
although Victoria seems less affected than some other states. Individuals were more likely to report being
lonely if they:
» were in poor health
» worked in industries with irregular hours
» had parents working in poorly-paid, insecure professions or with irregular hours
» had a poor relationship with their parents
» had a poor perception of people in their neighbourhood.
There are significant numbers of services available in the Geelong region that could benefit from being
promoted by major local stakeholders.
There are existing initiatives such as Neighbour Day that could be promoted more broadly to help raise
awareness and address loneliness in the Geelong region.
We have identified a number of pathways to maintain a legacy from the Loneliness in Geelong project,
embedding the work in research and public health institutions and the City of Greater Geelong.
Leaders for Geelong 2019/20 27Loneliness in Geelong
Thank You
The Loneliness in Geelong project team would like to acknowledge our main sponsor, Frances Diver, Chief
Executive Officer at Barwon Health, and Anna Burgess, Executive Director Strategy and Planning, for her
supportive and enthusiastic encouragement throughout the project. The team also would like to recognise the
significant contribution of Sharon Brennan-Olsen, Professor of Social Inclusion at Deakin University in connecting
the work with existing research and ensuring sustainability of the project.
This report uses unit record data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey.
The HILDA Project was initiated and is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services (DSS)
and is managed by the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research (Melbourne Institute).
The findings and views reported in this paper, however, are those of the authors and should not be attributed to
either DSS or the Melbourne Institute. We thank those associated with the HILDA project for access to the data
analysed here.
Thank you to all the stakeholders who agreed to share their expertise, insights and help better understand
loneliness in Geelong and potential opportunities.
Finally, the project team would like to thank the Committee for Geelong for the opportunity to be part of the
Leaders for Geelong program and their respective employers who supported them to participate.
28 Leaders for Geelong 2019/20Loneliness in Geelong
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Leaders for Geelong 2019/20 29You can also read
