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‘I keep away from people’ – combined vision and hearing loss is isolating more and more older Australians

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/moira-dunsmore-295190">Moira Dunsmore</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/annmaree-watharow-1540942">Annmaree Watharow</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-kecman-429210">Emily Kecman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Our <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health">ageing population</a> brings a growing crisis: people over 65 are at greater risk of dual sensory impairment (also known as “deafblindness” or combined vision and hearing loss). Some 66% of people over 60 have hearing loss and 33% of older Australians have low vision. Estimates suggest more than a quarter of Australians over 80 are <a href="https://www.senseswa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/a-clear-view---senses-australia.pdf">living with dual sensory impairment</a>. Combined vision and hearing loss <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0264619613490519">describes</a> any degree of sight and hearing loss, so neither sense can compensate for the other. Dual sensory impairment can occur at any point in life but is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2012.02.004">increasingly common</a> as people get older. The experience can make older people feel isolated and unable to participate in important conversations, including about their health. <h2>Causes and conditions</h2> Conditions related to hearing and vision impairment often <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-we-lose-our-hearing-and-vision-as-we-age-67930">increase as we age</a> – but many of these changes are subtle. Hearing loss can start <a href="https://www.who.int/teams/noncommunicable-diseases/sensory-functions-disability-and-rehabilitation/highlighting-priorities-for-ear-and-hearing-care">as early as our 50s</a> and often accompany other age-related visual changes, such as <a href="https://www.mdfoundation.com.au/">age-related macular degeneration</a>. Other age-related conditions are frequently prioritised by patients, doctors or carers, such as <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-data/health-conditions-disability-deaths/chronic-disease/overview">diabetes or heart disease</a>. Vision and hearing changes can be easy to overlook or accept as a normal aspect of ageing. As an older person we interviewed for our <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/2123/29262">research</a> told us <blockquote> I don’t see too good or hear too well. It’s just part of old age. </blockquote> <h2>An invisible disability</h2> Dual sensory impairment has a significant and negative impact in all aspects of a person’s life. It reduces access to information, mobility and orientation, impacts <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/09638280210129162">social activities and communication</a>, making it difficult for older adults to manage. It is underdiagnosed, underrecognised and sometimes misattributed (for example, to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbz043">cognitive impairment or decline</a>). However, there is also growing evidence of links between <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.12054">dementia and dual sensory loss</a>. If left untreated or without appropriate support, dual sensory impairment diminishes the capacity of older people to live independently, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.12054">feel happy and be safe</a>. A dearth of specific resources to educate and support older Australians with their dual sensory impairment means when older people do raise the issue, their GP or health professional may not understand its significance or where to refer them. One older person told us: <blockquote> There’s another thing too about the GP, the sort of mentality ‘well what do you expect? You’re 95.’ Hearing and vision loss in old age is not seen as a disability, it’s seen as something else. </blockquote> <h2>Isolated yet more dependent on others</h2> Global trends show a worrying conundrum. Older people with dual sensory impairment become <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.12054">more socially isolated</a>, which impacts their mental health and wellbeing. At the same time they can become increasingly dependent on other people to help them navigate and manage day-to-day activities with limited sight and hearing. One aspect of this is how effectively they can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.25522">comprehend and communicate in a health-care setting</a>. Recent research shows <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12080852">doctors and nurses in hospitals</a> aren’t making themselves understood to most of their patients with dual sensory impairment. Good communication in the health context is about more than just “knowing what is going on”, <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/12/8/852">researchers note</a>. It facilitates: <ul> <li>shorter hospital stays</li> <li>fewer re-admissions</li> <li>reduced emergency room visits</li> <li>better treatment adherence and medical follow up</li> <li>less unnecessary diagnostic testing</li> <li>improved health-care outcomes.</li> </ul> <h2>‘Too hard’</h2> Globally, there is a better understanding of how important it is to <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240030749">maintain active social lives</a> as people age. But this is difficult for older adults with dual sensory loss. One person told us <blockquote> I don’t particularly want to mix with people. Too hard, because they can’t understand. I can no longer now walk into that room, see nothing, find my seat and not recognise [or hear] people. </blockquote> Again, these experiences increase reliance on family. But caring in this context is tough and largely <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2020.572201">hidden</a>. Family members describe being the “eyes and ears” for their loved one. It’s a 24/7 role which can bring <a href="https://doi.org/10.1159/000507856">frustration, social isolation and depression</a> for carers too. One spouse told us: <blockquote> He doesn’t talk anymore much, because he doesn’t know whether [people are] talking to him, unless they use his name, he’s unaware they’re speaking to him, so he might ignore people and so on. And in the end, I noticed people weren’t even bothering him to talk, so now I refuse to go. Because I don’t think it’s fair. </blockquote> So, what can we do? Dual sensory impairment is a growing problem with potentially devastating impacts. It should be considered a unique and distinct disability in all relevant protections and policies. This includes the right to dedicated diagnosis and support, accessibility provisions and specialised skill development for health and social professionals and carers. We need to develop resources to help people with dual sensory impairment and their families and carers understand the condition, what it means and how everyone can be supported. This could include communication adaptation, such as social haptics (communicating using touch) and specialised support for older adults to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09649069.2019.1627088">navigate health care</a>. Increasing awareness and understanding of dual sensory impairment will also help those impacted with everyday engagement with the world around them – rather than the isolation many feel now.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/232142/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/moira-dunsmore-295190">Moira Dunsmore</a>, Senior Lecturer, Sydney Nursing School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/annmaree-watharow-1540942">Annmaree Watharow</a>, Lived Experience Research Fellow, Centre for Disability Research and Policy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-kecman-429210">Emily Kecman</a>, Postdoctoral research fellow, Department of Linguistics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-keep-away-from-people-combined-vision-and-hearing-loss-is-isolating-more-and-more-older-australians-232142">original article</a>.

Body

Julian Assange was isolated for more than a decade. Here’s what that does to the body and mind

