The Fear Factor

In the Hollywood movie, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, characters get their memories erased to help them forget about bad relationships. It is one of Professor Cora Lai Sau-wan’s favourite films and it has inspired her in ways that show how life can...

Relief for the Lonesome

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Professor Doris Yu Sau-fung of the School of Nursing was overseeing a team of nurses working to identify and engage with ‘hidden elders’ – those who live alone – and bring them to community facilities for health...

Neighbourhood Effects

Cities have been associated with many things – more pollution, crime, inequality and traffic congestion. When they are poorly designed,with high population density, they can also increase social isolation and a sense of loneliness.This insight has been...

A Measure of the Problem

On the surface, determining a person’s sense of loneliness and social isolation should be straightforward: just ask them how they feel and who they are socially connected with. But the reality is much more complicated, says Professor Chen Yu-chih, Assistant Professor...

A Slippery Slope to Depression

As many as 40 per cent of middle-aged and elderly adults may suffer from chronic loneliness, meaning there is a discrepancy between their preferred and actual social relations. That puts them at risk for depression. But what is the mechanism that links the two?...