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WELLBEING A CENTRAL PLACE OF HEALTH & HAPPINESS PAGE 24
Meet Lt Col Harry Smith The Vietnam war hero who found his peace in blue water sailing
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AUGUST, 2018// SENIORS
Changes for the better Gail Forrer Seniors Group Editor THIS month commemorates, through the memories of Lieutenant Colonel Harry Smith, the anniversary of the Long Tan battle. To honour the people involved means to acknowledge the terrible situations that have provoked and enabled warfare. Although continued warfare has proved the message underpinning American philosopher George Santayana’s words, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” untrue, I believe the intent – that understanding can lead to alternative actions – still holds some truth. Lt Col Harry Smith’s decision to err from past decisions that left the heroic deeds of good soldiers unrecognised has meant appropriate validation for these men. I trust this story honours all those who served their country both now and then. On another note, here’s to Australia’s 60-year-old Ms World, Robyn Canner. Not so long ago this sort of award, generally considered a beauty pageant, seemed more about beauty of the body than spirit. Robyn’s award is a clear indication of a changing world. It points to a holistic
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Think about your wellbeing INDEX Lt Col Harry Smith Penny Cook Ms World Robyn Canner Talk n Thoughts Community Group Guide Curryfest Woolgoolga Wellbeing Wanderlust Living Money Classifieds Puzzles
General Manager Geoff Crockett – 0413 988 333 geoff.crockett@news.com.au Editor Gail Forrer – 07 5435 3203 gail.forrer@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Media Sales Executive Sue Germany – 0438 286 539 sue.germany@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Online Get your news online at www.seniorsnews.com.au Advertising, editorial and distribution enquiries Phone: 1300 880 265 Email: advertising@seniorsnewspaper.com.au or editor@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Location: 2 Newspaper Place, Maroochydore 4558 Website: www.seniorsnews.com.au Subscriptions Only $39.90 for one year (12 editions) including GST and postage anywhere in Australia. Please call our circulations services on 1300 361 604 and quote “Brisbane Seniors Newspaper”. The Seniors Newspaper is published monthly and distributed free in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales. 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.
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judging criteria that includes body, mind and spirit and that’s good news for any age group. Sharing really is caring and this month we publish two articles urging you to volunteer your services in various areas. Both stories are keen to highlight that volunteering is a two way street, not only do you bring light into the life of a person, but you too can experience the joy of givin., Part of my job is armchair travelling and the topics in this edition have really excited me. In my mind I have been to Madagascar. I have seen the extraordinary landscapes the brilliant and abundance mix of flora, fauna and animals. I hope your exploration of our Wanderlust pages also leads to, ‘living the dream’. As always, we invite to check out our stories and videos on our website www.seniorsnews.com.au
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Cyclonic rise in cricket Cricketers never get old, until they stop playing cricket Alison Houston VETERANS is “the growth area of cricket”, according to Central Coast Cyclones Cricket Club president Bob Newman. And he’s not just talking about on the Coast, but across the country and the world, with a growing calendar of events across all three age-groups – over 50s, over 60s and over 70s. While Bob said there is still a competitive edge to the cricket, especially if you get to state, national and now world competitions, it’s mixed in with a lot of camaraderie and good feeling. “There’s a lot of blokes come along to the local matches and say ‘this is the way we should have been playing cricket all our lives’,” he said. “And the umpires love us, because everyone still enjoys a win, but it’s not at all costs... and if we sledge, we’re only sledging our own blokes!” Having joined the club at 59, and now turning 68, Bob fondly refers to the over-50s as “the babies”, and reckons there are quite a few blokes who are 48 and 49 and “just itching” to qualify. And there’s every incentive, with the first over-50s World Cup featuring eight nations to be held in Sydney from November 20-December 5 this year. As a warm-up, an invitational Australian side will be playing Wales at Baker Park, Wyong on November 19.
COMPETITIVE EDGE: Cyclone Doug Trigg in action for NSW Country Over-60s against England at Baker Park, Wyong in 2016. An invitational over-50s Australian side will play Wales there on November 19. See www.veterans.nsw.cricket.com.au for more. Photos: Contributed It follows on from the success of the Coast’s first international, an over-60s match at the grounds 18 months ago against England. This year the Cyclones have two over-60s sides heading to Maitland for the state championships, before the nationals in Penrith, featuring 32 teams from Australia and New Zealand. Meanwhile the over-70s head to the Sunshine Coast for their national titles in September boasting five Cyclones in the NSW team – Len Hardy and Ken Campbell in Division 1, Howard Reay and Garry Castles in Division 2 and Bob Tranter as fill-in. Bob paid tribute to club patron Bob Hook, now 82,
The Cyclones over-60s at Bradman Oval, Bowral for an interclub game. who only gave up playing at 80, and had his last game at Bradman Oval in Bowral where, ironically, just like The Don, Bob Hook scored a duck in his last innings. Bob stressed the
veterans comp is not all about representative honours, with some players having continued in the sport over the years, and others returning after having given it up for families or
work commitments and “just giving it a go to see if they’ve still got some skills left”. “We try to cater for all levels of ability and it’s very collegial,” he said, adding that some referred
to the comp as “the Men’s Shed in Whites”. “Some guys still get a bit of white line fever, but we’ve got fellows here who know they’re not players of immense ability, but they enjoy running round the field, doing their best and the camaraderie.” If you’re not sure if it’s for you, he said, go along to weekly training and see, with the season not too far away, and fees, including cap and playing shirt just $40 annually. “There’s a saying that cricketers never get old, you get old because you stop playing cricket,” Bob said. For more information phone Bob on 0418 624 559.
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COVER STORY
AUGUST, 2018// SENIORS
Harry Smith: new memorial stark reminder of Long Tan Tracey Johnstone
AUGUST 18 is a date in Lieutenant Colonel Harry Smith’s life that he can’t turn his back on, but neither will he celebrate it. “It was my company of 105 soldiers that got brassed-up by over 2000 North Vietnamese and regular army, and we defeated them with massive artillery support and the gallantry of my own soldiers,” Harry, now 85, said. “Sadly, I lost 17 who were killed and 24 wounded that day. It’s always been the sad part of my life.” Harry remembers the 1966 battle was fought in monsoonal conditions which helped mask the location of the Australian soldiers. “The enemy used to run telephone wires along the ground so that they could give orders as they didn’t have many radios,” he said. “The artillery shrapnel cut their telephone lines so they had to send orders by runners. Consequently, they weren’t as organised as they could have been. The rain, the artillery smoke and
everything else limited their ability to locate us. “But, when they did locate us, we were in a well-defended position. I had already lost about 13 or 14 soldiers by the time the major assault came in and then we lost another four. We were able to repel them. “They took so many casualties and withdrew and went home. Basically, we can say, they were defeated.” That story rolls off the former Company
Commander’s lips with care and solemnity that defines why Harry sought peace for the last 35 years through spending every conceivable minute bluewater sailing. When he returned from Vietnam, Harry joined the Commandos in Sydney and headed overseas to parachute jump with British, Canadian and American air forces. He returned to CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
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Certainly, on the 18th of August I remember the sadness associated with those we lost, who were killed in that battle in order that the rest of us might live.” Lt Col Harry Smith.
Photo: Tracey Johnstone
SENIORS \\AUGUST, 2018 FROM PAGE 4 Australia to take over the parachute school at the Williamstown air force base as the first army commanding officer. “We trained about 600 officers a year including girls,” Harry said. “I was responsible for bringing the girls in,” he added with pride in his voice. His last jump forced him to retire from the army. After a few years working in the corporate world for a liferaft manufacturer, Harry headed to the ocean. He has chalked up a personal log of close to 150,000 miles. In later years his third wife Felicia joined Harry to cruise and race. Danger close Harry’s story of the Long Tan Battle is being retold in an Australian movie Danger Close. Production is almost completed and it is due for release around Anzac Day next year. The movie script is a bit of a sore subject for Harry. It was supposed to be as true as possible to the battle story, subject to some dramatisation. He said the original script wasn’t accepted by a group of military experts, including himself. And though some amendments were apparently made to that script, he said he had not seen them. However, he’s willing to keep an open mind on how the movie will turn out. “From what I have heard from my guys who have been to some of the movie sites, they reckon it will turn out really well,” Harry added. Date remembered August 18 ultimately became the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia endorsed national Vietnam Veterans Day. Every year since the war, Harry has attended a Long Tan Day commemorative function. This year he will be at the
COVER STORY
Australian War Memorial for a significant moment in his life and of those who fought at Long Tan. The permanent home of the Long Tan Cross will be unveiled. The cross was originally erected on the battlefield, but then removed by the North Vietnamese at the end of the war. “It was put in a museum near Bien Hoa,” Harry said. In 2016, after the 50th anniversary, the cross was given to the Australian War Memorial, but not before it had been through a chequered past. “It was knocked down by the enemy after the war and a farmer took it home and put it over the grave of his father,” Harry said. “He took the brass plate which has a little sign on it, ‘in memory of the soldiers lost at Long Tan’, and used that as a plate to heat up his fish and chips. “It was then taken off him by the local council and put in a shed. One of my former soldiers was over there and found it in the shed, and he did a deal whereby they were going to send it back to Australia in exchange for medical supplies. But that didn’t come to pass because the North Vietnamese, who had taken over Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City, said no. “They took it and put it in a museum up at Dong Nai, north of Saigon, which is where it stayed until we got it on loan back here at the War Memorial in 2012, for 12 months. “Because of some noises made by the ambassadors, and by myself and others, the North Vietnamese decided it wasn’t much use to them sitting in a museum, so they gave it back to us.” Proudly displayed in his home office is a simple photo frame containing shrapnel relics found on the Long Tan battlefield and underneath a photo of the Long Tan Cross
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Major Harry Smith of Hobart is congratulated by Australia's Ambassador to South Vietnam, Mr Lewis Border, after being presented with the Military Cross for outstanding gallantry during the Battle of Long Tan.
Major Harry Smith of D Company, the 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, in front of a blackboard briefing foreign press representatives on the battle of Long Tan. when it was still in North Vietnam. Beside it is another presentation he received representing his company’s theme song, These Boots Are Made For Walking and it’s badge, designed by one its members, with a red triangle which is the Greek symbol for Delta and in the middle, a pair of boots. Harry displays little else of his Vietnam War years, using the remaining space in his study for photos of his many boats. Battle weary Harry finished his last land battle in 2016. “After the battle, a number of us were given awards,” Harry said. “The awards I recommended for my
soldiers who were up eye-balling the enemy, and they were the ones most gallant and courageous, those recommendations were not approved in 1966. “There was nothing I could do for 30 years because there is a secrecy period in the defence forces.” In 1996 Harry was able to access the original awards recommendation documents and then he went back to “battle”. “And I really did have a battle because people said, ‘you can’t go back in time with awards, you finish going back to the Boer War and so on. It’s just not possible. You just have to accept what was done’. I said no, I can’t
HISTORY: Major (later Lt Col) Harry Smith, 6 Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment wearing a Tokarev pistol in a holster. He recovered the pistol from the body of a North Vietnamese Army soldier the day after the battleof Long Tan. It is now in the Memorial's collection. Photos: Australian War Memorial
accept that. These young soldiers, most of them 20-year-old servicemen, fought outstandingly in the battle and it is normal to decorate people for outstanding gallantry and they should get their award.” Finally, he was able to take his case to the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal. He was knocked down once, but stood up again, and won. In 2016 the Governor General presented the awards to the soldiers of D Company in the presence of their greatest supporter. “That was the biggest battle I had since Vietnam,” Harry said. Harry now reserves all
his energy for battles on the water. When he reflects on his life, as his 11-year-old rescue dog Freddie sits faithfully by his side, Harry said: “There’s not too many people who have had 25 years in the army, fought in an iconic battle and survived, jumped out of aeroplanes at 25,000 feet, sailed and raced, and married a lovely woman”. “Long Tan is on my mind almost every day,” Harry added. “Certainly, on the 18th of August I remember the sadness associated with those we lost, who were killed in that battle in order that the rest of us might live.”
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NEWS
AUGUST, 2018// SENIORS
Penny Cook is back on screen Aussie favourite stars in The Merger comedy
Tracey Johnstone
THE MERGER: The multi-talented actress, MC and Australia Day ambassador Penny Cook.
ACTRESS Penny Cook steps back out on the big screen this month joining John Howard in a supporting role in the Australian comedy movie The Merger. The scene is an AFL ground in a town called Bodgy Creek (nee Wagga Wagga). The town’s population is dwindling and so are the number of people wanting to play AFL. There’s a reluctant coach, an influx of refugees who have moved into a town with tough locals, a bright idea to tap into all this talent to rejuvenate the hapless local club and an unaccepting club president played by John joined by his perky wife played by Penny. It’s a great combination of Aussie characters, back stories and humour which will be unleashed on local movie theatres from the end of August.
Penny, 61, has had a busy life since she shot to fame as the fresh-faced veterinarian Vicky in the iconic 1980’s television series A Country Practice; funnily enough, alongside John Howard. She has raised a daughter, looked after her ageing mother prior to her death and now watches over her step-mother who has dementia. “There were things I had to say no to because I wanted to be around for her (daughter),” Penny said. “She is now in West Australia at acting school. And I was caring for my mother so that limited my commitment to stuff that I could do.” Fitting her career into that busy family life was a challenge, but Penny has kept her hand in acting with plays and musical theatre productions, working with the corporate sector and some commercial station and ABC television shows.