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/carol-maher-217811">Carol Maher</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/johanna-badcock-995697">Johanna Badcock</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a> Anyone who lived through the COVID pandemic would likely understand that even a small period of isolation can cause <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35787541/">physical and mental stress</a>. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange – <a href="https://theconversation.com/julian-assange-will-be-freed-after-striking-plea-deal-with-us-authorities-233210">who will return to Australia</a> after reaching a plea deal with the US Department of Justice – is <a href="https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/his-health-is-very-risky-assange-s-brother-fears-for-his-life-20240327-p5ffjw">reported to have suffered</a> various mental and physical challenges during his almost 15 years in some form of isolation. Assange was first arrested in Britain in 2010 after Swedish authorities said they wanted to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/dec/17/julian-assange-sweden">question him over sex crime allegations</a>. After exhausting legal avenues to stop an extradition to Sweden, in June 2012 he entered <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/15/julian-assange-ecuador-london-embassy-how-he-became-unwelcome-guest">Ecuador’s embassy in London</a>, where he remained for seven years. In early 2019, he was <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1S73H5/">jailed for skipping bail</a> and held at London’s Belmarsh prison where he spent most of the following five years fighting extradition to the US. Now, he’s coming home. While we have no idea how Assange is coping from being cooped up inside for so long with few visitors, we do know that isolation can have <a href="https://theconversation.com/my-own-prison-ordeal-gave-me-a-taste-of-what-assange-may-be-feeling-hes-out-but-the-chilling-effect-on-press-freedom-remains-233215">a severe negative impact</a> on many people. <iframe id="qxq2l" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/qxq2l/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <h2>How physical inactivity impacts your body</h2> Physical activity is vital for <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/articlepdf/2712935/jama_piercy_2018_sc_180005.pdf">overall health</a>. It keeps your heart strong, helps manage weight, and builds muscle and bone strength. Regular exercise also lifts your mood, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, and sharpens your mind. Plus, it boosts your <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7195025/">immune system</a>, making you more resistant to infections and diseases. When you don’t move enough, especially in isolation, your health can take a hit. Muscles weaken and joints stiffen, making you less strong and flexible. Your <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/01.CIR.102.9.975">heart health</a> suffers, too, raising the risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes because your heart isn’t getting the workout it needs. Metabolic issues such as obesity and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6908414/">type 2 diabetes</a> become more common with inactivity, especially if you don’t have access to healthy food. Isolation often means less fresh air and sunlight, both crucial for good health. Poor ventilation can lead to <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/8/2927/pdf">respiratory problems</a>. Lack of sunlight can cause <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article-pdf/95/6/2630/9067013/jcem2630.pdf">vitamin D deficiency</a>, weakening bones and the immune system, and increasing the risk of fractures. These effects fit with the reports that Assange suffered a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/mar/23/today-i-will-marry-the-love-of-my-life-julian-assanges-fiancee">mini-stroke</a> in 2021 and a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/feb/18/julian-assange-press-freedom-wikileaks-uk-high-court">broken rib</a> from persistent coughing fits while in isolation. <h2>What about mental health?</h2> Social disconnection comes in two main forms, both of which have serious consequences for our mental health. The first is social isolation. The reasons for being isolated are many and varied, including geographical distance, lack of access to transport, or incarceration. The end result is the same: you have few relationships, social roles or group memberships, and limited social interaction. The second form of social disconnection is more invisible but just as harmful. <a href="https://psychology.org.au/for-the-public/psychology-topics/loneliness">Loneliness</a> is that subjective, unpleasant feeling of wanting but lacking satisfying relationships with others. You can be isolated and not feel lonely, but the two are often unwelcome bedfellows. Social connection is not a luxury. It’s a fundamental need, as essential to our health as food and water. Just as hunger reminds us to eat, <a href="https://healthymale.org.au/health-article/what-is-loneliness-and-social-isolation">loneliness acts as a signal</a> alerting us that our social relationships are weak and need to be improved if we are to remain healthy. The science around the health impacts of social disconnection is clear, especially when it is prolonged. So much so, the World Health Organization recently launched a <a href="https://www.who.int/groups/commission-on-social-connection">Commission on Social Connection</a> to increase awareness of the impact of social isolation and loneliness on health and have it recognised as a global health priority. Substantial evidence shows social isolation and loneliness are linked to poorer cognitive functioning and an increased risk of dementia, though possibly in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9995915/">different ways</a>. Among adults aged 50 years and over, chronic (meaning persistent and severe) loneliness and social isolation may increase the risk of dementia by <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13651501.2021.1959616">around 50%</a>. A lack of cognitive stimulation that naturally occurs when interacting with others, whether it’s old friends or strangers, might explain <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9995915/">the link</a> between social isolation and cognitive difficulties (think “use it or lose it”). On the other hand, loneliness <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9995915/">may impact cognitive health</a> through its effects on emotional wellbeing. It’s <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-13049-9">a well-known risk factor</a> for developing depression, anxiety and suicidality. For instance, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35583561/">studies show</a> the chances of developing depression in adults is more than double in people who often feel lonely, compared with those who rarely or never feel lonely. Other research examining 500,000 middle-aged adults over nine years showed living alone doubled the risk of dying by suicide for men, while loneliness <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33096330">increased the risk of hospitalisation</a> for self-harm in both men and women. In a <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf">2023 report</a>, the US Surgeon General’s advisory concluded: <blockquote> Given the totality of the evidence, social connection may be one of the strongest protective factors against self-harm and suicide among people with and without serious underlying mental health challenges. </blockquote> <h2>What about after release?</h2> When a person leaves long-term isolation, they’ll face many challenges as they re-enter society. The world will have changed. There’s a lot to catch up on, from technological advancements to shifts in social norms. In addition to these broader changes, there’s a need to focus on rebuilding physical and mental health. Health issues that developed during isolation can <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30460-8/fulltext?cid=in%3Adisplay%3Alfhtn0&dclid=CNKCgb7nle0CFVUkjwodG0YCkg">persist or worsen</a>. A weakened immune system might struggle with new infections in a post-COVID world. To navigate this transition, it’s important to establish a routine that includes regular exercise, nutritious meals and comprehensive medical and psychological care. Gradually increasing social interactions can also help in rebuilding relationships and social connections. These steps are supportive in restoring overall health and wellbeing in a changed world.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/233214/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/carol-maher-217811">Carol Maher</a>, Professor, Medical Research Future Fund Emerging Leader, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/johanna-badcock-995697">Johanna Badcock</a>, Adjunct Professor, School of Psychological Science | Freelance Research Consultant, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a> Image credits: Ray Tang/Shutterstock Editorial This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/julian-assange-was-isolated-for-more-than-a-decade-heres-what-that-does-to-the-body-and-mind-233214">original article</a>. </div>

Mind

Technology is alienating people – and it’s not just those who are older

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/carolyn-wilson-nash-1255329">Carolyn Wilson-Nash</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-stirling-1697">University of Stirling</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/julie-tinson-277507">Julie Tinson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-stirling-1697">University of Stirling</a> We take it for granted that technology brings people closer together and improves our access to essential products and services. If you can’t imagine life without your smartphone, it’s easy to forget that people who can’t or don’t want to engage with the latest technology are being left behind. For example, there have recently been reports that <a href="https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/cars/1618497/parking-poll-results-cashless-car-parks-card-smartphone-app-only-elderly-drivers-spt">cashless payment systems</a> for car parking in the UK are seeing older drivers unfairly hit with fines. This has led to calls for the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10851103/Esther-Rantzen-tells-ministers-pensioners-not-use-apps-pay-parking.html">government to intervene</a>. Age is one of the biggest predictors of <a href="https://ageing-better.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-08/landscape-covid-19-digital.pdf">digital exclusion</a>. Only 47% of those aged <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/itandinternetindustry/bulletins/internetusers/2019">75 and over</a> use the internet regularly. And out of the 4 million who have never used the internet in the UK, only 300,000 people are <a href="https://ageing-better.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-08/landscape-covid-19-digital.pdf">under 55</a>. But older people are not the only ones who feel shut out by new technology. For example, research shows vulnerable people, such as those with disabilities, are also disengaging with e-services and being <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0267257X.2012.691526">“locked out” of society</a>. <h2>The digital transition</h2> From train tickets to vaccine passports, there is a growing expectation that consumers should embrace technology to participate in everyday life. This is a global phenomenon. Out in front, Sweden predicts its economy will be <a href="https://sweden.se/life/society/a-cashless-society">fully cashless</a> by March 2023. Shops increasingly use QR codes, virtual reality window displays and self-service checkouts. Many of these systems require a smart device, and momentum is building for QR codes to be integrated into <a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/technology-and-supply-chain/the-time-has-finally-arrived-for-electronic-shelf-labels-heres-why/661068.article">digital price tags</a> as they can give customers extra information such as nutritional content of food. Changing paper labels is a labour intensive process. Technology pervades all aspects of consumer life. Going on holiday, enjoying the cinema or theatre, and joining sport and social clubs all make people feel part of society. But many popular artists now use online queues to sell tickets to their shows. Social groups use WhatsApp and Facebook to keep their members updated. When it comes to booking a holiday, there is a <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/919811/number-of-travel-agents-united-kingdom-uk/#:%7E:text=Overall%2C%20there%20were%203%2C710%20retail,as%20TUI%20and%20Hays%20Travel.">decreasing number</a> of in-person travel agents. This limits the social support to make the best choice, which is particularly important for those with specific needs such as people with health issues. And once travelling, aircrew expect flight boarding passes and COVID passports to be available on smartphones. Essential services such as healthcare, which can already <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0267257X.2022.2078861">be difficult</a> for older and other people to navigate, are also moving online. Patients are increasingly expected to use the GP website or email to request to see a doctor. Ordering prescriptions online is encouraged. <h2>Not just older people</h2> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/digital-lifeline-a-qualitative-evaluation/digital-lifeline-a-qualitative-evaluation">Not everyone can afford</a> an internet connection or smart technology. Some regions, particularly rural ones, struggle for phone signal. The UK phone network’s plans for a <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-61377944">digital switchover</a> by 2025, which would render traditional landlines redundant, could cut off people who rely on their landlines. Concerns about privacy can also stop people using technology. Data collection and security breaches impact people’s confidence in organisations. A 2020 survey into <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/risk-and-resilience/our-insights/the-consumer-data-opportunity-and-the-privacy-imperative">consumers’ trust</a> in businesses showed no industry reached a trust rating of 50% for data protection. The majority of respondents (87%) said they would not do business with a company if they had concerns about its security practices. Some people view “forced” digitisation as a symbol of consumer culture and will limit their technology use. Followers of the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228310981_The_Voluntary_Simplicity_Movement_Reimagining_the_Good_Life_Beyond_Consumer_Culture">simple living movement</a>, which gained momentum in the 1980s, try to minimise their use of technology. Many people take a “less is more” <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JCM-04-2020-3749/full/html">approach to technology</a> simply because they feel it offers a more meaningful existence. One of the most common reasons for digital exclusion, however, <a href="https://www.iriss.org.uk/resources/esss-outlines/digital-inclusion-exclusion-and-participation">is poverty</a>. When the <a href="https://www.local.gov.uk/parliament/briefings-and-responses/tackling-digital-divide-house-commons-4-november-2021">pandemic hit in March 2020</a>, 51% of households earning between £6,000 to £10,000 had home internet access, compared with 99% of households with an income over £40,000. Limited access to tablets, smartphones and laptops can result in feelings of isolation. Many older consumers have developed strategies to manage and overcome the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0267257X.2021.1945662">digital challenges</a> presented by these devices. But those unable to <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-older-people-are-mastering-technology-to-stay-connected-after-lockdown-165562">engage with technology</a> remain excluded if their family and friends don’t live close by. <h2>Smart change</h2> The solution is not simply to give devices to those without smart technology. While there is a need to provide affordable internet access and technology, and offer support in learning new skills, we need to recognise diversity in society. Services should provide non-digital options that embrace equality. For example, cash systems should not be abolished. There might be a demand for services to become digital, but service providers need to be aware of the people who will be isolated by this transition. Retailers, local councils, health providers and businesses in tourism, entertainment and leisure should try to understand more about the diversity of their consumers. They need to develop services that cater for the needs of all people, especially those without access to technology. We live in a diverse world and diverse consumers need choice. After all, access to and inclusion in society is a human right.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/184095/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/carolyn-wilson-nash-1255329">Carolyn Wilson-Nash</a>, Lecturer, Marketing and Retail, Stirling Management School, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-stirling-1697">University of Stirling</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/julie-tinson-277507">Julie Tinson</a>, Professor of Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-stirling-1697">University of Stirling</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/technology-is-alienating-people-and-its-not-just-those-who-are-older-184095">original article</a>. </div>

