Northern NSW, March 2017

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Seniors Northern NSW

March, 2017

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National Seniors Lawyers Pty Ltd

We choose to represent senior clients Carolyn Byrne Lawyer

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seniors@nationalseniorslawyers.com.au

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2 Seniors Northern NSW

In this edition

Feature: Technology................................................Page 4 Wellbeing ...............................................................Pages 8 Live & Let’s Save ....................................................Page 11 Travel ...............................................................Pages 15–18 What’s On................................................................Page 19 Puzzles ....................................................................Page 22

Contact us Editor Gail Forrer gail.forrer@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Media Sales Manager Kristie Waite kristie.waite@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Now online Get your news online at www.seniorsnews.com.au Advertising, editorial and distribution enquiries Phone: 1300 880 265 or (07) 5435 3200 Email: advertising@seniorsnewspaper.com.au or editor@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Location: 2 Newspaper Place, Maroochydore 4558 Website: www.seniorsnews.com.au Subscriptions Only $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 “Northern NSW Seniors Newspaper”.

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

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

Published by News Corp Australia.

Printed by News Corp Australia, Yandina.

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

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 20, 2017

Blast off into the joys of technology GREETINGS friends.

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

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

Yet, despite the prevalence of modern technology the mention of robots, rockets, apps and Apple can sometimes provoke a nervous response something like: Stop the world, I want to get off.

Neverthless, a read of our interview with Dr Karl on page 4 including a factbox of life-enhancing

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK GAIL FORRER

Group editor Seniors Newspapers network

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

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

Thank goodness for that!

Locally, we put out a call from a local fire

brigade for new members and hope they will receive at least a few positive responses (page 3). We also share more information on the Government’s new Home Care package initiative and how it can help you (page 6) together with some solid legal advice on how to best ensure your final wishes are fulfilled.

On our Talk n Thoughts section (page 9) we continue our series on affordable housing and present an alternative view on the state of housing presented in a report by the United Nations representative on this topic. The report proposes an option to current market based thinking, whether you agree or not with the report, the idea certainly challenges current property market thinking.

On our Online page (page 10), you will also find a list of apps that could well reduce some daily pain or at least

momentary anxiety.

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

We also present an assorted range of finance, wellbeing, travel stories and book reviews and thanks to you dear readers, pages full of community notes.

I trust you enjoy the read and checkout the book giveaway on p4.

Gail To enjoy more of our stories go to: seniors news.com.au. facebook.com.au /seniorsnews.com.au

My life Change Shake it up When you feel there’s nothing you can do to change things, it’s time to think about attitude

TUNED UP FOR THE THIRD AGE PAUL McKEON HAVE more control over your life.

For most of us, life is full of challenges, victories and minor or major disasters.

Generally these events have a significant impact on whether we are happy or unhappy at any particular time.

Of course a really serious disaster can cause us major grief and have a long term impact on our state of mind.

It’s very easy to feel powerless as we are buffeted by the ups and downs of life.

Have you ever thought that life doesn’t have to be like this?

It’s true that we have little control over the external forces that impact on our lives in

❝

This idea is summed up in the quote, “If we can control our thoughts, we can control our lives”. either positive or negative ways.

However we are not nearly as powerless as you might think!

It’s not really the good or bad events that makes us happy or sad – it’s how we react to them.

This is an internal response to an external event and guess what – we can have a lot of control over what our internal response is.

It’s really important to appreciate this concept as that’s the first step to achieving a lot more control over your life.

If we become aware of how our mind is responding to an event

and what emotions are being created and we understand that we can have a reasonable degree of control over our mind, we can start to control our responses to various events.

This idea is summed up in the often used quote: “If we can control our thoughts, we can control our lives”.

If you can accept this idea and put it into practice, you will start to realise that you and not fate can have a far greater degree of control over how you run your life and when you decide to be either happy or unhappy If you think that this idea is worth considering, our book How to stay Healthy, Active and Sharp in Retirement can give you a lot more useful information and advice on how to better control your own mind.

It’s available on our web site at www.my lifechange.com.au.

and ship out

❝

INSPIRING AND RETIRING EVA BENNETT

Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway.

It just wasn’t worth it, to retrieve the donkey.

I’D like to share a story from my files, that I have found helpful in troubling times.

One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well.

The animal cried piteously for hours, as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.

Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway. It just wasn’t worth it, to retrieve the donkey.

The farmer invited all his neighbours to come over and help him.

They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well.

At first, the donkey realised what was happening and cried and cried.

Then to everyone’s

amazement, he quietened down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished by what he saw.

With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing!

He would shake the dirt off and take a step up.

As the farmer’s neighbours continued to shovel dirt into the well, on top of the donkey, he would shake it off and take another step up.

Pretty soon everyone was amazed, as the donkey stepped up over the ridge of the well and trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you at times.

The trick to getting out of the well, is to shake it

off and take a step up.

Each of our troubles is a stepping stone.

We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up!

(Author unknown) It’s all about perseverance.

Shake it off and take a step up…..one at a time.

Northern NSW

Monday, March 20, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Seniors 3

You get what you give Volunteer brigade members experience community spirit

By Yvonne Gardiner

AFTER two weeks of fighting a major bushfire at Lennox Head, the last thing rural fire brigade president Monty Gibbs wants to see when he looks up is a cloudless blue sky and hot sun.

Unsurprisingly, he’s hoping for lots of rain.

Ballina, Tweed and Byron shire brigades responded to the bushfire in February, which burnt across 473 hectares.

“It was horrendous,” Monty said. “It was a joint effort for the entire area.”

