One in two Australians often feels lonely. One in four feel socially excluded.

• Five per cent of Australians are deeply excluded from society and support of any kind.
• Loneliness has the same impact on health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
• 25% of Australians aged 65 and older live on their own.
• Young men are more likely than any other group to feel lonely and isolated.

Almost half of us will experience a mental illness in our lifetime.

• It can be hard to access mental health and social services, especially in regional Australia.
• The right support at the right time can make an enormous difference.

Colin's story

Colin’s 89. He’s lived a fascinating life, including service in the army. He’s always ready with a yarn and have a laugh.

He nursed his wife through years of Alzheimer’s but since she passed away in 2004, things have been a lot quieter. He loves Max, his little rescue dog, but the Red Cross call he gets every morning is the first and often the only human voice he hears each day.

This phone call, every day, gives Colin the confidence to live on his own, knowing that if something happened, we’d find out and send help. Which means both he and Max will be okay.

“It’s the start of the day for me. First, it means I’m alive. And second, I have a chat with cheerful people and they really make my day.”