She has also worked alongside some fascinating characters in her MC roles including former US president Bill Clinton and Prince Charles. On top of all her out-front work, in the background Penny is also an Australia Day ambassador. She is also on the board of the young people’s theatre company, Monkey Baa. “We are presently touring Josephine Wants to Dance all over Australia,” Penny said. “It’s great for not only kids to come and see it, but also for adults and grandparents who love taking their grandchildren.” She says The Merger is a movie made up of a combination of many things. “It’s very silly, but it deals with bigotry and racism and with good wins in the end, with a lot of laughs and tears along the way.”
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60-year-old crowned Ms World 2018 Robyn’s award proves age is but a number
Ann Rickard
INSPIRATIONAL: Beauty Queen Robyn Canner.
Photo: Jim DeFreece
IF ANYONE thought beauty pageants were only for the young they should look to Robyn Canner for inspiration. At age 60, she has claimed the title of Australia’s oldest beauty queen after being crowned Ms World 2018 in Seattle. Beating contestants from 22 countries from ages of 26 upwards, Robyn has proven age is but a number. Contestants were judged on fitness wear, evening gown, an interview and panel question. “I was up against a lot of younger women and won, so it’s one more for the oldies,” Robyn said.
“There is no stigma attached to age any more.” Robyn’s prizes included a crystal crown and $US5000. Robyn’s positive ageing mindset is a huge influence on her ability to do what she does. She is proud be the first 60-year-old Ms World, and believes age is a state-of-mind rather than life-defining figure. “I want to help other women celebrate and embrace being over 50,” she said. “I am hoping to inspire women to stop paying attention to their age number, and be fearless about making changes in their lives, and to celebrate their life experiences and
knowledge.” While the glamour of wearing frocks and high heels has brought excitement to Robyn’s life, her genuine passion is in helping others, and the Ms World 2018 pageant has provided a platform for Robyn to spread awareness. Robyn’s 22-year-old son died of non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma seven years ago, and she has been passionate about doing cancer charity work since. “Somehow I found pageantry and then found myself on World Class Beauty Queen magazine covers in the US and Europe,” she said. “It was inspiring and was character-building – it encouraged me to keep going.”
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Cuppa for a Cause was created to raise money for those in need simply by sharing a tea with friends, colleagues and family. As we operate a Meals on Wheels (MOW) service we have decided to hold a morning tea on Thursday 30 August at the Maclean Council Chambers. Any funds raised will go towards our MOW service in regards to upgrading our equipment. A trading table will also be held as well as having some lovely teas and scones and cakes. Home made of course. The morning teas starts at 10am and all community members are welcome. Last year with the support of grants from Maclean Bowling Club and Yamba Bowling Club the service was able to purchase a new commercial freezer. This has been placed in our Grafton office, 49 Queen St to allow for people to have access to our meals in this area. Since this has occurred our service has had a 30% increase in customers. Only 2 weeks ago a freezer broke down so here we go again in trying to raise funds to update our equipment. The community support we receive enables us to keep our service operating successfully. History of Meals on Wheels MOW originated in Britain during WWII, assisting frail older people who wanted to stay in their own homes, but who needed help to do so. In Australia, MOW started in 1952 in South Melbourne. A lady on a tricycle delivered the meals. When it became too much for her the Red Cross took over. Meals on Wheels has been operating in NSW for 61 years now. It commenced in March 1957. Sydney City Council started MOW in NSW in the Sydney Town Hall. In the first week 150 meals were cooked for inner city dwellers. The cost of the meal then was two shillings, which is about 20 cents in today’s money. If you wish to purchase Meals you will need to contact your local Meals on Wheels service or phone My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to get started. If you are on a Home Care Package or have a NDIS plan you can still purchase meals with your plan covering some or all of the cost. Clarence Care + Support has meals located in Grafton, Maclean and Yamba and can deliver to all those in these areas. Meals can be for a short term, say when you are recovering from an operation or long term if you find shopping and cooking all week can be difficult. You can order as you need. If you have any questions or require any information about community aged care services please give our Customer Staff enjoying getting their crocheted hand-towels at the 2017 Cuppa for a Cause Sue, Cheryl, Jarred, Sarah and Rachel. Service team a call on 6645 0400. 6687093am
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NEWS
AUGUST, 2018// SENIORS
He’s got the big scoop Former publisher launches new career as book author Ann Rickard IT IS more than a year ago since Seniors Newspaper reported on Terry Quinn’s new life journey after retirement from a four-decade career in newspaper publishing. Rather than play golf in retirement, the 66 year-old Noosa resident wrote his first novel, The Scoop, a gripping action-packed thriller. Once the hard work of writing the novel was over, and the celebrations of it being so quickly accepted for global publication by Simon & Schuster had quietened, it was a case of keeping the head down for yet more hard work. Finally, almost 18 months after acceptance, The Scoop is in bookshops across the country, and we asked Terry what the waiting, editing, and marketing process was like. He gives us these insights for all would-be authors.
How long does it take from acceptance of manuscript to the book being out there? In my case, a long time. From March 2017 until August 2018, partly because my publishers, Simon & Schuster decided that the optimum time to launch The Scoop was just in advance of Father’s Day. So, one of the first things I learnt as a would-be novelist is that book publishing is a glacial process. Contrast that to daily newspapers – 100 pages from scratch. Every day. And then we’d rip it up and do it all over again the following day. Was it a frustrating time, or a lot of fun... and a learning curve? So yeah, it was frustrating at times, but I still loved the whole painstaking process – the forensic critiques, the rewrites, the editing … even the final line-by-line proofreading. One of the first things I said to my chief editor, Roberta ‘Bert’ Ivers, is that while I
Author Terry Quinn. Photo: ALAN HUGHES PHOTOGRAPHY knew everything there was to know about newspaper editing, I was a virgin author and was in her hands when it came to books. She and my other editor, Deonie Fiford, were incredibly talented and knowledgeable people who taught me valuable lessons about pace, structure and dramatic tension. My only complaint was that, by the time we came to the editing of The Scoop,
I was already well advanced with my second novel, The Editor. So I had to go back to the beginning of book two and start again with the knowledge I had gained. Who chose the front cover? It was a joint decision with the guys at Simon & Schuster. I submitted a number of sketches but, and here’s a secret – they suggested changing the title (from Hell on the
Horizon) and even my name (from Terry Quinn.) They said the longer version “sounded more authoritative”. Their designers came up with the brilliant (I think) cover. Bert and her crew are vastly experienced international book publishers so I just went with the flow. However, while they pushed and prodded me to change certain things, they made it clear that the final decision was always mine. One of the first comments they made was that the early manuscript was too long for the action/adventure genre … can you please cut 20,000 words. As you can imagine, I nearly choked. But, in the end, I actually cut out 30,000 words and wrote in a fresh 10,000 words of action sequences and dialogue. And your new website? All part of the publishing/marketing process? Even old dogs like me must learn new tricks. For an author, that means social media and an online presence are essential. But I draw the
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line at Twitter – I’d end up like a certain US president and make a Twit of myself. What now, now the book is out there? Does the hard work really begin, interviews, book launches? The only formal launch is in Noosa, where I can rely on a few friends and family to turn up. As a debut author, I expect only a man and his dog would turn up to an event in Sydney or Melbourne. Maybe we’ll do that with book two next year. This is your first book, written after you retired when most people would be thinking of relaxing, what is the future? I am lucky to have this as a second career. A chance to continue living in the world of words after a lifetime in newspapers. As I’ve said, The Editor comes out next year, followed by book three (provisionally titled The Hack). The Scoop is available from book stores ($29.99), Amazon Kindle and Apple iBooks ($9.99). terencejquinn.com.au.
SENIORS \\AUGUST, 2018
NEWS
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AUGUST, 2018// SENIORS
Talk 'n' thoughts
Gail Forrer Group Editor Issues underpinning work after 60 have emerged in a number of categories including availability, suitability and, in particular, age discrimination. The article below reflects back to us these issues and, for one person, a solution. In particular, companies extending formal apprenticeship for older workers are noted, and also that few such initiatives have been taken up in Australia. Gail Forrer PETER Brady was 68 when he decided to start the transition to retirement. His plan was to switch from full-time work to casual contracts so he’d have more time to spend
Lateral thinking: How to best use life skills
with his family and to study. However, the former CEO of Autism ACT soon hit a snag: age discrimination. “I found if I submitted my full CV, I wouldn’t get an interview,” he said. “If I truncated my experience and qualifications I’d get one, but then I’d show up at the interview and be competing against all these Gen Ys. “I’ve got no doubt there was discrimination going on.” The Australian Human Rights Commission’s Willing to Work report of 2016 found age-related bias is widespread – and particularly rife in employment. “Remarkably, the report found a high proportion of hiring managers who were taking age into account were aged over 40 themselves,” a manager at aged care provider IRT Foundation, Toby Dawson, said. While age discrim-
ination has a slew of negative impacts, including those on mental health, families and financial independence, it was also regrettable from a broader economic perspective. A 2015 survey by the Australian Human Rights Commission found an increase of just five per cent in the paid employment of Australians aged over 55 would have a $48 billion impact on the economy each year. With the number of Australians aged 65 and over projected to double by 2055, there will be an increased demand for aged-care services and additional strain on the welfare system if greater labour force participation was not achieved. While the Willing to Work report urged the government to create a national action plan to address employment discrimination and to launch public education campaigns to dispel
Approved
stop working completely and working 40 hours a month would allow him to put the money he’d made from selling an investment property into his super fund. However, he understood if he wanted to work fewer hours, he would need to take on a more junior role. “When you go for those senior roles, they’ll start off saying 20 hours a week is fine but within a matter of weeks it becomes, ‘Can you give us another day?’ Or the board is calling you up at all hours. It’s difficult to be a part time CEO or manager, because crises inevitably come up.” The role he was offered as a project coordinator at IRT allowed Mr Brady to brush up his social media skills and to learn how to use newer Microsoft Office applications; tasks he previously delegated. He said the first year of the 18-month internship was challenging, partly because it required a change of mindset.
“When you’re no longer the manager and not directing people any more, it’s emotionally a bit draining,” he said. But he said the experience was invaluable because he had since moved to work for Wollongong City Council where he was employed on a casual basis. It was also a win for Mr Dawson, who said working with Mr Brady fast-tracked his own learning and development. Companies such as Barclays Bank in the UK and Goldman Sachs and PricewaterhouseCoopers in the US have launched formal apprenticeships targeting older workers, however there were few such initiatives in Australia. This story was originally published by bluenotes, ANZ’s newsroom for insights, opinion, research and news about the economy, financial services, investment and society, from within ANZ and outside.
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negative stereotypes about older workers, some have started taking matters into their own hands. Mr Brady said he was delighted to be offered a reverse internship by IRT’s Toby Dawson, who at the time was 31. The idea came from the movie The Intern, starring Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway, in which a 70-year-old widower interns at a fashion company run by a CEO half his age. “It just so happened The Intern had come out and we’d both seen it. We talked about it at the interview and decided that’s what we’d do,” Mr Brady said. “My role was to share some of the tricks of the trade and where I had skinned my knees, so to speak. At the same time, Toby was managing transitioning me to a more junior role – he was coaching me in how to do it again.” Mr Brady didn’t want to
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Silver surfers get a break Gail Forrer, ON THE horizon is a whole new way of surfing for silver surfers with the prototype Surf Lakes in the final phase of construction in the Queensland town of Yeppoon. Imagine 2400 machinemade waves an hour being generated across four reefs, each with a left and right-hand breaking wave; that’s eight breaks. The maximum wave height is aimed at a 2.4m face height. Each wave will vary in shape, size, length and difficulty. So, surfers can start off on the easy wave and then make their way around to the more powerful hollow barrels. Sound interesting? Queensland surfer Lincoln Chant, 60, reckons it’s a great idea. Since he turned 16, he’s been carving it out on Gold Coast waves. These days, he’s still working full-time, lives on the Coast and calls himself a fortnightly weekend surfer (and a bit more on annual holidays)
but plans to increase surfing time in his coming retirement. “When I’m retired, my wife and I’d like to do the Grey Nomad thing. Having a wave-making machine at Yeppoon would probably see us include this experience in our travels.” His quiver of seven boards, including his 1978 single fin, are used to ride a variety of waves and he thinks the surf lake might give him a chance to use them all. His wife Fay, a stand up paddler, envisions the beginner waves as providing the perfect learning environment “I’d love to learn to surf. But at 57 years old, I’m not looking to get pummelled in any barrels,” she said with a laugh. The idea behind Surf Lakes is to give everyone who wants to surf, learn to surf or – for some silver surfers – get back into their surfing, no matter what their skills, age, ability or surf craft a chance to get out there. Surf Lakes media director Wayne Dart says, “The Surf Lakes mantra is ‘Everyone gets a break’.
Would you like to volunteer with us?