Technology

A guide to overcoming loneliness during the holidays

<div title="Page 1"> <div> Navigating the holiday season during adulthood isn’t always smooth sailing. Often, the arrival of the festive period can bring with it a sense of loneliness. Whether it’s being away from family or missing out on celebrations, the holiday blues can be hard to shake and for many, the significance of togetherness during the holidays can accentuate feelings of isolation or detachment. </div> <div> Offering her insight on how to overcome these emotions, Jacqui Manning, resident psychologist at Connected Women, an organisation that facilitates friendships for women over 50 shares her top tips to help you enjoy a more connected and fulfilling holiday season. </div> <div> Acknowledge Your Feelings “It’s ok to admit that you feel lonely. In fact, it’s the first step to overcoming and accepting these feelings,” explains Jacqui. “Christmas is traditionally a time that is associated with togetherness and so recognising your emotions is the foundation for developing effective coping strategies. Reach out to the friends you do have, family or support groups and let them know you might need extra support during this time. You should also invest in your mental wellbeing, either by incorporating mindfulness techniques to help break any negative thoughts or creating a mindset of gratitude by reflecting on the positive aspects of your life. Both these techniques can shift your focus towards positivity.” </div> <div> Invest in Yourself If you’re feeling down, Jacqui suggests prioritising self-care. “Investing in yourself is an act of self-love and resilience. It shifts the focus from external pressures to internal fulfilment, fostering a deep sense of empowerment. This approach is particularly valuable during the holidays, as it allows you to create a positive and nurturing environment for yourself.” Find New Connections Prevention plays an essential role in mitigating the risks of social isolation before they take hold. When it comes to combating loneliness, it’s all about identifying the connections you might be missing and actively seeking ways to build them. Jacqui explains, “In the modern-day era that we are in, recognising the potential of technology is vital. If you don’t have anyone nearby, dive into the online world to explore nearby community meetups or virtual events; I assure you, you’ll discover something that aligns with your interests, and you'll find others who are in a similar situation to you,” Jacqui concludes. </div> <div> “Whether you want to relax in a bubble bath, use the holiday season as an opportunity to discover a new hobby or simply spend more time outdoors to connect with nature, remember that these intentional acts of self-investment are gifts to your own well-being. Taking time for yourself is not only a deserved treat but a crucial element of maintaining balance and happiness.” <div title="Page 2"> As the festivities draw near, it’s essential to tune in to your own needs, invest in self-care and actively seek connection, whether with new or pre-existing relations. These steps will not only contribute to your well-being but also serve to enrich and elevate your experience throughout the festive season. About Connected Women Phoebe Adams is the co-founder of Connected Women, an organisation providing a community for women over 50 to connect and build meaningful friendships. With a rapidly growing community in Perth, Sydney, Wollongong, Melbourne and Geelong, Connected Women provides a safe and welcoming space for women to come together and share experiences. To learn more about the organisation and how you can get involved, visit <a href="https://www.connectedwomen.net" target="_blank" rel="noopener">connectedwomen.net</a>. Image credits: Getty Images </div> </div> </div>

Family & Pets

The world’s least visited countries revealed

The world’s least visited countries have been revealed for those who like their holidays to be well and truly off the grid. These 10 countries should be on the travel bucket lists of those who prefer to be away from everyone and everything, and who revel in a crowd-free getaway. According to the <a href="https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/least-visited-countries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations World Tourism Organisation</a> 2023 report, these ten countries welcome very few tourists for a range of logistic reasons. Some of these remote countries are lying in hard-to-reach corners of the globe, while others are just “too small to host vast numbers of tourists”. However, they're all worth the effort for a traveller after a certain kind of holiday, as they offer golden beaches, crystal clear waters and blissful isolation. The country that came in at number one, as the least visited country in the world, was the country of Tuvalu, which welcomes just 3,700 annual visitors. Tuvalu is located 1,000km north of Fiji in the west-central Pacific Ocean, just below the equator. The three coral islands and six atolls that make up the country have a total land mass of around 10 square miles, making it the fourth-smallest country in the world. Sadly, the future of Tuvalu is uncertain, as the small country is expected to be a victim of climate change, with rising sea levels putting the country and its residents in danger. Tuvalu is also tricky to reach, with no direct international flights, and only three flights a week running to the island from Fiji. Here is the full top 10 list of the least visited countries in the world. 10. Guinea-Bissau. Annual visitors: 52,000 9. Comoros. Annual visitors: 45,000 8. São Tomé and Príncipe. Annual visitors: 34,900 7. Solomon Islands. Annual visitors: 29,000 6. Montserrat. Annual visitors: 19,300 5. Micronesia. Annual visitors: 18,000 4. Kiribati. Annual visitors: 12,000 3. Niue. Annual visitors: 10,200 2. Marshall Islands. Annual visitors: 6,100 1. Tuvalu. Annual visitors: 3,700 Image credits: Getty Images / Shutterstock

