MAR | APR | MAY 2019
Election Special Your guide to 2019
Feeding the masses OzHarvest founder wages war on food waste
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Royal Commission We put your views
Respect for age Going, going or gone?
Age no barrier Masters Games partnership opens new opportunities
Going all out at 60 Milestone birthday triggers adrenaline rush
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March | April | May
UP FRONT CONTENTS
UP FRONT 5
Editor’s message
8
Letters
10 CEO's Royal Commission Update
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NEWS 12 Election Special: Chief Advocate Ian Henschke provides a guide to the expected May poll and what National Seniors is seeking on behalf of members. 18 Aged Care Royal Commission: Ian Henshcke writes about the issues in the spotlight. 20 Feature – Respect for age: National Seniors research indicates that if it hasn’t already gone,
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it’s certainly going. 22 Age no barrier: Masters Games partnership opens new opportunities for healthy ageing.
LIFE 24 Feature – Feeding the masses: Ronni Kahn,
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founder of Australia’s leading food rescue organisation, is waging a new war on waste. 26 Legal – Beware who you believe. 28 Logging on to your NSA account 29 Technology – Making a connection. 30 On the road – Rural driving takes heavy toll.
TRAVEL 32 Croatia’s day in the sun: As one of Europe’s sunniest destinations and with a history dating from Roman times, Croatia is proving a crowd-puller. 36 Venture outback: The journey from Longreach to Mt Isa is one of history, harsh yet beautiful landscapes and friendly locals.
TIME OUT 40 Feature – Going all out at 60: Semi-retired teacher Chris Chapman has planned a series of adrenalin-rush activities to mark a milestone birthday. 42 Members Save & Win: Special offers and competitions. 46 Movies 47 Books 48 Members satisfaction survey 49 What’s on 50 Puzzles
nationalseniors.com.au
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The big changes coming from April 1 Thanks to the upcoming private health insurance reforms, there are a lot of positive changes about to be rolled out from 1 April 2019. So, what are the key changes that will impact you?
Standardised clinical categories A series of standardised clinical categories will make it easier for you to know what different insurance products do and don’t cover. For example, if you’re covered for ‘Ear, nose and throat’ under one health fund’s product, you’ll also be covered for the same Medicare Benefits Schedule item numbers if you select ‘Ear, nose and throat’ with another health fund.
Easier to understand product tiers All private health insurers will categorise their hospital cover products into easy to understand Gold, Silver, Bronze and Basic tiers that reflect the level of cover they provide. This means that all policies within a certain tier have to meet a minimum standard in terms of the benefits they provide. So you’ll be able to review products more easily.
Health insurance that’s easier We believe the reforms will make health insurance even better and easier to understand for our members. Which means you can focus on finding the health cover that suits your needs. Plus, as a National Seniors member you can take advantage of a special offer when you join any combined nib Hospital and Extras cover! 6% ongoing discount on your premiums when you pay by direct debit from a cheque or savings account^. Receive 30 days of health cover on nib after making the first payment on your new policy*.
Call now on 1300 50 50 96 or visit nationalseniors.com.au/nib nib health insurance is promoted by National Seniors Australia Ltd ABN 89 050 523 003 as an authorised representative of nib health funds limited ABN 83 000 124 381. Offer applies to National Seniors Australia members only. ^The 6% discount on your premium excludes any Lifetime Health Cover loading and only applies to direct debit payment from a cheque or savings account, excludes direct debit from a credit card account. *You must have made a payment and served your 30 day cooling off period and nib will pay for the next 30 days of your premium. 30 days on nib offer excludes existing nib members. Not available in conjunction with any other offer. ~Any benefit limits already used with current fund will apply to your new nib policy. Waiting periods apply for services not currently covered. Conditions apply, please call 1300 50 50 96 or visit nationalseniors.com.au. Offer nib389201_0219 may be changed or terminated at any time.
March | April | May
EDITOR
Editor’s message This edition of 50No. Something Release 5496 is designed to keep you informed about issues of critical importance to mature-age Australians. 5 6 7 8 9
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We continue our coverage of this landmark inquiry on page 20, with a report from our Chief Advocate Ian Henschke, who has attended the Commission hearings several times since they started to hear firsthand what’s being said.
