Central Coast, March-April 2017

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2 Seniors Central Coast

In this edition

Feature: Technology................................................Page 4 Wellbeing ............................................................Pages 6-8 Travel ...............................................................Pages 11–14 What’s On................................................................Page 15 Live & Let’s Save....................................................Page 18 Puzzles.....................................................................Page 19

Contact us Editor Gail Forrer gail.forrer@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Media Sales Manager Kristie Waite kristie.waite@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Now online Get your news online at www.seniorsnews.com.au Advertising, editorial and distribution enquiries Phone: 1300 880 265 or (07) 5435 3200 Email: advertising@seniorsnewspaper.com.au or editor@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Location: 2 Newspaper Place, Maroochydore 4558 Website: www.seniorsnews.com.au Subscriptions Only $36.30 for one year (11 editions) including GST and postage anywhere in Australia. Please call our circulations services on 1300 361 604 and quote “Central Coast Seniors”.

The Seniors Newspaper is published monthly and distributed free in northern New South Wales and south-east Queensland.

The Seniors newspaper stable includes Toowoomba, Wide Bay, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Northern NSW, Coffs and Clarence and Central Coast publications.

Published by News Corp Australia.

Printed by News Corp Australia, Yandina.

Opinions expressed by contributors to Seniors Newspapers are not necessarily those of the editor or the owner/publisher and publication of advertisements implies no endorsement by the owner/publisher.

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 27, 2017

Blast off into the joys of technology GREETINGS friends.

This month our national genius Dr Karl lights up our front page with an expression that shouts:‘Beam Me Up Scotty’ and we have taken up the challenge by providing a practical, plentiful and entertaining list of tech and science stories .

Scientific inventions are travelling at such a super-sonic speed that I don’t think it’s too far-fetched to suggest that one day in the not too distant future, we could be flying not only to the moon, but taking trips throughout the galaxy.

Yet, despite the prevalence of modern technology the mention of robots, rockets, apps and Apple can sometimes provoke a nervous response something like: ‘Stop the world, I want to get off’. Neverthless, a read of our interview with Dr Karl including a factbox of life-enhancing

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK GAIL FORRER

Group editor Seniors Newspapers network

inventions, may well prompt a change of attitude and a moment of gratitude.

Dr Karl reminds us that life before anaesthesia was very different (and very painful). Anaesthesia was first introduced to Australia in the late 1800s, and was by all accounts, particularly unpleasant in its early forms. However over the next decades, anaesthesia techniques and technologies were refined, and by the 1970s it had advanced amost to the level we experience today.

Thank goodness for that!

On our Online page, you will also find a list of apps

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Once you have the Find My Car app, you can forget the scary ‘my car has been stolen’ moment

that could well reduce some daily pain or at least anxiety.

For instance, once you have the Find My Car app, you can totally forget the scary ‘my car has been stolen’ moment and confidently locate its precise spot in the shopping centre car park, or how about the app that guides you to your the keys, you know the ones you just put down, but can’t quite remember where. These wonderful applications are available on your mobile phone, and yes, there is an app to find your phone!

It’s a pleasure to publish Ron Ware’s story of achievement. If you ever thought computers

Principal dances her way through life’s challenges

DANCE OF LIFE: Principal Shayne Player has taken on her unlikely role of cabaret dancer with good humour.

WHEN TLSC Tumbi Umbi Campus principal Shayne Player tells her students they need to be involved in their community, there’s no room for argument.

She does what she preaches.

Shayne is presently in training for the Stars of the Central Coast Dance for Cancer, which will see her hit the stage of the Laycock St Theatre on April 7 in a role she never thought possible – cabaret dancer.

Winner of the 2012 Australian Principal of the Year Award, Shayne is not convinced she makes such a good dance student, but she’s doing it with good heart and good humour.

“I’m no Liza Minnelli. I have absolutely no dance background. I do not have a bone of rhythm in my body, but … it has to be done,” Shayne laughed.

“It’s a cause I really believe in. Cancer is something that touches everyone – if it’s not you

❝

“I’m no Liza Minnelli.

I have absolutely no dance background. I do not have a bone of rhythm in my body, but … it has to be done. Shayne Player. personally, it’s someone you love.

“And if it means going out on a stage and being uncomfortable for a few minutes to raise money for that cause, so be it.”

She has a couple of dance students at the campus helping her out, as well as her “very patient” professional dance coach Eliza Wilson.

Surprised to hear she now qualifies as “a senior” at over-55, Shayne said that regardless of age, it’s always good to stretch outside your comfort zone, as she is undoubtedly doing here.

“I think that’s important all through life,” she said.

“It doesn’t matter who you are, you need to keep involved in what’s happening and do the very best you can at whatever you do.”

“It’s about making a

contribution to the community too and building that sense of belonging.

It’s absolutely vital to your wellbeing.”

As well as enjoying the fundraising aspect of the event, Shayne said she was most looking forward to being able to say she had done something she never thought she would do.

As for her biggest fear, she said she really wasn’t worried about the competition or being on stage, except perhaps “getting the steps in the right order”.

However, she said, as someone who sews, some of your best creations come from things which began as a mistake, so she reckons she’ll just make it up as she goes … hopefully her partner will keep up!

were all too hard to learn, then read this story and be inspired to begin your own journey. It’s not only a healthy challenge to experience new learning experiences, but in the bargain, you will often find the added bonus of likeminded friends.

We also present a range of practical wellbeing news, an entertainment list, national and international travel stories and a comprehensive puzzle page.

Thanks to you dear readers for the contribution of community notes. We love to print your upcoming events, club news and pictures, so don’t forget to include us in your emails.

Gail PS: Come and have some fun with us on facebook (search for facebook.com/ seniorsnews) or find more stories on our wesbite www.seniors news.com.au.

Just in case you didn’t know...

SOME banks offer fee-free accounts.

These Basic Bank Accounts are available from the following banks: ANZ, Bank Australia, Bank of Melbourne, Bank of SA, Bendigo, Citibank, Commonwealth, NAB, St George, Suncorp and Westpac.

ABA’s executive director for retail policy Diane Tate said there are eligibility requirements attached to most of these accounts.

But they were for people receiving a government pension or a Seniors Healthcare Card or on lower incomes.

For anyone having trouble managing their money, the ABA recommends the use of the Money Smart website www. moneysmart.gov.au.

For more general information on these accounts, visit www.affordable banking.info. For more details, visit your nearest branch.

Central Coast

Monday, March 27, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Rewards of digital life Ron takes a fresh byte of computer life

Bytes on Friday is an extension of that idea.

While the club runs two classes a day, morning and afternoon, Bytes works more like an internet café, with like-minded people getting together to use the computers, have a cuppa and a chat from 12-2.30pm.

“Whatever your interest, the club is a place to go instead of being at home watching TV or reading alone,” Ron said.

“Once you start interacting with people, you start to socialise and build friendships.”

Ron said some people travelled a 50km round-trip just to attend the club.

“It is something special,” Ron said.

“And whatever they’re doing, they’re all using that wonderful brain they’ve got in a different way.”

Membership of Long Jetty Senior Citizens Club costs just $5.50 and computer classes are $5 each.

Call 4332 5522 or visit: longjettysenior citizens.com.au to see the myriad of classes on offer.

By Alison Houston

SO OFTEN we hear of parents having to tell their kids to get off the computer and go outside and discover the real world.

But for many seniors, computers reopen the way to the world. That’s how it was for Ron Ware, who has gone from student to teacher in the 10 years he’s been associated with Long Jetty Senior Citizens Club Computer Group.

Forced to leave his trucking job due to a diagnosis of water on the brain, Ron at 60 was on the lookout for something to do with his days.

“I had started walking across the depot yard one day dragging my feet strangely and someone noticed and said ‘You’d better send Ron to the doctor’,” he said.

“That’s how they discovered it, and of course I couldn’t drive after that.”

The cause of water on

SOCIAL AND SOCIABLE: Ron Ware’s Windows 10 class at Long Jetty Senior Citizens Club. PHOTO: RON WARE

the brain is unknown and there is no cure, but Ron said he’s now "the proud owner of a brain shunt", which drains the fluid from his brain into his stomach.

When he started going to classes, Ron needed assistance to walk and couldn’t remember his bus number or where to get on and off without the drivers’ help.

“I started with a beginners’ computer

class every week. At first I couldn’t remember anything by the time I got home, but eventually it took and here we are,” Ron said.

“That’s how the club has helped me.”

Ron is currently teaching a 10-week introduction to Windows 10 class, one of a host of computer- related choices at the club, which include Apple laptops, digital cameras, online-photo

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editing, Excel spreadsheets, and the new Bytes on Friday.

“It gives you a reason to get up out of bed every day,” Ron said of the club.

Students in his class range from 50-92 years of age, but Ron was chuffed to hear 92-year-old Lenny say, “You can’t take my computer away, otherwise I’d never get out of the house!”

“It’s social and sociable,” Ron said.

Hold up your glass and Toast the Coast TOAST the Coast is a bright, happy event to help fight a “dark and prevalent issue that strikes a chord with everyone”.

Funds raised from the food and wine festival go to Coast Shelter’s Domestic Violence Program, and exhibitors co-ordinator Monique Cardon said support for the cause was just one reason for the festival’s appeal.

“Everyone loves good food and a glass of wine or beer, and the music will absolutely delight,” she said.

“So come along yourself, bring the kids and the grandkids if you like, and have a great day.”

Last year 12,000 attended and more are expected 1 this year.

■ MAKE IT A DATE Toast the Coast WHEN: Saturday, April 1, 11am-5pm WHERE: Central Coast Entertainment Grounds, Racecourse Rd, West Gosford COST: Gold coin

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4 Seniors Central Coast

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 27, 2017

Times, they are a changing Suni Golightly

TECHNOLOGY is ever evolving, impacting on every aspect of our day to day lives.

A hundred years ago, the only screen the average Aussie was likely to see was at the local cinema.

These days, many of us hold screens in our hands, with access to almost unlimited information and entertainment.

Times sure are a changing. In the past century, technology has made huge advancements in every area; changing almost every aspect of the way we live.

Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, science commentator, author and currently the Julius Sumner Miller Fellow at Sydney University, says advancements in technology have been extraordinary over the past 100 years.

“There are some innovations that have had huge implications such as clean drinking water, and medical innovations such as anaesthetics, antibiotics and vaccinations,” Dr Kruszelnicki says.

WHAT ARE WE DOING ONLINE?

TECH TIMELINE

SENIORS AND TECHNOLOGY ■ Email is the most common online activity for older Australians, with 76% using email.

■ More than 50% of older internet users perform banking transactions online.

■ 43% of internet users aged 65 and over accessed the internet to engage with social media.

■ 23% of older Australians used communication apps such as Skype or Facebook Messenger to stay in touch with others online.

■ 15% accessed government services, and health and medical information online.

“These are things that can mean the difference between life and death.”

Many people in younger generations see vaccinations as

commonplace, but community vaccination didn’t begin in Australia until 1932.

Life before anaesthesia was very different too (and

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1917 vs 2017 1917: Kitchen technologies were basic.

