Loneliness

By Susan Strongman: Retired and living alone in Hamilton, Mum ticks a lot of the boxes that put her at risk of loneliness. Audio

There's a reading revolution happening in Aotearoa; a community initiative where people are coming together (albeit by Zoom right now) to read literature aloud and chat about whatever a story or poem… Audio

A recent study out of Australia showed that about a third of people there would rather spend time with their pets than people, with women more likely to prefer their furry friends to humans. And it's… Audio

Research from the University of California has found that people who adopt unique rituals to make everyday tasks more meaningful can help ease loneliness. Professor Thomas Kramer discusses the… Audio

Being locked down also means for many people being locked out of meaningful face to face interactions - for them, Level 3 is a tense and frustrating time.  Audio

In a world where robots are replacing people and you can rent a friend, economist and author Noreena Hertz talks to Kathryn Ryan about loneliness. She has been named as "one of the world's leading… Audio

A study on the health and well-being of Kiwis has found our rangatahi are feeling less connected than other age groups.  Audio

Loneliness is natural, normal and very common – but it's also bad for our health, says Dr Vivek Murthy, former surgeon general of the United States. Being lonely can increase our risk of heart… Audio

Many have revelled in a return to a simpler life due to Covid-19. Professor Emrys Westacott, who wrote The Wisdom of Frugality, says this is a time to reflect on whether the type of society we had… Audio

The lockdown has reinforced the notion that humans are a social species who aren't designed to be alone. Yet more and more people are feeling isolated and lonely. Hannah Hawkins-Elder has worked… Audio

Forget thinking big. Behaviour scientist Dr. BJ Fogg says we should instead be thinking small and introducing tiny behaviours.  Video, Audio

The aged care sector has formed an industry task force to deal with the challenges posed by Covid-19, and is now bringing in restrictions on visitors in line with Ministry of Health pandemic safety… Audio

In 1978, a seemingly straightforward experiment involving New Zealand rabbits discovered that kindness made the difference between a heart attack and a healthy heart. It's called the 'rabbit effect'… Audio

For the whole of 2019, Finland-based Australian teacher Elln Heytin tried not to buy anything apart from vital supplies such as food and toiletries. In the 12 months, she bought just four things – a… Audio

Auckland University research into loneliness has just been made into an animated short film. The research, by Professor of Health Sciences Dr Merryn Gott, found significant loneliness and social… Audio

Hannah Rodgers and her son Jayden were on a “100 days of kindness” challenge when the Sending Love campaign was created. The idea was to send cards to people who were on their own for Christmas or… Audio

Yoram Barak says there are some simple ways of maintaining a healthy brain into old age. Good social relationships are key. Audio