The fire was not close to houses at any time, apart from necessary backburns.

Three water-carrying helicopters, dubbed the “flying angels”, were brought in when the fire moved into inaccessible scrub.

Brigade captain Bill McKenzie has been a rural firie for 18 years and called the latest blaze “a horror”.

Brigade members

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Monty says the brigade is looking for men and women who care for their community. battled hot, unpleasant conditions in shifts of up to 14 hours.

“We’ve got 14 members on the books, six active members,” Bill said.

“We average one callout a week over the year.

“That’s not to say you won’t have three in a day at some point.”

The brigade also gets called out to vehicle accidents and house fires.

Monty said anyone aged over 18 was welcome to volunteer, especially those holding a truck licence.

“There are certain jobs for everyone to partake in,” he said.

“Crew safety is foremost in the mind.

LOCAL FIRIES: Lennox Head Rural Fire Brigade leaders (from left) captain Bill McKenzie, president Monty Gibbs and senior deputy captain Geoff White are on a recruitment drive.

PHOTO: YVONNE GARDINER

“You’ve got to make sure your crews are looked after.”

Monty said the brigade was looking for men and women who cared for their community and were

prepared to do some “hard yards”.

He said the community spirit shone through at the recent fire emergency.

“Everybody just rallied,” he said.

“It was phenomenal.”

Brigade meetings are held on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at the fire station, Park Lane, opposite the Lennox Community

Centre.

The brigade is hosting a meet and greet fundraiser at Club Lennox on March 26 from midday.

Contact Monty Gibbs on 0419 296 093 for details.

4 Seniors Northern NSW

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 20, 2017

Times, they are a changing Suni Golightly

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Many people in younger generations see vaccinations as commonplace, but community vaccination didn’t begin in Australia until 1932.

Life before anaesthesia was very different too (and very painful) for Australians.

Introduced to Australia in the late 1800s, anaesthesia was particularly unpleasant in its early forms.

However, over the following decades, anaesthesia techniques and technologies were

WHAT ARE WE DOING ONLINE?

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

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

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

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

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

WIN

WE HAVE five (5) copies of Dr Karl Kruszelnicki’s book The Doctor to give away to readers in Queensland.

For your chance to win, go online to www.seniorsnews. com.au/competitions and fill out the simple entry form.

Entries close at 4pm on March 27. Full T&Cs available online. refined, and by the 1960s and ’70s it had advanced almost to the level of comfort we experience today.

“Glasses are another

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

TECH TIMELINE

1917 vs 2017 1917: Kitchen technologies were basic.

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

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

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

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

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

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

2017: Dr Kruszelnicki says the cutting edge today is CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology, which enables us to reprogram life as we know it (you’re all online, dear readers, so you can Google it).

“Hearing aids too have become vitally important.

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

“They also have huge social implications. A

PHOTO: VIEWAPART

person who cannot see or hear very well – or at all – often loses their independence and becomes isolated.”

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

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

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

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

“Depending on how you use it, that little screen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Monday, March 20, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

tech savvy

Northern NSW

Seniors 5

Here’s a little banking secret

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

Counting the change Tracey Johnstone

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

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

BRANCHES

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

years.

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

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

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

“Branches are increasingly being equipped with a mix of self-service options for

simple transactions to make sure customers can conduct their banking as fast and easy as possible, and tailored support from staff for more complex questions,” Ms Tate said.

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

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

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

CASH SHOPPING

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

Instead, debit cards are more and more the cash choice and contact-less cards.

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

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

ONLINE

THE association reports at least 70% of banking transactions are now completed online, but mostly through

smartphones with the biggest uptake in over 65 year olds.

LEARNING

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

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

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

HERE’S a banking secret not too many people know about; some banks offer fee-free accounts.

They’ve been around for a while, but no one seems to have been spruiking this opportunity, at least not loudly.

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

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

“They are for people receiving a government pension or a Seniors Healthcare Card or on lower incomes,” Ms Tate said.

The Basic Bank Account has no accounting keeping fees, free monthly statements, a debit card attached, fee-free use of your bank’s ATM services plus other advantages.

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

For more general information on these accounts, visit: affordablebanking.info.

Specific information on the Basic Bank Accounts, your eligibility, the account restrictions and whether this type of account is best for you, can be obtained by visiting the local branch of your bank.

Stay safe online by following some simple steps THE Australian Banker’s Association recommends the following simple steps to staying safe online when doing your banking.

SEVEN SAFETY TIPS ■ Learn how to operate your device and protect it with anti-virus software.

■ Ensure your computer has installed the latest version of its virus protection software.

■ Always click out from the banking app or logout of the banking website when you have finished, then close the browser.

■ Use a trusted app or type in the URL of the required website; don’t use a link from an email.

■ Protect your password and personal information at all times; never provide personal details, including customer ID or

password, in response to an email. A bank will never ask you for your password.

■ Talk to the bank about their tools to inform you of transactions on your account, such as alerts when account activity

occurs.

■ Be aware of your rights and responsibilities under the ePayments Code which all banks are a party to.

For banking protection advice, visit: www.betterbanking.net.au

Follow seven simple steps to stay safe when you bank online. PHOTO: ANDREYPOPOV

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6 Seniors Northern NSW

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 20, 2017

All Things Legal ALL THINGS LEGAL CONVICTED MURDERER GERARD BADEN-CLAY TO FORFEIT RIGHTS TO WIFE’S ESTATE

In April 2012 the disappearance of Allison Baden-Clay rocked the sleepy Brisbane suburb of Brookfield in Queensland. Allison’s body was found on a creek bank under Kholo Bridge Crossing at Anstead in Brisbane’s west, 10 days after she disappeared. She was reported missing by her husband and the police investigation followed.