Refrigeration for home use was still a way off; most homes had iceboxes. Washing was done by hand, toasters and kettles were non-existent, and stoves were fire fuelled.

2017: Almost every home in Australia has a fridge, a stove and oven that starts with the flick of a switch, and appliances such as kettles, toasters – even coffee machines – are commonplace 1917: It took over three months to travel from London to Australia.

2017: You can fly from London to Australia in less than a day.

1917: Cars were only just gaining traction for the average Aussie (in particular the Ford T Model) taking over from the horse and buggy. In 1917, 15,000 automobiles were brought into Australia.

2017: The majority of Australians drive and own vehicles of some description. More than one million new cars were sold in Australia last year.

1917: The major tech invention in 1917 was the toggle light switch.

2017: Dr Kruszelnicki says the cutting edge today is CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology, which enables us to reprogram life as we know it (you’re all online, dear readers, so you can Google it). very painful) for Australians. Introduced to Australia in the late 1800s, anaesthesia was particularly unpleasant in its early forms.

However, over the following decades, anaesthesia techniques and technologies were refined, and by the 1960s and ’70s it had advanced almost to the level of comfort we experience today.

“Glasses are another huge technological advancement –those bits of transparent rock that we wear are particularly important to people over 70,” Dr Kruszelnicki says.

“Hearing aids too have become vitally important.

“For many people, especially seniors, inventions such as glasses or hearing aids are not just important because of the physical implications.

“They also have huge social implications. A person who cannot see or hear very well – or at all –

often loses their independence and becomes isolated.”

Transport too has advanced in leaps and bounds over the past century. Road transport has moved from the horse and buggy to revolutionary cars, motorbikes and rail travel.

International travel has also progressed to the point that jumping on plane to some far off destination is now an everyday occurrence – not the months of travel faced by people 100 years ago.”

Perhaps the technological invention that has had the biggest impact – certainly it has garnered the most attention – is the creation and advancement of the internet and communication technologies.

“The smartphone has had an enormous impact,” Dr Kruszelnicki says.

“Depending on how you use it, that little screen you hold in your hand or

keep in your bag can be a notepad, a calendar, a diary, a dictionary… the list goes on.

It can keep you in touch with family and friends around the world, and give you access to information such as news and weather.

“Those little devices have changed everything,” Dr Karl said.

However, smartphones and the associated technology isn’t always user friendly, particularly for seniors.

In his blog ‘Does Google Hate Old People?’, People for Internet Responsibility co-founder, and internet and technology commentator Lauren Weinstein points out that factors such as font size, screen contrast and use of white space can make usage difficult for seniors (how many of us have become frustrated with those tiny words, or buttons the size of a pinhead?).

Despite the challenges, Australian seniors have embraced new technologies with gusto, just as they have with emerging technologies throughout their lives. according to the report Digital lives of older Australians from the Australian Communications and Media Authority, almost 80% of Australians aged 65 and over are connected online.

The majority of these users go online at least once a day. The internet is no longer just the domain of the younger generations; seniors are online and loving it.

As technology – in any form or industry - moves forward, we have the choice to buck against it, or move forward with it.

One thing is for sure; it shows no signs of slowing down.

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Central Coast

Monday, March 27, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Seniors 5

Bus driver’s quest for kids cancer cure JOURNALIST JIM FAGAN

editor@seniorsnewspaper.com.au

THIRTY-FOUR million dollars ago, Queenslander Col Reynolds decided he wanted to do something for Australian kids suffering and dying from cancer.

He recognised there was a need for money to research a cure so he set about finding it.

Thirty years later he’s still pursuing dollars. Last year 77-year-old Col, complete with bad knee, walked the tough Kokoda Trail and raised $110,000.

Right now he’s planning another Kokoda walk when he’s 80. This time he wants to take along 80 people, all 80 years of age, in four groups of 20, and raise half a million dollars!

“I’ll do it. I’ve never given up on anything in my life,” he told Seniors when we called him at his home in Townsville, Qld, to talk about his life as a visionary and unrelenting champion for sick children.

He was nursing a knee replacement and feeling a bit peeved that he couldn’t be in Noosa for last month’s World Series Swim.

He badly wanted to be there as the charity he founded in 1993, The Kids Cancer Project, is being supported this year by this national swimming event.

Col was a tour bus driver in Sydney in the late 1980s and it was a chance sighting of two bald children holding hands outside a Sydney hospital that led to his life’s work as a volunteer.

“I didn’t have passengers so I parked the bus round the corner, went back to the hospital and offered to take kids on day excursions. They said I couldn’t do it and that was enough to stir me up.

“I don’t take no for an answer so I contacted people like Captain Cook Cruises, Village Roadshow, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Arnott’s and made up an itinerary.

“Eventually, it was allowed to happen and I would fill the bus with the kids, a paediatric doctor, a sister, two nurses, and a medical kit.

I had to buy an emergency radio and we were followed by a car in case a child had to be rushed back to hospital.

“In 1993, when I started the charity, there was little research being done.

No one wanted to spend money because they couldn’t see results.

What they wanted to do was buy medical equipment.

“The treatment was very harsh because the chemotherapy available was for adults and it was so severe on children’s systems they were suffering from all sorts of problems.

Today, there is still no other treatment.

KEEPING PROMISES : Col Reynolds with nine-year-old, Oscar, who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when he was three. Oscar is now doing well.

PHOTO: PENNY BRADFIELD

“I was getting depressed because no matter what I did to give some laughter and fun to little kids they were still dying.

The need to find a cure hit home to me every time a nurse or a doctor said to me before a bus trip, ‘Sorry, one of the children has passed away during the night’.

It was about then he met cancer researcher, Professor Peter Gunning.

“He had a laboratory at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead but it was empty.

He couldn’t get anyone to fund him and he was

desperate to do research.

“We’ve been like The Odd Couple ever since – the esteemed scientist and the crazy bus driver with a dream.

❝

discovered before and clinical tests on it are now taking place in the US. It has the potential to do all sorts of things and I’ve got a good gut feeling

“We’ve been like The Odd Couple ever since – the esteemed scientist and the crazy bus driver with a dream.

“We’ve got a drug now which, hopefully, will go into trials for kids.

Peter and his team of researchers have developed something which is outstanding. It has never been

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about this.”

Col was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2000 and I asked him what had kept the flame alive all these years.

“My promises to the kids who died.

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I told them I wouldn’t stop until a cure was found so ‘other little kids won’t have to go through what you’re going through’.

“You shouldn’t make promises to kids unless you are prepared to commit.

“I feel sure that sometime in the next five years I’ll stand in front of a TV camera with Peter Gunning and be able to say to parents who have lost their children, and to families that have broken up because a child has died, that here is a cure and I’ve kept my promise.”

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FINDING SOLUTIONS: Col Reynolds with Kokoda Trail tour guide Coin in April last year

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6 Seniors Central Coast

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 27, 2017

Wellbeing

Project set to provide support Helping-hand for Seniors and pets

ON MONDAY, March 13, the Minister for Ageing, The Honourable Tanya Davies, paid a visit to Meals on Wheels Central Coast’s Tuggerah hub to present the organisation with a grant for its Meals on Wheels for Furry Friends project.

The project will be launched this May and will alleviate some of the financial burdens of pet ownership for seniors.

Meals on Wheels for Furry Friends will involve the delivery of affordable, nutritious pet food to elderly pet-owners from across the region by Meals on Wheels’ friendly volunteers.

Not only is delivery free, but volunteers will take PET PROJECT: The Minister for Ageing, The Honourable Tanya Davies with staff, volunteers and time to talk with pet furry friends at Meals on Wheels, Tuggerah. owners to ensure they and their pets are doing well, and provide support and a helping-hand with pet feeding if needed.

“There are so many proven benefits of pet ownership for older

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people, including reduced isolation and improved health outcomes; however, the ongoing and necessary costs and physical burdens of pet ownership, particularly the costs and burdens of feeding pets, can be prohibitive for many seniors,” Meals on Wheels Central Coast’s Marketing Manager Lisa Colquhoun said.

“Saving older people from having to haul kilos of costly pet food from the grocery store back to their homes will make it much easier for them to keep their furry friends.”

To deliver the project, Meals on Wheels Central Coast has teamed up with Central Coast-based pet food manufacturers East Coast Dogs - Raw & Fresh, who produce a complete balanced diet for both cats and dogs using only raw and natural ingredients.

“We are so excited to get behind this great

initiative to make sure elderly people in our community are able to give their pets top quality, nutritious food without the hefty price tag,” East Coast Dogs owner and operator Scott Botham said.

With comparable projects having great success in both the USA and United Kingdom, Meals on Wheels Central Coast and East Coast Dogs are confident that Meals on Wheels for Furry Friends will enjoy similar success on the Central Coast, with potential for the project to be replicated by other Meals on Wheels groups in NSW. Meals on Wheels for Furry Friends is expected to assist over 150 local seniors and their pets following the May launch.

For information or to register your interest, phone (02) 4357 8444 or email admin@ ccmow.com.au.

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EVERY year one in three people over 65 has a fall.

Whether that is you, and what impact that fall has depends in large part on your balance, strength and fitness. It’s something Central Coast fitness instructor of 16 years Sandra Prichard has seen first-hand.

“I’ve seen people who have decided exercise class is just too much effort, or not for them and then, some time or some years later, I see them all stooped over, or with a frame, and I think that’s so sad, because it could have been prevented,” Sandra said.

The theme for April Falls Day this April 3 is “moving right to stay upright” and Sandra is 100% behind the message.

“It’s a matter of changing the way you think and being aware of your posture and how you walk. It doesn’t matter how old you are, you need to keep up your strength and fitness,” she said.

A fall can lead to loss of independence or changes in lifestyle, limiting everyday and social

activities. Simple, gentle exercise can help you avoid falling, or aid your recovery if you do fall.

Now in the seniors demographic herself at 55, Sandra runs Aqua 50+ and Active 50+ gentle exercise classes from Woy Woy to Kincumber, with participants ranging in age from 50 to 93.

“I try to make my classes fun. Sometimes people come along reluctantly at first and they don’t know what to expect, but after a couple of classes they actually feel better and really start to enjoy it.

“I’ve got people who’ve been coming for 10–16 years.”

Some classes end with a stop at the coffee shop afterwards, and Sandra said that was a real hit for many.

“For some people it’s actually the social enjoyment of the classes, and the exercise is just an added extra,” she laughed.

And sometimes older participants can give the younger ones a jolt.

“I had one man who was 93 and he was better than some of the 60-year-olds. It gave them real motivation to pick themselves up a bit,” she said.

Aqua classes are particularly good for those with knee or hip issues, allowing them to exercise without putting weight on the affected area, while still working on balance and resistance.

Co-ordination, strengthening and balance are the keys to Sandra’s land-based exercises.

“It’s an all-round exercise for the muscles, bones and brain as it helps to stave off dementia as well,” she said.

“Balance is so important. If you don’t use it, you lose it, and if you don’t have your balance you keep falling, which is just a dreadful cycle.”

Sandra is offering a free trial class for any first-timers from April 3-7.

Call her on 0407 940 869 or visit: activeandhealthy .nsw.gov.au for an activity near you.

