The advisory, entitled “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation”, provides a framework for governments, workplaces, health systems and community organisations to address the problem.

“There is a lot to talk about the new trend of spaces and concepts for human connection,” McGroarty says. “People are hungry now for any form of common culture, as spectacularly evidenced by the Barbie movie and Taylor Swift [concerts]. One new trend is the social wellness club, and it is on the march globally.”

1. Social wellness clubs and housing

Its website describes the club as “the evolution of recreation – an environment that empowers you to live each day to its fullest”.

Aimed at the super-rich, the club has a stringent application procedure which allows it to “curate” its membership, and comes with a reported price tag of up to US$15,000 a year – putting it far out of reach of the average Barbie or T-Swift fan.

It has already sold out its memberships, according to the website, which invites visitors to register to join a waiting list and hear about new club locations.

Such elitist clubs are taking off globally, but McGroarty notes that there is already a risk of saturation at the high end, “with so many pricey models all pitched at the one per cent”.

Although these initiatives usually target the wealthy, there have been some moves to allow less affluent people to take advantage of the benefits, McGroarty says. The luxury companies get the headlines, but more grass-roots organisations are springing up, especially in the housing sector.

“Modern housing is a villain in our loneliness crisis, as it keeps us apart. We are now seeing some new social real estate and housing models – and it’s not just real estate for millionaires,” McGroarty says.

The Alafia housing estate, mainly funded by the US state of New York, is being built in a run-down section of East Brooklyn, and will feature around 2,600 affordable income apartments.

“It’s all about design that sparks social connections, and it includes a maze of social and recreational facilities and walking paths,” she says. The Alafia development will also include medical facilities and a farm for fresh vegetables.

Such developments may become more common in the future, thanks to forces that are driving the loneliness epidemic.

“We are looking at a single, kinless, ageing remote worker, working in a digitally engulfed world – and that situation is only going to get worse,” McGroarty says.

2. Work and wellness

The driver behind such new initiatives is the desire of among younger employees for more boundaries between their work and personal lives, a logical extension of the idea of a work-life balance popularised by millennials, Hubler says.

Employees do not want benefits such as work parties and free pizza nights that drive them to be further involved with their workplace – they want benefits that allow them to get away from it.

“We are seeing a culture that glorifies more relaxed and balanced jobs, rather than the ambitious, prestigious jobs that we used to tout. You can afford the basics, and you don’t feel the need to work overtime,” says Hubler.

As an example, Hubler notes the “lazy girl” trend, in which young employees praise the benefits of relaxed jobs that allow them to log off on time and keep their weekends free.

In the United States – and other parts of the world – this has resulted in companies offering employees more flexible working hours.

“We are hearing a lot about the four-day week, but in reality, a lot of companies have to take account of their clients, so they can’t be offline for a whole day,” Hubler says.

“One trend that continues to gain momentum is the six-hour working day. So for example, you can work from 9am to 1pm and then you are free to do the other two hours of work whenever you like.”

Employees are paid the same for six hours of work as they were for eight hours. And employers have found that their workers are actually 15 per cent more productive working shorter hours than when they worked eight, Hubler says.

Companies generally offer a one-size-fits-all benefits package, but a more personalised approach is becoming a trend.

“Normally you get a list of benefits, and 40 per cent of those benefits are not applicable to you, and 60 per cent are,” says Hubler. “But there is a move towards hyper-personalisation.”

Employees have a set amount of money to spend on benefits, and they can assign it to the benefit options that are relevant to their lives. If you do not need to take advantage of a public transport pass, you can assign that money to a gym membership instead.

“It’s a recognition that everyone’s definition of wellness is different, everyone’s hobbies are different, and everyone’s family situation is different. Benefits are being restructured to reflect that,” Hubler says.

3. ‘Hard’ care and ‘soft’ care

Those obsessed with longevity seek out treatments focused on DNA repair and reversing cell ageing.

“There’s a very different culture emerging in wellness,” says McGroarty. “It’s more medical, it’s more hi-tech, it’s more male, it’s more pharma, and it’s even more expensive.

“The vibe is shifting to become more intense, and more about self-optimisation, and it’s fear based.”

The other side of the industry, she says, is more about healing, and more about emotions. “It makes me wonder if two industries are emerging, a kind of ‘hard’ care and a kind of ‘soft’ care,” she says.

Adds panellist Katrine Formby, who had attended a Swift concert with her family: “Everybody was really nice to each other. Taylor has this spirit of generosity, and we all kind of felt that at the gathering. We felt like being generous to the people around us. Everyone was just getting along.”

When someone spilled beer on her husband, she says, they instantly forgave the culprit.