Social isolation - We can all help fight loneliness

THE majority of us are social beings. Most of us would not have it any other way; we could not survive much, less be happy, if it were otherwise.

We sometimes need a bit of craic to blow away the cobwebs, a few hours’ enlivening company to sustain and cheer us. We often crave social activities to stimulate and satisfy one of the great human instincts — to interact with something bigger than ourselves, to wrap ourselves in the comfort of community.

We all, most of us anyway, feel better as part of society rather than being isolated and unconsidered by our relatives, neighbours or acquaintances. We all prefer to be remembered rather than forgotten.