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Monday, March 27, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Central Coast

Technology aids eye care

OFTEN people who visit the optometrist expect to be prescribed glasses or contact lenses to correct their vision but a visit to the optometrist is so much more than that.

With the latest scanning and imaging equipment in optometric practices, eye diseases can often be detected early enough to receive treatment to reduce the risk of vision loss and blindness.

Advances in optical coherence tomography software and technology, specifically in the areas of resolution and scan depth, help eye care providers collect more information and, ultimately, deliver better patient care.

An optical coherence tomography scan (commonly referred to as an OCT scan) is the latest advancement in imaging technology.

Similar to ultrasound, this diagnostic technique employs light rather than sound waves to achieve higher resolution pictures of the structural layers of the back of the eye.

“This new equipment has revolutionised the way we examine eyes,” Eyecare Plus optometrist

Dale Rolfe said.

“It is a large investment but the added information and the detection of early signs of glaucoma and macular degeneration make this very worthwhile.”

Today most Eyecare Plus practices have OCT software and technology, ensuring patients receive a thorough eye examination every visit.

The non-invasive technology can help detect and manage eye conditions, including macular degeneration and glaucoma.

An OCT unit enables: ■ A view of macula tissue to aid in the diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration, macular holes, macular oedema and retinopathy.

■ Measures retinal nerve fibre layer thickness to aid in the diagnosis of glaucoma.

■ Measures corneal thickness to ensure an accurate intra-ocular pressure measurement.

■ Allows visualisation of the anterior chamber to assess the risk of narrow angle glaucoma.

The scan obtained with an OCT shows a crosssectional and three-

TAKE CARE: Eyecare Plus can help patients look after the health of their eyes.

dimensional image of the retinal tissue in living human eyes (image above). OCT images are real-time and in micron scale resolution.

Patients are typically shown the images and the optometrist is able to explain what they mean.

If something unexpected is detected, a course of action and treatment can be recommended.

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It is also important OCT scans are kept on file as a baseline for future comparisons.

When booking your next appointment, contact your local Eyecare Plus optometrist who will take the time needed to provide you with a thorough eye examination via their Checkup Plus™ program which will take 30–45 minutes.

During examinations, a

patient’s health history will be taken. It is important to provide all information, regardless of how insignificant.

A Checkup Plus™ examination includes testing for the following with the latest technology, including an OCT scan (your optometrist will advised why you need a scan or image and the cost involved): ■ Eye health

Seniors 7

■ General physical health ■ Clearness of vision ■ Colour vision ■ Diabetic retinopathy ■ Focusing ability ■ Eye muscle control ■ Amblyopia (lazy eye) ■ Macular degeneration ■ Glaucoma ■ Cataracts ■ Suitability for refractive laser surgery and other areas as appropriate for each individual.

Following the Checkup Plus™ examination, your optometrist will explain the results and discuss their recommendations regarding any preventive or remedial care required.

Some advice – Don’t worry about making a mistake or giving the wrong answer or that your answers contradict one another.

Don’t hesitate to say if you are unable to answer some questions or be alarmed if, for a few minutes during the examination, you find your vision getting worse instead of better.

To make an appointment, book online at eyecareplus.com.au, call 1300 EYECARE (393 227) anywhere in Australia, or contact your practice.

8 Seniors Central Coast

wellbeing

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 27, 2017

Cycling for better health The Cycle challenge could be just the beginning

By Alison Houston

WARNING: Cycling can be addictive.

Having spoken to Deane Scadding about May’s Central Coast Century Challenge Cycle Ride, it seems only right to warn other prospective entrants that they might find themselves unable to stop at just one event.

Deane, 64, had been associated with the challenge since its 2001 inception, marshalling as part of Terrigal Marine Rescue.

When he left the Rescue in 2015, he decided to try hopping on a bike himself. He got out his 20-year-old Max Trax mountain bike, oiled it up and started training with an eye to the 20km event.

When that went “pretty well” he found himself signing up for Sydney’s Chris O’Brien Lifehouse 200km cancer ride in November the same year.

On wife Chrystal’s advice, he did get himself a proper road bike for the event – even if it was

second-hand with straight bars.

After that, you’d think taking fpr the 100km challenge locally last year wouldn’t seem too tough, but Deane said having completed it “I had new respect for the word challenge!”

He’s signed up for the same distance this year and advised anyone thinking about taking on any of the challenges – 20km, 50km or 100km – they should be training that distance every week for several weeks in the lead-up to the event.

“It’s a great atmosphere,” Deane said.

“You get out there and do the kilometres and challenge yourself and your body.

“Some people just want to go along for the ride and smell the roses, but there’s a lot of people like myself who are more competitive and want to push and do better than they did the year before.

“It’s completely up to the individual how they cycle, but there are a lot

of benefits to cycling.”

Deane regularly trains three days a week, with distances ranging from 15-44km, and steps that up in the lead-up to a race. He now also has the Lake Macquarie and Coffs Harbour 100km events under his belt.

But he said the main thing was just to give it a go.

“You’ve got to start somewhere, so, if you’ve been away from riding for a while, you might start like I did on the 20km.

“It depends on your fitness level and your equipment as well, but there are plenty of people and clubs who will help you on your way.

“After a ride, you have a shower and you just feel a million dollars. It must be all those endorphins running through you.

“But nothing beats good health and cycling is less stress on your body than running for instance, its great aerobic exercise, gets your lungs and heart pumping and builds your muscles.”

CHALLENGE: Deane Scadding loves putting his body and mind to the test in cycle events.

Mindfulness is shown to have certain limitations

Meal delivery services available within Home Care Packages THE Federal Government’s Home Care Package program is designed to support an older person who needs co-ordinated services to live independently at home, as well as people with disabilities, dementia and other special care needs.

Under new legislation effective from 27th February 2017, recipients of Home Care Packages have more choice and flexibility as to how their care is delivered.

With nutritional meals forming an important part of living a healthy and independent lifestyle at home, an option within Home Care Packages is the ability to allocate funds to meal delivery services.

Under this option, the approved meal delivery provider delivers a fully prepared meal to the client (who meets the eligibility criteria in regard to assistance with

nutrition). Tender Loving Cuisine is an approved meal supplier for Home Care Packages (both CDC and NDIS) and is an ideal solution for clients who would benefit from nutritious and home style cooked meals to maintain their independent lifestyle.

Jack Barker, CEO Tender Loving Cuisine said, “we are seeing an increasing number of CDC and NDIS package recipients requesting their Care Providers to organise health accredited, home delivered meals as part of their package”.

There is often confusion regarding home delivered meals being available within a package, as ‘food’ is technically not covered.

Food purchased as part of normal grocery shopping cannot be claimed under the package however in regards to delivered meals, preparation and

❝

An option within Home Care Packages is the ability to allocate funds to meal delivery services.

delivery cost can be claimed.

“We are also seeing an increasing number of Care Providers who provide in home meal preparation services for their clients with specific dietary requirements or food intolerances seeking options to reduce potential risk”, said Jack Barker.

Often a home support worker may be under qualified to perform this type of specialist meal preparation.

For recipients who may require heart friendly, gluten free, dairy free,

NUTRITIOUS AND EASY: TLC is an approved meal supplier for Home Care Packages.

low salt or diabetes friendly meal selections, an outsourced meal delivery service that offers a wide range of nutritionally balanced meals is the ideal solution.

If a Home Care Package recipient has any questions on the inclusion of food in their CDC or NDIS package, they should raise it with their Care Provider who can contact Tender Loving Cuisine for more information.

Free call: 1800 801 200, email jackson@tlc.org.au.

Website: www.tlc.org.com.

ADVERTORIAL

MINDFULNESS therapy is no more effective than quality medical care in reducing distress in men with advanced prostate cancer, a new research study has found.

Mindfulness-based approaches have been rapidly adopted globally to help reduce psychological distress associated with cancer.

For the first time, a new Griffith University and Cancer Council study has found telephone-based mindfulness therapy did not improve psychological or quality of life outcomes for men with advanced prostate cancer.

Director of Menzies Health Institute Queensland Professor Suzanne Chambers said despite men’s positive experience of the therapy, mindfulness skills didn’t change.

“Men receiving mindfulness therapy did not experience benefit in psychological distress over time compared to men receiving usual care with self-help booklets,” Prof Chambers said.

“It’s assumed men would have higher engagement with mindfulness and consequently lower psychological and cancer-specific distress, but this was not the case in our study.

“Mindfulness has been shown to be helpful for breast cancer patients, but how useful it might be for other patient groups is still not known.

“Greater caution and rigorous evaluation are needed before mindfulness-based approaches are recommended and applied across multiple contexts.

“More research is critically needed to specifically determine effective ways of reducing psychological morbidity in men with advanced prostate cancer.”

The mindfulness therapy involved eight group sessions delivered weekly via telehealth, with peer support, workbooks and daily home practice of mindfulness meditation encouraged.

The usual care delivery included Cancer Council Queensland patient education materials, relaxation information, a guided audio relaxation CD, nutrition guides and information about free telephone-based cancer information and support services in the participant’s home state.

More information about Cancer Council Queensland is available by phoning 13 11 20 or visit their website www. cancerqld.org.au.

Central Coast

Monday, March 27, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Seniors 9

Home Care Overhaul What do these changes mean for me?

If you receive a government subsidised Home Care Package you can choose: ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Your service provider Who delivers your Home Care Package services The type of services you receive When you receive services e.g. day and time Where your services are provided To change any of the above, at any time, to suit your needs and preferences.

Home Instead Senior Care have developed a guide to help you understand these changes, the various government subsidised home care programs that may be available to you and ultimately help you navigate your journey to a Home Care Solution that is right for you.

You will also receive:

Jasmine Hopcraft Home Instead Senior Care Central Coast & Gosford.

2017 has brought significant changes to home care for senior Australians.

You may have heard the term, Consumer Directed Care flying around. What does this mean? It means if you want to stay at home and have a Home Care Package to support you, you have choice, flexibility and control over what home care services you receive, who provides them and when.

Ultimately you have more say in who does what. For example, you will now receive an individual budget, detailing your government subsidy and your service provider’s fees and charges giving you complete transparency over how your Home Care Package is being spent.

What’s more, if you move, you can take your package with you, including any unspent funds to any location in Australia.

These are significant changes to community aged care and will ensure better transparency and accountability of providers and greater choice, flexibility and control for you as a home care consumer.

90% of Australians want to continue to live independently at home as they age and this change supports you to do so with selfdetermination. It’s a move that empowers seniors, cuts out the middle man and leaves behind the ‘get what you’re given’ approach of old.

Home Instead Senior Care has provided highly customised, quality in-home care to seniors across the Central Coast on a self-funded basis for over five years and welcomes the opportunity to provide the same quality experience to senior Australians in receipt of a government subsidised Home Care Package.

✓ A Care Plan detailing the services you choose to meet your individual needs and preferences. ✓ A budget, reflecting the cost of your chosen services against your Home Care Package funds. ✓ Monthly statements showing how your Home Care Package funds have been spent. ✓ An individual Home Care Agreement.

