When a serious personal crisis hits, three in 10 older Australians say they don’t have anyone to call.
For those aged over 65, one in five say they experience loneliness often, or all the time.
And according to founder and chief executive of Ageing With Grace, Esis Tawfik, that number is even higher in the Northern Territory.
“[Loneliness] is associated with increased issues for well being, and that includes things like mental health,” she said.
“People don’t assume it will impact on physical health but it does.”
Loneliness in older adults is associated with increasing risk of a number of issues including 50 per cent increased risk of dementia and 32 per cent increased risk of stroke.