Longboards, short boards, bodyboards, bodysurfers; you name it, there will be a break to suit them. The nature of each break is such that a surfer can quite quickly improve and take on another of the more challenging breaks. “Or, those who feel challenged in the ocean due to physical fitness or the like will be able to surf in a controlled environment and in turn regain fitness and balance and therefore tackle waves that they may have ridden in younger years. “But, in the lake, the built-in rips make the return to the line-up easier and there will be regulated marshalling so that every person has access to their desired wave.” The health benefits are well known and include: ● Cardiovascular fitness from paddling ● Shoulder and back strength – these muscles will strengthen from the paddling ● Leg and core strength – once you’re standing up on the board, strong legs and a strong core will keep you up Lifeline Australia RTO 88036
BARRELS OF FUN: Lincoln Chant with three of his seven boards, including the longest, from 1978.
Hello from SCCA … September is Dementia Awareness month and this year SCCA is focusing on supporting Dementia Australia’s “Dementia Friends” project. We recently held our first “Dementia Friends” session to raise awareness and understanding around what it’s like to be a person living with dementia and how a simple thing like saying hello or having a friendly word can change someone’s whole day for the better. SCCA is well known for its beautiful grounds, but there are also some individual gardens where great love, time and patience have been invested to create delightful pockets of paradise that contribute to the whole. September also means seeing the keen gardeners getting ready for the Coffs Harbour Garden Club’s Spring Garden Competition. Work on The Link project continues, with SCCA winning one of the Community Infrastructure Grants from the Coffs Harbour City Council. We are grateful to the council for their support of this great community initiative and look forward to a grand “Creative Ageing” opening in February 2019.
To register please phone 02 6651 4093
SCCA- it’s a great story! See you next Month Michelle
Sawtell Catholic Care of the Aged From the big picture to the smallest details,“we care”
www.scca.net.au Ph: 02 6653 1241 Ph: 02 6658 6133
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Next evening course begins in September
Last but by no means least, September sees SCCA commence the new Stage 7 development. If you would like further information on the units, please contact Kym Bellamy on 02 66531241.
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More fit than at 80 years old Tania Phillips MARGARET Fisher has her eyes on the big prize – finally winning gold in the singles championships for Australia at the World Super Seniors Tennis Championships in Croatia in starting late September. As there are no public sponsorship funds available for elite elderly athletes, the 88-year-old pensioner, Byron Shire’s 2018 citizen of the year, is currently crowdfunding to make the journey. She’d like to defend both her over 85s mix doubles and women’s doubles titles won last year in Florida. But it’s the big one she really wants now – the gold that has eluded the dual gold medallist for the past eight years – the world singles title. “I’d love to have the triple,” she laughed. “But it would be just nice to win the singles. “I’m going to try my very, very, very best!”
And you can be sure she will give it a good go, after all Margaret doesn’t do anything by halves, nor is she one to give up no matter what gets in her way. This was spelled out clearly three years ago when she was knocked off the court by cancer. It was her level of fitness that provided her with medical options not usually available to elderly people and as a result she made a full recovery. Not only that, but the next year she was back playing world championship tennis and returned home from the titles in Croatia with the 2016 singles silver medal. At 88, she is not only still playing tennis she is fitter now than she was at 80, 70 or even 60. At 80, she couldn’t run to the net. At 88, she can run all over the court. She plays five days a week against much younger opponents at Byron and can be found most weekends doing half
an hour’s serving practice each day with her trusty dog “coach” Leo jumping and catching her serves. The two are local celebrities around the Bay. Margaret has always loved tennis “learning on Mr Kendall’s 17 beautiful grass courts” as a young girl growing up in Albury on the NSW/Victorian border. The same courts that Margaret Court learned to play on. In 1953, the then 23-year-old teacher went to London to play at Wimbledon. “My father insisted I have a job to go to over there before I left,” she said. So Margaret taught, played tennis and saw London – it gave her a wanderlust she’s never really lost (this forthcoming trip will be her third to Croatia). However life, busy careers first in teaching and then at Parliament House in Canberra and raising four kids meant
TRAINING PARTNERS: Margaret Fisher and “coach” Leo. that for many years tennis took a back seat – with Margaret playing social games when she could. Until eight years ago – on the eve of her 80th birthday. “My younger brother Ian
was going to Turkey (for the World Titles), there were places in the team,” she said. “I think I got a bronze in the mixed doubles that year. “Playing tennis again
Photo: Contributed
woke me up again, reminded me that life is to live – you forget that sometimes.” For more, go to pozible.com/project/ 88-gold.
Need help with transport? As we get older, it’s a little harder to get around. The Community Transport Company can help with:
Door-to-door transport to medical and everyday appointments; Flexible travel options for shopping; Meet new friends on our social outings; Low-cost transport;
CALL US NOW 1300 812 504 www.communitytransport.net.au
Win Tickets to A Special Screening Thanks to Event Cinemas, we’re giving away 10 double passes for readers to attend the Seniors Morning Tea and Screening of Disney’s ‘Christopher Robin’, from 10am on Wednesday 19th September.^ Tickets $10* for Cinebuzz for Seniors Members. Sign up to be a member for free online at eventcinemas.com.au Tickets for this screening go on sale on August 15.
In the heart warming live action adventure Disney’s “Christopher Robin,” the young boy who embarked on countless adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood with his band of spirited and lovable stuffed animals, has grown up and lost his way. Now it is up to his childhood friends to venture into our world and help Christopher Robin remember the loving and playful boy who is still inside. Enter online at seniorsnews.com.au/competitions
*Online booking fees apply. ^Visit seniorsnews.com.au/competitionterms for full competition terms and conditions. Promoter is ARM Specialist Media Pty Ltd of 2 Newspaper Place, Maroochydore Qld 4558. Promotional period 06/08/18-31/08/18. Competition drawn 10am 03/09/18 at Cnr Mayne Rd and Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Winners announced in Seniors October Editions 2018. Total prize value $200.00 (including GST). Entry is open to all permanent residents of Queensland, residing in the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Toowoomba Seniors distribution areas and NSW in the Northern NSW, Central Coast and Coffs & Clarence Seniors distribution areas. NSW Permit Number LTPM/18/03133
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Community group guide
NAMBUCCA BRIDGE CONGRESS
THE Congress was attended by 100 bridge players from around NSW and Qld and has proved to be another tourism stimulus for the area. Club president Richard Levy congratulated Isla Campbell Trophy winners Daphne Priestley and Jeff Wainwright and acknowledged how terrific it was that Daphne, who was now in her 80s, has the talent, stamina and drive to compete at such a high level. Bridge is mentally challenging, a great retirement hobby and provides lots of social interaction while being inexpensive. The next Introduction to Bridge
Community notes
course has started. For details phone Marie on (02) 6568 5982.
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WE RECENTLY held a members’ barbecue day, with just over 50 people in attendance. The day began with morning tea, followed by trivia and games. Lunch was barbecue sausages and onions plus salad on bread, followed by ice cream in a cone. After a bus trip to a mystery venue last month, members are preparing for the eight-day tour to Mudgee area from September 14. The October day bus trip will be to Eungai Creek, Buffalo.
BRIDGE CROSSINGS: Daphne Priestley and Jeff Wainwright took out the Isla Campbell Trophy as best local pair in the recent Nambucca Valley Bridge Club annual Bridge Congress. Photo: Contributed
Art treasures travel to NSW Art Gallery
experience of struggling to make a living as a writer and was the beneficiary of two literary prizes herself. 2018 award The short list for the 2018 Miles Franklin Literary Award has been announced. The short-listed titles are: ■ No More Boats by Felicity Castagna (Giramondo) ■ The Life to Come by Michelle de Kretser (A&U) ■ The Last Garden by Eva Hornung (Text) ■ Storyland by Catherine McKinnon (Fourth Estate) ■ Border Districts by Gerald Murnane (Giramondo) ■ Taboo by Kim Scott (Picador). If you would like the chance to win a selection of these books, please read the advertisement on page 22.
For more details, go to artgallery.nsw.gov.au.
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MODERNISM: Andre Derain Portrait of a girl in black, 1913, oil on canvas. Andre Derain/ADAGP/Copyright Agency, 2018, c: The State Hermitage Museum.
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SENIORS newspapers are offering you a chance to win books that have been recognised as the best in Australia. The Miles Franklin Literary Award is Australia’s most prestigious literature prize. Established through the will of My Brilliant Career author Miles Franklin, the prize is awarded each year to the author of a novel which is of the highest literary merit and presents Australian life in any of its phases. First presented in 1957, the award helps to support authors and to foster uniquely Australian literature. Miles Franklin believed that “without an indigenous literature, people can remain alien in their own soil”. She also had first-hand
drawings Peter Raissis, said the work of the great agents of modernism in painting in the early 20th century represents one of the most striking progressive movements in the history of western art. The exhibition also tells the story of the Russian collectors Sergey Shchukin and Ivan Morozov, both wealthy businessmen who first championed the ground-breaking works of the French modern masters and brought their work together with great passion. The exhibition is presented as part of the annual Sydney International Art Series which brings the world’s most outstanding artists and their works exclusively to Sydney at the Art Gallery of New South Wales and Museum of Contemporary Art.
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Enter to win fine collection of Australian novels
TREASURES from one of the world’s greatest art museum, the St Petersburg’s State Hermitage Museum, go on display at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from October 13, 2018 to March 3, 2019. The Masters of modern art from the Hermitage exhibition will showcase the colour and form of 65 modern masters’ works including Monet, Cézanne, Matisse, Picasso and Gauguin, and celebrated Russian contemporaries Kandinsky and Malevich. The significant works include Monet’s Poppy field c1890; Cézanne’s Great pine near Aix, 1895/97; Picasso’s Table in a Cafe, 1912; Gauguin’s Month of Mary 1899; Matisse’s Nymph and Satyr 1908; Kandinsky’s Landscape near Dünaberg 1913 and Malevich’s Black Square c.1932. AGNSW curator of European prints and
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Blanket of care, comfort WHEN Suzie Leonardi started sewing for the first time at the age of 50, little did she suspect that her new skills would be put to good use helping those in her neighbourhood who are suffering from dementia. Now she is hoping to get others to jump in and help out too. Suzie, from Pennant Hills, Sydney, last year started making sensory blankets for residents at Arcare Glenhaven after picking up the skills through her sewing group, Carlingford Baptist Church’s Teapot Ministry. Suzie explained that her sewing group attended a Church Charity Day where they were shown how to make the blankets which would be distributed to dementia clients at a number of aged care
residences. Sensory blankets are made by taking different materials and items and using them to create a blanket which provides warmth and comfort while also engaging both the mind and hands through the tactile feel of the items sewn into the blanket. “I had been making the blankets with my sewing group which met once a fortnight when my daughter, who is a chef at Arcare Glenhaven, asked me if I could run a few up for the residents,” Suzie said. “I enjoy making the blankets with my group so was happy to contribute where I could.” Suzie, a swim teacher for children with special needs and a teacher’s aide before her
KNITTED UP: Suzie Leonardi from Pennant Hills (right), makes sensory blankets which are often used to stimulate a client who is confined to a wheelchair and has dementia, like some residents at Arcare Glenhaven. retirement, has now donated three sensory blankets for residents with Dementia to Arcare Glenhaven. “I use a range of materials and textures,” she said. “Corduroy, lace, velvet, rope, zippers, rods, rubber balls, cellophane are all good materials to use for the blankets. I also did one with jean pockets all over it. “The only limit is imagination.”
Arcare Lifestyle co-ordinator Chloe Pearson explained the sensory blankets. “We find the sensory blankets can also be used to help reduce boredom which can lead to behaviours such as chewing on clothing or becoming agitated,” Chloe said. “The blankets help clients to focus on a simple activity and that can help to reduce an escalation of agitated
states because they allow them to fidget with different features on the blankets. “They are also warm and comfortable which creates a sense of security and comfort.” Ms Pearson said clients with dementia enjoy the process of engaging with the different fabrics, textures and objects. “Some of our clients with dementia are non-verbal so we have to pay close attention to
their facial reactions to gauge their emotional reactions,” she said. “It is interesting to note the smiles and level of engagement when they become curious about the different objects and textures which make the blanket.” “If people want to know more about making sensory blankets, they can look up Teapot Ministries or ask through their church to see how they can contribute.”
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Mentoring tips from surfer Tracey Johnstone
SUCCESSFUL MENTORING: Layne Beachley with recipients of grants from her Layne Beachley Aim for the Stars Foundation. making unnecessary mistakes! Leaders learn from other people’s mistakes and fools continue to learn from their own. We all require guidance and support throughout our lives. Q: Does it matter what age you are when you volunteer as a mentor? LB: Quality mentors have a lot of life experience so capabilities are bred through stepping out of your comfort zone,
embracing life’s challenges and overcoming obstacles. This can pretty much happen at any age, however, becoming a mentor requires a decent level of emotional intelligence and curiosity. Q: Would you encourage senior Australians to seek out mentor roles? LB: Absolutely! They are a wealth of knowledge and experience and provide a diverse assortment of
perspectives to younger generations to learn from. Q: Do you struggle with getting the younger generation to respect your experience and what advice/support you offer them? LB: When it comes to mentoring, I’m very specific about who I choose to work with. I honestly feel the younger generation are very open to guidance and advice but they are also hungry for genuine leadership.