For more information and to discuss your individual home care needs call Home Instead Senior Care on 4342 3477 or visit gosford.homeinstead.com.au

It’s a move that empowers “ seniors, cuts out the middle man and leaves behind the ‘get what you’re given’ approach of old.

”

Contact us to receive a free copy of our Home Care Solution Guide. Call 4342 3477 or visit or visit gosford.homeinstead.com.au

Your Home. Your Care. Your Way. Our quality CAREGivers are: ✓ Fully trained & insured ✓ Personally matched for client compatibility ✓ Responsive to your individual needs and preferences. ✓ Available 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.

Call 4342 3477

For your free, no obligation care consultation.

GOSFORD.HOMEINSTEAD.COM.AU

Home Help | Personal Care | Shopping | Errands | Transport | Meal Preparation Medication Reminders Care Management | Dementia Care | Palliative Care | Respite Care.

Each Home Instead Senior Care franchise is independently owned & operated.

10 Seniors Central Coast

Finance

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 27, 2017

Financial advice can assist you through divorce ❝

Important information to work out the best protection for you AMP FINANCIAL PLANNER DIANNE CHARMAN

REGAINING financial control after divorce can be a daunting task – especially as a senior.

The latest AMP.NASTEM report For Richer, For Poorer: Divorce in Australia, found marriage breakdown can set back individuals five years financially but it doesn’t have to be that way.

WORK IT OUT: Regroup by working out your financial commitments.

Don’t assume all your expenses will be halved because you are suddenly single.

The reality is they may only drop by 25% because your outgoings, will remain largely the same, minus a second income.

If money is tight, it is

Unfortunately divorce doesn’t revoke a will, so it pays to visit your lawyer to have this document updated immediately. never too late to have a second career or part-time job.

FAMILY HOUSE: If your children are still at home, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to downsize immediately.

Staying on top of house maintenance and fixing issues as they arise is a good way to maximise value and ensure your home is real estate ready when the time comes to sell.

However, be objective about the reason you are hanging on to the family home. Is it practical or emotional? If it is

emotional, it may not make good financial sense.

SORT YOU SUPER: If you’ve received some superannuation in your divorce settlement, it’s a good idea to consolidate this into your own super account to save on fees.

Superannuation is a key part of retirement planning.

Even if you do find another partner in the future, it’s wise to boost your super balance right now.

If you are already retired, review your super

position and pension to ensure you are getting all your entitlements from Centrelink.

You may be entitled to some benefits such as rental assistance.

REVIEW INSURANCE: Protect your financial security by updating your insurances, including property, income and health.

As you can no longer rely on a second income, make sure you review the amount of income and total permanent disability insurance you are covered for.

A financial planner can help you work out the best coverage to protect yourself and children in the event of illness or death.

You may also need to change your family private

HELP AND ADVICE: Dianne Charman, AMP financial planner.

health plan to single coverage.

ESTATE PLANNING: is a critical aspect of re-inventing your finances after a marriage breakdown.

Unfortunately divorce doesn’t revoke a will so it pays to visit your lawyer to have this document updated immediately.

Any advice given is general only and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs.

Because of this, before acting on any advice, you should consult a financial planner to consider how appropriate the advice is to your objectives, needs and financial situation.

Don’t drown in debt THINK MONEY PAUL CLITHEROE FEW things are harder than admitting you’re struggling with debt, but help is at hand.

I recently attended the launch of the National Debt Helpline, a service funded by federal and state governments, which has the potential to turn around the fortunes of Australians weighed down by runaway debt.

We are collectively carrying more debt than ever before at a time when wages growth is the slowest in decades.

It’s not a great combination. On top of this, interest rates are at historic HELP IS AVAILABLE: Get rescued financially with advice via the lows but it’s unlikely they’ll stay that way forever. If the free National Debt Hotline. rates start to climb, it’s a

fair bet a growing number of households will feel the financial pinch. To be fair, our home loans represent a significant chunk of household debt.

If you can manage your loan repayments, this type of debt is not a problem as a well-located home will rise in value over time, and

surprisingly few people have just one credit card. It turns out close to one in five cardholders have three or more cards.

That could mean facing a debt of $10,000 or more at interest of around 18%. (by the way, the highest card rate on the market is a whopping 24.5%)Looked at in this light it’s easy to see how disastrous this sort of The trouble is, surprisingly debt can be.

If you feel debt is getting few people have just one the better of you, it’s worth credit card. It turns out close to one giving the National Debt in five cardholders have three or Hotline a call this free service 1800 007 007.) more cards.

Admitting you’re sinking at some stage you’ll own debit card buys. in debt is never easy but it’s the place debt-free.

So, it only takes a better to take positive The type of debt that handful of big purchases to action today than allow it to tends to land people in rack up a four-figure card overwhelm you. financial hot water is ‘have balance.

Paul Clitheroe is a it now’ debt. I’m talking Now, you could say that founding director of about - credit cards, store compared to the balance of financial planning firm ipac, debt and payday loans that our home loans, the Chairman of the Australian let us buy more stuff we average card debt of Government Financial often don’t need, and which $3,100 isn’t worth worrying Literacy Board and chief certainly doesn’t rise in about. commentator for Money value.

The trouble is, Magazine.

❝

Australians owe a total of $35 billion on their credit cards.

And while we are using debit cards a lot more these days, the purchases made on credit cards tend to be big ticket items.

The average credit card purchase is $120 compared to just $50 for

Central Coast

Monday, March 27, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Seniors 11

Travel

10 Ann Rickard

ADELAIDE has shrugged off its “second cousin” mantle and put on its party hat – and autumn is the perfect time to see it at play.

■ FESTIVALS Locals call it Mad March due to the exceptional number of events throughout the month. Just as Adelaide has said goodbye to the Australian Women’s Open Golf, it says hello to WOMAD, Adelaide Fringe, Clipsal 500 (street circuit car race), the Adelaide Cup, Adelaide Festival of Arts, Adelaide Writer’s Week ■ FOOD Never has a city so fervently embraced food culture over the past few years. Every international cuisine flourishes: in

reasons to go to Adelaide in autumn

gastro pubs, cafes, high-end restaurants and on the streets. The coffee scene is vibrant…and eat streets are claiming their place in every suburb.

■ GOLF Adelaide has some of the world’s most prestigious golf clubs. The Big Daddy of them all, The Royal Adelaide Golf Club, played host to the world’s top female golfers in February at the Australian Women’s Open, all players enthusiastic about the quality of the course.

■ FUN Let us never again refer to refer to Adelaide as the City of Churches. Sure, churches make their graceful presence known, but Adelaide is more about fun these days…just ask any one of the thousands people who crammed into the

ADELAIDE: Food, glorious regionally grown food.

Adelaide Oval to watch Guns & Roses perform in February, and then ask some of the thousands of others who went out into the streets to enjoy the Fringe Festival Parade.

■ CONVENIENCE Locals call Adelaide the 20 Minute City. Just that short time takes you to the beach or the hills and all the good times they offer. The free City Connector bus will take you on an inner-city loop and an extended loop around trendy North Adelaide giving you a link to all the popular attractions. That’s a lot to love about a bus.

■ WINE Grant Burge, Peter Lehmann, Penfolds, Jacobs Creek, Seppelts, St. Hallett, Yalumba…all our best-known wine names live in South

Australia…plus dozens more we haven’t heard of.

More than 200 cellar doors are on the city’s doorstep which earns Adelaide’s wine area the title of Great Wine Capital of the World, alongside Bordeaux and Napa Valley.

It doesn’t get any more recognised than that.

■ HAHNDORF Hahndorf is home to the oldest surviving German settlement built by a group of Prussian settlers in 1839 and in this leafy town you’ll eat sublime German smallgoods, beautiful breads and sumptuous cakes and then with satisfied stomach, browse galleries, boutiques and jewellery shops. In the autumn Hahndorf is a blaze of rusty colours.

■ BAROSSA VALLEY Neat vineyards roll over

Festivals and live music scene is alive!

the landscape and connect graceful hills, all interspersed with charming villages and appealing hamlets.

Cycling and walking trails offer gentle exercise after you’ve visited cellar doors (with around 750 winegrowing families in the Barossa you’ll find a cellar door in every nook).

You could be in Tuscany but Barossa is better.

■ MAGGIE BEER’S FARM SHOP A stop at Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop gives you a literal taste of all the Barossa. Every one of her many products (apart from ice creams) is generously offered to taste. From her famous pates through to her relishes, jams, pastes and then to her daughter Sasika’s products (beetroot jam…mmmm), you’re invited to try them

all. If you can walk out without buying something – salted brandy caramel in our case – then your willpower is commendable.

■ CLIMATE Yes, Adelaide can experience extreme heat, but we are going into autumn and it’s time to enjoy crisp mornings and rug-up evenings. Once autumn has gone it is all about gathering around fires in pubs, clubs, B&Bs and in winery restaurants.

Sipping some of the Barossa’s big reds in front of a fire will make you forget the horrible humidity of a Queensland summer.

The writer was a guest of South Australia Tourism. For more information on Adelaide, go to www.southaustralia.com.

Fabulously fresh produce and innovative menus.

12 Seniors Central Coast

travel

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 27, 2017

Sula is one of the smiling staff.

Sunset from the Sundowner Bar.

ISLAND LIFE: The resort is set up like a Fijian village.

PHOTOS: SHIRLEY SINCLAIR

Time for fabulous fun in Fiji Shirley Sinclair

SO YOU want a holiday somewhere special but you don’t want to be on the go once you get there.

And you don’t want to have to be anywhere at a particular time. You just want to go with the flow at your pace for once.

Fiji’s first five-star resort may be just what you’re looking for. Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort on the Coral Coast combines traditional hospitality with the modern facilities and conveniences of a world-class resort.

Everything is at your fingertips and staff are at your beck and call – even your own private butler who will unpack for you.

You can live a little without having to dress up and put on airs and graces …and everyone is smiling. Paradise found is a three-hour plane flight from Brisbane and a

hassle-free transfer to the Coral Coast.

Here’s 10 ways to slow down and relax at Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort: 1. Indulge in a spa treatment at the multi award-winning Bebe Spa Sanctuary. The sanctuary lies next to the wedding chapel high above the resort on the ridge known as Heavenly Hill. If you need to take away the tension, re-energise tired muscles and revitalise the skin, perhaps the Cabe massage will do the trick (meaning “to ascend”, Cabe sees the skin prepared with a sugar scrub before the body is soothed with mandarin oil (applied using ancient South Pacific techniques).

2. Dinner at Fiji’s leading restaurant, Ivi, sees modern Fijian cuisine meet food theatre. For entrée, try Fijian Ika Kokoda – the nation’s

❝

Reclaim your 20-something zing with dancing to the resident band.

beloved national dish uniting lime juice marinated island fish with coconut cream and a hint of chilli, created by your host beside the table, or mangrove crab wonton bisque slow-baked in a freshly cracked coconut bilo. For dinner, you can’t go past Fiji’s deep sea snapper and shelled mud crabs (fish wrapped and poached in a banana leaf with ginger and coriander, plus crab meat braised in coconut “miti”’ sauce with caramelised onions and kumala) or slow roasted, five-spice duck breast (vichy carrots, brie and duck spring roll with orange sauce). Dessert calls for the Ivi tasting platter.

