A Kingston cafe is tackling loneliness, but expert says there are misconceptions

A Kingston cafe is trying to tackle the loneliness epidemic with a creative in-store venture. But an expert says it is a misconception that some people are lonelier than others. Find out why.

Left to right: Margo and Graeme Clarke, John Drummond, Rosie Matson, Anna Roos and Patrick Wicks at a weekly 'meet and chat'. Picture: Bridget Clarke

A Kingston cafe is shining a spotlight on the loneliness epidemic, one coffee at a time.

Every Thursday, the Kingdom Café – which is affiliated with the River City Christian Church – hosts open gatherings for people aged over 50 to “meet and chat”.

Manager Anna Roos started the initiative after noticing repeat customers who “had no one to talk to” – an issue exacerbated by the high density of independent living facilities in the area.

She said the weekly catch-ups were simply about “having a chinwag”.

Lonely man leaning against a glass window in his office. (Pic: iStock)

The first event of the year on Thursday drew up to 20 people, among them, Margo and Graeme Clarke who were visiting from Lenah Valley for the third time.

“It’s a warm, inviting and sharing space,” Ms Clarke said.

“You can come and meet others who are open to connecting with one another.”

According to a Relationships Australia survey of cohorts of 1200 Australians, last year 33 per cent of people aged 65 and older experienced loneliness.

But Relationships Australia national executive officer Nick Tebbey said it was a misconception that older people were lonelier than other cohorts.

Nick Tebbey national executive officer Relationships Australia. Picture: supplied

With older people more likely to have stable long-term relationships and time to invest in community initiatives, Mr Tebbey said they were less likely to report feeling both social and emotional loneliness.

While social loneliness referred to the absence of strong social networks, emotional loneliness was determined based on the absence of close, intimate relationships, Mr Tebbey explained.

“A key driver of loneliness is life transitions, and as we get older we tend to slow down a bit,” he said.

“There are some really significant life transitions that happen later in life like bereavement or divorce that can lead to a spike, but there is less volatility.

“Older people also potentially grew up in a time where more value was placed on communities and friendship and less on being busy and working,” Mr Tebbey said, with initiatives like that of Kingdom Café demonstrating this.

An elderly woman sadly looking out the window. Picture: iStock.

Internationally, more governments have recognised loneliness as a major health and social issue – a move prompted by the work of US surgeon general Vivek Murthy who last year reported loneliness to be an epidemic on par with tobacco use.

But Mr Tebbey said there was one remedy – connection.

“It doesn’t matter whether that’s focused around a church group or local cafe, so long as you’ve got somewhere to go and meet people and build networks,” he said.

Mr Tebbey called for more funding for a “multi layered approach” to tackle loneliness.

“We first as a country need to accept that loneliness is something that does require concert effort, and then map out all the elements of a response,” he said.

“At the bare minimum, that means building communities and providing targeted support where it is needed.”

Originally published as A Kingston cafe is tackling loneliness, but expert says there are misconceptions