Gerard Baden-Clay was the prime suspect in her disappearance and was subsequently charged with her murder in June 2012.

In July 2014, Gerard Baden-Clay was found guilty of murdering his wife and given a life sentence for his crime in the Queensland Supreme Court after a defended jury trial. In December 2015, Baden-Clay’s lawyers successfully argued that he unintentionally killed his wife during an argument and the murder conviction was downgraded to manslaughter by the Queensland Court of Appeal, much to the dismay of the wife’s family, and the nation. The Queensland Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) appealed against the decision of the Court of Appeal to the High Court and the murder conviction was ultimately reinstated by the High Court in August last year, giving the family a sense of finality to their protracted suffering.

Justice appeared to have been done.

Prior to the murder, Mr and Mrs Baden-Clay prepared wills early on in their relationship appointing each other as sole executor and beneficiary. Baden-Clay was appointed the sole executor and beneficiary of his late wife’s 1997 will. After Baden-Clay’s murder charge the Supreme Court gave Allison’s father temporary control of her estate which included her life insurance policies. If Baden-Clay was acquitted of her murder then he would resume his role as executor of her estate. His conviction means her parents can seek a permanent order granting them control of her estate. Allison’s estate is said to consist of two life insurance policies amounting to almost $800,000, which was ordered to be held in trust by the court pending the outcome of Baden-Clay’s trial. There is a further superannuation account amounting to approximately $236,000.

Allison’s father was successful in his application to remove his son-in-law as executor of his daughter’s will as a result of Baden-Clay’s murder conviction. Mr Dickie was made the sole administrator of his late daughter’s estate by the Supreme Court of Queensland in Brisbane on Thursday 23 February 2017. The grant was issued after Allison’s father filed an uncontested application for administration of her estate, including her life insurance and superannuation policies, in early February.

The decision by the High Court confirming the murder conviction essentially disqualifies Baden-Clay from acting as the executor of his late wife’s will, as well as receiving any financial payment from her estate as a beneficiary. This is what is referred to as the ‘forfeiture rule’. It is an established principle of law in Australia that any “person who is criminally responsible for the death of another forfeits their right to take property to which they would otherwise be entitled upon the death of another person for whose death they are responsible”. In essence, if a person is convicted of the murder (or manslaughter) of another person then they cannot legally inherit from that person’s estate. The rule of law being that no man can benefit from his own crime. The act of doing so is considered ‘disentitling conduct’, being conduct that permanently disqualifies a person from benefiting from the estate of another.

Another form of disentitling conduct which relates to, but is distinguishable from, the above is assistance in a suicide. The concept of assisted suicide, or euthanasia, is controversial at best.

Take for example a daughter assisting her father in ending his life after a painfully drawn out illness. Such an act might attract a conviction of manslaughter, or perhaps murder, essentially disqualifying her from inheriting under her father’s will. This might be viewed as unfair given the circumstances however the Court in Queensland does not consider the moral culpability of the person assisting in a death under the forfeiture rule. In past decisions, the motive and intention of the person who contributes to the death has been deemed irrelevant.

Your choice in aged care

In the Baden-Clay case, the forfeiture rule applies to the husband and would have applied even if his murder conviction was downgraded to manslaughter. There was argument that the motive behind Allison’s murder was the financial benefit Baden-Clay would receive from her estate. This was ultimately rejected by the Court and would, in any case, be deemed irrelevant by the Court under the forfeiture rule. in his application, Mr Baden-Clay has been disqualified from receiving any benefit from his wife’s superannuation and life insurance policies, as well as inheriting from her estate under the will. Allison’s father has been appointed by the Supreme Court as the administrator of his late daughter’s $1 million dollar estate, which is set to be inherited by her three daughters. It appears justice has prevailed.

We welcome any enquiries or comments in relation to these issues and look forward to assisting with these important issues. You are welcome to contact our office with any enquiries concerning estate planning advice. Please contact our Wills and Estates Department Manager, Donna Tolley on direct line 07 55068241, email dtolley@attwoodmarshall.com.au or free call 1800 621 071. We have a dedicated specialist Wills and Estates team that practices exclusively in this complicated area.

Freecall

1800 621 071 Visit our website attwoodmarshall.com.au Coolangatta | Kingscliff | Robina

PERSONAL CARE: Chandana De Silva and Sue McGuigan talk about aged care reforms at the Far North Coast Carers Conference in Ballina.

GOVERNMENT funding for home care providers in NSW now follows the “consumer”, allowing carers and their loved ones more choice when it comes to picking providers.

About 200 carers came to hear about recent changes at the Far North Coast Carers Conference, sponsored by Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre, at the Ballina RSL earlier this month.

Topics included funding and self-management, carers entering the workforce, staying well, mental health and the NDIS, and guardianship.

In a session about aged care reforms, regional assessment service manager Sue McGuigan and carer Chandana De Silva were guest speakers.

Sue talked about the newly introduced My Aged Care, the first point of call for aged care services that offers four levels of home care packages.

“You are in control of designing your package,” Sue told carers.

“The package is what you want and what meets your needs.

“If you want to change providers, that process has become simpler.”

Sue said the Federal Government expected people to contribute to their care if they were able.

Chandana, aged 85, has been a fulltime carer for four years for his wife, who’s aged 83.

Originally from Sri Lanka, the couple now live at Ballina Heights.

Chandana had a heart bypass operation, then his wife suffered a stroke and

heart attack. He advised carers to shop around the various providers to meet individual needs.

Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre program manager Sandie Downsborough said the conference went “exceptionally well”.

“There was a lot of positive feedback,” she added.

Sandie said the aim of the conference was to give information on a raft of changes, not only in aged care but about the NDIS which will be rolled out in the northern region in July.

For more information about the changes to home care, call the My Aged Care contact centre on 1800 200 422 Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 10am to 2pm AEST.

Funerals | Burials | Cremations | Pre-arranged Funeral Services | Private Crematorium 6189035aa

The late Allison Baden-Clay’s father, Geoff Dickie, recently filed a formal application to the Queensland Supreme Court seeking a declaration his son-in-law Gerard Baden-Clay not be entitled to receive any financial benefit from her death.

The person is also excluded from benefiting from assets which don’t necessarily form part of the estate i.e. as a result of joint tenancy and payment of life insurance or superannuation proceeds.

Queensland does not have specific legislation dealing with this and follows the common law which is in line with the above statement. New South Wales has legislation covering this issue which is designed to give the Supreme Court discretion to allow some offenders access to the estate in certain circumstances (Forfeiture Act 1995). For example where a victim of long term domestic violence snaps and kills a person, they may be able to apply for forfeiture modification orders within 12 months of the death (or later with leave). Recent amendments also allow people who are acquitted on the grounds of mental illness to apply.

43 Holland St Goonellabah

6506575ac

What happens to the law of inheritance when a husband murders his wife? Senior Wills & Estates paralegal, April Kennedy, discusses these issues in this high profile case.

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Northern NSW

Monday, March 20, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Seniors 7

See your wish fulfilled The means to ensure your directives are actioned Yvonne Gardiner

GAIN CLARITY: Retiree Les Neilson takes advice from Debbie Sage, of Attwood Marshall Lawyers.

“We try to incorporate the wishes of our clients which would normally be reflected in an advance care directive into the Appointment of Enduring Guardian document where possible, so that their guardian is directed to make those decisions in the event they are unable to themselves.”

Tweed Shire resident Les Neilson recently transitioned into care with the assistance of Attwood Marshall Lawyers.

While in care, Les completed an advance care directive.

“However, in order to be

sure that his end-of-life wishes were to be taken into account, he incorporated some of the provisions in his advance care directive into his Enduring Guardian document to ensure that his guardian would be able to speak for him in the event the advance care directive was not available or overlooked,” Debbie said.

She recommends that clients who have an advance care directive provide a copy to their GP and family members so that loved ones are aware of their wishes.

Heirlooms of the future on show APRIL will see the launch of Heirlooms of the Future, an exhibition by textile and embroidery group Loose Threads at Crawford House Museum in Alstonville, the headquarters of the Alstonville Plateau Historical Society.

The house is a wellpreserved 100-year-old farm house built by the newlywed couple Ambrose and Olive Crawford.

Historical society president John Sim said work for the upcoming exhibition had been completed during the last four years.

“Traditional techniques with a contemporary interpretation will be one

seniors

PHOTO: YVONNE GARDINER

Byron Bay’s prime aged care home, Byron Aged Care is located only 3 minutes to the town centre and 5 minutes to the beach. This 41-bed home offers high quality care and accommodation for older Australians.

Key Features: • Individual ensuite rooms • Newly renovated spacious living areas • Home style kitchen for resident & visitor use • A cosy library with fireplace • Expansive internal courtyards • 24 hour nursing support • Safety with keypad coded entry • Lifestyle program with community outings • Access to medical professionals including medical practitioner, physiotherapist, speech pathologist and more

MUSEUM MEMBERS: Alstonville Plateau Historical Society members outside the century-old Crawford House.

of the themes investigated, as well as works based on or inspired by collections.”

Future shows at Crawford House, 10 Wardell Rd, Alstonville, include:

■ Loose Threads (April 9 – June 17); ■ Tenth Annual Airing of the Quilts (July 8, 9, 10); ■ 140 Years of Alstonville Cricket (September 1 – Nov 5).

Info: 02 6628 1829 .

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DISCUSSING someone’s end-of-life wishes certainly brings a lot of emotion to the table, especially with regard to the debate around euthanasia.

But how far can you legally go? Are “advance care directives” really taken into account? What if your loved ones cannot find the document? Is there something more you can do to make sure your end-of-life wishes are taken into account when you expect them to be?

Debbie Sage, of Attwood Marshall Lawyers, believes there is.

“Although there is no prescribed form for an advance care directive in New South Wales (like there is in Queensland), hospital staff are still legally bound to take the patient’s wishes into account if they have a copy of the document,” she said.

“However we find that most patients end up in hospital due to a sudden illness or accident which does not give them the opportunity to have this document in their possession, causing their end-of-life wishes to sometimes be overlooked.”

Debbie says this is where estate-planning documents become so important.

“Attwood Marshall has a large wills and estates practice and have lawyers who act exclusively in this complex area,” she said.

Physical Address: Byron Aged Care, 1 Butler St, Byron Bay, NSW 2481 • Phone: 02 6685 6728 • Email: admin@byronagedcare.com.au Web: www.byronagedcare.com.au

8 Seniors Northern NSW

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 20, 2017

Wellbeing Shop smart and research before buying

functions than others, you may not need or want them.

■ If a clinician recommends a hearing aid, ask why. If you don’t understand, ask the clinician to repeat or clarify the information until you do understand.

■ Take notes if you think you may have trouble remembering important details.

■ Ask for a copy of your hearing test results, including the audiogram.

Having copies of test results will make it easier to shop around to find the best deal.

■ Ask for a quote, including the type and cost of any recommended hearing aid.