International Travel

Feeling lonely? Too many of us are. Here’s what our supermarkets can do to help

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/louise-grimmer-212082">Louise Grimmer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> Even <a href="https://endingloneliness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Ending-Loneliness-Together-in-Australia_Nov20.pdf">before COVID-19</a>, <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/resources/resource-sheets/understanding-and-defining-loneliness-and-social-isolation">social isolation and loneliness</a> were all too common across the community. Living among millions of other people is no comfort for people in cities, where the pace of life is often hectic, and technology and digitisation often limit, rather than help with, social interaction. The pandemic <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/amp-amp0001005.pdf">amplified these problems</a>. In its wake, more of us report we’re lonely. For some, a weekly shopping trip may be the only chance to interact with others. A supermarket chain in the Netherlands is helping to combat loneliness with so-called “slow” checkouts where chatting is encouraged. Could a similar approach work here? <h2>We’re getting lonelier</h2> Around a third of Australians report feeling lonely. <a href="https://lonelinessawarenessweek.com.au/download/512/">One in six</a> experience severe loneliness. According to the annual Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (<a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/hilda/publications/hilda-statistical-reports">HILDA</a>) Survey, people <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-17/social-media-work-hours-cost-of-living-rising-loneliness/102563666">aged 15 to 24</a> report the greatest increase in social isolation over the past 20 years and the highest rates of loneliness. Another <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-14/middle-aged-men-experiencing-high-level-loneliness/102563492">Australian survey</a> found men aged 35 to 49 had the highest levels of loneliness. Loneliness and social isolation are <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-17/social-media-work-hours-cost-of-living-rising-loneliness/102563666">not the same</a>. Social isolation is a matter of how often we have contact with friends, family and others, which can be measured. Loneliness is more subjective. It describes how we feel about the “quality” of our interactions with others. Technology is <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/live-long-and-prosper/202210/technology-use-loneliness-and-isolation#:%7E:text=Technology%20compulsion%20might%20lead%20to,disconnection%20and%20reduce%20well%2Dbeing.">contributing</a> to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-17/social-media-work-hours-cost-of-living-rising-loneliness/102563666">high rates of loneliness</a>. Instead of meaningful face-to-face interactions, many of us now rely on social media, phone apps and video calls to socialise. We’re also working longer hours, often at home. And due to the cost of living, many of us are choosing to stay home and save money, rather than eat out or go to “the local”. It isn’t only in Australia where this is happening. In the UK, around <a href="https://www.lonelinessawarenessweek.org/statistics">3.9 million older people</a> say television is their main company. Half a million may go five or six days a week without seeing anyone. The World Health Organisation <a href="https://www.who.int/teams/social-determinants-of-health/demographic-change-and-healthy-ageing/social-isolation-and-loneliness">recognises</a> loneliness and social isolation as public health issues and priorities for policymakers. These issues seriously affect people’s mental and physical health as well as longevity. The impacts are comparable with other <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-023-15967-3">risk factors</a> such as smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity and not being physically active. <h2>Could slow, ‘chatty’ checkouts be part of the solution?</h2> For many, a visit to the supermarket may be the only time they interact with others. Sadly, increased use of technology, including self-serve checkouts, and cashiers tasked with speedily processing customers can make it challenging to have a conversation. <iframe title="The FASTEST checkout cashier ever😮 TikTok: rogerlopez7511" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TpALSOvw4LU" width="100%" height="750" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Four years ago, the Netherlands’ second-largest supermarket chain, <a href="https://jumbo.com">Jumbo</a>, introduced Kletskassa or “chat checkout”. It’s for shoppers who want to chat and aren’t in a hurry. Recognising loneliness was an issue for many, the idea was to increase social interaction between customers and staff by slowing things down and encouraging conversation. Jumbo’s chief commercial officer, Colette Cloosterman-van Eerd, <a href="https://www.dutchnews.nl/2021/09/jumbo-opens-chat-checkouts-to-combat-loneliness-among-the-elderly/">explained</a>: <blockquote> Many people, especially the elderly, sometimes feel lonely. As a family business and supermarket chain, we are at the heart of society. Our shops are an important meeting place for many people, and we want to play a role in identifying and reducing loneliness. </blockquote> The first Kletskassa, in Vlijmen in Brabant, was so successful the family-owned company started rolling out slow checkouts in <a href="https://www.dutchnews.nl/2021/09/jumbo-opens-chat-checkouts-to-combat-loneliness-among-the-elderly/">200 of its stores</a>. Not only were customers responding positively, the concept also appealed to Jumbo’s employees. They are trained to recognise signs of loneliness and come up with local initiatives to combat social isolation. Cloosterman-Van Eerd said: <blockquote> We are proud our staff want to work the chat checkout. They really want to help people and make contact with them. It’s a small gesture but it’s a valuable one, particularly in a world that is becoming more digital and faster. </blockquote> The original focus of Jumbo’s initiative was older shoppers. However, the trial showed people of all ages were keen to use the Kletskassa. The desire for human interaction didn’t change across age groups. So, these “chatty” checkouts are open to anyone who will benefit from social connection. Some Jumbo stores also have an <a href="https://www.brightvibes.com/dutch-supermarket-introduces-a-unique-chat-checkout-to-help-fight-loneliness/">All Together Coffee Corner</a>, where locals can enjoy a coffee and chat with neighbours and volunteers who also <a href="https://scoop.upworthy.com/dutch-supermarket-introduces-a-unique-slow-checkout-lane-to-help-fight-loneliness-595693-595693">help out</a> with shopping and gardening. The Netherlands’ government is partnering a range of organisations, local government and companies to come up with solutions to combat loneliness across the country. Some 50% of the 1.3 million people over 75 report they regularly feel lonely. Jumbo’s initiatives are part of the Health Ministry’s <a href="https://www.globalwellnesssummit.com/blog/governments-ramp-up-the-war-on-loneliness/">One Against Loneliness</a> campaign. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/11SY0wG6Zc8?wmode=transparent&start=10" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Jumbo supermarket’s innovation of slow chat checkouts has been extended to 200 of its stores.</figcaption></figure> <h2>Supermarkets as ‘third places’ to combat loneliness</h2> In the 1980s, sociologist Ray Oldenberg coined the term <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00986754">“third place”</a> – a place that’s not home (the “first place”) and not work (the “second place”). Third places are familiar public spaces where people can connect over a shared interest or activity. Libraries, coffee shops, book stores, community gardens, churches, gyms and clubs are examples of third places. They all provide the opportunity for close proximity, interaction and often serendipitous conversations with other people we might not usually meet. Kletkassa have helped thousands of people, of all ages and backgrounds, by providing a few minutes of kindness and conversation. Imagine what could be achieved if our supermarkets offered their own version of the “slow checkout” for anyone who’s in need of a chat to brighten their day. The first chain to introduce this sort of initiative in Australia would have a solid advantage over competitors through differentiation and prioritising customers. At the same time, it would make a small but meaningful contribution to improving social wellbeing. Challenge extended!<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211126/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/louise-grimmer-212082">Louise Grimmer</a>, Senior Lecturer in Retail Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/feeling-lonely-too-many-of-us-are-heres-what-our-supermarkets-can-do-to-help-211126">original article</a>.

Caring

“I didn’t want to come out!”: Spanish mountaineer emerges after 500 days underground

When Spanish mountaineer Beatriz Flamini descended into her cave - and home for the next 500 days - the world was an entirely different place. COVID-19 restrictions were still enforced, Queen Elizabeth II was still alive and on the throne, war hadn’t been declared in Ukraine, and Flamini herself was only 48. She entered the cave on November 20 2021, and while she was forced to surface for eight days while repairs were made to a router - one used for transmitting audio and video - she spent that brief period isolated in a tent. And then, a year and a half later, a 50-year-old Flamini emerged from 230 feet underground outside of Granada, Spain. And while most would be eager for some sunshine and some company after such a stint, Flamini had an entirely different take, informing everyone that she had actually been sound asleep when her team came to collect her. “I thought something had happened,” she said. “I said, ‘already? Surely not.’ I hadn’t finished my book.” And when it came to whether or not she’d struggled while down there, Flamini was quite to declare “never. In fact, I didn’t want to come out!” To keep herself occupied during the marathon stay, Flamini tried her hand at a whole host of popular pastimes, from knitting to exercising, painting, knitting, and reading. The effort paid off, the days flying by as the determined mountaineer successfully lost track of time. “On day 65, I stopped counting and lost perception of time,” she explained. “I didn’t talk to myself out loud, but I had internal conversations and got on very well with myself. “You have to remain conscious of your feelings. If you’re afraid, that’s something natural, but never let panic in, or you get paralysed.” Flamini was given a panic button in case of emergency, but she never felt the need to use it. And while her support team were on hand to give her clean clothing, provide essential food, and remove any waste that had accumulated, they were not to talk to her. “If it’s no communication it’s no communication, regardless of the circumstances,” Flamini said of that particular decision. “The people who know me knew and respected that.” As for what comes next, Flamini will now be studied by a team of experts - psychologists, researchers, and the like - to determine what impact the isolation of her extended time below might have had on her. Images: Getty, Sky News

Travel Trouble

For some LGBTQ+ older people, events like World Pride can be isolating – we need to better understand how to support them

<a href="https://sydneyworldpride.com/">World Pride</a> has come to Sydney, with the annual <a href="https://sydneyworldpride.com/events/mardi-gras-parade/">Mardi Gras Parade</a> on Saturday having returned to its Oxford Street home for the first time in three years. The 17-day festival is expected to host 500,000 participants over more than 300 events. It is an opportunity to celebrate all things queer, and a good time to take stock of the changes LGBTQ+ older people have experienced, and the challenges they continue to face. LGBTQ+ people aged in their 70s, 80s and 90s have witnessed extraordinary social change regarding gender and sexual diversity. For example, in Australia, same-sex marriage is now legal, <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/where-transgender-is-no-longer-a-diagnosis/">Gender Identity Disorder</a> has been removed as a clinical diagnosis, and all states have an equal age of consent for homosexual and heterosexual sex. These have been hard-fought gains after many years of adversity and advocacy on the part of LGBTQ+ older people, among others. Each year, the <a href="https://www.78ers.org.au/">78ers</a> – who were involved in the Sydney marches and protests between June and August 1978 – take pride of place towards the front of the parade. <h2>Loneliness and social isolation</h2> Despite these achievements, the consequences of living most of one’s life in a homophobic and transphobic society have been considerable, particularly in terms of mental illness and social isolation. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00918369.2021.2005999?journalCode=wjhm20">Australian</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34326557/">US</a> research indicates loneliness is more common among lesbian, gay and bisexual older people than the general population. This is particularly so for those who live alone and are not in a relationship. Similar findings are reported in relation to <a href="https://www.lgbtagingcenter.org/resources/pdfs/LGBT%20Aging%20and%20Health%20Report_final.pdf">transgender older people</a>, although more research is needed. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00918369.2021.2005999?journalCode=wjhm20">Loneliness</a> is also more common among lesbian and gay older people who are disconnected from LGBTQ+ communities and who hold negative attitudes towards their own same-sex attraction. For LGBTQ+ older people experiencing social isolation and loneliness, what might be their experience of watching World Pride from a distance? What might it be like navigating rainbow paraphernalia while shopping at <a href="https://www.coles.com.au/about/sustainability/better-together/our-team/pride">Coles</a> (a World Pride partner)? How might they perceive the glitz and glamour of the Mardi Gras Parade? World Pride may be challenging for those who don’t feel an attachment to LGBTQ+ communities or who feel negative about their own sexuality. And this may reinforce a sense of disconnection. But some may gain comfort from witnessing the sense of community on display. It may even strengthen their perceived connection to other LGBTQ+ people. And, for those who are not open about their sexuality or authentic gender, it may support their journey to “come out” later in life. <h2>The impact of discrimination</h2> For many LGBTQ+ older people, the experience of discrimination remains very real in their lives. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33770516/">Past and recent discrimination</a> leads to delays seeking treatment and support, simply because people expect to be discriminated against when accessing services. In Australia, previous discrimination has been found to predict <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00918369.2021.2005999?journalCode=wjhm20">loneliness</a> and <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/ageing-and-society/article/abs/recent-versus-lifetime-experiences-of-discrimination-and-the-mental-and-physical-health-of-older-lesbian-women-and-gay-men/90988215582414EA0AB7936B6384FC97">lower mental health</a> among older lesbian and gay people. In the US, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6779303/">microaggressions</a> – small everyday interactions that reinforce the experience of being “other” – have predicted greater impairment, higher rates of depression and lower quality of life among LGBTQ+ people aged 80 and over. There remain major gaps in evidence on the issues faced by LGBTQ+ older people, particularly for bisexual, queer, transgender and nonbinary older people. This is mainly due to the failure to systematically collect inclusive data on gender and sexual diversity, through variables such as those recommended by the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/standards/standard-sex-gender-variations-sex-characteristics-and-sexual-orientation-variables/latest-release">Australian Bureau of Statistics</a>. <h2>Strengths and resilience</h2> This year, older people seemed to occupy a more prominent place in the Mardi Gras Parade. Perhaps this is because of the natural ageing of our community activists. Older people were also represented in the wider World Pride festival, such as in the theatre production <a href="https://sydneyworldpride.com/events/all-the-sex-ive-ever-had/">All the Sex I’ve Ever Had</a>, in which older Sydney residents reflect on the evolution of their sexuality over the course of their lives. A festival like World Pride showcases the strengths and resilience of LGBTQ+ people and communities. The organisation of such an event should not be underestimated. This reflects LGBTQ+ people’s high level of civic engagement and commitment to giving back to society, as demonstrated by their greater likelihood of being <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0312407X.2021.1899256">volunteers</a> and <a href="https://www.caregiving.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2015_CaregivingintheUS_Final-Report-June-4_WEB.pdf">caregivers</a>. And the contribution of volunteers and caregivers during the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and ‘90s is not forgotten. LGBTQ+ older people generally are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5241752/">resilient and maintain good health</a>. Many report increased <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13178-021-00653-z">confidence and self-esteem</a>, compared with when they were younger. And many have created their own families – their families of choice – to support each other in later life. But we don’t know enough about their needs and how to provide them with inclusive services as they get older. World Pride is an opportunity to reflect on the hard-won gains but not ignore the challenges ahead. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/for-some-lgbtq-older-people-events-like-world-pride-can-be-isolating-we-need-to-better-understand-how-to-support-them-200533" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Caring

