You’ve heard of physical health and mental health, but have you ever come across the term ‘social health’? Social health is the wellbeing that we experience as a result of our social connections and interactions — that is, how we engage with and relate to the people around us.
Social connectedness matters at every age. In our younger lives, activities like going to school and university, and later, entering the workforce and raising children, are often natural catalysts that bring us into frequent connection with others. But once we leave these life stages behind, the activities that drive us to engage with our communities can become trickier to maintain.
In fact, around 20 per cent of older people in Australia are socially isolated1; this isolation is often associated with life events like retirement, relocation, loss of a spouse or changing relationships with adult children [2]. As we get older, we need to become more intentional about creating opportunities for social interaction as part of broader efforts to age well.
The link between social health and physical health
From a health perspective, social isolation matters. Feeling lonely or disconnected is unpleasant, but social isolation has also been linked to everything from mental illness and emotional distress to higher risks of dementia, stroke and heart disease [4].
Taking steps to manage our social health can improve how our bodies feel and function long into the future. According to the Better Health Channel [5], there are different kind of connections that can help meet our social health needs:
Intimate connections (our interactions with family and friends)
Relational connections (people we share interests with or see regularly)
Collective connections (people we’re affiliated with, often through shared hobbies or beliefs) [6].
Investing time and energy into nurturing our existing connections and building new ones can be key to maintaining and widening our social circles.
Walking towards better social health outcomes
One simple way to broaden our social networks is to take up a new hobby or interest that we can share with others, whether that’s people we already know or new friends we haven’t yet encountered. From crochet to lawn bowls, karaoke to cooking, there’s a club, class or hobby group for almost anything you can imagine.
But if you’re looking to gain multiple benefits from a single activity — one that connects
you with your community and gives you a physical and emotional boost — then it’s hard to go past local walking groups. Walking is a free, low-impact physical activity that offers a wealth of health benefits. For example, walking for an average of at least 30 minutes a day can lower your risk of heart disease by up to 35%7, while walking for at least an hour a week can protect against mental health issues like depression [8]. Add in the company and camaraderie of walking with others and it’s easy to see why walking groups are in a
league of their own.
Walking outdoors can also deliver added benefits to social health. According to research
led by the University of Sydney’s Thomas Astell-Burt, Professor of Cities and Planetary Health in the School of Architecture, Design and Planning, people tend to be less lonely when they have better access to, or more engagement with, green space like parks [9].
In fact, people who live in areas where a higher proportion of nearby land use has been given over to parkland have substantially decreased odds of being lonely [10].
“Amazingly, the odds of becoming lonely were halved over 4 years for people living on their own with 30% parkland nearby, compared to less than 10% parkland,” says Professor Astell-Burt.
“Green spaces can strengthen our capacities for connecting with community, restore our sense of belonging to place and connection with nature, and reduce other factors, such as violence and destructive behaviours, that may otherwise lead to loneliness.”
The takeaway? Getting out and about in nature through the simple act of walking, particularly with friends or acquaintances in tow, can deliver health benefits in every area of our lives.
Walking: a gift you can give yourself and others
Heart Foundation Walking is one of Australia’s largest free walking programs, with over 350,000 registered walkers and more than 650 walking groups across the country. Each group is coordinated by a volunteer Walk Organiser who schedules and leads regular walks, welcomes new group members and encourages people in the community to join.
Beverley Morrissey leads a Heart Foundation Walking group in her hometown of Point Cook, in Melbourne’s western suburbs. Originally from regional Victoria, Bev knew few people in Point Cook when she retired — so, with a sudden abundance of time on her hands, she decided to get to know her local community.
Bev started a local coffee group, followed by a craft group and, later, a Heart Foundation Walking group. With 22 members, the group walks every weekday, distributing pamphlets around the Point Cook community to encourage others to sign up. These regular walks are often followed by social lunch events.
The group has given Bev opportunity to witness the immense benefits that other people have received as a result of joining the walking group.
“One person walked and talked with me for 6 months to learn English,” she says.
“Another person had such bad depression they couldn’t go outside. After joining us walkers and several other groups, they now freely do anything, even travelling overseas.”
And those positive outcomes are a two-way street — not only has Bev grown her own networks, but she’s also built a supportive community where people look out for her, too.
“I’m so lucky to have a group of people who are caring and very thoughtful to each other, as well as who look after me,” she says.
Get out into nature with a Heart Foundation Walking group in your local area and enjoy a boost your physical, emotional and social health. Find out how to start or join a group by scanning the QR code below.
If you’d rather walk independently or on your own schedule, you can also get a free Personal Walking Plan from Heart Foundation Walking. Developed by experts, the plans are tailored to your fitness level and packed with information and trustworthy advice to help you meet national physical activity guidelines in just six weeks.
Aged Care Research & Industry Innovation Australia, retrieved August 2024.
Ferrara, H. (2009). Seniors’ social isolation: A scoping study.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, updated April 2024.
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reviewed April 2021.
Victorian State Government Department of Health. Strong relationships, strong health.
Better Health Channel. Accessed 27 August 2024.
Better Health Channel, retrieved August 2024. World Heart Federation. 2023. MORE PEOPLE, MORE ACTIVE, MORE OFTEN FOR HEART HEALTH –TAKING ACTION ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. World Heart Foundation Policy Brief. Geneva, Switzerland. worldheart.org.
Black Dog Institute, retrieved August 2024.
Astell-Burt, T et al (2022). Green space and loneliness: A systematic review with theoretical and methodological guidance for future research.
Astell-Burt, T et al (2022). More green, less lonely? A longitudinal cohort study.
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