■ Find out if the hearing clinic offers a free trial period. Be sure to ask for the conditions of any free trial period, including its end date.

■ Take your time to make a decision and remember it’s ok to say no.

CHOOSING the right hearing aid and provider can be difficult. Before you buy a hearing aid, you can protect yourself by being a smart shopper.

Always do your research first. Compare offers, ask questions, read online reviews on the hearing aid or hearing clinic, and take your time to make the right decision. There are a variety of hearing aids and devices available at a range of price points. Not all of the features and benefits maybe necessary for you. For example, if you simply want to better hear the phone or TV, there may be a device available to assist you.

Some hearing clinics: ■ Encourage clinicians to sell more expensive hearing aids by setting sales targets and other performance measures ■ Pay clinicians

commissions and other incentives for selling hearing aids have arrangements that favour certain brands or types of hearing aids ■ Are owned by companies that manufacture hearing aids.

These factors could influence the price, type, and brand of hearing aid that is recommended to you.

Don’t feel pressured into purchasing a more expensive hearing aid unless you are satisfied that you need it and be sure to ask lots of questions.

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

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

Funded meal delivery services now available

BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT

Before visiting a hearing clinic, you should discuss your hearing concerns with your doctor to make sure that your hearing is

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

delivered. With nutritional meals forming an

RESEARCH OPTIONS: Choose the right hearing aid for you.

not impacted by a treatable medical condition. You may wish to arrange for a friend or relative to join you at your appointment.

DURING YOUR APPOINTMENT

If you need a hearing aid, here are some suggestions to help you make the right choice:

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

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

■ Ask the clinician to explain your audiogram so that you understand your hearing loss.

■ Ask the clinician to discuss the range of hearing aids and devices available and what the different prices are.

■ Ask the clinician about the different features of the hearing aid. While some hearing aids may have more features or

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

AFTER YOUR APPOINTMENT

■ Shop around for the best deal, and choose

package, as ‘food’ is technically not covered.

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

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

what’s right for you.

■ Get a second opinion if you feel you need it.

■ Keep all the paperwork.

Make sure you keep any paperwork in a safe place where you can find it again. Save your receipt.

■ You have the right to expect that what you buy does or performs as it is supposed to.

If a problem arises with your hearing aid or it does not perform as promised, you may be entitled to a repair, replacement or refund.

SPEAK UP IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG

The ACCC can give you information about your consumer rights and obligations, and suggest possible courses of action you can take.

In some cases the ACCC or your local fair trading agency may also be able to investigate and take action when a seller or clinician fails to meet obligations under the Australian Consumer Law. Visit www.accc.gov.au or call on 1300 302 502 for further information. salt or diabetes friendly meal selections, an outsourced meal delivery service that offers a wide range of nutritionally balanced meals is the ideal solution.

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

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Northern NSW

Monday, March 20, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Seniors 9

Talk ‘n’ thoughts Hurdles, highjumps and solutions

Home as investment or not?

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK GAIL FORRER

Group editor Seniors Newspapers network

FOR decades now the story of soaring house prices and negative gearing has been a regular part of the Australian social landscape.

It continues to be a hot topic, but in the last couple of years another type of housing story, the polar opposite to the investment narrative, has entered the conversation, it’s called affordable housing.

As Australian public housing lists soar and the homeless take the spotlight (January 2017) as Police move them from sleeping rough in a camp set up at Flinders Street

train station, Melbourne, the issue of affordable housing has fast gained a top place on the government agenda. This month Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison announced the government’s proposal for a new model of affordable housing finance, a finance scheme aimed to make money more readily available for developers of affordable housing.

The financial recommendation came from the 2016 Federal Affordable Housing Working group.

At the same time of Treasurer Morrison’s announcement, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing Leilani Farha, presented her report on the Financialisation of Housing. The report said that Australia’s housing issue is not unique, instead it matches a

global trend that has transformed housing from a social habitat to a monetary investment.

Farha argued that housing should be viewed in terms of human dignity and security, as a lived experience, as a human right.”

“Only once housing is understood as a human right and reflected as such in both policy and law will we make real and significant change,” she said. said Farha said the transformation had its roots in the GFC, a time when housing changed from a place to call home to a financial commodity – “a vehicle for wealth and investment rather than a home.”

She illustrated the claim with evidence of the rising phenomena of empty houses, houses that have no social values and are simply left to rise

Share your thoughts

Should the government be funding more social housing?

in price. She termed it,”dehumanised housing”. Farha’s report claims 82,000 or (or one fifth) of investor owned units in Melbourne are unoccupied.

But it’s not just Melbourne, worldwide scenarios include the London boroughs of Chelsea and Kensington, where the number of vacant units increased by 40% between 2013-2014.

Ultimately, she reports that the vast amounts of wealth made from housing has left governments

accountable to investors rather than their obligation of human rights and she is calling for Government to make housing and people first, rather than investment markets.

■ NATIONAL SHELTER INITIATIVE This year Nastional Shelter (Australia) partnered with CHOICE and the National Association of Tenants’ Organisations to call for governments to prioritise rental security and quality issues, alongside housing affordability, as a national study revealed widespread fear and discrimination faced by thousands of Australians.

The report was released on February 16, 2017 and literally millions of people engaged with the story via Twitter, newsites, and broadcast media stories.

The hashtag #RentInOz trended on Twitter.

■ WHAT IS NATIONAL SHELTER? This is a non-government peak organisation that aims to improve housing access, affordability, appropriateness, safety and security for people on low incomes.