Why loneliness is both an individual thing and a shared result of the cities we create

If you’re feeling lonely, you’re not alone. Loneliness is an <a href="https://www.ipsos.com/en/loneliness-increase-worldwide-increase-local-community-support">increasingly common experience</a>, and it can have severe consequences. People who feel lonely are at <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-010-9210-8">higher risk of serious health issues</a>, including heart disease, immune deficiency and depression. Traditionally, loneliness has been viewed as an individual problem requiring individual solutions, such as psychological therapy or medication. Yet loneliness is caused by feeling disconnected from society. It therefore makes sense that treatments for loneliness should focus on the things that help us make these broader connections. The places where we live, work and play, for example, can promote meaningful social interactions and help us build a sense of connection. Careful planning and management of these places can create <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/loneliness-annual-report-the-third-year/tackling-loneliness-annual-report-february-2022-the-third-year">population-wide improvements in loneliness</a>. Our research team is investigating how the way we design and plan our cities impacts loneliness. We have just published a <a href="https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1gNq14pqpjtIuw">systematic review</a> of research from around the world. Overall, we found many aspects of the built environment affect loneliness. However, no single design attribute can protect everyone against loneliness. Places can provide opportunities for social interactions, or present barriers to them. Yet every individual responds differently to these opportunities and barriers. <h2>What did the review look at?</h2> Our review involved screening over 7,000 published studies covering fields such as psychology, public health and urban planning. We included 57 studies that directly examined the relationship between loneliness and the built environment. These studies covered wide-ranging aspects from neighbourhood design, housing conditions and public spaces to transport infrastructure and natural spaces. The research shows built environments can present people with options to do the things we know help reduce loneliness. Examples include chatting to the people in your street or neighbourhood or attending a community event. However, the link between the built environment and loneliness is complex. Our review found possibilities for social interaction depend on both structural and individual factors. In other words, individual outcomes depend on what the design of a space enables a person to do as well as on whether, and how, that person takes advantage of that design. Specifically, we identified some key aspects of the built environment that can help people make connections. These include housing design, transport systems and the distribution and design of open and natural spaces. <h2>So what sort of situations are we talking about?</h2> Living in small apartments, for example can increase loneliness. <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10901-020-09816-7">For some people</a>, this is because the smaller space reduces their ability to have people over for dinner. Others who live in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X15000112">poorly maintained housing</a> report similar experiences. More universally, living in areas with good access to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X19001569">community centres</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyab089">natural spaces</a> helps people make social connections. These spaces allow for both planned and unexpected social interactions. Living in environments with good access to destinations and transport options also protects against loneliness. In particular, it benefits individuals who are able to use <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glu069">active transport (walking and cycling) and high-quality public transport</a>. This finding should make sense to anyone who walks or takes the bus. We are then more likely to interact in some way with those around us than when locked away in the privacy of a car. Similarly, built environments <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.21711">designed to be safe</a> — from crime, traffic and pollution — also enable people to explore their neighbourhoods easily on foot. Once again, that gives them more opportunities for social interactions that can, potentially, reduce loneliness. Environments where people are able to express themselves were also found to protect against loneliness. For example, residents of housing they could personalise and “make home” reported feeling less lonely. So too did those who felt able to “<a href="https://doi.org/10.7870/cjcmh-2002-0010">fit in</a>”, or identify with the people living close by. <h2>Other important factors are less obvious</h2> These factors are fairly well defined, but we also found less tangible conditions could be significant. For example, studies consistently showed the importance of socio-economic status. The interplay between economic inequalities and the built environment can deny many the right to live a life without loneliness. For example, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/19491247.2021.1940686">housing tenure</a> can be important because people who rent are less able to personalise their homes. People with lower incomes can’t always afford to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1440783320960527">live close to friends</a> or in a neighbourhood where they feel accepted. Lower-income areas are also notoriously under-serviced with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2020.102869">reliable public transport</a>, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1471-2458-14-292">well-maintained natural spaces</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2007.11.002">well-designed public spaces</a>. Our review reveals several aspects of the built environment that can enhance social interactions and minimise loneliness. Our key finding, though, is that there is no single built environment that is universally “good” or “bad” for loneliness. Yes, we can plan and build our cities to help us meet our innate need for social connection. But context matters, and different individuals will interpret built environments differently. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-loneliness-is-both-an-individual-thing-and-a-shared-result-of-the-cities-we-create-198069" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Caring

Australia’s ‘most isolated’ property could be yours

A parcel of land in Tasmania is up for grabs, but unlike other vacant lots on the market right now, this one offers seclusion and undisturbed ocean views. The 100-acre lot is located on the western side of King Island, Bungaree, overlooking the Southern Ocean. According to <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/253-buttons-road-bungaree-tas-7256-2017573996?gclid=Cj0KCQiAg_KbBhDLARIsANx7wAw9ka8CM9bZOC-j1ZlJxaoSebxdZwvNNYs1NYPIUosFh-7dIBZZF5waAr97EALw_wcB?utm_source=nine.com.au&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=editorial-content" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the listing</a>, made through Circa Heritage and Lifestyle Property Specialists, the block serves as the perfect opportunity “to create an oasis” fit for nature lovers, environmentalists or “anyone in search of seclusion and privacy”. Along with its proximity to the ocean, the property includes a heart-shaped dam and creek that runs into the ocean. There are no other properties in sight either, so if its new owner builds their dream home they will just have the birds, fish, and kangaroos to keep them company. “It is said there is 'something special' about the water quality on this acreage with it's heart shaped dam and permanent creek running to the ocean where thousands of crayfish were released by the Tasmanian Government and where the locals say the crayfish from these waters gown three years faster than anywhere else in the Southern Hemisphere!” the listing says. “Add to this abalone fishing at your fingertips, an enormous array of fish and bird species passing through throughout the year from the Northern Hemisphere, a private sandy swimming and surfing beach, a well-protected bay for launching your own boat safely and easily and even a cray fishing licence available and you have what can only be described as a nature lover's paradise.” The property has potential for cattle, sheep and goats, while abalone and cray fishing are on its doorstep. While it is isolated and private, the property’s future owner can still socialise, with the island offering golf courses, cafes and restaurants at its heart and Melbourne at just a 45-minute flight away. “'253 Buttons Road' offers the opportunity to create a stunning and secluded family home, holiday retreat, boutique tourism venture or off-grid, eco-friendly haven in a pristine and unspoiled location,” the listing reads. Images: Circa Heritage and Lifestyle Property Specialists