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onDAI029 page 10, along with how you can voice your concerns to the Royal Commission.
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first is the federal election, which Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said will follow the budget on 13 14 2 April. He pulled the budget forward a month (it’s 16 usually held early May) “ahead of going to the polls”. For a variety of constitutional reasons, the election 22 23 11 or 24 18 May, although a date is yet is expected on to 27 be announced.
Ian discusses one of the key issues raised very early and consistently - staffing of aged and home care, particularly staffing ratios that professional groups representing nurses, doctors, and specialist geriatricians have argued are essential to ensure older Australians receive safe and best practice care.
We’ve put a six-page Election Special, 30 together 31 which begins34on page 35 12. Seniors’ issues are already front and centre of this poll, and you can 38 make a difference in a variety of ways. We urge you 40 41 to become involved, and stay in touch with what’s 44 happening through our dedicated web pages at www.nationalseniors.com.au/FederalElection2019.
We’re offering you the opportunity to voice your views about this issue through on online poll at www.nationalseniors.com.au/StaffRatios-Poll. In this bumper election special issue, we’re also launching a new partnership with this year’s Australian Masters Games, and more broadly, the Confederation of Sport (CAS).
48 most, if not all, of our readers will have I’m sure some personal experience of aged care, either for themselves or through their parents or other family members. Just two weeks in, the Royal 50 Trembling poplar Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety DOWN is already throwing light on key issues that need 1 Large dish addressing. 2 Flood
ACROSS On page 22, you can read about the great Glossy fabric opportunities this partnership will offer members as a Money bag participant, coach or volunteer at this year’s masters Opened surgically games in Adelaide in October. King with Golden 3 Calm Our CEO and Research Director, Professor John Touch 4 Worship National Seniors will also be working with CAS McCallum, was among witnesses on the first day 12 Kingly 5 Likeness on joint research and advocacy that will benefit of the hearings and put the case for mandatory 13 Colour 6 No score you, along with the activities that you enjoy at the training for home and residential care 15 Dry inflammable mat- dementia 7 Hanger-on ter 8 Consumer community level. workers. He also argued for a change in the way 16 Conditional release Make more loved the9 government ‘drip-feeds’ funding for the aged Finally, National Seniors has launched its own credit 17 Retributive justice 14 Soft feathers care the urgent need to address card that offers members and their families low 19 Efface 16 sector, Locationstressing of Leaning the 126,000 22 Wrongdoer Tower strong waiting list for home care. fees, low interest and security. Call our team on 25 Mechanical repetition You 18 can Worth read John’s report in the CEO’s Update 1300 76 50 50 if you’d like to know more .■ 26 Official copy of will 20 Bird 28 Curve 21 Inward feeling 30 Celtic tongue 23 Courage 32 Family members 24 Happening 34 Outlet 27 Headwear Publisher Advertising 36 Lay out for profit 29 Administer Editor National Seniors Australia 38 Insignificant 31 EnvironmentsLynda Schekoske 3989Artist’s mixing 33 Heavenly body l.schekoske@nationalseniors.com.au advertising@nationalseniors.com.au ABN 050 523 003 board ISSN 1835–5404 42 Arachnid 35 Oppressors National Office 44 Quinsy 36 Maintain persistently 4518, Sister 37 Conceited Level 215 Adelaide Street, Brisbane Q 4000 Phone: 07 3233 9191 Fax: 07 3211 9339 Web: nationalseniors.com.au 46 Acquire knowledge 38 Long narrow flag National Seniors Australia [NSA] accepts no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any material herein and recommends readers exercise their own skill and care with respect to the 47 Grey 40 Makes level contents of the magazine. The magazine contains views and or recommendations which do not necessarily reflect the views of NSA or its commitment to a particular course of action. A reference 48 Piece of armour for 41 Lightinshield to a particular person, product, organisation or service an advertisement or elsewhere in the magazine in no way implies any form of endorsement by NSA of that person, organisation, product or service. NSA law all liability for claims, losses, expenses, damages and costs the reader may incur as a result of, or associated with, the use of the information thedisclaims throat to the extent permitted 43byTwo-fold contained herein for any whatsoever.46 The Meadow publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising or editorial matter. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, reprinted or 49 Delicate silkreason network otherwise duplicated without written permission of the publisher. fabric 3 7 10 11
Puzzle solutions Crossword
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Solution to No. 5496 I N U N D A T E
R O B I I N V N A S P I I N S T U L
S C E R D E N S E E N D S I E S P D E U N A S L E
A T I N P D M I D A O Y A L R R G P A E M E S I S E S I P R O B A T I E E S T E R S T E P A L E T T E R V A N L E A R N H E N G O A S P E N
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Jumble abator, aboard, abort, abroad, adsorb, aorta, arbor, arras, bard, bastard, boar, board, boast, boat, bora, brad, brat, broad, dart, doab, dobra, drab, oast, rabato, radar, rasbora, road, roar, roast, rota, sabot, sabra, sard, sarod, soar, soda, sora, stab, star, STARBOARD, stoa, tabard, tabor, taro, toad, tsar.