3. Talai Butler is a five-star butler service with a Fijian

twist that operates from 7am–11pm for guests in Deluxe Ocean View rooms, suites and bures.

Not only do they deliver champagne or your drink of choice and canapés about 5pm to your room daily, they also are available to unpack and iron your clothing, recommend tours and activities, and make restaurant reservations.

4. Meimei Nanny Service gives parents and grandparents peace of mind while their children, aged six months to 12 years, are entertained with a host of fun and educational indoor and outdoor activities under the smiling eyes of their Fijian nannies. They learn more about the Fijian culture and hospitality

through games, arts and crafts, and simple language lessons. The children can also meet new friends through the Kids’ Club and teens’ programs.

5. Stroll more than 16ha of grounds and meandering paths past tranquil water courses and thatched-roof bures as well as traditionally decorated, plush hotel complex to the blissful lagoon area that is ideal for snorkelling, kayaking, paddleboardingand lying under beach umbrellas.

6. Take time out at Vahavu (meaning “to relax”) adults-only area. As well as a 20m lap pool, 35m lagoon pool and comfortable lounge and dining area with sundeck, the complex features a swim-up bar for refreshing cocktails on shaded seats out of the tropical midday sun.

7. If you like to use

Exotic tropical water gardens.

The magical lagoon.

PHOTO: SHIRLEY SINCLAIR

exercise to unwind, the resort has a golf driving range and training facility, huge family lagoon pool, 24-hour fitness centre and fully-lit tennis courts.

8. Try a char-grilled steak or wood-fired pizza after watching the sunset on the flaming torch-lit deck of beachfront Sundowners Bar and Grill.

9. Reclaim your 20-something zing with dancing to the resident band and perhaps a “Russell” cocktail (named after the resort manager Russell Blaik) into the wee hours at the resort’s Vakavanua bar and nightclub.

10. Simply gaze through the panorama windows to the turquoise waters of the lagoon, as you sip sunset drinks at Kalokalo Bar above Bebe Spa Sanctuary. *The writer was a guest of Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort.

Monday, March 27, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

travel

Central Coast

Seniors 13

Come aboard for fashion fun LUXURY cruise brand Cunard has announced fashion royalty Iris Apfel will join its line-up of fashion icons set to sail onboard Queen Mary 2 for the cruise line’s second annual Transatlantic Fashion Week from August 31 to September 7.

❝

At 95, Iris is a jet-setting celebrity known for her individual style and joyful flair At 95, Iris is a jet-setting celebrity known for her individual style and joyful flair. Featured in cutting-edge style campaigns for Macy’s, MAC, Kate Spade, Swarovski and other big-name brands, Iris has become renowned for her signature look of bold round glasses, oversized bangles and necklaces, and rich, flamboyant, colourful garments.

Over the course of Transatlantic Fashion Week, Iris will be presenting a Q&A session and will introduce a showing of Iris, a

documentary featuring fashion, creativity and her soaring free spirit.

“I’ve lived quite a life of fashion and can’t wait to experience style at sea,” Ms Apfel said.

“I look forward to being inspired by the elegance and glamour of the occasion and life onboard, especially the formal nights on my voyage across the Atlantic.”

Transatlantic Fashion Week 2017 will also feature designer Julien Macdonald OBE, fashion historian Colin McDowell MBE and consultant to the international fashion industry Gail Sackloff OBE as well as top models from Storm Model Management.

The unique fashion voyage invites guests to enjoy the glamour of Queen Mary 2, while being treated to seven days of runway shows, dinners and exclusive unveilings before sailing into New York for Fashion Week.

■ Fares on Queen Mary 2’s Transatlantic Fashion Week voyage departing Southampton on August 31 start from $1949 per person twin share.

■ For more details visit cunard.com phone 132 441 or see a travel agent.

Jump in a Speedvegas car seat THERE are so many ways to get your thrills in the gambling capital of Las Vegas, it hardly seems unusual to hop into a $400,000 Ferrari and drive like you are on a speedway.

However, you will find your heart in your mouth quicker than you can say go when your supercar heads into the straight at the $30 million Speedvegas exotic and muscle-car racing experience. The 2.4-kilometre purpose-designed track almost guarantees an adventure experience whether you are the driver or the passenger. It’s full of Formula One style fast-paced curves, gut-wrenching corners and stamp-on-the-brakes slow down zones.

Speedvegas has some of the world’s most sought-after exotic and muscle supercars

including Ferrari, Lamborghini, Audi, Ford Shelby and Corvette.

When I asked my petrol head friends for advice on which car to drive, the Facebook debate raged for days. Apparently, some people think about this a lot more than I do.

Although each make had its fans, the overwhelming advice was that nothing was in the same league as the Ferrari 458 Italia. I especially liked the comment that "Nissan has all the numbers, and you can't fault its performance, but have a look at the Japanese plastic dash and keep walking."

Traditionalists would certainly choose the red Ferrari, but I was told the yellow Ferrari was the loudest and the green, AKA Jungle Fever, the fastest. I ended up selecting a jelly bean

REV IT UP: Kerry drives laps in a $400,000 Ferrari around a purpose-built track.

green Ferrari with slick black leather upholstery.

Knowing my driving style, my dear brother suggested a professional driver should take the wheel but to be sure to pack a spare pair of underpants for what he thought would be the natural conclusion of the

ride. Having always been the stubborn one in the family, I decided to drive the first two laps myself and then ask someone who drives for a living to take over. The first circuits were an amazing experience with me driving faster than I thought possible, cleverly guided

by the pro at my elbow. It seemed like I was going faster than air.

When I swapped seats for the passenger side, it took about two seconds for my stomach and heart to become more intimately connected.

When he asked if I wanted another round, I replied

weakly gasping for breath, that I was fine to finish now thanks.

Although you must be over 18 years old and hold a valid driving licence from your country of origin, there’s no prior experience needed to hop into one of these exotic cars. After a safety and track briefing, it’s time to step out trackside and pick a vehicle and drive.

You’ll find Speedvegas on South Las Vegas Blde, about a 30-minute car ride from The Strip. Expect to pay $395 US for five laps or $474 US for seven laps to drive a 458 Ferrari Italia.

While slot machines and gambling tables will tempt you from the moment you arrive at the airport, there’s just as much excitement to be found in other areas of Las Vegas.

This is definitely a town where you should leave reality behind, but pack a sense of adventure along with a healthy dose of self-preservation to explore its wondrous sights.

Visit lasvegas.com for details.

The writer visited as the guest of Speedvegas and Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

14 Seniors Central Coast

travel

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 27, 2017

A cruise fit for a Queen Ann Rickard

SHE caused quite the stir when she sailed into Sydney Harbour a decade ago, almost bringing the city to a standstill as is only fitting for royalty.

Her visit last month was a more low-key affair as Queen Mary 2 sailed into the beautiful harbour in the dawn light, gliding past her sister Queen Elizabeth anchored near Taronga Zoo. Cunard’s two most famous liners spent a day and evening in Sydney creating an historic event, with QM2 looking more splendid than ever after a $160 million remastering.

We were on board QM2 to experience her expensive new look, along with about 2000 others, and no-one was holding back in their enthusiasm for the magnificent ship with its under-stated British elegance. The Englishness was most evident at afternoon tea where a harpist played as hundreds of pinkie fingers were raised over china cups, and white-gloved waiters proffered silver trays of cucumber sandwiches and scones

Ann takes an extravagant trip of a lifetime aboard the QM2 with jam and cream.

While the ship is most definitely the Queen, food and wine are king on board. The Verandah Grill – a new speciality restaurant harking back to the refined atmosphere of Cunard’s original Verandah Grills reserved for First Class passengers – is now available to all passengers (for extra cost). Contemporary French cuisine (slipper lobster, magret duck, prune and Armagnac tart, in our case) is served in grand tradition by discreet waiters who, after multi-courses, will wheel trolleys of dainty petit fours and dazzling liqueurs to your table.

In the Carinthia Lounge, a place of relaxed glamour with curved lounges and dining chairs and tables, we took morning coffee although light breakfast and lunch dishes were served. It is here you must ponder the collection of 46 different vintage ports dating back to 1840. he Queens and Princess Grills, both with a la carte offerings and

QUEEN MARY II: Her proud bow upstaging the famous sails of the Sydney Opera House.

sophisticated service, work well, but the buffet in the Kings Court must be the most popular for breakfast and lunch and while it is, yes, a buffet, it didn’t seem as frantic as others we’ve experienced.

The English influence of patient queueing perhaps? You’ll feel regal yourself as you enter the grand lobby, and definitely when you make a grand entrance down the steps of the curved staircase in the two-tiered Britannia Restaurant with its coloured-glass ceiling.

We particularly loved the Smokehouse restaurant (cost involved) with its classic American

dishes – best ribs and blackened salmon we’ve had. QM2 can boast (if she was so inclined, she isn’t) to have a number of ‘world firsts’ at sea. The library certainly qualifies with 8000 books. The wine cellar has the world’s biggest-at-sea collection with 450 fine wines including a $4500 bottle of California Screaming Eagle, which you can have by the glass thanks to a new Coravin wine pouring system, which uses a fine needle to extract from a bottle without unsealing the cork. After food comes pleasure – and it is plentiful at the Canyon Ranch spa on two fragrant

levels, the biggest and most luxe we’ve seen at sea (that’s our boast) with a range of treatments fit for royalty (you).

New carpet laid during the remastering – six football pitches of it – adds to the elegance, and hectares of teak decks around the ship are home to rows of timber deck chairs lined like military soldiers and facing the sea. Terribly British.

If you can get past the wickedly seductive Godiva shop with its sinful chocolates, you’ll make it into some of the world’s big brand-name outlets including Michael Kors, luxury bags, shoes,

Holiday Inclusions

Home pick-up and return for Central Coast & Newcastle Passengers, Quality motel accommodation, cooked breakfast and two course dinner each day, 5 star toilet equipped coach travel with experienced and informative coach captain/guide.

LEFT: Leaving a regal wake as she slips across the oceans.

Pacific Dawn to offer cracking new seafood restaurant menu

11 Day Outback & Opals Departing 31st July Visiting Lightning Ridge, White Cliffs Tibooburra, Cameron Corner & Broken Hill Tour Price: $2240.00 per person twin

Theatre Tours Includes morning tea, A reserve seating & coach travel Tuesday 2nd May The Bodyguard Sydney Lyric Theatre $110.00 pp Tuesday 26th September My Fair Lady-Capitol Theatre $110.00 pp

12 Day Airlie Beach & The Whitsunday Tour Departing 14th June 2017 Including Bundaberg Rum Factory, Great Kepple Island, 3 night Airlie Beach, Outer Reef Cruise and Eco River Cruise Tour Price: $2999 per person twin share Many more day tours, short breaks and extended coach holidays available for further information and booking contact our office.