Real Estate

If you experienced ‘Blursday’ during lockdown, you’re not alone

After two years of mask-wearing, hand sanitising, lockdowns and social distancing, it’s safe to say we’re all experiencing some side effects of going through a global pandemic. If you feel like time has slowed down or Mondays feel like Wednesdays and Wednesdays feel like Fridays, you’ve likely experienced a feeling recently dubbed ‘Blursday’ - and you’re not the only one. A team of scientists have now captured what living in ‘Blursday’ is like, and have published their findings in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-022-01419-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nature Human Behaviour</a>. Using data from surveys conducted in nine countries - gathered through 14 questionnaires and 15 behavioural tasks - during the first two years of the pandemic, the team of researchers found that feelings of isolation affected our sense of time, including feelings of time grinding to a halt. Maximilien Chaumon, a researcher at the Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière in France and coauthor on the study, told <a href="https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/it-s-not-just-you-lockdowns-had-us-living-in-blursday-study-says-70422" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Scientist</a> of how a fellow researcher saw COVID as an opportunity to gain an insight into the complex phenomenon that is our perception of time. “When we talk about our senses, [not] our sense of time but our sense of vision, touch, and so on, we think about those sensory receptors,” he explained. “And time perception does not have such receptors. It is a psychological construct, actually, that has a very multifactorial origin that is very complex.” Chaumon said the pandemic provided the perfect chance to collect data on this concept, explaining that our sense of time is incredibly influenced by our environment, emotional state and how isolated we are, which in turn can affect our wellbeing and mental health. “This is sort of the angle that triggered this study, in the sense that this massive disruption that COVID-19 created, with its lockdown, on our daily routine, the way we use our time, the way time unfolds during the day, and initial reports of people reporting being lost in their week, not knowing whether it was today or whether it was Monday or Tuesday and so on,” Chaumon added, By compiling a range of tasks to measure different aspects of our time perception, along with psychological scales that measure anxiety and depression, the team hoped to correlate the tasks and measures. Wibbly wobbly time causes wibbly wobbly health problems Theirs isn’t the first to study our perception of time or the effects the pandemic have had on it. <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fu7061146.ct.sendgrid.net%2Fls%2Fclick%3Fupn%3D4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUaUp6sA-2BpAvcl9YHzVa412QC1m3ibG-2FC3WQYczSIN1ZeXjTw-2F-2FSDFk4BOzJ4zXx-2Fvw-3D-3DLypt_LUT5diG96CqPUCpHtTdEJL2b31V0MmXDDBFBEm0nPEbHc8MtQdGxiyqTf-2FzdAPZDSx9IaeyAwnFz9OTaNQFX-2BXQLL8NMAAKx-2FL8IrpwUjzdetB7ZKmCghKO52pZka6HGYFTMHI-2B-2Fe-2BJS6LfwGws67A744zSx8i0Vtoc20FSpJ-2FY8ZMNMbQJlM8bC-2FeElv-2B99BECt8HWdJ0JCLCokbTc4kBOuKcR5lBaDkTG2apoJrHyzEYaHEX-2Bx1-2B-2F82umfOSV3S2GvH5vXKwhUg7158G3vtov5dTRfjj5yJu2iMqiZQRyCHDmZg-2Bz4smKOIckwZVBpH-2BFGnRcww1nHSSSRxw-2FRTNWsefWy1jyO4slKTgvThQY-3D&data=05%7C01%7Clilly.nguyen%40latimes.com%7C9f19770ffc344ce0549a08da853c1f96%7Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%7C0%7C0%7C637968790511475387%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=bumpnIH0Ne%2BwT6N9Sv850G8Sd44L7vlbxB9aHIcysko%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Another study</a> published in 2022, based on surveys conducted in just the US, found that people have been losing their sense of time because of the pandemic, collective trauma caused by it, and additional challenges we’ve faced in recent times, including unemployment, financial hardships, supply shortages, death, and climate change. E. Alison Holman, a professor in nursing at UC Irvine who has been studying the relationship between trauma and time perception and is a co-author on the study, said in a recent interview that not addressing this change in how we sense time can put us at greater risks in terms of our mental health. “Having your sense of time get messed up to the extent that it really screws you up in terms of where you see yourself going in your life, in the context of the loneliness that people were experiencing and the social isolation, it’s an open question now that I’m trying to address,” Holman <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/08/220823170747.htm">said</a>. “How does that alter your sense of time? How might the social isolation of the pandemic have contributed to that alteration in your sense of time because you’re spending all of this time by yourself? "Given that distortions in time perception are a risk factor for mental health problems, our findings have potential implications for public health.” What can we do to readjust our sense of time? According to Holman, regaining a sense of time relies on reintegrating our past and present, as well as rebuilding our future. “When you think about your life and who you are, you have a past. Your past is a big part of who you are today. We have a past, a present, which we are doing right now, and a future that we hope to get to,” Holman said. “What happens to people is they end up getting stuck in the trauma. As time moves on, they don’t mentally move on. “Being able to reintegrate one’s past with the present — knowing where I am now and where I’m going, the future. That’s really important for mental health.” Image: Getty Images

Mind

Major changes to Covid-19 rules

Covid-19 restrictions are set to ease across the country as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced major changes to the current rules. Following national cabinet on Wednesday afternoon, Albanese announced that the mandatory seven-day isolation period will be scrapped from September 9th. The isolation period for Covid-positive people with no symptoms will be reduced from seven days to five days, allowing them to return to work sooner with precautions. However, Albanese said the seven-day period will remain for workers in high-risk settings including aged care and disability care as per advice from the chief health officer. “If you have symptoms we want people to stay home. We want people to act responsibly,” Albanese said. “This was a proportionate response at this point in the pandemic.” The PM also announced that mandatory mask-wearing on domestic flights will also be scrapped. Masks will also no longer be legally required on domestic flights from next Friday, bringing flights in line with requirements in domestic terminals where mandatory face coverings were ditched in mid-June - along with the relaxation of mandates in most settings across the country. “We’ll continue to assess these issues and what restrictions are appropriate at any point in time,” Albanese said. Amid the new changes, the PM also said the eligibility for the $750 emergency leave support would be updated to reflect the change to five days, meaning the payment will be cut to $540. Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

Should I still go on holiday if I have COVID?

Your flights are booked, your bags are packed, and in your mind you’re already sunning yourself by the beach with a cocktail. With summer in full swing in the northern hemisphere, and most <a href="https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus?gclid=CjwKCAjw_ISWBhBkEiwAdqxb9u_dVdg0T_EbAlN8bWRd2HBUnc0oogiIZwtoZBjIZgzx2W30V6WgZBoCHE8QAvD_BwE">COVID-related restrictions</a> behind us, travel is back on the agenda for many people. But at the same time, <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/articles/coronaviruscovid19/latestinsights">COVID cases</a> in the UK are rising. So what if you’re unlucky enough to catch COVID just before your long-awaited getaway? Given most countries have stopped requiring negative tests to enter, can you just go anyway? “Obviously not – you don’t want to go and infect another country”, my 13-year-old responded when I asked him this question. But is the answer as obvious as my teenage son seems to think? The first thing to note is that other countries may still have COVID restrictions in place, so entry might be restricted altogether, or you may be prevented from travelling with COVID due to <a href="https://theconversation.com/are-covid-19-vaccine-passports-fair-163838">testing, vaccination or quarantine rules</a>. You can check the requirements in different countries using <a href="https://apply.joinsherpa.com/map?affiliateId=sherpa&language=en-US">this map</a>. But assuming you’ve checked the rules for the country you’re visiting, and you’re legally allowed to travel even with COVID, what should you do? This is clearly an ethical question, and what seems like an obvious answer to one person might not be so obvious to others. First, let’s look at the facts. The combination of vaccination and effective treatments for severe COVID has changed the situation compared with 2020 or 2021. The ratio of deaths to infections <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/articles/coronaviruscovid19latestinsights/deaths">continues to become more favourable</a>, and while the potential for a new, more harmful variant is an ongoing concern, the risks from COVID are becoming increasingly similar to risks faced from many other infectious diseases. Given this, and the fact that it’s becoming harder to find a COVID test (or certainly a free one), it may be more pertinent to consider the question in relation to infectious diseases more generally. <h2>Weighing up the risks</h2> If you’re planning to travel while knowingly ill, there would seem to be risks both to you and others. For instance, people generally don’t like the idea of being sick far from home, and buy travel insurance in the hope it will ensure they’re cared for should they become unwell (or get worse) while abroad. But while taking out insurance shows one level of concern for health risks, these concerns are by definition quite self-centred. Considering risks to other people, travelling with an infectious disease clearly carries the potential of passing the disease on to others. With all diseases, certain sections of the population will be more vulnerable. So where a virus like COVID might result in only mild cold-like symptoms for you, it could be fatal for someone else. But working out who may be vulnerable so that you can then avoid them if you’re sick is very difficult. There are also plenty of people who care for vulnerable people, and could easily pass an infection on. Being careful and wearing a mask <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-your-face-mask-protect-you-or-other-people-142612">will help to a certain extent</a>, but the obvious solution for protecting vulnerable people and their carers is to avoid mixing in large groups altogether. A second health risk is the possibility of being the cause of a new, geographically distinct outbreak. This is especially worth considering in countries with less developed healthcare systems or poorer availability of vaccines. A mild variant of a disease like COVID in the UK (which has a high vaccination rate) may well be significantly more lethal in a country where a lower proportion of the population is vaccinated. A final thing to consider is that no one has a “right” to go on holiday. Broadly speaking, “rights” are socially or legally determined, and while certainly many of us are very tired of COVID and the restrictions we’ve had to endure over the past couple of years, it’s difficult to argue that this frustration means we have a “right” to travel. Just because something is legal does not mean it is a right. <h2>Changing attitudes</h2> It’s interesting to note that the experience of the last couple of years – the first true pandemic in most people’s lifetime – has changed general attitudes towards infection and health risks, so that behaviour that was socially acceptable before COVID is now no longer considered appropriate. In particular, the pandemic has increased the <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-wearing-a-cloth-face-mask-is-less-about-science-and-more-about-solidarity-138461">public’s awareness</a> of infection control. While previously many people would have perhaps drawn a moral distinction between passing on clearly severe infectious diseases like tuberculosis or Ebola, they were often more relaxed about spreading milder diseases like influenza or the common cold. The experience of COVID has changed this as more people have <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-76763-2">come to realise</a> infections that are mild in most people can be highly risky for some. So should you go on holiday if you have COVID? I would argue that the answer to this question is similar to considering what you should do more generally if you have COVID at home, or indeed any other infection: stay away from others and <a href="https://theconversation.com/caught-covid-heres-what-you-should-and-shouldnt-do-when-self-isolation-isnt-mandatory-179441">treat the illness with respect</a>. Maybe you can achieve this if your holiday involves driving on your own, or with a small number of people you’ve previously had close contact with. Perhaps you (or your group) may also be able to stay away from others until you have recovered. But if your intention is to fly, stay in a hotel, or visit tourist hot spots, I refer you to the comment from my 13-year-old son: “Obviously not – you don’t want to go and infect another country”. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-i-still-go-on-holiday-if-i-have-covid-186185" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