Since 1976, National Shelter has worked towards this goal by influencing government policy and action, and by raising public awareness about housing issues.National Shelter’s aim is to work towards every Australian having access to housing. www.shelter.com.au With one third of Australian households renting (up from 25% a decade ago) rental \affordability, accessibility and quality are growing concerns.

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HAVE YOUR SAY: Email editor@seniorsnewspaper.com.au or go online to www.seniorsnews.com.au.

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10 Seniors Northern NSW

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 20, 2017

Online

www.seniorsnews.com.au

Yes, there’s an app for that HERE are just a few helpful apps that you can download for free or at a cost; just remember you need, most of the time, to be wifi connected to use them.

■ Find my car You can cease the pain of trying to find your lost car in the carpark with this app. (Alternatively, it may be helpful to take an iPhone photo of where you have parked which shows the floor number and colour, and the parking space number).

You need an active internet connection to access the data and the Location Services option in settings. The App uses GPS location services.

■ Find my mobile phone Mislaid your mobile phone again? There are apps and phone settings to help you find your

EASY DOES IT: Apps for everything you need, all at your wi-fi-connected fingertips.

PHOTO: MERZNATALIA

phone.

If you own an iPhone the easiest way to find where you have left it is to set up your phone for this service. Go to the home screen. Select Settings and then iCloud. Scroll to the bottom and tap Find My iPhone. Slide to turn

on Find My iPhone and do the same for Send Last Location. You may need to sign in using your Apple ID. Once you log into iCloud or the Find My iPhone app on another device, it will track and show on a map the location of your iPhone.

■ Where am I? You need to meet a friend at a restaurant or building; you have the street name and number, but still can’t work out how to get there.

Whip out the phone and click on the WhereIs app.

Hey, presto! You now have the tool to get you from A to B with little to no stress.

Enter the address you need and then follow the bouncing blue button on the screen.

■ Facetime Facetime is a free Apple video and call app that is available on an iPhone, iPad and iPod. The app only works between these products.

To use the service, you need to – Select the Facetime app on your device.

Enter your Apple ID if

asked. Search for a person’s name or email address in your contacts or enter their phone number. Chose to connect with the selected person by video or voice. Press the red button to connect.

The video option can be activated when already on a call.

■ Skype Skype can be used on computers, iPhones and most android phones, Kindle, iPads and some android tablets, on Apple and android watches, and even on your TV. It’s a free video and call service for Skype registered users.

Registering is simple, you just need to select a user name that is unique.

While Skype to Skype is free, sending SMS texts or making calls to mobiles or landlines needs a credit

or subscription with Skype.

For more information on Skye, go to www.skype.com /en.

MUSIC You can give up buying CDs and get connected on these free music apps which works on phones, tablets and desktops.

Pandora and Spotify are just two of the options available.

Once the app is downloaded you can search for music release by song, album, artist, label, genre, mood, activity, or friend.

Then, you can play whatever you like wherever you are at whatever time suits you To avoid the advertisements that are played regularly, you can subscribe to an upgraded service for a cost.

Proud Australian ‘Boy Soldiers’ to attend ceremony at Currumbin SLSC

ANZAC Day is extremely important to the Under Sixteens.

war, their difficulties were compounded by the fact they had missed their high

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owners as unemployable.

“No pat on the back or social welfare in those days,” Jennifer said.

For the first time, on Anzac Day, the Under Sixteens will attend a ceremony at Currumbin Surf Life Saving Club.

“This year has brought to light the fact that, sadly, there is no one left able to march in Sydney,” Jennifer said.

“Distance and failing health have contributed to a decision to find a venue close to where the majority of the remaining veterans now live.

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“For these very special veterans, it was of great comfort to finally meet someone who understood the nightmares and enormous difficulties which pursued them after the war.

“ANZAC Day is extremely important for these and so many other veterans of many wars.

“Words are not needed.

A handshake or a shoulder squeeze is enough to convey an unspoken and powerful understanding.”

“They saw their mates die; they were taken

prisoner. They were bombed, torpedoed, beaten, gassed and wounded.

“They never gave up.

“They were proud to fight for Australia, king and country, and all it stood for.”

The ANZAC Day Dawn Service will be held at Elephant Rock, Currumbin, from 5am with the parade assembling at 4am. There is also a mid-morning service at Currumbin RSL Cenotaph.

For more of the “boy soldiers” www.worldwar2 under16s.com

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OUT of 42 Australians who went to fight in the Second World War before they turned 16, only 19 remain.

The Under Sixteens, sometimes known as the “boy soldiers”, signed up by forging signatures, lying to their parents, or taking on the names and birth dates of brothers and uncles.

William John Steinhauer was the youngest, at only 13-and-a-half.

Under Sixteens group patron Jennifer Ballard said after the boys had endured the horrors of

Northern NSW

Monday, March 20, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Seniors 11

Live and let’s save Help reduce e-waste

TASTY SNACK: Rice paper rolls are filling and healthy.

:

Protein packed rice paper rolls

A HEALTHY and easy snack for you to make.

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

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

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

WHAT YOU NEED:

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

TO SERVE:

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

★2 small red chillies, thinly sliced.

METHOD:

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

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

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

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

■ Fill a large flat container with warm water.

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

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

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

■ Serve with dipping sauce and Vietnamese mint. Enjoy!

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

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

COMPUTERS

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

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

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

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

These repackaged computers are generally

BATTERIES

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

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

MOBILE PHONES

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

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

We are all possibly guilty of this.

REDUCE: Reuse and recycle.

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

Throwing old mobiles into landfill can potentially be dangerous.

Heavy metals in the batteries could penetrate into the environment.