Shop 5a, Gosford Central Plaza 153 Mann Street, GOSFORD NSW 2250 Email: info@easytourstravel.com.au Telephone: (02) 4325 8000 Local Call: 1300 364 036

6559796aa

Wednesday 12th April Sydney University Heritage Tour $50 pp (lunch at own expense) Thursday 27th April Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounter: guided tour & lunch $75 pp Monday 1st May Convict Trail & Mulla Villa: guided tour & lunch $70pp Thursday 11th May Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute: guided tour & lunch at Doyles on the Beach $91 pp

accessories. Fifty new staterooms have been added, with the new Britannia Club Balcony staterooms paying tribute to the original QM iconic art deco heritage.

A number of new single staterooms have been included to meet the increasing demands of lone travellers. There are quirks on board too: kennels for four-legged guests. QM2 is the only cruise liner in the world to offer dedicated kennels, and the pampered pooches even have a lamp post and a fire hydrant to enhance their walking experience on reserved decks during transatlantic cruises. Everything you expect from a cruise liner is available, but without the brash or the obvious: a casino, swimming pools, card, bingo and trivia games, dance classes, deck games, fitness classes, afternoon melodies.

And a bonus for the single ladies – nine professional dance partners who will lead you around the ballroom while an orchestra plays.

Could it be any more British? Details on Queen Mary 2’s 2018 Australian itinerary, to www.cunard.com.

The writer was a guest on board Queen Mary 2.

P&O CRUISES is bringing a new taste to its culinary offering with a cracking new seafood restaurant called Shell & Bones debuting on Pacific Dawn next month.

Featuring a menu of delicious seafood like Singapore-style crab from Queensland and steamed Australian blue mussels from South Australia, the restaurant is set to reel in guests looking for a tasty seafood treat.

Shell & Bones Seafood & Grill will be part of the ship’s new international food market, The Pantry, during the day.

Then at night, it will open as a dedicated restaurant, with bookings available, walk-ins welcome and a la carte pricing.

Alongside its tempting seafood, Shell & Bones will also offer delicious items from the grill like

beef short ribs and Portuguese-style roast chicken as well as vegetarian options.

P&O Cruises president Sture Myrmell said the cruise line was hoping to make a splash with the new dining experience which would be added during Pacific Dawn’s multi-million dollar refurbishment in Singapore.

“Our guests love all the new food offerings we’ve introduced across the fleet over the past two years and they have an appetite for more, so we think they’ll really enjoy Shell & Bones,” Mr Myrmell said.

“There’s really no better time to enjoy seafood than during a holiday at sea.

“With Shell & Bones, we’ve created a restaurant that captures the way Australians love to

eat: with a great menu, the company of family and friends, and the ocean by your side.

“We think it will be the perfect complement to The Pantry concept, which has already proved so popular on our other ships.”

Pacific Dawn will return to Brisbane on March 16 following her dry-dock in Singapore.

Fares on the newly refurbished ship are on offer from $551* per person quad share for a seven-night cruise to the Pacific Islands departing on July 22.

For more information visit pocruises.com.au, call 132 494 or see a licensed travel agent. *Buy One Get up to 50% offer, valid for sales February 15 – April 18, 2017. Subject to availability, conditions apply

Central Coast

Monday, March 27, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Seniors 15

What’s on HOW TO SUBMIT COMMUNITY NOTICES

TO ALLOW for readers’ requests for the publication of more neighbourhood news, please keep notices short and to the point (100 word maximum).

If you would like to submit a photo please ensure it is at least 180dpi with faces in a nice and bright setting.

The deadline for the April-May issue is April 12. Email Nicky or Chris at communitynotes@ seniorsnewspaper. com.au

PENINSULA VILLAGES

THE Peninsula Villages choir with almost 20 members performing at the local shopping centre recently, treating shoppers to a number of classic songs and tunes as well as one of their own.

We now have 15 members in the singing group that includes both residents and a number of volunteers who thoroughly enjoy the company of each other and the joy that singing together brings to them and others whom they perform to. Now in its 59th year, NSW Seniors Festival is the largest festival for seniors in the country that is designed to celebrate the role seniors play and the contributions they make to the local community.

We offer a range of music and singing activities as part of our resident programs and are now also exploring a dedicated music therapy program that will be part of Peninsula Villages additional services offered to residents in 2017. Details call 4344 9199 or go to www.peninsulavillage .com.au.

VIEW CLUBS ■ TOUKLEY

MEETS the second Friday of the month at Club Toukley RSL at 11am.

VIEW Clubs are a valued part of the Smith Family and raise money for the education of disadvantaged children of Australia. Come along, have lunch, make new friends and see what we are all about. For details call Sandra on 4396 6206.

Entertainment list JOURNALIST ALISON HOUSTON ■ 1. IF you’ve always been fascinated by charcoal, why not learn drawing techniques from a seasoned professional and experienced teacher, Robyn Palmer? She’s conducting an art seminar on Tuesday, March 28 at 2.30-3.30pm in Woy Woy Library. Call 4304 7555.

■ 2. HERE’S one to cross the generations: the Wyong Community Family Fair on Sunday, April 2 from 1-6pm. And the best part is … it’s all free. Free entry, rides, sideshow amusements, even free show bags for kids! The only thing you’ll need cash for is to grab food from the vendors and goodies from the market stalls. And for the guys (not to be sexist, but we know ….) there’s even a vintage/classic car and bike display! It’s all at Wyong Christian Community School, Alison Rd. ■ 3. RELIVE Beatlemania with the tribute show Beatlemania on Tour at

NATURAL BEAUTY: Get away from it all at the breathtaking Warrah Lookout.

PHOTO: NATIONALPARKS.NSW.GOV.AU

Laycock St Community Theatre on Saturday, April 8 from 8-10.30pm.

With sold-out shows around the world behind them, these guys have the complete look and sound, with costumes, replica instruments, not to mention those tunes.

Tickets are $59 at Laycock St Community Theatre. Call 4323 3233.

■ 4. QUE sera, sera, but if you miss Melinda Schneider’s latest tribute to Doris Day, you’ll be kicking yourself. Melinda Does Doris … Again: the Movie Songs is at the Laycock Community Theatre on Sunday, April 9 from 2-5pm. Cost is $49 adults to hear the music of Calamity Jane, Pillow Talk and more. Call 4323 3233.

■ 5. IT’S an egg-cellent

way to celebrate Easter at the annual Patonga Easter Fete from 9am-1pm on Saturday, April 15, with arts, crafts, antiques and collectibles, jewellery and market stalls as well as food delights from local traders. Enjoy Devonshire tea, chew on a sausage as the chocolate wheel spins out the Easter prizes.

Money will go towards community projects such as improvements to the Progress Hall. Call Judy on 0418 993 417.

■ 6. TODD McKenney celebrates the man and the music that made him famous in the Boy From Oz 20 years ago as he Sings Peter Allen at the Laycock Community Theatre from 8pm on Friday, April 21. Tickets are $79. Call

4323 3233.

■ 7. FEELING literary? Or just historical? As part of the 2017 National Trust Australian Heritage Festival, Brisbane Water Historical Society will host Professor Michael Wilding, author of Wild Bleak Bohemia’ at its open day from 11am on Saturday, April 22. Cost $5 adults. Its current exhibition Names Upon a Stone, exploring the life of poet Henry Kendall and how he found friendship, runs until May 31. Call 4325 2270.

■ 8. I JUST love this one … UFOs have been seen at Long Jetty Senior Citizen’s Club.

That’s right, UnFinished Objects! If you have unfinished craft or artwork lying around that you’ve never quite made it back to, or need

Visitors can attend all activities whilst deciding.

Contact Membership Officer- Otto Stadelman on 4332 0136 or look up via: www.probussouth pacific.org.

History Society, a recipient of the Australian Society of Archivists Distinguished Achievement Award and in 2009 received the AFFHO Services to Family History Award.

Shauna will speak to us about Asylum Records: A place to look for missing ancestors, Victorian Resources for family historians, archives you

COFFS HARBOUR DISTRICT FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY INC.

MERRY GROUP: Bateau Bay combined Probus club members celebrated last Christmas in style.

■ BRISBANE WATER EVENING WORKING for the Smith Family holds its monthly dinner meeting in the Function Room at the Grange Hotel, Renwick Street, Wyoming on the fourth Tuesday of the month from 6.30pm for 7pm. New members and visitors are most welcome. Details call Valda on 4325 1688 or Helen 4367 5670.

BATEAU BAY COMBINED PROBUS

WE ARE a Club of Active Retirees offering great fellowship, a wide range of activities and interesting guest speakers.

Our membership is open to both ladies and men.

Meetings are at Bateau Bay Bowling Club 2nd Monday (except public holidays) each month.

Come and check us out.

SEMINAR Saturday May 27, Cavanbah Hall at 10am With Shauna Hicks .Shauna is now a retired archivist and librarian now indulging her time with family history research, writing and travelling. She began tracing her family history in 1977 and for over 35 years worked in Libraries and Archives in Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne.

She is currently Director of Shauna Hicks History Enterprises and a collaborative partner in Unlock the Past.

She is also a Fellow of the Queensland Family

help with, join Dianne Richards at the UFO group every Tuesday from 9am to noon in the club’s lounge.

It’s just $4, including morning tea.

Phone 4332 5522 for details.

■ 9. LOOKING for a quick escape? Head to Brisbane Water National Park for rainforest, coastal escarpments and peaceful inland waterways. Warrah Lookout boasts views across Broken Bay and the Hawkesbury River.

It’s just a 15 minute walk from the carpark, with a little rough ground.

Continue on to Pearl Beach for a moderately difficult 5.1km round-trip.

■ 10. OKAY, this one’s not until April 29, but you will need to get your tickets well before that to see the iconic Dragon celebrate Countdown’s Australian Chartbusters.

Step back in time to the Chartbusters of the 1970s and 1980s as Dragon celebrates over 40 years on the Australian and New Zealand music scenes at Mingara Recreation Club, Tumbi Umbi.

Who can forget songs like Rain and Are You Old Enough? Tickets at Outix. may not know but should and Google tools for genealogy.

Bookings are essential please contact the Society on 02 66516126 or email to coffsgenie@gmail.com before Wednesday, May 24. Cost is $30 for visitors and members $25.

Morning Tea and a Light lunch will be provided.

MUSIC THERAPY: Peninsula Villages celebrated NSW Seniors Festival with a special public performance at Deepwater Plaza.

16 Seniors Central Coast

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 27, 2017

To advertise, call 1300 136 181 or visit finda.com.au Motoring

Trades & Services

Cars

Kitchens

BEWARE OF SCAMS

Buyers and sellers should be cautious of possible scams when buying or selling a vehicle.

More information is available at scamwatch.gov.au

6546920aa

Be wary if the number in the ad is disconnected.

If the buyer/seller says the number is disconnected because they are overseas, ask for a landline phone number at their current location as well as a mobile phone number.

All contact details of the person buying or selling the car should be verified to ensure they are genuine.

Local, trusted and family owned.

We have absolute dedication to our customers and with over 20 years’ experience, we've become experts on building beautiful kitchens.

(02) 4323 2711 www.timtradkitchens.com.au

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Buyers should be cautious when dealing with car sellers that are overseas and should always arrange to view the vehicle prior to the transfer of any money.