Targeting shooters: technology that can isolate the location of gunshots

Inexpensive microphone arrays deployed in urban settings can be used to pinpoint the location of gunshots and help police respond instantly to the scene of crimes, scientists say. The process works by recognising that a gunshot produces two distinct sounds: the muzzle blast, and the supersonic shockwave that follows it. Luisa Still of Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Germany, told a meeting of the <a href="https://acousticalsociety.org/asa-meetings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Acoustical Society of America in Denver, Colorado</a>, this week that by using those two signals – in a process akin to that by which seismologists track seismic waves from earthquakes – police departments armed with the right equipment could pinpoint the location of the shot within seconds. It’s not as straightforward as it sounds. In an urban environment, buildings and other structures can reflect, refract or absorb sound waves, causing the sounds of the shot to come at the microphones from any number of directions. But it turns out, Still says, that it only takes two such sensor arrays to locate the source of a gunshot — and a good computer can do so very quickly. In tests, her team began on a rifle range, where they confirmed that a pair of such microphone arrays could indeed determine the location of the shooter to a high degree of accuracy. They then moved to an urban environment, where they repeated the experiment, though in this case the shooter was replaced with a propane gas cannon of the type used by farmers to scare away crop-eating birds. Again, two microphone arrays were all that were needed to zero in on the source of the “shot”. Not that this can work anywhere, any time. Still’s signal-location algorithms require maps of the surrounding buildings, the walls of which might affect the sound and, in extreme cases, create “blind spots” if microphone arrays aren’t properly deployed. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p192812-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> <form class="wpcf7-form mailchimp-ext-0.5.61 resetting spai-bg-prepared" action="/technology/technology-isolate-location-gunshots/#wpcf7-f6-p192812-o1" method="post" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="resetting"> <input class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text referer-page spai-bg-prepared" name="referer-page" type="hidden" value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/technology-isolate-location-gunshots/" data-value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/technology-isolate-location-gunshots/" aria-invalid="false" /> </form> </div> </div> She also notes that research is ongoing as to whether it is better to put microphones at ground level or atop neighbouring buildings. There’s also continuing research around how many might be needed in complex urban cores, where there are a lot of buildings of varying height and echo patterns can become very convoluted. “We still need to evaluate [that],” she says. There’s also the need to weed out noises that sound like gunshots, such as firecrackers, car-engine backfires and anything else that makes a sudden bang. “We are working on classification methods,” Still says, noting that these involve computerised “deep learning” methods that can be trained to distinguish such sounds. Could similar sensors be deployed within a school building in order to locate a school shooter even more quickly that is currently possible? Still was asked. “Oh, yeah,” she said. “I think that would be applicable.” Though she noted that it might also be acoustically “very challenging” to put into practice. Later that same day, 19 school children and two adults were killed in Uvalde, Texas, in America’s worst grade-school shooting in nearly a decade. Would the death toll have been lower if gunshot sensors such as Still’s were widely deployed? Who knows? But it was one of the most stunningly prescient scientific presentations imaginable, because she spoke less than an hour before the Uvalde gunman opened fire. It was far too late for her research to be able to deflect the tragedy that was about to unfold, but close enough to it to underscore the urgency of what she was doing.  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=192812&title=Targeting+shooters%3A+technology+that+can+isolate+the+location+of+gunshots" width="1" height="1" />  <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/technology-isolate-location-gunshots/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/richard-a-lovett" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Richard A Lovett</a>. Richard A Lovett is a Portland, Oregon-based science writer and science fiction author. He is a frequent contributor to Cosmos. Image: Getty Images </div>

Technology

Why Grant Denyer had the "worst Valentine's Day ever"

TV personality Grant Denyer has tested positive for Covid-19, in what he has called the "worst Valentine's Day ever".The 44-year-old shared a series of photos to his Instagram, showing him laying on a bed looking forlorn with a box of tissues close at hand.“I’ve been Covid’d,” he wrote. “It ain’t pretty but I’m coping."“Swipe to see the family’s reaction from the safety of outside my bedroom window while I isolate inside."“P.S. Worst Valentine’s Day ever.”<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF;border: 0;border-radius: 3px;margin: 1px;max-width: 540px;min-width: 326px;padding: 0;width: calc(100% - 2px)" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ8pS8bJZOu/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"><div style="padding: 16px"><div style="flex-direction: row;align-items: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 40px;margin-right: 14px;width: 40px"> </div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 100px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0"> </div><div style="height: 50px;margin: 0 auto 12px;width: 50px"> </div><div style="padding-top: 8px"><div style="color: #3897f0;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 550;line-height: 18px">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0"> </div><div style="flex-direction: row;margin-bottom: 14px;align-items: center"><div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px;flex-grow: 0;margin-right: 14px;margin-left: 2px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 20px;width: 20px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 2px solid transparent;border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom: 2px solid transparent"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: auto"><div style="width: 0px;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right: 8px solid transparent"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;flex-grow: 0;height: 12px;width: 16px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left: 8px solid transparent"> </div></div></div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center;margin-bottom: 24px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 224px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 144px"> </div></div><a style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: 17px;text-decoration: none" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ8pS8bJZOu/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Grant Denyer (@grantdenyer)</a></div></blockquote>Grant's other photos show his wife Chezzi holding a homemade sign that reads, "Happy Valentine’s Day! Thanks for my gift ... homeschooling ... AGAIN!”His eldest daughter’s card reads, “Hi Daddy. Sorry you have COVID. Hope u get better. We love you.”He then shared a video of him exchanging messages with his daughter via her cue cards asking how he was feeling, and saying she loves him.The post racked up comments from other high-profile figures, with his fellow Dancing with the Stars contestant Dean Wells saying, "Genius way to avoid participating in V day big fella!! Respect."The Project host Peter Helliar, who also had Covid late last year, commented saying, "Welcome to the club! Get well soon."Image credits: Instagram @grantdenyer

Caring

New contender for loneliest house in the world

What was previously known as the “world’s loneliest house” may now only be the world’s second loneliest house, thanks to a new contender found in Italy’s Dolomite Mountains. The previous title-holder is a home located on a deserted island near Iceland, which has sat empty for almost a century, managing to look extremely picturesque while doing so. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CPMnlMVg5cD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CPMnlMVg5cD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by STYLE MAGAZINES (@stylemagazines)</a> </div> </blockquote> The challenger that has emerged is called the Buffa di Perrero, and it is located on Monte Cristallo in the Dolomite Mountains. The house is carved into the side of a sheer rock face, and overlooks a sharp drop, but still features brick walls, a roof, four framed windows, and a camping chair. It’s believed that war is the reason for the hut’s strange location; a number of ‘bivouacs’ were built by Italian soldiers during World War I as a way to gain strategic advantage over enemies. A bivouac shelter is a makeshift campsite used primarily by soldiers, backpackers, or mountain climbers. The shelters were used by soldiers to rest and store their gear. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0Aoz22CQdj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0Aoz22CQdj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by FiudaKatana (@fiuda710)</a> </div> </blockquote> Climbers can access the hut via a mountain trail, or an improvised rope ladder, but locals warn that accessing the abode requires a “high level of fitness”. The Via Ferrata, or ‘Iron Path’, features steel ladders and cables added for particularly treacherous parts of the trail. A series of photos and videos posted to Instagram in 2019 by one intrepid adventurer show a man sitting on the camping chair at the front of the home, as well as a video of some of the cables on the trail leading to the hut. The caption reads, “This is my new bivouac, you want to live here with me?” Local newspaper Il Dolomiti reported that the hut had been rendered unusable for climbers after the roof gave way. Images taken by a mountain rescue team show snow having come through a collapsed section of the roof. Image: Instagram

