"It's the worst bloody feeling in the world."

It's "frightening".

"You feel unwanted", "rejected", and "you cry yourself to sleep".

This is what older Australians told us about what loneliness is like for them.

These painful feelings, canvassed in our recent study of older Australians living in aged care facilities, are likely to be exacerbated now that we've been instructed to isolate as much as possible, to try and stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Patricia, one of the women we interviewed as part of our research, knows all about isolation and loneliness.

When we met her, she was sitting in a plastic chair in her unit at an aged care home, where she'd lived for a couple of years.

She sits in the chair all day on her own, she told us, looking at the trees outside. She feels bored and very lonely.

"You end up losing all your friends," Patricia, 79, explained. "Your family don't bother with you so much because you're so old."

Patricia is not alone in her loneliness

One in five older Australians feel lonely, especially those aged 75 and over.

Our studies with older Australians (aged 65+) in aged care show that they disproportionately experience loneliness and social isolation. Up to 40 per cent of aged care residents seem to never get visitors.

Research shows people who are well-supported by their communities are more likely to survive disasters and crises. ( ABC News: Natasha Johnson )

This is expected to get worse as physical distancing, aged care facility lockdowns, and non-essential business closures become the norm as we battle to contain the pandemic.

This matters because lonely and socially isolated older people are more likely to experience pain, frailty, and dementia. They're also more likely to die younger than their more socially connected peers.

Crucially, older Australians are also particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. Those who have died of the virus here have been over 65, mirroring trends seen in other countries.

Lockdowns are important, but risk further isolating older people

The Australian Government has implemented measures to protect older people during this pandemic.

Australians aged over 70, those with a chronic illness aged over 60, and Indigenous Australians over the age of 50 have all been advised to self-isolate as much as possible.

Restrictions for aged care homes are even more strict, with residents now permitted to receive only one visit a day — with a maximum of two visitors. All group gatherings and external excursions have also been cancelled.

Some aged care providers have gone a step further by voluntarily entering full lockdowns, with no outside visitors permitted at all.

Although these measures are absolutely necessary to prevent the spread of the virus and more deaths, we risk further isolating older Australians.

How we can help

It's not all bad news, however. Research has shown that people who are well-supported by their communities are more likely to survive disasters and crises.

In addition to following guidelines for physical distancing and good hygiene, one of the best ways we can help older Australians during COVID-19 is by staying connected to them.

Tellingly, the World Health Organisation responded to calls by sociologists and experts by urging people to practise "physical distancing", not "social distancing".

The pandemic may be an opportunity to find new ways of staying in touch with older friends and family. ( Pexels: Martin Pechy )

As the WHO's COVID-19 technical lead, Maria Van Kerkhove explained of the shift in terminology: "We want people to still remain connected."

Our research participant Patricia told us she would like to feel more included in the lives of her loved ones.

She knows they can't visit her every day, but she also knows there are many different ways of staying in touch.

It's a reminder that all of us can maintain links with older family and friends whether they live at home or in aged care facilities. And now this is more important than ever.

Things we can do to stay connected during the crisis:

Scheduling regular phone calls

Scheduling regular phone calls Sending routine text messages — just to say hi or to forward an article of interest

Sending routine text messages — just to say hi or to forward an article of interest Exchanging a picture a day via text message, email or social media. Why not start a photo challenge?

Exchanging a picture a day via text message, email or social media. Why not start a photo challenge? Organising video calls to share meal times or activities

Organising video calls to share meal times or activities Participating in shared virtual experiences such as joining or starting online book clubs, streaming TV shows or movies at the same time, or virtually visiting a zoo, museum, or gallery together

Participating in shared virtual experiences such as joining or starting online book clubs, streaming TV shows or movies at the same time, or virtually visiting a zoo, museum, or gallery together Returning to the days of snail mail by sending a postcard or handmade artwork. It's a good time to encourage grandchildren to write letters or send drawings.

Returning to the days of snail mail by sending a postcard or handmade artwork. It's a good time to encourage grandchildren to write letters or send drawings. Neighbours can leave notes in letterboxes with their contact information for those who need someone to talk to, help with errands, or provide assistance navigating information in different languages.

Of course, we need to keep in mind that older Australians are a very diverse group of people. For example, while many older Australians use the internet, some may not know how to use certain technologies.

But having the right support and context to use (and learn about) new technology in later life can make a difference.

Let's take this current crisis as an opportunity to discover new ways of connecting with one another — young, old, or anywhere in between.

In these trying times, one thing seems certain: older Australians need us, and we need each other.

Dr Barbara Barbosa Neves is a senior lecturer in sociology at Monash University and Sandra Sanders is a sociologist and photojournalist.