As long as the counsel comes from a place of authenticity (by that I mean, it has been lived and learned), then I have found the youth are very receptive. Q: Did you have a particular mentor when you were developing your competition skills? If so, who was that and what did they do for you? LB: Mentors played a crucial role throughout my competitive surfing career and still do to this day in
The Layne Beachley Aim for the Stars Foundation wind up after the final fundraising push from its gala event in August 31 and two picturesque Tasmanian hikes in November. For more information on these events, go to www.laynebeachley foundation.org.au.
THE KING OF TALKBACK RADIO JOHN LAWS ON 2HC AND 2GF With over sixty years of commercial broadcast experience, John Laws asks the hard questions – and cuts through the political spin. For unmissable news, information, entertainment and talkback, Australia relies on John Laws.
Don’t miss the host who calls it like he sees it. Listen every weekday from 9am – midday.
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FOR the past 15 years Australia’s most famous female surfer, multiple world champion Layne Beachley has successfully utilised her high profile to drive forward empowering women. Layne is now shifting her mentoring direction away from the foundation and into other endeavours, but not before she offers some valuable tips to seniors wanting to give back to the community in a similar way to Layne. Q: What skills do you need to mentor a younger person? LB: All relationships are built on a foundation of trust. Once this is developed you will need empathy, patience, experience and good listening skills. Q: Why help a younger person? Wouldn’t it be better to let them work out their issues themselves? LB: Surrounding yourself with people who are more experienced than you saves you time and prevents you from
the business world. When I was competing, former world champions such as Pam Burridge, Wendy Botha and Tom Carroll played a significant role in teaching me how to become a world champion. Pam and her husband Mark took me under their wing and taught me how to compete. Wendy introduced me to her personal trainer who made me mentally tough and physically strong, and Tom introduced me to the benefits of yoga and meditation. I also had mentors outside of the surfing world who provided sound advice and perspective, keeping me grounded and humble. Surrounding myself with experts saved me a lot of time.
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Curryfest heating up Woolgoolga The hot spot for good food That’s not all. The community festival brings together businesses and community organisations to boost the local economy, tourism and benefit community projects. Now managed by Carl Mower and Sherry Price of Taste Coffs Coast – a dynamic duo who also handle Coffs Coast events like Blues and Berries, Eat St Woolgoolga and the Moonee Food Truck Festival – Curryfest is set to grow even further. “We’re locals, who love the community and are passionate about events that locals can enjoy, that also boosts tourism and the local economy,” Carl said. “Curryfest is definitely one of the biggest events
for the region and we look forward to again putting on a world-class festival for Woolgoolga and Northern Beaches.” Taking place over the long weekend starting September 29, Beach Street will be closed to traffic and lined with more than 170 market stalls, activities and entertainment. Attendees can expect delicious cuisine from all over the world: African, Ethiopian, Moroccan, Indian, Greek, Mexican and more. “Curryfest 2018 is set to be one of the best yet, we can’t wait to see everyone down there.” For more information go to curryest.com.au.
CURRY UP: Curryfest will be taking place over the long weekend starting Saturday, September 29. Beach Street, Woolgoolga will be closed to traffic and lined with more than 170 market stalls, activities and entertainment. 6737540aj
WOOLGOOLGA is quickly becoming a hot spot for good food, good people and exciting events. Whale watching, a great community vibe and plenty of delicious cafes and eateries are now accompanied by niche festivals unique to the village. The largest, and the event some would say started it all, is Curryfest. Woolgoolga is the home to Australia’s first Sikh temple and has one of the largest Sikh populations in Australia outside major cities. It was this unique cultural diversity that sparked the concept for Curryfest 13 years ago. Since then, the event has become a Flagship NSW event and brings more than 15,000 people from across the country to the village each year.
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Congratulations to our Winners
Congratulations to the winners of our June Andre Rieu Giveaway. Beth Hohl Beth Milne Connie Canale Doreen Hayes
Glenda Henry Graham King Jullie Teuben Leslie Trathen
Pamela Walsh Susan Downey
Stay tuned to the paper and our website for the latest Seniors News Giveaways
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RETIREMENT DESTINATION: Roys Peak Track in Wanaka, New Zealand.
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Photo: Miles Holden
An overseas retirement giving them a better standard of living, with house prices, groceries and eating out all costing significantly less in New Zealand. “It’s just a quick flight across the ditch, but your money goes a lot further and that is something pensioners are becoming a lot more aware about: as people are living longer, they are looking to make those savings dollars go further,” Patrick said. Having links to family and friends overseas, similar cultures, and “a community you can just walk into” were also enticing, as was the fact that funds could be transferred to New Zealand within one business day. Singapore had the third highest proportion of pension money transfers, closely followed by Thailand, and then the USA.
WorldFirst head of foreign exchange Patrick Liddy. “We’re definitely seeing an increase in Asian destinations,” Patrick said. “You can live like royalty in Thailand for a modest amount in Australian dollars, and it’s a stunning place.” On the other hand, it’s Singapore’s strong economy which appears to be drawing Australian ex-pats, despite its high cost of living. The important thing if thinking of moving anywhere overseas, Patrick said, was to do your research and move
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and settle the contract in anything up to two years, according to when they want to actually make their move. Alternatively, you might want to transfer smaller amounts on an ongoing basis, depending on rates, investments and circumstances. The best thing, Patrick said, was to get
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THERE is a lot to think about if you’re considering retiring overseas, and much of it comes down to money and community, according to WorldFirst head of foreign exchange Patrick Liddy. New Zealand was the number one destination for Aussies looking to retire overseas, he said, citing WorldFirst’s analysis of thousands of pension-type international transfers by customers across 2016 and 2017. It was closely followed by the UK. The figures didn’t surprise Patrick, with many of those transfers made by people returning to retire in their homeland after working in Australia, often earning bigger dollars than they could at home. Others, he said, looked at New Zealand as being both culturally and geographically close to Australia but potentially
your funds at the right time. “When you’re looking at a bulk transfer of your savings, maybe $1 million, you want to make the most of your dollars,” he said. For instance, the change in the market of Australian to US dollars over recent months from over 80c in the dollar to 73c equates to about $100,000 if transferring $1 million. Those who emigrated to the US four years ago, when the Australian dollar was particularly strong against the Greenback, would be 20 per cent better off than if they exchanged the same amount today. “You need to do your research and look at future currency projections,” Patrick said, particularly with economic uncertainty, current threats of trade wars with China, and US volatility. WorldFirst offers a unique Forward Contract, which allows customers to lock in a rate of exchange available today
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A prestigious vision for luxury Redcliffe living WITH the projection of more than five million to be over the age of 65 by 2025, downsizing to a more convenient, luxurious lifestyle by the beach to enjoy the positive effects of health and well-being by the seashore, is still high on the list of living choices for many seniors. Now under construction by Traders in Purple, the new Bathers Beachside development is a high-end, luxury project consisting of 24 expansive apartments positioned directly opposite the water in Margate. This prestigious development is for those for whom only the best will do. A closely guarded local secret, Margate with its 2 kilometres of sandy beach is a little piece of paradise tucked away on Queensland’s stunning Redcliffe Peninsula. At Bathers Beachside you will find a world of bayside grandeur with spacious, open plan layouts of generous proportions set to become a lifestyle icon and a shining beacon on the Redcliffe Peninsula. Nature lovers will be enthralled with the sighting of approximately 22,000 migrating whales that pass through Moreton Bay from June to October each year. The lure of absolute beachfront living has seen buyers from Brisbane and across Australia excited about rediscovering the Redcliffe Peninsula. Known to those in the know, as a “tranquil pocket of paradise”, discerning buyers are offered a stunning opportunity to live so close to Moreton Bay and still be within a 35 minute commute to Brisbane’s CBD. Comprising 24 luxury three bedroom apartments from the ground floor to the third floor, Bathers Beachside capitalises on its waterfront location and uninterrupted Moreton Bay views. With its sophisticated design and sweeping vistas of the endless ocean, Bathers Beachside will appeal to those buyers searching out quality apartments in the upper $800,000 range. With a discerning palette of refined finishes and superior well
DISCERNING DESIGN: Comfort, style and easy living have been prioritised in these luxury apartments.
Bathers Beachside with its uninterrupted Moreton Bay views from all apartments. equipped kitchens complete with Miele appliances and home automation, Bathers Beachside has enjoyed great demand from buyers with off-the-plan expressions of interest and strong early sales. Traders in Purple have over 30 years of business experience and development know-how, dating back to the 1980s.
Their vision for Bathers Beachside was to encompass the local lifestyle values of the blue chip location of Margate Beach by offering open plan living, and ensuring the development responded to climate and context by maximising natural light, breezes and spaces to entertain. “Part of the Traders in Purple developer hallmark
Traders in Purple are proud developers of beautiful living spaces.
is to maximise space in the living and balcony areas of our apartments where people spend most of their time,” CEO Brett Robinson said. “Our passion for environmental sustainability goes into each and every project we develop with techniques, products and innovative designs incorporated into every development. These
Photos: Mike Curtain Photography
minimise environmental impacts and maximise the leverage of natural resources to lower living costs for buyers,” Robertson continued. Significant natural light penetration and air flow through the increased ceiling height and floor-to-ceiling glazing reduces the need for air-conditioning and artificial lighting.
Positioned an easy 35 minute drive from Brisbane’s CBD, this magnificent stretch of coastline is never over crowded. Margate Beach features soft white sand and a scenic timber boardwalk that stretches along the coastline for quiet strolls. For more information, go to bathersbeachside.com.
SENIORS \\AUGUST, 2018
EXPERIENCE LUXURY LIKE NEVER BEFORE EXCLUSIVE BEACHSIDE APARTMENTS ON MARGATE BEACH, REDCLIFFE PENINSULA
A limited number of 3 bedroom home-sized waterfront apartments from $899,000 Construction has commenced. Selling fast. Secure yours today
Call Chris King on 0477 432 432 or visit our Display Centre Wednesday to Sunday at 113 Landsborough Ave (Cnr Rock St) Scarborough www.bathersbeachside.com
NEWS
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Shirleys welcome to club A CLUB for women with the same Christian name of Shirley? No, it’s no joke. Formed back in 1996 in Perth by Shirley Brown who wanted to see how many women called Shirley she could get together (40 by the way), The Shirley Club now has members throughout Australia, New Zealand and even the US according to club member Shirley Pollitt of Lake Macquarie. “It’s basically a social club,” Ms Pollitt said. “I joined in 2001 and I have been a member since then. “The only criteria to join is that Shirley be part of your name ie first, middle or surname. “Lots of people say they would love to have a name club like us – you just have to do it. “Our motto is fun, food and friendship and I can assure you we have all of those in abundance.” Originally a member of the Sydney chapter of the club, Ms Pollitt moved north a few years later to Lake Macquarie. She joined the Hunter group before forming a
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Shirleys join forces to celebrate. Lake Macquarie branch three and a half years ago. But she said there were branches wherever there were groups of Shirleys. And although the name is starting to die out (Shirley members have been encouraging their daughters and grand daughters to use it somewhere in their
babies’ names) there are still a plethora of Shirleys of a certain age around the country. According to Ms Pollitt the proliferation of Shirleys in the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s was probably thanks to child star Shirley Temple. “Shirley Temple had a big impact on the number on the Shirleys,” Ms Pollitt
Photo: Contributed
said. “I don’t think I was but there are a lot of our members who were named after her. Their mothers used to put their hair up in rags so that they had her curls.” The group holds all sorts of activities – usually centred around food and hold a major convention around the
country each year. This year’s event will be held in Canberra from September 14-16 and all club members new and old are invited to attend. Shirley said last year’s event – the 21st birthday conference – returned to Perth with Shirleys from across Australia and New Zealand and even a few Americans attending.
She said it was a great club to belong to and provided friendship and outings which were especially important as members grew older and lost their partners. Any interested Shirleys who would like to join the club can phone Ms Pollitt on 4973 3936 or email shirley pollitt@bigpond. com. 6839691aa
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The prize packs will consist of the following novels: No More Boats by Felicity Castagna The Life To Come by Michelle de Kretser The Last Garden by Eva Hornung Storyland by Catherine McKinnon Border Districts by Gerald Murnane Taboo by Kim Scott to be in the draw enter online at seniorsnews.com.au/competitions
Visit seniorsnews.com.au/competitionterms for full competition terms and conditions. Promoter is ARM Specialist Media Pty Ltd of 2 Newspaper Place, Maroochydore Qld 4558. Promotional period 06/08/18-31/08/18. Competition drawn 11am 03/09/18 at Cnr Mayne Rd and Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Winners announced in Seniors October Editions 2018. Total prize value $879.30 (including GST). Entry is open to all permanent residents of Queensland, residing in the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Wide Bay and Toowoomba Seniors distribution areas and NSW in the Northern NSW, Central Coast and Coffs & Clarence Seniors distribution areas. NSW Permit Number LTPM/18/03133
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AUGUST, 2018// SENIORS
Wellbeing
New look centre
Health group integratedliving has opened a purpose-built well-being centre especially for the benefit of older adults Tania Phillips A PROGRAM aimed at giving older people better health and more independence has reached a major milestone with the opening of new Wellness Centre in Ballina on August 15. The centre is the brainchild of integratedliving, a not-for-profit organisation aimed at providing vital services for older people and their carers across rural, regional and remote areas of Australia. While there are already five Wellness centres in rural and regional Australia – Ballina is the first purely purpose-built facility, according to integratedliving’s CEO Catherine Daley. Ms Daley said up until now the centres had been put into their existing facility but more purpose-built facilities were in the works. The business has come a long way since first forming in the Muswellbrook area in 1999. It now operates services from the Northern Territory and northern Queensland right through to Launceston in Tasmania. “The only places we don’t operate are metropolitan Melbourne and Brisbane,” she said, adding that integratedliving aimed to help people outside the major cities to improve
their health and have access to the latest facilities. She said it was now Asia Pacific’s number one specialist health service provider and the new Ballina centre showcased just what the group could offer. Research shows that in regional, rural and remote communities, 75 per cent of people are not getting enough exercise and more than 50 per cent of people have one or more chronic illnesses. Ms Daley said the focus at integratedliving was to provide access to health and well-being services to older Australians in these areas and creating the Wellness Centre in Ballina would help to achieve that. The Wellness Centre at Ballina features a state-of-the-art Wellness Gym and a range of services to help older people live an active and independent life and improve their situation, on both health and social levels. The services include exercise and yoga classes, massage therapy, occupational therapy services, allied health treatments, assistive product displays and the ‘Staying Healthy Eating Well’ meals service. They have Australia’s first set of Moto-Tiles, where users can tap their toes on the flashing tiles to test and improve their co-ordination and balance.