Real Estate

How to watch these 5 short films from the Byron Bay International Film Fest

The yearly <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbff.com.au/blog/bbff-returns-in-2021-with-a-special-edition-programme-of-inspiring-and-uplifting-films" target="_blank">Byron Bay International Film Festival</a> has returned for 2021, featuring a combination of feature-length and short films from Australia and around the world. With this year’s theme being ‘Shining Light in Darkness’, the festival lineup includes films that reflect life in isolation, processing loss, and finding happiness in unexpected places. The films will be screened at the Palace Byron Bay cinema and the Lennox Head Cultural Centre between December 17 and 21. Luckily, those who can’t make the festival can still catch these five films. Mourning Country <img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846411/film-fest1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b9ad562690f9491289aba18ea0c0e302" /> ‘Mourning Country’ shares the personal experience of Budawang Elder Noel Butler. Image: Supplied Opening with shots of burnt landscape and charred remains as Budawang Elder Noel Butler calls for animals no longer there, Mourning Country explores the grief felt for the country’s unique wildlife to bushfires. The six-minute film follows Butler as he walks through the ashes of his property - destroyed in the 2019 Currowan fire - where his home and the Aboriginal Cultural Centre once stood. Capturing his mourning for the flora and fauna that once lived there and the life that begins to flourish, the film speaks to the “destructive loss” of life that comes from improper management of the land. Mourning Country is available to watch <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.ryanandrewlee.com/cinematography/mourning-country" target="_blank">here</a>, on cinematographer Ryan Andrew Lee’s website. The Kicked Dog <img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846412/film-fest2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/39189f2a6983404c8d9d704c478c4b79" /> Alan Ford (pictured) stars alongisde Clive Russell in the black comedy 'The Kicked Dog'. Image: Supplied A black comedy from writer and director Max Hemmings, The Kicked Dog stars Alan Ford and Clive Russell (Game of Thrones) as Alan and Terry, two feuding brothers attempting to reconcile over a low-rent heist. As aged East End gangsters from a bygone era, they have limited time to mend their relationship before Terry’s dementia sets in. The Kicked Dog is due to be released online in July, 2022. Mirador <img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846415/film-fest9.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/705d33c849ac4e76889a8b6cacab4210" /> Performance artist Angela Goh pushes film equipment through the Phoenix Central Building in a scene from Mirador. Image: Supplied An experimental look at performance art, Mirador follows performance artist Angela Goh as she navigates the winding interior of the Phoenix Central Building, a private performance space in Sydney. The film plays with perspective and distortion as Goh takes us through dark corridors, down stairwells, and along thin beams, showing how buildings can contain mysteries. Watch the film <a rel="noopener" href="https://versusversus.com.au/work/mirador/" target="_blank">here</a>. Our Country <img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846414/film-fest8.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/82ff7d376b60479091d640c6e2890239" /> 'Our Country' is filmed on Dunghutti Country and features members of the community sharing their stories. Image: Supplied Though only five minutes long, Our Country explores the connection between people, country and culture for members of the different generations of the South West Rocks community of Dunghutti Country, on the NSW Mid North Coast. Keen to check it out? Head <a rel="noopener" href="https://robertsherwoodfilms.com.au/portfolio/our-country-short-film" target="_blank">here</a> to watch it. Lotus <img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846413/film-fest6.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/52bb2b5714cd4ec78762a0aa4ac4d19e" /> Angelika Furstler recreates her near death experience in 'Lotus'. Image: Supplied Filmed almost completely underwater in the Mayan Cenotes, Lotus is inspired by filmmaker Angelika Furstler’s own near-death experience in Mexico while facing her biggest fear. It is a film that explores how one can grow from pain, anxiety and fear to find coherence, harmony and flow. Since Lotus is showing in international film festivals, the film’s <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.angelikafurstler.com/lotus-shortfilm" target="_blank">website</a> says it isn’t publicly available as of yet. It is expected to be launched online, and keen viewers can sign up to be notified when it is released.

Movies

Feeling lonelier during Covid? A lack of physical touch could be to blame

With COVID-19 restrictions making us stay 1.5 metres away from others or relying on technology to see friends and loved ones, it’s unsurprising that we are feeling lonelier than before. But new international research has found that a lack of physical touch can have negative impacts on mental health and feelings of loneliness. The team conducted an online study of 1746 people during the first wave of lockdowns in early 2020. The survey included questions asking participants about their intimate, friendly, and professional touch experiences before and during COVID-19 restrictions, as well as self-reported measures about their wellbeing. They found that those who experienced more intimate touch in the week before the study reported lower levels of anxiety and feelings of loneliness. For those who reported a lack of intimate touch, they also reported increased levels of anxiety and greater feelings of loneliness. They also found that intimate touch was the type of touch most craved by participants. Since physical touch is an important aspect of intimate and romantic relationships, with previous work suggesting that touch can buffer feelings of social isolation, the researchers argue that it is especially important during times of distress, such as during the pandemic. The team also suggested that physical and intimate touch may work as a “protective factor” against common reactions to the pandemic, such as anxiety, stress, and depression. What we can do about it Though we still can’t touch or hug others, staying connected can still protect us from feeling lonely. Video conferencing technology has boomed as a result of the pandemic, but switching to alternative methods of keeping in contact can help you stay in touch without encountering as much ‘Zoom fatigue’. This could look like switching to phone calls and texts, sending voice notes, or penning letters to your loved ones. In times of distress, it is important to fend off social isolation, even if it can’t be done through physical touch. The study was published in <a rel="noopener" href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.210287" target="_blank">Royal Society Open Science</a>. Image: Getty Images

Mind

How to stay connected during lockdown

The physical distance caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on many people. With millions of people around the world isolated from their loved ones, technology has become the key to staying in touch. Research has proven that this distance has had extreme mental and physical effects within elderly populations, with an overwhelming sense of loneliness troubling many individuals. The US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine said in a publication in 2020 that social isolation risks a 50 percent associated increase in dementia, as well as a 29 percent risk of heart disease and a 32 percent increased risk of stroke. Geriatrician Laurie Archbald-Pannone spoke to The Conversation and offered several tips for seniors to stay socially connected during periods of isolation. “Stay in touch with the people close to you, especially those who are social distancing too,” she wrote. “The CDC recommends that communities create ‘buddy systems’ to make sure vulnerable and hard-to-reach people stay connected, particularly to news about COVID-19.” Local and state governments have also introduced various programs and systems to help their local communities stay connected and engage with each other. The Victorian government introduced the Coronavirus Support for Multicultural Seniors grants program, providing up to $2000 in funding to multicultural seniors’ groups during the pandemic. This program provides assistance to support vulnerable individuals, and build strong connections with communities during a difficult time. The federal Department of Social Services is offering its ‘Seniors Connected Program’, designed to address loneliness and social isolation experienced by older Australians aged over 55 living in the community. These initiatives have been a global effort, with each country finding their own ways to help their elderly citizens stay connected through technology. Image credit: Shutterstock

Technology

Five maskless men give insane response to police questioning

<div class="post-body-container"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Five men who had tested positive for COVID-19 in country NSW but then allegedly breached their self isolation orders after they’d been escorted back to south-west Sydney, have been fined $5000 each. The five men were sitting at a footpath table on Monday morning when police went up to them, asking they why they were not wearing masks. The officers spoke to the men, who revealed they had tested positive to COVID-19 in rural NSW and had been ordered to self-isolate for 14 days after being escorted back to Sydney on August 23. Following the police inquiries, all five men – aged 23, 25, 26, 31 and 32 – were issued $5000 Penalty Infringement Notices for not complying with the public health orders. Escorted back to their premises for self-isolation. The men were escorted back to their premises to continue their mandatory isolation. This comes after Premier Gladys Berejiklian has warned that October will be the “worst time” for the state’s intensive care units and health system. NSW reported another record number of new COVID cases on Monday, with four deaths, 1,290 local infections, and western Sydney remaining the main area of transmission. “We anticipate that the worst month, the worst time for our intensive care units will be in October," said Berejiklian. "The number of cases we have in intensive care will depend on our vaccination rate and also on the number of cases, and we all have a hand in determining what that looks like. “Vaccination is the key in terms of our freedom and reducing the spread of the virus,” she added.. Image: Getty Images </div> </div> </div>

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