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

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

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

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

Preparation time is cut

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

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

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

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

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

■ Microwave drawers Under bench

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

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

The drawers look like any other drawer in your kitchen.

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

139 Minjungbal Drive Tweed Heads South Phone (07) 5523 3431 Mobile 0423 028 468

Mr Property Services Noble Lakeside Park - Kingscliff

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tweed Broadwater - Tweed Heads South

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Cobaki Broadwater - Tweed Heads

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Email: kprice@mrpropertyservices.com.au

12 Seniors Northern NSW

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 20, 2017

Community HOW TO SUBMIT NOTICES

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

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

The deadline for the March issue is April 5.

Email Nicky or Chris at communitynotes@ seniorsnewspaper.com.au

Committee supports Smith Family foundation

PROBUS ■ BANORA POINT

CO.AS.IT. – FREE INFO SESSION

Co.As.It. Community Services invite you to attend our Free morning tea information session on Aged Care services available at home. We will explain the different funding programs available and how we can support you to remain living comfortably in your own home. All our services are funded by the government; therefore our contribution fees are very low or negotiable to suit your budget. Seats are limited, phone 5527 6481 to reserve your seat for 10am-11.30am, Thursday, April 6 at Palm Beach Share & Care Centre, Tenth Ave, Palm Beach.

TWEED BRIDGE CLUB

BRIDGE lessons for beginners. We have six weekly sessions commencing Saturday May 6, 9am-11am. The cost of $50 includes course notes, bridge book and morning tea.

Bookings essential call Dinah Morgan on 02 6676 3136 for details.

NEW TEAM: Twin Towns Evening VIEW members Zone Councillor, Rosie Mc Dermott, Pat Moore, Barb Chapman, President Jill Mason, Trudy Sloan and Jenny Alder.

COOLANGATTA SENIOR CITIZENS CENTRE FOR 50 & OVER SENIORS

WE WELCOME all Gold Coast and Tweed area residents and visitors.

The Centre has a large range of activities including, bingo, dancing (inc. lessons), free computer lessons, card games, choir group, indoor bowls, craft, light exercises and more. Our next Free monthly concert will be on Monday, March 27 at 1pm QLD time and will feature International Artist, Accordionist, Pianist and Vocalist “MILTON Q”. For inquiries and concert bookings phone 07 5536 4050 or visit 2 Gerrard Street, Coolangatta.

U3A

U3A Members and guests are welcome to come along to the U3A QLD. Network Conference at Tweed Heads Civic Centre, Brett Street, Tweed Heads and hosted by U3A Twin Towns. The Conference Keynote Speaker will be Mr Mark Peters, Chief Executive Officer of the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The motto for the conference is Live, Laugh, Learn, without boundaries and will include a host of fascinating speakers at the two day conference on May 18 and 19. Details call 07 5534 7333 or 0405 445 164 or register: www.u3aqldconference. org/registration.php

■ TWEED COAST

OUR April First Friday topic is “recycling”. We all want

to do our bit for the environment so find out how you can make a difference. A Council person will explain the new 3 Bin System that starts in July and tell us how to sort our waste to cut down on landfill. I am sure you will all have lots of questions so this is the place to get answers. Be at the Uniting Church Hall, 24 Kingscliff St, Kingscliff on Friday, April 7 at 2pm.

We welcome a $2 donation for afternoon tea. Inquiries with Lorraine on 0457 936 202 or Val 02 6676 3406 or www.tweedcoast.u3anet. org.au.

course being offered once a month over 5 months, by former Professor of Cultural Geography Dr John Tyman who has had first-hand experience of daily life in a range of different cultures. The next class is Wednesday, March 22, followed by Wednesday, April 26, Wednesday, May 24 and Wednesday, June 21.

Phone 07 5534 7333.

There’s also Stretch and Dance classes on Fridays at 9am. Tai Chi is held on Wednesdays- Tai Chi for Arthritis at 9am and Tai Chi at 9.45am all welcome to come along. 4 Boyd Street, Tugun. Phone 07 5534 7333.

■ TWIN TOWNS

VOICE WEAVERS

IS OFFERING a new series of classes. Cultures in Context, a five week

BALLINA VISITOR INFO CENTRE

ARE you looking to make new friends, be involved in your local community, enhance your knowledge and learn new skills? We are seeking volunteers for the visitor services desk located within the arrivals terminal at the Ballina Byron Gateway Airport. If you possess a solid knowledge about our local area, call Ballina Visitor Information Centre on 1800 777 666 or come in to the Centre to collect an information package and application form.

All meetings are held on the first Friday of each month commencing at 2pm (NSW time) in the Secret Garden Room at South Tweed Sports Club, Tweed Heads South. We are a not for profit organisation raising money for local Children’s Charities, Palliative Care and more. New Members welcome. Call Twenette on 07 5523 2939.

POP IN: Ballina Visitor Information centre’s current Ambassador, Derek Forkgen with Gwenda Demaagd.

LIKE to sing in the car or shower? Do you live in the Tweed or Gold Coast areas? We would love to meet you. We are a mixed-voice a Capella Choir of men and women of all ages and backgrounds and we need your voice! Don’t worry if you can’t read music we provide learning tracks.

Interested? Come and see us Wednesdays at Twin Towns Uniting Church Hall at 6pm QLD, visit: voiceweavers.com.au or email: join@ voice weavers.com.au or call Mikako on 0419 790 855.

A.O.O.B’S TWIN TOWNS BRANCH

OUR monthly meetings have commenced again.

NEW to the Tweed area?

Retired or Semi retired?