LOSING POPULARITY: ATMs are being slowly replaced by customers drawing cash down from cash-rich supermarkets.

Trades & Services Tree Services

KING KONG TREE & GARDEN SERVICES All areas of Central Coast NSW, Fully licenced and insured arborist.

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Tip

What a Waste!

Don’t waste your weekend trying to sell a car with a sky-high price tag. Attract the buyers with a price that fits the product.

This tip brought to you by www.finda.com.au

Banking on technology AS TECHNOLOGY forces changes in the way Australians bank, senior-age customers are proving successful adaptors to the evolving structures and banking processes.

The Australian Banker’s Association reports the biggest change in the uptake of smart banking channels is by over 65-year-olds.

BRANCHES

Bank branch face-to-face customer interaction hasn’t died, but it certainly has changed dramatically in recent years.

Over the last 10 years branch numbers have remained steady at 5500, but “the type of branch is changing”, the association’s executive director for retail policy Diane Tate said.

“We are seeing much more use of technology in branches.”

Kiosks that are technology-enabled, with computers and smart ATMs and staff to help customers complete their transactions are starting to pop up.

“Branches are increasingly being equipped with a mix of self-service options for simple transactions to make sure customers can conduct their banking as fast and easy as possible, and tailored support from staff for more complex questions,” Ms Tate said.

The days of bank staff being locked behind a screen are disappearing as banks are carrying less

cash and security around banks has evolved.

This means the staff are more accessible for customers to speak to on personal banking enquiries.

“Making sure banks are accessible, friendly and available is something the industry is clearly making efforts to do,” Ms Tate added.

This however doesn’t mean the opening hours will change as each state has its own laws regarding opening hours.

And with further banking channels opening up, it’s unlikely that there will be any significant changes to branch hours.

CASH SHOPPING

In the last five years the association has seen a significant shift in the way in which ATMs are used.

Instead, debit cards are more and more the cash choice and contact-less cards, which allow small transactions, have significantly eased the way for older and disabled customers.

“We’ve seen a shift in behaviour where customers are using less ATMs and taking the opportunity to take cash out at places like supermarkets,” Ms Tate said.

Supermarkets are cash rich which is why they don’t have to charge for customers taking cash out at the till.

“This is a smart way to avoid paying ATM fees.

“Our consumer research shows seniors lead the way in avoiding

bank fees, with 82% of people aged 65 and over reporting they always or often avoid paying ATM fees.”

ONLINE

The association reports at least 70% of banking transactions are now completed online, but mostly through smartphones with the biggest uptake in over 65 year olds.

“We are seeing older Australians really embracing what they can do via their smartphone because it’s easy,” Ms Tate said.

“You can do it whenever you want so it takes away that, I have to get to the branch before 3pm on Friday.”

The association’s research has also found about 80% of over 65 year olds are reporting they are better informed on how to protect themselves online consequently making them more “comfortable doing transactions online”.

LEARNING

More seniors are taking advantage of the free courses available for learning how to use a computer or tablet, and how to do online banking through websites and phone apps.

The bank websites are providing online a range of learning tools as well as information available at libraries.

For more on banking legislation and changes to the banking system, visit: betterbanking.net.au.

Central Coast

Monday, March 27, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Seniors 17

Reviews The darker side of life revealed

Vote that changed everything

FEARLESS : Bestselling writer Robert Wainwright discovers an extraordinary woman.

Muriel Matters MISS Muriel Matters is a captivating new biography of the Australian actress who became one of London’s most famous suffragists.

In 1909 a young Australian actress made headlines around the world when she took to the sky over the British Houses of Parliament in an airship emblazoned with the slogan Votes for Women.

When prevailing winds forced her to sail around London instead, she dropped leaflets all over the city.

The American media declared it to be the world’s first aerial protest.

A year earlier, Muriel Matters, who became known as “that daring Australian girl”, became

the first woman to make a speech in Parliament after chaining herself to a brass grille to protest against women being segregated in the Parliament.

She was sent to Holloway Prison for her crime, and on her release added prison reform to her list of campaigns.

Muriel Matters went on to become one of the most famous suffragists of her day, touring England in a horse-drawn caravan to promote her cause.

Her skill as an orator drew crowds in their thousands.

So why has Muriel Matters remained a relative unknown in both Britain and her home country?

In Miss Muriel Matters,

best-selling writer Robert Wainwright discovers an extraordinary woman full of intelligence, passion and bravery who fought for women’s rights in a world far from equal.

About the author Robert Wainwright is a well-known journalist and the author of several topical books.

He has written books about Rose Porteous, Caroline Byrne, Martin Bryant, George Ingle Finch and Ian Thorpe.

The author of the best-selling Sheila: the Australian beauty who bewitched British society, he lives in London with his wife Paola Totaro and their family. ❚ Available: ABC Books from March 27, 2017.

RRP is $32.99.

UNPRECEDENTED is written by Thomas Lake and edited by Jodi Enda.

Featuring a foreword from CNN’s Jake Tapper and an introduction by historian Douglas Brinkley, Unprecedented is the story of Trump’s extraordinary journey and triumph, in the first-ever book from CNN Politics.

In a non-traditional, at times outlandish campaign, Donald Trump broke all the rules.

But he tapped into a longing among Americans for a leader who would eschew political correctness and fight for them on immigration, guns and jobs.

Trump took on long-held political traditions, insulting more than a few groups – and even his party’s leaders – along the way.

But none of it mattered to voters who demanded change and admired Trump’s willingness to do things his way, critics be damned.

The book is published

by Melcher Media and available in hardback for $A59.99.

ISABELLE Rossiter has run away again. When Aidan Waits, a troubled junior detective, is summoned to her father’s penthouse home, he finds a manipulative man, with powerful friends.

But retracing Isabelle’s steps through a dark, nocturnal world, Waits finds something else: an intelligent 17-year-old girl who’s scared to death of something.

As he investigates her story, and the unsolved disappearance of a young woman just like her, he realises Isabelle was right to run away.

Soon Waits is cut loose by his superiors, stalked by an unseen killer and dangerously attracted to the wrong woman.

He’s out of his depth and out of time.

How can he save the girl, when he can’t even save himself?

Sirens is available from Doubleday. The RRP is $32.99.

Conscious eating for the planet

A NEW guide to a popular plant-based diet helps us eat kindly, tread lightly and live well. Forget paleo, gluten-free or the 5-2 diet.

Because, according to Google Trends, when it comes to diet-related searches, Australians are most interested in plant-based diets.

Already, in fact, one in four Australians is either “meat- free” or consciously reducing their consumption of animal products.

And why not?

Not only is a plant-based diet an ethical and eco-friendly choice, it’s also a healthy choice.

Which is why Animals Australia, the nation’s leading animal protection organisation, has produced a complete guide to plant-based cuisine.

A Taste for Life by Animals Australia is available from ABC Books The RRP is $39.99.

BOOK REVIEW: Two Days Gone RANDALL Silvis’ Two Days Gone is a literary page-turner about a beloved college professor accused of murdering his entire family, and one small-town cop’s dangerous search for answers.

Thomas Huston, long-time professor and best-selling author, is something of a local hero in the small Pennsylvania college town where he lives and teaches.

So when Huston’s wife and children are found brutally murdered in their home, the community reacts with shock and anger.

Huston has also mysteriously disappeared, and suddenly, the town celebrity is suspect number one.

The book is published by Landmark and the paperback RRP is $22.99.

18 Seniors Central Coast

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 27, 2017

Live and let’s save Help reduce e-waste

:

Protein packed rice paper rolls

A HEALTHY and easy snack for you to make.

Discover the secrets to making these light and tasty rolls that are packed full of flavour and guaranteed to impress.

They taste delicious and are low in calories and great for using up leftovers.

This recipe makes 12 rice paper rolls and can be gluten free or vegetarian by omitting protein.

WHAT YOU NEED:

★100g vermicelli rice noodles. ★12 cooked prawns coarsely chopped or 1 ½ Cups shredded chicken. ★½ cup each coarsely chopped coriander and mint. ★½ Continental cucumber, cut into matchsticks. ★1 carrot, cut into fine matchsticks. ★12 rice paper wrappers (have a few spares just incase). ★5 lettuce leaves shredded. ★1 spring onion, thinly sliced.

TO SERVE:

★Vietnamese mint (optional). ★Dipping sauce. ★1 small garlic clove, chopped. ★30g light palm sugar, crushed. ★90 ml lime juice. ★75 ml fish sauce.

★2 small red chillies, thinly sliced.

METHOD:

■ Place vermicelli in a large bowl, pour over enough boiling water to cover completely and stand until vermicelli are tender (2-4 minutes).

■ Strain, drain well, then cut into rough 10cm lengths with scissors and place in a bowl.

■ Add prawn or chicken, coriander, mint and cucumber, season to taste and set aside.

■ For dipping sauce, pound garlic in a mortar and pestle to a paste, pound in palm sugar to combine, then stir in remaining ingredients and set aside.

■ Fill a large flat container with warm water.

■ Working with a wrapper at a time, submerge wrapper in water to soften (10-30 seconds), then transfer to a clean damp tea towel.

■ Working quickly, spoon about 1/4-cup prawn mixture along the centre of the wrapper, add lettuce leaf and some spring onion, fold in ends, then roll to form a sealed cylinder.

■ Place on a tray lined with baking paper and cover with a damp tea towel.

■ Serve with dipping sauce and Vietnamese mint. Enjoy!

COMPUTERS

Australian’s purchase more than two million computers every year.

This makes e-waste, including computers and accessories, a growing problem.

Monitors contain lead and computers also contain other hazardous materials that need to be disposed of responsibly.

Computers and accessories that are in working order can often be refurbished with new software and some replacement parts.

These repackaged computers are generally

BATTERIES

BE THRIFTY AND THRIVE NICKY NORMAN made available to low-income communities, individuals and community organisations.

The individual materials such as printed circuit boards, cabling, glass and plastics are recovered and then processed so that they can be used as raw materials to produce new products.

MOBILE PHONES

It is estimated more than 31 million mobile phones are in use in Australia.

Millions of old and unused mobile phones are stashed away in cupboards and drawers at home and work.

We are all possibly guilty of this.

REDUCE: Reuse and recycle.

If your mobile is still working and you would like it to be reused, you could have it repaired, pass it on to family or friends, donate it to a charity or sell it to a company that offers cash.

Throwing old mobiles into landfill can potentially be dangerous.

Heavy metals in the batteries could penetrate into the environment.

Simply drop them off at a recycling collection point as mobile phones and mobile batteries cannot be recycled in your council recycling bin.

The future for you in the kitchen SAVING time, making life easier and making time in the kitchen fun is what these amazing new appliances are doing for us.

■ Light wave oven This appliance is like a cross between a microwave, grill and oven that does not take up much space. It cooks food four times faster than a regular oven and you don’t need to preheat it. Still a bit pricey but be patient the prices will go down eventually.

■ Thermomix ® This will help you to save time and cook delicious meals.