‘‘
integratedliving is now Asia Pacific’s number one specialist health service provider and the new Ballina centre showcased just what the group could offer.
GREAT HEALTH FACILITIES: Seniors will be using in the new Ballina Wellness Centre. The gym features specialist HUR equipment from Finland. The equipment is
designed to help older people stay active while also supporting people who require
exercise as part of rehabilitation. ■ The new Wellness Centre is at Ballina West
Photo: tuukkakiviranta.com
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WELLBEING
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Helping older Australians retain their independance AbiBird sensors help stay at home for longer
BRAND INSIGHTS HEALTH data shows that falls are now one of the leading causes of hospital admissions for Australians aged 65 and over, and with more Aussies living in their own homes longer, 60 per cent of all falls now occur at home. AbiBird has been developed in Australia to support people who want to retain their independence as they age. The AbiBird sensor is placed in the home of your loved one and tracks daily activity in their home. The sensor then shares this information on the smartphone of a carer or family member. If activity stops, or is unusual, AbiBird sends an alert to the AbiBird app on your smartphone. A quick glance at your phone can let you know if your loved one is OK, or if
they may need attention.A key difference between AbiBird and other products is that AbiBird is not a wearable device and it does not need an internet or telephone connection. AbiBird has also been designed to maintain privacy, there is no camera or audio recording.One or two AbiBird sensors is enough for a typical home and AbiBird can be installed in less than a few minutes. You simply turn it on, download the free AbiBird app and confirm or change the settings. Replacing the batteries once a year when alerted is the only maintenance. The AbiBird solution is available for a free one month trial and thereafter it is only $20 per month. There are no installation fee or lock-in-contracts. Go to abibird.com.au or phone 1300 132 121.
BEEPING HELPFUL: The AbiBird sensor is placed in the home of your older loved one and tracks daily activity in their home. Photo: Christian Quinlan
Seniors to stay at home longer in hologram trial IMAGINE this scenario: sitting in your loungeroom while you discuss medical advice with a hologram. That could very well be a look into the not-too-distant future after the Federal Government launched a trial into home-based treatment that includes holographic virtual doctors. The Australian- first Integrum Aged Care+ trial promises to reduce hospitalisation and help senior Australians live
independently in their homes for longer. Minister for Aged Care Ken Wyatt said the trial, run by Silver Chain, a not-for-profit organisation delivering community health and aged care services, could hold the key to unlocking technologies that would assist seniors staying in charge of their health. “This trial aims to overcome the challenges of fragmented care and poorer patient
experiences,” Mr Wyatt said. “It’s hoped that through Integrum older Australians will have more control over their care, through a wraparound network that delivers both health and social support. “It will include the Australian-first application of the Enhanced Medical Mixed Reality interface, allowing healthcare professionals to link with doctors and data through
holograms and video conferencing, while they are visiting clients’ homes. “The Silver Chain Integrum team will communicate with the client’s regular GP, if they have one, to complement the care they provide as part of a shared care model. “This care team will oversee and manage processes like care planning, co-ordination of health and aged care
services, referrals and escalation of care, if needed.” Mr Wyatt said the pre-trial results had returned positive feedback and led the Federal Government to back the initiative with a $948,400 investment. “The second phase of the trial will see the program offered to up to 300 people with multiple chronic conditions who have been hospitalised between one and five
times in the previous year,” Wyatt said. “As part of the trial, the project team will be testing whether this integrated care approach helps senior Australians to better manage their conditions at home and reduce hospitalisations and emergency department visits.” For more, details on the Integrum program,go to silverchain.org.au.
Are you comfortable living in your own home but require a little extra help? Whether it’s getting back on your feet after an illness, an extra hand with day to day personal care or just a bit of help with garden or house maintenance, the team at NVC are to help. NVC In-Home Support provides a range of practical, flexible services designed to keep you living independently in your own home for as long as possible. NVC is an approved Home Care Package provider and currently has vacancies for Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 and Level 4 Home Care Packages. Come along and meet new Podiatrist Brittany Pike, at our new Podiatry Clinic in the Boardwalk Arcade 25 Princess Street Macksville.
Phone: 02 6598 5000
www.nambuccavalleycare.com.au-home-care
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We take the time to understand what is important to you, and what your exact needs are for you to feel comfortable and supported in your own home.
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Special needs travel easier Tracey Johnstone
SPECIAL TRAVEL: Travel With Special Needs aims to service travellers and their carers with the jobs of researching travel options, planning the trip and then booking the trip. Photo: Jodi Jacobson “We are trying to be inclusive of all different sorts of specific needs, but what we are not trying
to be is generalist. “Completely able-bodied people who can hike up a mountain
AbiBird unobtrusive activity sensor. Abibird sends you alerts if Mum may have had a fall.
completely unassisted and travel in economy for a long haul and not give it a second thought – that’s
not us. “If you have to give it a second thought, that’s us.”
To find out more about Travel With Special Needs, phone 1300 404 100 or go to www.travelwith specialneeds.com.au.
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MISSING out on travelling because you have special needs may be a thing of the past with a new agency, Travel With Special Needs, coming online. Its aim is to service travellers and their carers with the jobs of researching travel options, planning the trip and then booking the trip. Janeece Keller of Bound Round has partnered with Julie Jones of Have Wheelchair Will Travel to offer this new specialist service for people looking for accessibility-friendly travel experiences. “Travel With Special Needs can service anyone who is travelling with any sort of specific requirements, be it a senior with a walking frame and mobility issues, or a senior with a chronic illness and requiring travel with a companion or specific medication, or an elderly person who is experiencing vision or hearing impairment,” Janeece said.
Initially the agency is offering general travel assistance while the team gain more information on how hotel, tour and activity partners, and transport providers cater for this travel market segment. As they have found getting answers to these questions aren’t easily found by a Google search, Julie Jones has the job of using her extensive industry expertise to ask the in-depth questions and the pull the information together. The agency’s start-up tour packages include cruise offers and travel to north Queensland and a Blue Mountains escape. While the focus is currently on offers in Australia, Janeece said expanding to overseas tour support is an option in the future. Janeece said The Travel With Special Needs website has helpful information on it.
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SENIORS \\AUGUST, 2018
Put a taste of exotica on your list 2 DAY AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK SPECTACULAR
Monday 25th March 2019 Sunday 31st March 2019
Wednesday 28th November 2018 Thursday 29th November 2018
Tour cost $1580 per person twin share $440 single supplement
Tour Cost $320 per person twin share $65 single supplement
Inclusions: • 6 nights hotel accommodation • 6 cooked breakfasts/6 dinners • Kinross Woolshed Hotel, Tour at Big Bouquet, Blue Lotus Water Garden. Cooks Cottage, Melbourne International Flower Show
Inclusions: • 1 night hotel accommodation • 1 cooked hotel breakfast • Dinner and Show Outback Spectacular • Brand New Show
14 DAYS TOURINg THE BEST OF TASMANIA Saturday 2nd February 2019 Friday 15th February 2019
DON’T MISS OUT LIMITED SEATING Tour Cost $3900 per person twin share $960 single supplement Non – refundable deposit of $400 per person Inclusions (Too many to mention) • 11 nights motel accommodation • 12 cooked breakfasts • 11 motel dinners plus two others
• 7 lunches included • Spirit of Tasmania • Beaconsfield mine • Cataract Gorge • Port Arthur • Wilderness Cruise • Seahorse World • Wooden boat show and much much more
info@newmanscoaches.com.au For more information refer to our website for more Newmans Tours Online Booking Available
www.newmanscoaches.com.au
Ray & Noelene invite you to join them on their upcoming tours
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7 DAY MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FLOWER SHOW
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AUGUST, 2018// SENIORS
Bait a hook here: A line to top 10 of the world’s fishing spots Try your fishing skills in very unusual locations.
WHETHER it’s pinning down piranha, battling black marlin or shrimping on horseback, fishing offers holiday fun and local insight. Not to mention dinner.
1. SALMON: UMBA RIVER, KOLA PENINSULA, RUSSIA
Aurora borealis, reindeer herds, snow: Russia’s Kola Peninsula is a winter wonderland beyond compare. But come spring, this Arctic eden morphs into a different kind of paradise: salmon heaven. Each May, fisher-folk flock to the Kola’s 123km-long Umba River to cast for some of the finest, fattest Atlantic salmon on earth. The Umba is believed to have up to five salmon runs a year, making for an almost endless flow of fish. But nothing comes easy here: the Umba is isolated, the wading tough going, and anglers have to share their space with the greatest fish fans of them all: bears. The season is May to the end of October, catch-and-release only. For more information, go to murman.ru/guide/
tourism/fishing-eng.html.
2. GIANT BLACK MARLIN: CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA
On Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, anyone with a snorkelling mask can find Nemo. But it takes a tough cookie to land a legend. The giant black marlin is one of the most coveted catches on the planet: weighing up to 750kg and able to swim up to 130km an hour, it has the ability to turn hardened game fishers (and, after several hours in battle, their wrists) to jelly. The stunning 250km stretch between Cairns and Lizard Island is the best place on earth to hook one: more giant black marlin are caught in these waters than in the rest of the world combined. The season runs from early September to late December. For more information go to cairnsbluewatergfc.com.au.
3. CATFISH: SOUTHERN USA
Y’all hungry? Git noodlin’! Also known as cat-daddling, gurgling and hillbilly hand-fishing,
noodling is the not-exactly refined art of shoving your hand into an underwater hole, waiting until you get bitten by a flathead catfish and wrestling the thrashing “mudcat” to the surface. Noodling has its drawbacks (catfish have a lot of teeth, and you never know what is lurking in that hole) but the sport isn’t just for masochistic kicks: Native Americans were highly skilled hand fishers, and in many southern states, the practice has become a much-valued tradition passed down over generations. Solo noodling is a no-no; an online search will bring up plenty of expeditions for the wannabe cat-daddler. It’s legal in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma. South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. The season runs from May to August.
4. TAIMEN: EG-UUR RIVER BASIN, MONGOLIA
Think Mongolia, and it’s yaks, nomads and exceptionally salty tea
ASIAN FISHING: Experience the serenity of evening fishing for squid on Halong Bay in Vietnam. Photo: katoosha
ICE FISHING: Join in the annual competition at the Brainerd Jaycees $150,000 Ice Fishing Extravaganza.
Photo: Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing
that probably spring to mind. But this remote central Asian outpost – more famous for steppes than streams – is one of the last remaining havens for the world’s largest trout species, the taimen. A fierce, cannibalistic monster (they’re known locally as “river wolves”),
Don’t miss Brisbane’s
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BE-AR-WARE: Watch out for the bears when salmon fishing in Russia.
taimen can grow up to 2m and smash the scales at 90kg; fishing for these whoppers is not for the faint of heart or the feeble of arm. The fish can live for up to 50 years, giving determined taimen trollers a lifetime to land the perfect beast. Catch-and-release of
Photo: MaharaMK
taimen is strictly enforced. The season is June to November.
5. PIRANHA: AMAZON BASIN, BRAZIL
It can happen to anyone: a few enjoyable hours watching piranha
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SENIORS \\AUGUST, 2018 Brazilian state of Amazonia, and join one of the many tours that offer piranha fishing (and in some cases, eating). A hunk of meat lands them by the dozen, but their razor teeth can cut through steel hooks as well as fingers. Exercise caution: in this fishing story, the only one that gets away should be you. July to October is the dry season in the Amazon and a dangerous time for piranha fishing as the fish are hungry and aggressive. Tours can be organised through www.ariautowers.com.