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UP FRONT
50 Something
LETTERS
Letters A sign of the times …
Tracing family history
Towards the end of last year, I moved four hours north to be nearer family. After almost 50 years in my home this was an enormous task and all the exterior signs of the big move were evident. Estate agents coming and going, rubbish on the footpath for a council pick-up, and friends and family members taking items away. Our street used to have its own community with a mixture of nationalities, and it was nothing unusual to see family members walking up and down in their pyjamas or perhaps clutching a basket of washing (“Mum, my machine is on the blink”) or casseroles of some description. The street matriarch was ‘Nonna’, who lived opposite me and made the best pizzas, and when kids were invited to partake she always had words of wisdom to impart. Gates in fences connected houses and everyone took in each other’s bins if someone wasn’t home come nightfall. As the years rolled on, children grew up and moved elsewhere, oldies went into care and some passed away. Old comfy houses were demolished to make way for boring ‘McMansions’, in some cases two to a block. So, finally my big day arrived when the enormous removalist truck rolled up my driveway. And when it was all done and time to depart, I drove my car down my driveway for the last time feeling rather sad that not one single person in the street had come to say goodbye. As I turned the corner in my car I didn’t look back… but instead I thought of all the love that awaited me. M. Stransky Nelson Bay, NSW
I enjoyed your story about Charlotte Plains (50 Something Dec/Jan/Feb 19). My grandfather John Murdoch McDonald was born there on 16 June 1885, his father being Angus McDonald. I have been trying to find information on Peter and Archibald McDonald who are buried there, but (I’m) not sure if they are related. My mother May Elizabeth Erin McDonald was born in Cunnamulla. Thanks for the wonderful article which will now stay with our family history. D. Jesser Stafford, QLD
Clean up labels I’m sure I’m not the only person who doesn’t wear my glasses in the shower! So, why is it that manufacturers of body wash, shampoo and hair conditioner persist in putting the most important consumer information on their product labels in print that is too small and/or too pale for their glasses-wearing customers to read when using them... in the shower? This issue doesn’t just affect those of us whose eyesight is declining with age, but every vision-impaired person, including the legally blind, who need labels in braille. It also extends to the miniscule font typically used for ingredients on the labels on all household and food products that are often difficult to read, even when using glasses, to check for potential allergens or ingredients. Lynne Johnstone Shell Cove, NSW
Don’t forget to remember Ken Wright’s words (50 Something Dec/Jan/Feb 19) resonated with my experience: “It’s important to pass your
experiences on to future generations...” Recently I attended a memorial service for 95-year-old Enid. The eulogy given by her son was moving and illuminating. Enid was a woman ahead of her time. Born in Lismore, she attended university, set up libraries, worked in several capital cities and in America. She divorced her husband in an era when such was extremely difficult, almost unheard of, for a woman. Sadly, we often only learn of our friends’ full life during the eulogy. A life can only be understood within the context of that era’s society. And we know how much society has changed. So, I am now writing my own eulogy. Y. Hurst MacGregor, QLD
Technology not easy for all Good on you, Micky Mullins, for refusing to accept that age is a barrier to participation in the digital revolution (50 Something Dec/Jan/Feb 19). At the age of 97 he has surrounded himself with tech products that he clearly understands and enjoys. But not all of us are so fortunate to have his keen interest in the tech world. We read enough about viruses, malware, phishing, and the like, not to mention the costs of a computer, a printer, printer ink, an internet connection, software, and so on, to make some of us think twice about embarking on the digital journey. And to begin that journey, the article tells us all we must do is to log on, type in a link and click on it. But is that really the first step? It may be for some people who already have a connected computer, but definitely not for all. Hans Broweleit Glenelg, SA
