Dr Sue Ferguson Following submission of my piece on Overcoming Loneliness, in the Seniors Section of the 2020 April Issue, a lot has changed. Now as seniors, we have to be extra careful about social distancing. I’d rather call it physical distancing from others, as it’s more important than ever to try to keep socially connected. If you’re looking for ideas for how to keep up your social connections, and possibly even build them during this time of COVID-19 (and why this is so important for your own mental and physical health too), then have a look at this...

Dr Sue Ferguson There is a lot of research now showing that having a sense of meaning or purpose is linked to not just psychological benefits, but also to physical health and even to longevity. Part of the meaning we experience in our life is linked to our sense of having a purpose (or reason) for living. Mark Zuckerberg says “purpose is that sense that we are part of something bigger than ourselves, that we are needed – that we have something better ahead to work for.” But we don’t need some major achievement – we are not all Mother...

Isabella Ross Losing a loved one, not to mention a partner, is one of the hardest things we can go through. In the later years of life, loss is understandably more common. So, it is important to learn a range of coping strategies and to hold onto hope during times of grief. A recent report from Seniors Online Victoria, devised a list of helpful interventions aimed at reducing isolation and loneliness in older Australians. ‘Loneliness is a big issue. Our community don’t see it, but it is there. What we do see is the tip of the iceberg,’ revealed...