6. SHRIMP: OOSTDUINKERKE, BELGIUM
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Exercise caution: in this fishing story, the only one that gets away should be you.
fishing for the demons that turned you into a neurotic mess? Head to Manaus, capital of the
7. GOLIATH TIGERFISH: CONGO RIVER BASIN
For an adrenaline rush that really will send you reeling, head to the Congo to hunt down the goliath tigerfish, a terrifyingly toothy brute with a temper just as sharp. Africa’s equivalent of the piranha, this aggressive predator has a history of attacking humans, and has been known to maul birds in flight. Growing up to 1.5m and weighing in at 70kg-plus, the mbenga (as it’s known locally) is no easy catch: dangerous day-long battles have made it one of the world’s greatest sports fishing challenges. The best time is catch one is during the Congo’s dry season, June to October.
8. ICE FISHING: BRAINERD, USA
Do you like to dig holes in ice and stare into them for a long time? Then the
central-Minnesota town of Brainerd is your dream destination. The annual Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza is the largest of its kind in the world, attracting more than 12,000 hopefuls keen on the cold… and on hooking themselves a cool $US150,000 worth of prizes. Organisers pre-drill 20,000 holes into the thankfully very well-frozen Gull Lake, from which (d)anglers pull up walleye, perch and bass. Go to icefishing.org for details on the Ice Fishing Extravaganza held each January.
9. SQUID: HALONG BAY, VIETNAM
The word squid mightn’t conjure up the warm-andfuzzies right now, but after a night on Halong Bay, that will change. Dozens of junks ply the bay’s jade-green waters on moonless evenings, fishing for the slippery little cephalopods that go into the region’s bestknown speciality: squid sausages. With only a bamboo rod, a catch net and a lamp to attract the squid to the surface, anyone can hook themselves an impressive 30-plus squid in just a couple of hours. The stillness of the bay dotted by the dreamy reflection of
the lamps makes for a contemplative, romantic evening. The season begins in April and runs through until January. The biggest squid are caught between October and November.
10. BROWN TROUT: RIO GRANDE, TIERRA DEL FUEGO
Tierra del Fuego is Spanish for “Land of Fire” and au fait fly-fishers couldn’t agree more: when it comes to trout, this place is hot. The archipelago boasts the world’s best sea-run brown trout angling: the minimum average weight of the region’s brown trout is 4kg (one in 50 catches are said to be 11kg or above), and the Rio Grande teems with an estimated 70,000 of the prized fish. Being at the end of the earth, Tierra del Fuego can be hard to get to, but Rio Grande’s mammoth trout statue will let you know you’ve arrived. Despite the abundance of trout, there are strict fishing restrictions on Tierra del Fuego: catchand-release firmly applies. The season is from December until mid-April. Reproduced with permission from www.lonelyplanet.com, author Tamara Sheward. 6860018aa
B-movies, and then bam! Aquaphobia! Since swimming is now off, why not spend your spare time
If you find rubbernecking an irresistible pastime, head to Oostduinkerke, on Belgium’s southwest coast, where prawn fishermen – paardenvissers in Flemish – use not shrimpers but sturdy stallions to harvest the North Sea’s fruits de mer. For the last 500 years, the fishermen have galloped into the sea on horseback, their steeds dragging nets and a wooden carriage (to scare the shrimp to the surface) through cold, crashing waves in a tradition recently recognised by Unesco as being of
“intangible cultural heritage”. This four-legged fishing is best left to the experts, but lucky visitors can score a ride in the shrimp-scaring rig. The seasons are February to May and September to November. For more informaiton, go to visitor.koksijde.be.
NEW ZEALAND GARDEN TOUR
THAILAND AT LEISURE
CANADIAN ROCkIES &
$5,835 15 Day Tour Dep. Oct 24
$2,890 2 Week Tour Dep. Mar 13
ALASkAN CRUISE
INDIA
$7,295 3 Week Tour Dep. Mar 13
Flying Singapore Airlines into Bangkok. Flying Qantas into Auckland & out of Christchurch. 5 nights Bangkok. 4 nights Hua Hin beach resort. $7,285 26 Day Tour Dep. May 3 15 day tour of both north & south islands with 3 days touring. Flying Cathay Pacific into Vancouver. 12 day inter-island cruise. Visits to 12 spectacular BALkANS & tour of western Canada & the Rockies. 8 day gardens plus the usual tour highlights. THE DALMATIAN COAST Alaskan cruise of the Inside Passage in a modern
ocean liner. 3 night Hong Kong stopover. Flying Qatar Airlines into Zagreb & out of Athens. 17 day tour of Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia, ACROSS AMERICA Flying Singapore Airlines into Delhi & out of Serbia & Macedonia. 2 nights Athens. Bombay plus 3 flights within India. 16 day coach, $7,465 29 Day Tour Dep. May 7
$5,365 19 Day Tour Dep. Nov 15
air & boat tour of India including the Taj Mahal. 2 days Singapore 4 star accommodation. Small group tour.
THAILAND & CHIANG MAI FLORAL FESTIVAL $3,490 2 Week Tour Dep. Jan 28
kOREA CHERRy BLOSSOM TOUR $4,985 15 Day Tour Dep. Mar 29
Flying Qantas into New York & out of Los Angeles. 27 day tour right across U.S.A..
Flying Cathay Pacific into Busan & out of Seoul. 11 day South Korean tour during cherry blossom time. 2 days Hong Kong with tours.
BRITAIN & THE CHELSEA
AMERICA’S GOLDEN WEST
$8,375 4 Week Tour Dep. May 21
FLOWER SHOW
$4,595 17 Day Tour Dep. Mar 29
Flying Singapore Airlines into London. 3 week Flying Qantas into Los Angeles. 15 day tour Thailand. 13 day tour of Thailand including visits of California, Arizona & Nevada including in depth Britain tour. 4 nights London including Chelsea Flower Show. 2 nights Singapore. Las Vegas & several national parks. to 6 spectacular gardens & orchid nurseries. Flying Thai into Bangkok plus a flight within
The prices listed mainly include return air fares from Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane, airport taxes & fuel levies, tipping, good twin share accom., many meals, all transfers, Australian tour leader & local tour guides.
Australian Federation of Travel Agents Travel Accreditation Number: A1038
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AUGUST, 2018// SENIORS
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welcome to a definitive list of the world’s best journeys
PURE WONDER: Experience by water the Pianemo islands, Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Photo: MariusLtu
Ultimate top travel list
Selected by international travel experts, these are a selection of the very top travel destinations you should have in your bucket list
IF YOU were wondering what are the best places to visit, then the ultimate bucket travel list is here for your enjoyment. The World’s Best Journeys list for 2018 has been released and 50 destinations and experiences have been selected by Flight Network and more than 500 top travel journalists, agencies, bloggers and editors. It’s the ultimate inside guide to diverse and dynamic adventures; for the seasoned traveller and for the ones who want to live life to full for as long as they can travel. Welcome to the most definitive list of the World’s Best Journeys – a truly inspiring collection of the top 50 transformative trips every traveller must experience in their lifetime. This inspiring resource is an unparalleled guide to diverse and dynamic adventures with exhilarating activities in
the most stunning, mystical, and culturally rich lands on the planet. We start from the bottom of the list and will work our way over the coming months. This month it’s 50 to 46. Hold on to your seat while we take off on a fabulous journey Asia, Africa, South and North America.
SAIL THROUGH THE RAJA AMPAT ARCHIPELAGO
Sail through one of the most mesmerizing regions in Indonesia, the Raja Ampat Archipelago, an astonishing collection of 600 islands. These isles remain largely untouched by the modern world and feature vibrant jungles, satiny white beaches, blue waters with almost endless visibility, and a rich tapestry of Indonesian culture. Climb aboard your boutique ship in Sorong and sail to Kri Island where you can start your
vacation off right with a snorkel atop the rainbow of coral reefs and gentle stroll along the immaculate beach. Then hike on Gam Island, home to the famous Red Bird-of-paradise, before sailing to the Wayag Islands and exploring caves, lagoons, and narrow inlets. Mix with the locals in Deer and exotic wildlife in Boo Kecil lagoon, then indulge in the gorgeous landscapes of forests and rolling hills on Misool. Take advantage of your relaxing transportation as you cruise by the alluring shores of the Farondi Islands, then say yes to more snorkelling and beach-chilling on the Kalig and Fiabacet Islands. Finish your trip with the colourful marine life on Kepulauan Penyu, and friendly locals on Markhesa Bay. Getting there: Fly into Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. From Jakarta, catch the daily
non-stop flight to Domine Eduard Osok Airport in Sorong.
MOTORCYCLING MADAGASCAR COAST TO COAST
Madagascar’s difficult road system makes motorcycle touring an excellent choice for navigating the different terrain and having intimate views of volcanoes, the rainforest and the Malagasy people. This bold motorcycle journey begins in the capital Antananarivo, where you set out to Ampefy passing the Itasy region’s lakes, waterfalls and volcanoes. After a night’s rest, you’ll ride to Antsirabe along rice paddies and quaint villages. The next leg takes riders to Ambohimahasoa, passing lakes of Andraikiba and Tritiva before resting at Lemur Forest Camp. The road to Manakara leads to the coast through the
rainforest. Enjoy a canoe trip before riding toward Mananjary in the Indian Ocean rim and head to Ranomafana to see the best park on the island. Riding to the Deep South, you’ll pass rock formations near Fianarantsoa before arriving in the vineyard region of Ambalavao. Continuing south from Ambalavao to Ranohira, riders pass the Anja reserve for a glimpse of ringtail lemurs. Bikers can spend a day exploring canyons and riding along sandstone formations of Isalo National Park. Heading down between Ranohira and Ifaty, riders can take a break in Ifaty’s beach village and check out baobab trees before catching the flight back to Antananarivo the next day. Getting there: Flights arrive into Ivato Airport, 20km north of Antananarivo. It’s best to take a charter taxi due to the challenging road conditions. Less than
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Sunset in the famous Avenida de Baobab near Morondava in Madagascar. Photo: pawopa3336
Ride the Death Road of Bolivia.
NATURE’S PARADISE: chameleon.
Drive the Sea to Sky Highway, British Columbia.
Follow the vast Wildebeest migration in Tanzania.
region to begin breeding season. Getting there: Several mobile tented camp companies are available to accommodate patrons. Arrive by flying into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi and transfer to Wilson Airport for domestic flights into Tanzania. Another option is to fly into Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam and make your way to Tanzania’s northern safari destinations by using charter flights out of nearby Arusha Airport.
tour company. Minibuses and GoTransTur buses take travelers into La Paz. Minibuses travel to Avenida 16 de Julio, La Paz’s main street and Plaza Isabel La Catolica where several hotels and inns are located.
A
Madagascan
panther
Photo: belizar73
to tickle the senses 20 per cent of the roads in Madagascar are sealed, leaving the remainder riddled with massive potholes so it’s wise to have a local driver take you to Antananarivo. During the rainy season many of the country’s routes are impassable and a local driver would know the appropriate detours. Motorcycles can be leased in many places in Madagascar, including Nosy Be, Tulear, and Ile Sainte Marie.
FOLLOW THE WILDEBEEST MIGRATION IN TANZANIA
As migratory river crossings go, the great wildebeest migration in Tanzania is the most dramatic. Rain-swollen and deep, the river tests the wild herds plunging into its murky, crocodile infested waters as they rush to the other side. Navigating the river’s steep cliffs and fierce currents, they undergo
their frenzied migration through the Serengeti National Park to rich grasslands of the park’s southern region of the Ndutu area of the Ngorongoro Conservation. Following the migration, the safari begins by jeep in the western region of the park near the Grumeti River, where wildebeest move past zebras, elands and gazelles who inhabit this corridor. Not only do wildebeests have to survive the river crossing, the region is home to predators like lions, cheetah, leopards and hyenas. Pressing on to the eastern section of the Serengeti, wildebeests cover the valleys following long rains, pouring through the narrow route toward the Angata Kiti pastures. The safari bears witness to the wildebeest’s annual preservation quest when the animals reach precious grazing land in the Serengeti’s southern
RIDE THE DEATH ROAD OF BOLIVIA
Featuring cross markings where many have fallen, the Death Road of Bolivia attracts thrill-seeking cyclists from around the globe each year. A road surrounded by mountainous terrain and terrifying cliffs connecting Bolivia to the capital city, guides lead bikers on the journey with a 4650m ascent
from La Paz to La Cumbe Pass. Crossing snow-covered mountain peaks, villages, and wildlife like alpacas and llamas, cyclists reaching the top must shift to a treacherous descent of 1100m on a slim, dirt road to wheel into the lush jungle of the Amazon below. Cyclists ride through the spray of nearby waterfalls before reaching the bottom in Yolosa. Outside of Yolosa, riders rest at La Senda Verde Animal Refuge to eat and take a swim in the pool. And, if you still have energy to expend, try Bolivia’s exhilarating zip line, Zzip the Flying Fox, before heading back to La Paz. Getting there: Arrive by flying into El Alto International Airport in Bolivia or through Cusco, Peru and Arica, Chile. Just 25 minutes from the center of La Paz, an airport taxi will get you to the city where you can coordinate with your bike
DRIVE THE SEA TO SKY HIGHWAY, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Curving along cool waters of the Pacific, the Sea to Summit Highway snakes north from Vancouver for 120km before reaching the resort town of Whistler in the Coast Mountains and it’s a drive of a lifetime. Leave from Vancouver and drive to Lynn Canyon to walk the 50 metre-high suspension bridge at Lynn Canyon Park. Hop in the car and steer west towards Shannon Falls and see massive falls flowing an impressive 335m down the Howe Sound. Drive to Stawamus
Chief Provincial Park for a hike to stretch your legs. For a unique vantage point, take the Sea to Sky Gondola 900m up the side of Mount Habrich. Get a bird’s eye view of the coastal mountains boarding a charter flight above Garibaldi Provincial Park. Continue your journey with a walk around one of the three lakes at Alice Lake Provincial Park. North of Garibaldi, Brandywine Falls Provincial Park features magnificent falls to ponder from a viewing deck. After your drive, spend the night in Whistler and hike the Peak to Peak 360 Experience.,. Getting there: Arriving by air you’ll likely be flying into Vancouver International Airport. Major car rental companies have desks at the airport. flightnetwork.com/blog /worlds-best-journeys
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AUGUST, 2018// SENIORS
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SENIORS \\AUGUST, 2018
Five top Spanish areas A GROWING number of Australian visitors to Europe are using their long service leave or summer holidays as a time to try an overseas retirement on for size. In a new report, the editors at international living.com/au have pinpointed five must-see spots in Spain. If Spain is on your must-see list, here are five of its most charming spots to visit: 1. Toledo IF COBBLESTONE streets and walled cities make your heart beat faster, Toledo is your place. Set on a hill almost entirely surrounded by a winding river, this Medieval city is a maze of cute alleys full of restaurants and shops, spacious squares dominated by churches and cute apartments tucked away above the shopping streets. If you’re a hiker, make time to wander the portion of the Don Quixote trail that passes by the city. About 20 minutes up the hill outside town on the trail, you’ll come to a
MOUNTAIN VIEWS: Frigiliana has sunny squares and lemon trees along the lanes.
