OverSixty January 2023 Issue

5 NEWS OVERSIXTY.COM.AU | ISSUE 3 | JANUARY 2023 With data breaches on the rise, it’s important to know the steps to take to mitigate the damage Photo: Getty Images NEWS LOUISE WATERSON NEWS L ong-term loneliness can trigger a level of stress that can place a person at a higher risk of developing serious cardiovascular disease (CVD), researchers have found. In a UK study, conducted over a ten-year period and published in the journal Heart in 2020, researchers fromUniversityCollege, London, examined the links between loneliness, social isolation and cardiovascular disease among CVD patients. The study found that individuals suffering from loneliness had a 30-48 per cent higher risk of developing serious CVD conditions such as heart attack, high blood pressure and stroke.The study authors recommended that loneliness be included as part of CVD risk factors during medical examinations. Seniors are vulnerable to loneliness, as the over 65s are more likely to live alone, itself a pre-cursor to experiencing social isolation which can lead to loneliness. The Australian Psychology Society defines loneliness as a negative feeling, experienced when a person’s social relations don’t meet their needs or expectations. Yet one of Australia’s leading experts on loneliness, Dr Michelle H. Lim, clinical psychologist and head of the Social Connectedness Laboratory at Swinburne University of Technology writing in Health Voices , is careful to qualify that “loneliness is more related to the quality of relationships and less about quantity.” Adds Loneliness can break your heart Dr Lim, when the desire to connect is not met, experiencing loneliness is a normal human response. “Loneliness is an innate human signal to connect, similar to a signal to eat when one is hungry.” Over60’s recent Facebook survey into loneliness revealed a number of concerning realities facing its readership. Among these, 60 per cent who completed the survey live alone. When asked about their level of companionship, one-third (34 per cent) described themselves as being ‘very lacking’ in companionship from friends or family, while another 25 per cent said that while they had some level of companionship, they’d very much welcome more. Only 16.7 per cent were satisfied with their current level of companionship. More concerning, while one-third (33 per cent) of respondents said they had some friends ‘here and there’ who they see on occasion, another 31 per cent said they don’t know anyone in their local neighbourhood and 36.1 per cent said they only very rarely felt socially included. Combating the lows of loneliness Fortunately, there are remedies available to help ease the stress caused by loneliness. First, speak to your GP, and be honest about the impact loneliness is having on your health. Then try to step outside your comfort zone. Here are some suggestions offered from respondents who live alone, but have found some solutions to combat loneliness. “I keep busy with knitting and crocheting, gardening, watching TV and doing jigsaws. I also enjoy a group exercise class once aweek at the local pool.” Female, VIC, 65-69 “I read and have joined a walking group. I also enjoy gardening, listening to podcasts, and Facetiming family.” Female, VIC, 70-74 “I get out of my comfort zone when I sometimes don’t feel like it. I push myself to helpmyself.” Female, VIC, 75-79 “I email family and friends. I volunteeredwith a group making gowns and wraps for babies who die at birth or earlier.” Female, 80-84, NZ “I play chess and joined a computer club.” Male, QLD, 85+ “I go to exercise classes and have coffee afterwardswith classmates.” Male, QLD, 65-69 Talk to your bank about any breach notifi- cations you receive. Four out of the top five ways breached information is exploited is via criminals targeting financial institutions. They want your hard-earned money. So help yourself by helping your bank and ask them what they can do to protect you. When sensitive information is exposed Stolen sensitive information, such as health records or other personal details, raises a risk of increased scams and extortion attempts by criminals. To stay safe: • Be on the lookout for extortion attempts, where someone may contact you by phone or email claiming to have your data and of- fering to sell it back. Chances are they don’t have your data. But if they do, there is no guarantee they will return it or not make cop- ies of it. Extortion is a crime. Stealing data is a crime. Report the attempt to the breached organisation, your local police, and the ACSC at www.cyber.gov.au. • Copy the content of the email and search for it online. This will often confirm it’s a scam. • Talk to your health providers about what they do with your records, how the records are stored, what they do to protect the re- cords, and whether the records are shared with third parties. Cracked Walls? Our non-invasive technology is designed to raise and re-level sunken homes with less mess, less disruption and less cost. Scan to see how our proprietary solution Teretek® works Level Correction Ground Strengthening For an obligation free, expert opinion contact us 1800 623 312 I www.mainmark.com Mainmark Ground Engineering Pty. Ltd. Industry Leaders Since 1989 Photo: Getty Images