With loneliness linked to a range of health problems among the elderly, arts charity Magic Me is tackling this issue by running cocktail parties in care homes with the help of volunteers. How can intergenerational connections keep older people happy and healthy in their later years?

The passing of time may bring people wisdom, but it can also bring a sense of isolation. With men often less willing to openly discuss mental health matters, the UK Men’s Sheds Association provides spaces in which older blokes can bond and build, all the while overcoming their loneliness.

As a means of tackling rampant loneliness among older people in the UK, Royal Mail posties have been enlisted to check up on people’s wellbeing when they deliver their mail. The tactic hopes to address rising social isolation in the UK, while safeguarding Royal Mail jobs from automation.

Eating alone used to be a sad affair. But thanks to Britons getting more comfortable with their own company and an uptick in solo-dining restaurants and single-serving cooking approaches, dining by yourself is now de rigueur. So how can brands tap into the food and drink ‘aloneness economy’?