Melbourne singles alone in lockdown call for friendship visits – 9News

Gen Ford is on her 22nd week of working from home.

Every day, there are Zoom meetings with colleagues, friends and family.

But, as single person living in Melbourne under stage four lockdown, Ms Ford has been missing something very simple – the physical nearness of another person.

“My grandpa passed away last week, and I would dearly like to share a meal with my mum who lives only five minutes away from me,” Ms Ford said.

“I can walk past her house, but to be able to actually sit in the same room together, wow.”

Ms Ford said she was lucky to have strong social connections but was keenly aware there were many more single people who were doing it very tough in Victoria.

“There are a lot of people who aren’t well connected, or don’t live in a suburb where you are able to walk around, or who aren’t able-bodied enough to do that.

“One of the differences when you are living alone is there are no opportunities to just have an idle chat, like when you bump into a colleague in the kitchen at work. When we want some of that support we have to actively reach out.”

According to the latest census, one in four Victorian people – about 520,000 – live alone.