Write to us Write one of next issue’s best letters to win a JBL Link 20 voice-activated portable speaker with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® that delivers rich stereo sound. It has a built-in Google Assistant always ready to help. You can ask it questions and tell it to do things. The more you use it, the more useful it becomes. Just start with
“Ok Google” – a simple voice request triggers your JBL Link 20 to play music, podcasts or radio from services like Google Play Music, Spotify, Pandora and more. Winner Margaret Stransky, of Nelson Bay, NSW, is the winner of a JBL Link 20 valued at $229.95. Email: 50something@nationalseniors.com.au Post: 50 Something Letters, GPO Box 1450, Brisbane 4001
Letters must be restricted to 120 words and may be edited for clarity and brevity.
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UP FRONT
50 Something
CEO UPDATE
CEO’s Update As this edition of 50 Something goes to print, the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety is in its second week of hearings in Adelaide. Already, the Commission has heard from representatives of advocacy groups; aged care providers; government departments and regulators; professional groups and unions; and family members of aged care residents. It opened, appropriately, with evidence from the woman who blew the whistle on abuse of dementia patients at Adelaide’s infamous Oakden nursing home. Prof. John McCallum National Seniors CEO
Did you know? Dementia is the second leading cause of death among Australians, with more than 430,000 living with the various forms of the illness. That figure is expected to rise to close to 600,000 by 2028 and 1.1 million by 2058. 126,000 people are waiting for home care packages. National Seniors is calling for an immediate injection of government funding to eliminate this waiting list.
Barbara Spriggs’ husband Bob died in 2016 after being mistreated and overmedicated at Oakden. She questioned why her concerns were downplayed or ignored for so long.
shockingly – aged care workers in Australia are not required to be trained in the disease or in caring for people with it. Based on your statements in our research last year, National Seniors called for mandatory dementia training for all aged care workers. This abuse will continue if there isn’t better understanding of dementia. We have the means to prevent this happening, and to make life much better for care recipients – and caregivers. So, it’s high time to make this training compulsory. Training will lift the professionalism of the aged care workforce by delivering the skills and understanding necessary to provide quality care and improve the experiences of people in care and their carers.
Dementia is the second leading cause of death among Australians
National Seniors wasn’t alone in its calls for mandatory dementia education for aged care workers, with Dementia Australia CEO Maree McCabe also telling the commission it was a necessity.
Mr Spriggs was reportedly given 10 times the amount of his prescribed medication and left with unexplained bruises while staying at the Oakden nursing home.
“Aged care is complex, and this Royal Commission is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the industry to make a profound and lasting difference to the lives of all people impacted by dementia, she said.
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I was a witness on day one of the hearings and informed the Commission about the cases you had reported to us. We’ve been told about some dreadful examples of older and frail aged care residents with dementia being physically abused by care workers who clearly have no idea how to respond to what they believe is ‘bad behaviour’. I stressed that dementia is the second leading cause of death among Australians and requires specialist care. But surprisingly – or perhaps
Again, based on what you told us in our surveys, I also stressed the urgent need to remove the 126,000 people waiting for home care packages. Finally, I raised the issue of respect for older Australians, which is a feature later in this issue. You can follow the Commission through our comments in the media and on our website nationalseniors.com.au/RoyalCommission. Our full submission to the Commission can be found at the same address. ■
Have your say The Royal Commission comes on the back of multiple enquiries, reviews and reports into aged care over the past 20 years that have failed to ensure the care older Australians deserve. It will deliver an interim report by 31 October this year, and a final report by 30 April 2020.
