Simon Order

“Loneliness is the disconnect felt between desired interpersonal relationships and those that one perceives they currently have” (Baker 2012, v). According to a recent study (Baker 2012), the incidence of loneliness in Australia is growing. Three out of ten Australians experienced loneliness between 2001 and 2009, with 13 per cent experiencing repeated episodes of loneliness. Those slightly more likely to experience loneliness and reduced levels of social connection are men, lone parents with young children and people living alone. The prevalence of loneliness outside these at -risk social groups, however, does not discriminate markedly by location or gender...