Toledo, a Medieval city..
viewpoint with breathtaking vistas of the city, especially at sunset. You’ll find lots of locals here in the early evening, snuggling their sweethearts as they sit on the wall and watch the sun set. 2. Frigiliana TUCKED up in the mountains of southern Spain, this whitewashed town is a warren of cute cobbled alleyways, brick steps and streets lined with flowerpots at every turn. Expect sweeping mountain views, sunny squares and lemon trees along the lanes.
lush, green mountains rise in the distance. For excellent views, walk the Medieval city walls, with their rough white and red stones. If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, wander the narrow alleys of the Jewish Quarter, a major filming location for the show. And if you’re a foodie, don’t miss out on the pa amb tomaquet – tomato, garlic and olive oil on toast – and calcots – a special kind of grilled onion that you’ll only find in this region and only in the winter.
The town frequently makes it onto “most beautiful places in Spain” lists and it’s only a short drive from the coast, so you can get your mountain fix here and then head down to popular Nerja for sun, surf and beachfront dining or Malaga for Moorish fortresses overlooking the sea and lively nightlife. 3. Girona DRIVE about an hour-and-a-half north of Barcelona and you’ll find yourself in old Girona, where black metal street lamps light the narrow cobblestone corridors and
beautiful
Madrid, Spain’s enormous, elegant capital.
Photos: Contributed
4. Seville IF DELICATE architecture, castles and flamenco dancing sound fabulously exotic, head to Seville – Spain’s sunniest city and home of the Alcazar Castle complex. Stay overnight in a restored 17th-century palacio. Attend a flamenco show. Visit Seville Cathedral, the world’s largest. And don’t miss the city’s many tapas bars, like Catalina Casa de Comidas. For a more unusual experience, make your way to the 13th century
convent for a special sweet treat called yemas de San Leandro. 5. Madrid FOR museums, galleries and classic Spanish architecture, make your way to Madrid – Spain’s enormous, elegant capital (just 20 minutes by train from charming Toledo). Source: International Living.com/au. The full report can be found here: 5 Must-See Places in Sunny Spain or more information on Spain can be found, here: Spain, the Complete Guide.
Explore... Enjoy... Experience... BRAND INSIGHTS THESE value packed tours are tailor made for the over-55s travel clubs and individual traveller. Christmas in Merimbula, The Heart of the Sapphire Coast will depart on Saturday, December 22. Merimbula is a coastal town in southern New South Wales, situated between the coastal towns of Tathra and Pambula. Bass and Flinders first
explored the Merimbula area in 1797, and were the first of many visitors to be struck by the beauty of its waterways and surrounding forests. Merimbula is the perfect holiday destination offering a great climate, pristine beaches, sparkling blue waters and spectacular scenery. Travel the Coastal route south via the picturesque Sea Cliff Bridge, enjoy a five-night stay at the Pelican Beach Motor Inn, experience Christmas
lunch with all the trimmings, cruise the beautiful waterways of Twofold Bay, visit a winery, tour a local garden, taste some cheese, pat a potoroo just to name a few of the experiences. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, the season for celebration so, come join us for a toast of Christmas cheer in the Heart of the Beautiful Sapphire Coast. Indulge yourself and be thoroughly pampered on this fantastic tour, discover new places,
meet new people and make lifelong friends. We’ll get you there in comfort, we make all of the arrangements and you get to sit back, relax and enjoy the experience in style on board a Coastal Liner Touring 5 Star Luxury Touring Coach. Don’t forget to inquire about our home pick-up service. When you travel with Coastal Liner Touring, you’re aboard the region’s Premier Coach Company. We have a simple philosophy: Explore...
Enjoy... Experience, and we are 100 per cent committed to providing value for money as well as first class touring experiences. For our latest theatre packages, day tours and extended tours, refer to page 5. For more information phone our friendly Reservation Team on (02) 4392 3050 or (02) 4392 3049, go to coastalliner.com.au or entertainmenttours. com.au.
RELAX: We’ll get you there in comfort, we make all of the arrangements and you get to sit back, relax and enjoy the experience in style on board a Coastal Liner Touring 5 Star Luxury Touring Coach.
Totall Country
Peter on Johnst
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AUGUST, 2018// SENIORS
Living
COMMUNITY GIVING: Fairhaven have a few volunteering opportunities for you to consider.
Fulfillment at Fairhaven INTERESTED in giving back to/ being part of the community in a meaningful way? Fairhaven is a not for profit organisation that has been working with families on the Central Coast since 1962. We value and respect
the capacity of people living with disabilities to lead the life they choose. Fairhaven have a few volunteering opportunities we’d appreciate you considering. Fairhaven is dependent on the generosity of community-minded
people. We enjoy offering opportunities for the community to be involved in what we do. We are extremely grateful for the time and effort provided by all volunteers. We could not continue
to do what we do without generous volunteers – just like you. Possible activities include: ■ Fairhaven shopping village: our retail and book store, art and crafts, furniture barn, plant nursery or sorting
donations ■ Experienced woodworking enthusiasts in ReCreate ■ Garden and building maintenance ■ Donation pick-ups and furniture delivery ■ Creative craft, art and upcyclers
■ Special events such as Autumn Faye, car boot sales Phone (02) 4349 5500, email hello@fairhaven. org.au or fill out an Expression of Interest form from our website, go to fairhaven.org.au.
SENIORS \\AUGUST, 2018
LIVING
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Taste of the Good Life A friendly village with a diverse range of recreational activities BRAND INSIGHTS PETER and Clare Arkley count themselves in the 85 per cent of residents that would recommend living in a Gateway Lifestyle community. As regular visitors to Port Macquarie over the years, they heard about The Retreat from friends who were already residents. Peter and Clare said they moved from Sydney to The Retreat as it was time to downsize and they knew Port Macquarie and The Retreat would meet their needs. The five remaining modern, purpose built homes with sought-after features like high ceilings and spacious living spaces provide the perfect opportunity to downsize in style. “We love that The
PURPOSE BUILT: The Retreat Streetscape. Retreat is so close to services, local shops and only 10 minutes to the beach,” Peter said. “Add to that the uniqueness of the houses here, they all have their
own character and individuality to suit all tastes.” Residents at The Retreat also enjoy a number of recreational and physical activities.
“From lawn bowls to darts and cards, bingo, aqua aerobics and line dancing, we have it all,” Clare said. “Everything that you could want is here.”
With stunning sandy beaches including Town Beach, Flynns Beach and Lighthouse Beach, a pleasant climate, parks and walking trails – seniors from all over are
discovering Port Macquarie is a great place to retire. Another reason Peter and Clare enjoy living in the community is the friendly residents. “The residents are warm and welcoming, and we’ve met so many great people at events like the pot luck dinner.” Gateway Lifestyle CEO Trent Ottawa said The Retreat has always had great community spirit and continues to welcome new residents with all the attractions Port Macquarie has to offer. “With only five brand new, purpose built homes on offer at the moment, this is a great time to be downsizing into a low maintenance lifestyle,” Mr Ottawa said. “Over the past few weeks, demand has really been building to join The Retreat community. “We don’t expect the remaining homes to be available for long.” Inspections can be arranged at any time by phoning Jessie on (02) 6581 1121.
The Forum For Your Two Cents Join our exclusive online community, where you’ll find other seniors ready to socialise and share. Seniors online - connecting you to an exciting retirement.
Opening Doors to the Seniors Lifestyle
Like us on Facebook! Visit facebook.com/seniorsnews
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AUGUST, 2018// SENIORS
Shop around to get the best super deal
Money
Tony Kaye THE Productivity Commission and the banking Royal Commission have both focused on the distinct lack of transparency in many areas of the financial industry. The $1.2 trillion managed funds sector, where so many retirees have their funds invested, often on the recommendation of their financial adviser, is one of those areas where transparency is distinctly lacking in terms of fees disclosure. If you don’t know what you are paying in fees, if you have your capital invested in a managed fund, it’s definitely time to find out. Research conducted by InvestSMART using data
from investment research group Morningstar shows that, at May 2018, out of about 5300 Australian managed funds that have a 10-year investment history, 76 per cent had underperformed their industry standard benchmark by an average of 1.75 per cent per annum. What’s staggering is that there is currently about $330 billion of investors’ capital sitting in these under-performing funds alone, which are charging average fees of 1.73 per cent per annum. While average management fees on some investment products have been falling in recent times, many investors in managed funds are often paying higher fees than those in other funds largely providing the same investment exposures. What’s worse is that the highest management fees being charged are by the
actively managed investment funds whose primary mandate is to outperform against their market benchmark. In most cases, they haven’t. Fees can be controlled The most important dimension to the managed funds fees issue is investor apathy. Many Australian investors are paying the ultimate financial price by choosing to keep their capital in under-performing managed funds instead of shopping around for better alternatives. While it’s impossible to predict the future performance of a particular fund, what most investors are ignoring is that the amount of fees they are paying paid can be controlled by switching into funds that, by virtue of charging lower management fees, will outperform their competitors. Some will outperform
their set benchmarks in different years, but over longer periods they probably won’t. But the key is to choose funds that offer the same or similar investment exposure, such as to Australian large cap or mid cap stocks, or to global markets, and that charge lower management fees. Comparing funds The easiest way for investors to compare between different funds covering the same investment category is by matching one or more funds to the market benchmark they are measuring their performance against. InvestSMART has just released an industry-first tool, Compare Your Fund (investsmart.com.au/ compare-your-fund), which allows investors to compare the fees and performance of nearly 9000 Australian investment funds online.
The free-to-access tool can analyse the performance of managed funds, super funds and pension funds against peers and industry standard benchmarks, and also allows investors to assess fund fees against comparable funds. InvestSMART’s funds research is telling. It shows that 96 per cent of managed funds in the multi-sector moderate category have underperformed the benchmark Morningstar Aus Msec Moderate Total Return AUD comparison index over the last 10 years by an average of 1.54 per cent per annum, and are charging average annual fees of 1.58 per cent. Similarly, 92 per cent of funds in the multi-sector growth category have underperformed the Morningstar Aus Msec Growth Total Return AUD
comparison index over 10 years by an average of 1.62 per cent, and are charging average fees of 1.69 per cent. The story doesn’t change across other fund categories, except that the total percentage of under-performing funds does reduce. It’s evident to most investors that the amount of fees paid will have a direct impact on returns over time. Yet this becomes even more stark when an investment is left in an under-performing fund over a long time. The key message for investors is not to stay in under-performing managed funds. They are costing you better returns. Look around and shop around. Tony Kaye is the editor of Eureka Report, which is owned by listed financial services company InvestSMART. Go to investsmart.com.au.
Keep up to date with bequest limitations and challenges WILLS and estate planning lawyer Dylan Heffernan, of law firm McCabes, works through what are some of the limitations with giving bequests. Charity limitations Conditional bequests to charities are possible, but there are practical limitations. “If a client was looking to give an amount to a charity but wanted that amount to applied to particular project, we would generally recommend specify that as a wish,” Mr Heffernan
said. “You might say, for example, ‘I give $… to RSPCA Australia and I express a sincere wish that this amount is applied to finding homes for dogs that are rescued from puppy farms’.” When you die and that project no longer exists, the bequest can still go to the specified charity and it will apply the funds as it sees fit. Once the bequest is received, there are no obligations for the charity to carry out any actions for the donor’s estate.
Most of them will however issue a receipt or letter of thanks to the donor estate. Other organisations You can also give your assets to a non-charitable, private organisation as the people who will benefit from the bequest will be the shareholders. Challenges to gifts Family members may be able to challenge a testator’s bequest decision if it can be proven that the testator didn’t approve the contents of their will.