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It has announced 15 scheduled hearing weeks between now and mid-December, in all capital cities and a number of regional locations. The location of each hearing will be announced progressively on the Royal Commission website during the year as arrangements are finalised. Community forums will be another way that members of the public can engage
with the commission. The first two forums have been announced for 1 March 2019 at Bankstown Sports Club and 5 March at Bendigo Town Hall. Full details about the commission hearings and forums, and how to make a submission, are available at https:// agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au.
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NEWS
50 Something
ELECTION 2019
Election Special We have worked hard and saved for our self-funded retirement, only to see the goal Seniors’ issues are front and centre in this federal election and older Australians will be posts moved decisive in who wins government. As a senior, what can you do tocontinually. make a difference?
Your guide to 2019
And how is your National Seniors putting you first? Here’s Chief Advocate Ian Henschke. For older Australians this is an election like few before it.
840,000
If you believe the government, the usual frenzy of speculation about when we will head to the polls no longer applies. Don’t you worry about that! Well, not until mid to late May, which is when the Prime Minister has promised we can exercise our democratic duties, after he brings down the budget. Labor is pretty much saying “bring it on” as Bill Shorten and Scott Morrison have been engaging in a not-too-phoney election campaign since Christmas. The leaders continue to bump into each other in marginal seats around the country while announcing policies. The joke goes, “Do you ever get the feeling the only reason we have elections is to find out if the polls were right?” At the time of writing, Labor is ahead in the polls and has been for many months. But the Coalition is narrowing the gap. Whether over-confidence or a demonstration of policy transparency, Labor has been releasing policies well ahead of the election campaign. In few other recent elections have policy issues affecting seniors been announced so early and continued to fuel news headlines and public debate. The Coalition has joined in, if only to stand opposed to what Labor wants. For starters there is aged care, retirement planning and financial services, including superannuation, negative gearing, capital gains, franking credit refunds, the Age Pension, health and energy policy.
Taxing matters Labor appears to be unafraid of scrutiny and has been promoting a radical taxraising policy platform that will significantly impact retirement income and financial planning. Policy initiatives include ending cash refunds on share dividends for investors who don’t pay tax; reforms to
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Estimated number of self-funded retirees who would be affected by scrapping franking credit refunds
negative gearing, the capital gains tax discount, superannuation concessions, and discretionary trusts; and capping deductions for managing tax affairs. Your opposition to the proposed franking credits reform has been fiery and so,
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Your opposition to franking credits reform has been fiery and so, too, your frustration about meddling with retirement planning.
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parties and, importantly, independents to drop the policy. Unsurprisingly, the Coalition has ramped up its campaigning against Labor’s tax reforms, so far preferring to oppose, raise alarms and stand on its economic record than put its own initiatives out there.
Marginals rule OK Many federal electorates are extremely marginal, requiring only a small swing in votes to change hands. This puts significant opportunity, and potentially power, in the hands of senior Australians fighting for what they believe. You can make a real difference.
too, your justifiable frustration directed at all parties for constantly meddling with retirement planning: cutting income from superannuation; the Age Pension; and other investments.
All candidates would be wise to know that older Australians cannot be ignored and may well determine their future, given almost half the voting population is aged over 50.
National Seniors, in partnership with other advocacy groups, has told Labor to back off and to keep franking credit cash refunds if they win the election. The pressure we applied when the policy was first announced helped convince Labor to exempt pensioners. There is a long way to go before any Labor government will legislate the reform, and National Seniors will continue to press all
The rise of independents is a feature of contemporary Australian politics and this federal election even more candidates will not be members of the major parties. How successful they will be is yet to be seen but polls, including the Wentworth byelection win by independent Dr Kerryn Phelps, points to independents having an even greater influence in federal parliament.
National Seniors Australia
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