The aim of Neighbour Day is to build better relationships and connections with the people who live around us, especially the elderly and vulnerable, in the hope that these connections will last the whole year round.

Neighbours are important because social connection can transform our communities.

Held on the last Sunday of March, this year's theme for Neighbour Day 2019 is Loneliness: What neighbours can do to create connections.

Health authorities are now seeing loneliness as much more than an individual condition. They are now flagging it as a serious public health problem.

Vic Health quoted Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Brigham Young University in Utah, USA, whose research found that loneliness can be associated with poorer cardiovascular health and, in old age, a faster rate of cognitive decline and dementia.

"There is robust evidence that social isolation and loneliness significantly increase risk for premature mortality, and the magnitude of the risk exceeds that of many leading health indicators," Holt-Lunstad told a conference last year, drawing on data from two studies.

The first found greater social connection conferred a 50 per cent reduced risk of early death.

This advertising feature is sponsored by the following businesses. Click the links to learn more:

The second examined 70 studies and concluded that social isolation, loneliness or living alone posed risks for premature death that were at least equal to obesity, smoking (less than 15 cigarettes a day) and air pollution. And, unfortunately the problem of loneliness is exacerbated for those over 55s.

Neighbourday.org said it is critical that we reinvigorate our communities, get people to connect with their neighbours and drive a dent in loneliness. Visit the website an sign up to take the 'loneliness challenge'.