Leave the legacy of a cancer-free future for children Consider leaving a gift in your will to The Kids’ Cancer Project, a charity dedicated to funding childhood cancer research. Visit thekidscancerproject.org.au/giftinwill to learn more or phone Veena Singh in confidence on 02 8394 7715. Complete the form to learn how your will can help the littlest cancer patients. Post to (no stamp required): The Kids’ Cancer Project REPLY PAID 6400 ALEXANDRIA NSW 2015
Title:
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Address: State:
Send me more information
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Request a call from Veena
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Another area of challenge may be where a testator leaves all or a large part of his or her estate to a charity and doesn’t leave anything in their will for persons that they have duty to provide for under the will. If you give a bequest to “natural person” who has died before your estate is settled, the gift will fail. The exception is in NSW where the intended beneficiary is a direct descendent of the deceased and leaves surviving children. In that case the children of the
intended beneficiary will share the gift. Executors discretion It may be that at the time of your death the charity you have nominated no longer exists or at the time you are drawing up your will you can’t decide which charity you want to support. “If a client wishes to make a bequest to a particular charity under their will, we would generally recommend that they also give their executors direction to give the amount to some
other charity that has a similar purpose in circumstances where the intended charity no longer exists or for some other reason it is not possible to pay out the gift,” Mr Heffernan said. Keep your will up to date As over time your decision of who should receive a bequest can change you should review your estate planning every three to four years if you are still working, whenever a significant life occurrence happens and if retired, every two or less years.
SENIORS \\AUGUST, 2018
MONEY
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Choosing an accountant James Gerrard THERE is so much attention paid to choosing advisers but very little paid to choosing accountants. If you don’t have an accountant or are considering changing accountants this year, there are a few things to consider. Where you may have started years ago solely dealing with your accountant, you may find you’re now primarily dealing with an underling with only the occasional interaction with your beloved accountant. So make sure your accountant has capacity to take on your work, and has good processes and systems in place so you won’t be pushed off to someone else at a later stage. Ask how many clients they have. Timothy Ricardo, certified practising accountant with Ricardo Accounting, said there’s a small trick that usually works to get your accountant to personally do your tax return.
“It’s simple: book the appointment and physically go in to your accountant’s office to do your tax return,” Mr Ricardo said. “If not, the chances are much higher that it will be done by a junior. Even if it costs more, it’s usually worth the expense to get in front of the senior accountant to prepare your tax return.” The main checks are: ■ Is your accountant a certified practising accountant or chartered accountant? To become a CPA or CA, in addition to an accounting degree you require three years’ industry experience, passing an in-depth curriculum and undertaking an intensive mentoring program. Contrast this to the minimum requirement of becoming a registered tax agent; an accounting diploma and two years’ relevant experience. ■ There has been pressure on accounting fees over the past five years as more digital and outsourced accounting firms appear. Ask your accountant if they
TOP TIP: The difference between having an average accountant versus an exceptional one should not be underestimated. Photo: Martin Prescott offshore any aspect of your taxation work. If so, ask what controls and measures they have in place to protect your information. ■ Ask what the accountant’s lodgement rate is with the ATO. If an accountant does not lodge at least 85 per cent of all statements and tax returns on time, the ATO can remove their lodgement extension concession. ■ Be wary of the high fees charged by instant tax refund firms. Although you will get your tax refund on the spot, they will usually charge a percentage of
your refund in fees in addition to your normal tax return costs. Avoid tax refund rush If you’re due for a refund on your individual tax return, get it done once the accountant has received all the data in a pre-filling report, which may be later in July or even August depending on the data sources feeding in. If you have additional tax to pay, delay lodgement until closer to the due date, which is October 31 for individuals, or May 15 if you use an accountant, but only if the accountant has a good
lodgement history and has the lodgement extension concession. As you can see, it pays to is be patient and not to get your tax return done at the start of July. “The first mistake accountants and clients make is to lodge the tax return too early. Accountants receive information from the Australian Taxation Office in what’s known as a pre-filling report,” Mr Ricardo said. “The report contains information compiled from various sources on things like bank account interest, share dividends
and investment distributions. “The data can be automatically imported into the accountant’s tax return software. “However; the issue is that it takes time for this data to flow through. “For those eager to lodge their tax returns early, the accountant must manually input data provided by the client... and if it does not match the eventual data that appears in the pre-filling report, the chance of getting audited go up exponentially.” The difference between having an average accountant versus an exceptional one should not be underestimated. Not only will it potentially result in better tax outcomes, but you will enjoy less stress and hassle. The good accountant will be on top of things, making the tax process as painless as it can be from start to finish. James Gerrard is the principal and director of the Sydney financial planning firm: FinancialAdvisor.com.au
Going separate ways is costly Alternatives to Cash in a Low Interest Rate World DIVORCE COSTS: Financially, the research shows, divorce hurts older Australians. “I was hungry enough to brush myself off and get on with life again.” The second time around he was a lot older and with aspirations of slowing down his business and increasing his recreation activities. That relationship lasted 13 years. Dusting himself off a second time has been a whole lot harder. “Opportunities now are about nil in as much as what I have left I can’t risk losing any more of it so it restricts my ability to invest in higher risk situations for a better income,” Mark said. As to another relationship, Mark admits he is wary. “I wouldn’t be setting myself up with someone with no money,” he said. “If they had enough, that would be fine. If it
all falls apart again I don’t want to be in a situation where I lose any more than what I have now.” Staying married The AIFS research found married people who had never divorced were able to increase their assets at a faster rate than either single divorcees or those who had later remarried. However, not getting a divorce for older Australians isn’t always an easy choice, Sydney resident Sally says. “I have quite a few friends who are in very unhappy marriages, who are in my age range,” Sally said. “They are too terrified to leave because of the financial impact of splitting up.” * Names have been changed to protect identity.
Most people would agree that someone with $1m in cash is quite well off. However, when you consider current term deposit rates of around 2%, if this millionaire was only living off their interest payments ($20,000 p.a.), they would be considered below the poverty line.
deposits only paying 1-2%, many people are looking for other options for a portion of their savings.
An alternative that is often overlooked is an investment in fixed income securities. Fixed income securities are generally suited to investors seeking stable income rather than capital growth. For millionaires, and non- They are intended to pay millionaires alike, earning a a consistent stream of reasonable level of income distributions based on from investments was less either fixed or floating of an issue in years gone rates. by when term deposits At present, there are fixed were paying 5% or more. Nowadays, with most term income securities being
FINANCIAL ADVISORS
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offered by the “Big Four” that are paying ~5.5% p.a. on a quarterly basis. While all investments carry some risks, we believe that an appropriate allocation to higher returning fixed income investments will provide retirees with a considerably higher level of income compared to hold cash and term deposits. If you would like to ensure your investments continue to meet your income needs in retirement, call the team at Morgans on 02 6651 5700 to arrange on obligation free meeting.
• Financial Planning • Superannuation • Stockbroking • Personal Insurance Suite 5/38 Park Ave Coffs Harbour www.morgans.com.au/coffsharbour
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DIVORCE continues to cost older Australians well into their later years, according to an Australian Institute of Family Studies research report. The AIFS found divorced people aged between 55 and 74 have less household disposable income and fewer assets than married couples of a similar age. “Divorced men and women were also worse off in terms of household assets in these later years and on this financial measure the gap appears to be widening,” AIFS director Anne Hollonds said. “Even older divorced men and women who had remarried were falling behind in their asset levels in recent years, compared to couples who had stayed married.” Twice shy Mark* at age 69 has been through a divorce at age 40 and a de facto separation at age 67. His divorce found him “homeless”, but it motivated him to take his small business and grow it faster. “It probably did me a favour,” he said.
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NEWS
AUGUST, 2018// SENIORS
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BEWARE OF SCAMS
Buyers and sellers should be cautious of possible scams when buying or selling a vehicle. 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.
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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.
More information is available at scamwatch.gov.au
LOCAL & INTERSTATE MOVES
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Kitchens
Clearing Out Collectables? Visit www.finda.com.au
Tip NEW EXPERIENCES Virtual reality technology can take you to a place you’ve only dreamed of.
Keep Seniors tick that off ‘bucket Radiator list’ virtually Radiant. You of course want to get your car looking its best inside and out before a potential sale. One tip you might have forgotten: ensure that your radiator and windscreen washer reservoir are topped up.
This tip brought to you by www.finda.com.au
EVER wanted to walk through the tall forest of North America or soar through the clouds as you take the plunge skydiving – but never leave the comfort of your own couch? The dream may be closer than you think! Samsung Electronics Australia and Uniting have teamed up to provide the aged care provider’s residents the chance to “tick off” their bucket lists using virtual reality. “What I’ve seen today is our residents really come to life as they’ve shared the experience of what they had,” Uniting executive director Tracey Burton said. “And we’ve also had life-long dreams of seeing the redwood forest in Canada and Vancouver.
“It’s just been a wonderful experience.” Visiting five facilities in New South Wales and the ACT, the pilot program is hoping the immersive technology can stimulate positive well-being, reduce isolation and support social integration as current studies continue to research the effects of virtual reality technology on people living with dementia and pain management. Uniting War Memorial Hospital Associate Professor Nick Brennan said the technology could allow seniors to take a trip away from the everyday. “Studies suggest that virtual reality can have a therapeutic effect and stimulate the brain,” he said. “Providing new
adventures for these patients can help to reduce stress and boredom and creates new ways for them to interact with their peers.” Samsung’s Martin Brown said the opportunity to work with Uniting and its resident was a chance the company didn’t want miss. “We strive to develop technology that can make a difference in the lives of Australians,” he said. “We aim to support and facilitate their efforts by finding new ways to deliver their services, like improved healthcare offerings. We’re looking forward to undertaking this pilot with Uniting and taking their residents to places they’ve only ever dreamed about.”
SENIORS \\AUGUST, 2018
PUZZLES
S H O A
I M L A P J
S T
E U R N O R T
A R O C R E A T
S
E N T A O R E D
C O D A R T T
R O U E G
S W T A H O R
O I E A R L P
M
A R
B L E E L T H
S
X
A P I S E H
L G L E A
T E U R E
I R C R I K O
T A E E V
I
M A S C H
M A R K H E A
I
S T P A
14
15 16
17
18
19
22
TRIO
Can you complete these four words, using the same three-letter sequence in each?
SUDOKU
23
Fill the grid so every column, every row and 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9.
T H I C K T O D A Y
D A R E
H
E
SOWED EARNED FEEDING TREADING OH NO MONEY
E N A R E T H A L T E O M B L E L T T E U R
Good 13 Very Good 15 Excellent 18+
13
N S I S T M P A D E L R O G L U E A G T A L E N E Y B M M A R A P K J H E A O D E U R R N T O R T
I T
12
S W A P I A I R O R S E H I R S R I S I S O T E A R M A T R E V O A X I S L I P L A R P L C R O M A R S C A A T H T
574
11
S H O E L A C E
TODAY
G
H P
9
10
WORD GO ROUND
O S
T L
8
21
Solve the anagrams. Each solution is a one-word anagram of the letters beside it, and the ve solutions are sequential. For example, if the ve-letter solution starts with J, the six-letter solution starts with K, and so on. 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.
7
20
ALPHAGRAMS
WORD GO ROUND
6
ghost gilt gist glop glops glottis gosh hogs light lights logs pigs plight plights sigh sight slight slog spigot SPOTLIGHT tight
X
5
QUICK CROSSWORD
L E N Y B
A R
4
Across: 1. Tacticians 7. Mamba 8. Leonine 10. Sedative 11. Thee 13. Adapts 15. Turret 17. Imps 18. Seafarer 21. Shifted 22. Argot 23. Mechanised. Down: 1. Timid 2. Chastity 3. In love 4. Idol 5. Neither 6. Emissaries 9. Electorate 12. RufďŹ ans 14. Apprise 16. Deaden 19. Rigid 20. Etch.
S L P L
T
T E D O A M R
3
JIGGERED
I N S R M I D E
Down 1. Lacking selfcon dence (5) 2. Celibacy (8) 3. Smitten (2,4) 4. False god (4) 5. Not one or the other (7) 6. Envoys (10) 9. Voting district (10) 12. Hooligans (8) 14. Advise (7) 16. Mu e (6) 19. Sti (5) 20. Engrave (4)
2
TRIO: POR
T A H A Y L
Across 1. Strategists (10) 7. Type of snake (5) 8. Lion-like (7) 10. Tranquilliser (8) 11. You (archaic) (4) 13. Alters (6) 15. Small tower (6) 17. Rascals (4) 18. Mariner (8) 21. Moved (7) 22. Jargon or slang (5) 23. Done by machinery (10)
1
SUDOKU
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 s uare ts in with that letter and write in the letters. ou can also shade the black s uares i you nd it hel ul. ter co leting the rst area work out which s uare oins on to it and continue until you have ade a co lete crossword.
QUICK CROSSWORD
ALPHAGRAMS
27/8
DOWSE, ENDEAR, FEIGNED, GRADIENT, HONEYMOON.
JIGGERED
39
AUSTRALIAN OWNED
40
COFFS & CLARENCE
AUGUST, 2018// SENIORS
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