Older Australians join the fight against social isolation

The research team needs participants to help evaluate the federal government’s Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS), which sees volunteers visit older people to provide friendship and companionship.

Conducted for the federal Department of Health and Aged Care, the study will investigate social isolation and loneliness in ACVVS participants and Australian seniors generally.

Monash University research has already found that lonely Australians aged 65 and over feel “abandoned”, “rejected”, and “left to die”. They also face increased dementia and cardiovascular disease risk.