Preparation time is cut

Seniors News

HOME COOKING CHRISTINE PERKIN with chopping ingredients in seconds then cooks and stirs your food for you. Very pricey at more than $2000 but it replaces the functions of 12 appliances in one unit.

■ Steam-assist ovens Steam is used in the cooking process to produce better tasting food and faster cook times. Using steam to cook, usually with

convection heating, keeps food moist. These ovens are computerised, and monitor the amount of steam used based on the dish type you enter in on the keypad and practically cook dinner for you!

■ Induction cook-tops You can boil a pot of water on a burner and then set your hand on it moments later without experiencing any heat.

Add to that, induction cooking is up to twice as efficient as natural gas or electric elements, so it’s easy to see why this cooking method is catching on fast.

■ Microwave drawers Under bench

microwaves that slide out like a drawer. The benefits of these units include saving space, blending your microwave seamlessly into your kitchen and easier access.

■ Dishwasher drawers Operate on the same principle as microwave drawers. You can install dishwasher drawers fitted with your own cupboards.

The drawers look like any other drawer in your kitchen.

■ Computerised refrigerators With a computer and screen built into the main door, access the internet while you make dinner!

If you like what you’re reading, why not advertise here?

We’d love to share your stories and promote your business to readers just like you. This is the perfect opportunity to share what your business has to offer to those who are most interested. Don’t miss your chance to reach our readers!

Embracing Ageing

BOOK THIS SPACE!

There are a wide range of battery types, many of which contain toxic metals, mercury and lead.

Others contain valuable materials like magnesium and zinc. Buying rechargeable batteries is an important way to reduce battery waste.

Each battery can be recharged up to 1000 times, saving you money and reducing pollution.

Used rechargeable batteries are a hazardous waste and should not be placed in the garbage bin.

This includes batteries in laptops, mobile phones, power tools and cameras.

Aldi supermarkets offer a free battery recycling service at their stores.

Find a commercial battery recycling service for your workplace or business via BusinessRecycling. com.au or for more on recycling, visit www. planetark.org.

To find out more about advertising in Senio ors Northern NNSW and Seniors s Coffs and Clarence call media sales consultant Sue Germany on 1300 0 880 265 or get in touch at Sue.Gerrmany@seniorsnewspaper.com.au

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6518830aa

TASTY SNACK: Rice paper rolls are filling and healthy.

AUSTRALIAN’S are amongst the highest users of new technology in the world.

We can all help to address the e-waste (electronic waste) epidemic by recycling our used mobile phones, accessories, batteries and even computers.

puzzles

Monday, March 27, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

JIGGERED

6/3

The challenge is to rearrange a crossword which has been broken into 25 sections. One letter has been given to get you started. Work out which 3x3 square fits in with that letter and write in the letters.

You can also shade the black squares if you find it helpful.

After completing the first 3x3 area, work out which square joins on to it, and continue until you have made a complete crossword.

V I A W N P T

M E S A P E D

N E X S O

T H E A H U M

S

E

L L O P

N O V E E

O

I L O A N D

G S I N U G

A D M I E M P

H G I N G N S

E D V L E D

S E R A Y

S A S I L S

R C Y T H E

H F T T

O C O U R W I

K N O

S C R

D E A H H E E

A R I N E G A S

I N P P L

E N D S

I T T L L O Y

A G L E

A A T D S E

V

I

S W L

Central Coast

QUICK CRoSSwoRD Across 1. Reduce (7) 5. Resist (5) 8. Important occasions (3-6,4) 9. Travel over snow (3) 10. Exemplary example (4,5) 12. Inhalation (6) 13. Joined (6) 15. Sleuth (9) 16. Catch (3) 18. Defencelessness (13) 20. Failure (colloq) (5) 21. Impaired (7)

Down 1. Arranges (5) 2. Popular myths (3,5,5) 3. Hypothetical (9) 4. Stinging plant (6) 5. In favour (3) 6. Attention-seeking behaviour (13) 7. Wrestled (7) 11. Idiosyncrasy (9) 12. Cause continual trouble (7) 14. Sorcerer (6) 17. Played with (5) 19. Hearing organ (3)

1

2

3

4

Seniors 19

5

6

7

16

17

8

9

10

11

12

13 14

15

18

19

TRIO

Can you complete these four words, using the same three-letter sequence in each?

SUDOKU

20

21

Fill the grid so every column, every row and 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9.

MOIST, NICEST, ORGANIC, PICTURES, QUOTATION.

Good 20 Very Good 27 Excellent 33+

WORD GO ROUND

T E D V Y E D R Y O T H H W I N N N G S I L U G H A F T

T O

TRIO: SEC

420

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D E A H H E E A A T D S E N O V E E E L L O P M E S A P E D

ALPHAGRAMS

Welcome Senior Students Life’s lessons In our April edition we invite your to join us on our quest for life-long learning.

The acquisition of knowledge, skills and competences is unlimited and we will be presenting a broad range of flexible, diverse, formal and informal learning opportunities.

From personal development to special skills, it’s all about harnessing our creative potential.

Step up, step in and join us in this mind-altering edition. J

Pick up your free copy of the April edition at your local stockist or read online at seniorsnews.com.au News + LifestyLe + HeaLtH + traveL + fiNaNce + eNtertaiNmeNt

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OMITS INSECT NO CIGAR PIE CRUST TOO QUAINT

V I L A W N P T C O C O U E R W I G A G G L S E K S N N C O R T H E A T H U M

H F

W R

How many words of four letters or more can you make? Each letter must be used only once and all words must contain the centre letter.

There is at least one nine-letter word.

No words starting with a capital are allowed, no plurals ending in s unless the word is also a verb, e.g. he burns with anger.

SUDOKU

JIGGERED

A D M I T I L E M P L O E N I N D E X S S O I L S O S L A N D S A V I I P S L S P A R I S E E R N Y G A S

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QUICK CROSSWORD

Solve the anagrams. Each solution is a one-word anagram of the letters beside it, and the five solutions are sequential. For example, if the five-letter solution starts with J, the six-letter solution starts with K, and so on.

Across: 1. Shorten 5. Fight 8. Red-letter days 9. Ski 10.

Role model 12. Breath 13. United 15. Detective 16. Net 18.

Vulnerability 20. Loser 21. Damaged.

Down: 1. Sorts 2. Old wives’ tales 3. Theoretic 4. Nettle 5. For 6. Grandstanding 7. Tussled 11. Mannerism 12. Bedevil 14.

Wizard 17. Toyed 19. Ear.

alpHaGRaMS

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20 Seniors Central Coast

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 27, 2017

Get your copy today!

Seniors Central Coast 2017 promises to be an exciting year for our publication, and we look forward to bringing our readers 12 editions jam-packed with news, reviews and ideas to help make life as enjoyable as possible! We’d also like to thank our many distributors for their support in 2016. See below for a complete list of where to find your Seniors Newspaper in 2017, available around the 25th of every month.

AVOCA BEACH

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THE ENTRANCE

OTHER LOCATIONS

• •

•

ETTALONG PHARMACY

•

THE ENTRANCE LIBRARY

•

•

HATTERS TEA HOUSE

•

THE ENTRANCE

•

IGA SUPERMARKET

•

VIETNAM VETERANS ASSOC OF AUST

AVOCA BEACH BOWLING CLUB THE PALMS AT AVOCA

BATEAU BAY • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

KARAGI COURT RETIREMENT VILLAGE ELDERSLEA RETIREMENT VILLAGE STOCKLAND BAY VILLAGE S/CENTRE AUSTRALIAN UNITY BATEAU BAY LIBRARY BUPA BATEAU BAY CARER SUPPORT GROUP BATEAU BAY BOWLO BATEAU BAY MENS SHED BATEAU BAY TENNIS CENTRE BATEAU BAY TENPIN BOWL CROQUET CLUB GLORIA JEANS COFFEE NAREEN GARDENS

BUDGEWOI • • •

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BUFF POINT • •

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CHAIN VALLEY • •

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GOSFORD •

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•

RADIO 50 PLUS

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IGA GOSFORD

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•

GOSFORD RS

GREEN POINT •

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KANWAL

NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE •

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TUGGERAH •

WESTFIELD TUGGERAH

•

MEALS ON WHEELS CENTRAL COAST

•

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WYOMING •

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MEANDER VILLAGE

•

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LIVING CHOICE BROADWATER

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• • • • • • • • • • •

COURT RETIREMEN •

WATERFORD RETIREMENT VILLAGE

LAKE MUNMORAH •

LAKE MUNMORAH MINI MART

•

LAKESIDE LEISURE VILLAGE

NORAH HEAD •

NORAH HEAD BOWLING CLUB

•

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BERKELEY VALE: BERKELEY VALE PHARMACY

•

CANTON BEACH:

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CENTRAL MANGROVE: MANGROVE MOUNTAIN GOLF CLUB

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COPACABANA: COPACABANA NEWSAGENCY

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DOYALSON: DOYALSON WYEE RSL

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DOYALSON NORTH: MACQUARIE SHORES HOME VILLAGE

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FORRESTERS BEACH: FORRESTERS BEACH RETIREMENT VILLAGE

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GOROKAN: WALLARAH BAY RECREATION CLUB

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GWANDALAN: GWANDALAN BOWLING CLUB

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KANGY ANGY: TUGGERAH VILLAGE

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KILARNEY VALE: OPAL AGED CARE KILARNEY VALE

•

LAKE HAVEN: LAKE HAVEN LIBRARY

ERINA FORRESTERS BEACH RETIREMENT VILLAGE KARALTA COURT RETIREMENT VILLAGE WOODPORT AGED CARE PLUS BLOOMS THE CHEMIS ERINA FAIR SHOPPING CENTRE PINE NEEDLES LIFESTYLE ESTATE RITCHIES SUPA IGA TARRAGAL GLEN RETIREMENT VILLAGE THE COFFEE CLUB WOODPORT RETIREMENT VILLAGE TARRAGAL GLEN RETIREMENT VILLAGE FORRESTERS BEACH RETIREMENT VILLAGE

ETTALONG CARAVAN PARK •

HERITAGE VILLAGE TOUKELY

GLENMERE RESIDENTIAL AGED CARE

•

ETTALONG BEACH:

WOY WOY •

MEALS ON WHEELS CENTRAL COAST

•

DEEPWATER PLAZA

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LISAROW: THE ORCHARDS RETIREMENT VILLAGE

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LONG JETTY: LONG JETTY AND DISTRICT SENIOR CITIZENS

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MORISSETT: MORISSET BOWLING CLUB

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TOOWOON BAY: TOOWOON BAY HOLIDAY PARK

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TUMBI UMBI: GLENGARA RETIREMENT VILLAGE

SHOPPING CENTRE

•

UMINA BEACH: UMINA BOWLS CLUB

•

EVERGLADES COUNTRY CLUB

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WADALBA: HOMELAND PARK

•

THE SPORTIES AT WOY WOY

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WANTANOBBI: IGA NORTH

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WOY WOY BOWLING CLUB

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WYONGERINA:

•

WOY WOY LEAGUES CLUB

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COAST COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS - PENINSULA

MEGASAVE CHEMIST •

OURIMBAH: OURIMBAH BOWLES CLUB

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