Want to make new friends? Our Club meets the 4th Monday of each month at South Tweed Sports Club at 10.15am.

We are a mixed club, have interesting speakers and an outing each month. You would be made most welcome. Call Bae on 07 5590 9738 or Norma on 07 5590 5919.

VIEW CLUBS ■ TWIN TOWNS EVENING

MEETS the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 6.30pm in the Blue Room of the Tweed Heads Bowls Club. A delightful meal as well as Guest speakers make a fun night. Visitors are most welcome as are new members. Ladies of all ages can be assured of a great feeling of extending to disadvantaged Australian children a hand up not a hand out by supporting the Learning for Life program. For Guests and apologies call Trudy Sloan on 07 5524 1770 by 1pm on the Monday prior. More info on Facebook.

■ COOLANGATTA TWEED

OUR Club is looking forward to another enjoyable year of fun and friendship with a programme of interesting speakers and functions already in place. Our next meeting will be held on Thursday, April 20 at South Tweed Sports Club, Minjungbal Drive, South Tweed Heads. The Guest speaker will be from SeaWorld Research and Rescue. Meetings commence at 11am for 11.30am on the 3rd Thursday of the month.Visitors welcome.

Phone Secretary, Janice on 5524 5707.

Northern NSW

Monday, March 20, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Seniors 13

Living

Design age for a fabulous future Gail Forrer

IN MY cyber travels looking for interesting ‘embracing ageing’ news, I came across these futurist designs for the older adult.

The exhibition (held between mid-January and mid-February in London) looked at how design could help people lead fuller, healthier and more rewarding lives into older age, asking the question: How can designers meet the challenge of a rapidly ageing society?

From robotic clothing to driverless cars, the exhibition rethought how design approached ageing.

Curated by Jeremy Myerson and Royal College of Art professor of design Helen Hamlyn, and sponsored by the Helen Hamlyn Trust and AXA PPP healthcare, the exhibition was organised into six sections – Ageing, Identity, Home, Community, Working and Mobility.

Each section featured a special design commission by a leading designer or design team, creating new solutions for demographic change as well as addressing the challenges of ages. New projects included designs

by Yves Béhar/ fuseproject, Konstantin Grcic, Future Facility, Special Projects, IDEO and Priestman Goode.

The show, NEW OLD, examined how innovation and design can reimagine how we live the later stages of our lives.

See more at: designmuseum.com PHOTOS ❚ (Right)HEAD IN THE SKY

by Konstantin Grcic.

Developed by Konstantin Grcic , this zinc galvanised- mesh

structure offers a secluded outdoor space for working and thinking, particularly for those who do not want to retreat into their own private domain. The structure was designed to encourage thought, contemplation and imagination and underlines the importance of having a composed state of mind with the progression of age.

The ramped access is intended to symbolise a departure from age stereotypes, while the lack of roof is designed to “give thoughts free rein”. ❚ (Right) SCOOTER Paul Priestman of London Design company PriestmanGoode said the process of scooter development included focus groups where it was expressed that traditional mobility transport felt like having: ‘one foot in the grave’.

“So we wanted to design something that was both beautiful as well as highly practical,” the designer said.

The fold-down adaptable design is based on a micro scooter – an object Priestman describss as “ubiquitous” in many of today’s families, but that older people are rarely seen with.

“At some stage, people stop using them,” he said.

“This may be because of stigma, safety concerns or simply the fact that older generations have not had scooters before, which creates a barrier to late adoption.”

The research groups enabled the studio to come up with a checklist of necessities.

Firstly, the user would need to be able to take it on public transport or into a shop, they should be able to fold it down, there needed to be space to store groceries, and it had to be able to be taken into a flat or a house – as opposed to being parked outside.

Based on these considerations, the Scooter for Life was developed a brand of products for all ages.

To increase stability, the prototype has two larger wheels at the front and a smaller third wheel at the back. It only moves when the brakes are released.

A basket at the front operates as a shopping trolly, while an optional seat and electric power mode takes strain off users when they are less able to walk. https://www.dezeen. com/2017/01/12/priest mangoodes-scooter-life -older-people-stay-active

-design-museum-new-old -exhibition/ ❚ (Far right) AURA POWER SUIT Responsive garments by Yves Béhar’s studio Fuseproject feature

❝

on the torso, hips, legs and back, and embedded with sensors. Each uses artificial intelligence to react to the body’s natural movements, and add muscle power to aid the wearer in getting up,

How can designers meet the challenge of a rapidly ageing society?

From robotic clothing to driverless cars, the exhibition rethought how design approached ageing “electric muscles” that assist elderly wearers to walk, stand up and climb stairs.

This lightweight fabric garment incorporates motors, sensors and artificial intelligence, providing support for the wearer’s torso hips and legs.

The pods – or “electric muscles” – are located

sitting down or staying upright.The pods and sensors are anatomically aligned with the wearer’s muscular composition. A V-shaped band within the soft fabric sections tightens around certain points of the body to offer lumbar support.

When choosing the colour and materials, the studios wanted to avoid a

clinical look and “sickroom aesthetic”.

The creators said that instead of utilising a design and aesthetic framework of products for the ageing market that is stigmatising and reinforces increased marginalisation, the materials and design details of the Superflex design were about comfort, performance and style.

The Aura Powered Clothing collection was designed in collaboration with robotics company Superflex.

While the first prototype was on show at the London Design Museum, Fuseproject and Superflex are continuing to develop this concept – and envisage it eventually being used by individuals with disabilities and athletes.

14 Seniors Northern NSW

money

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 20, 2017

Financial advice can assist you through divorce ❝ Important information to work out the best protection for you AMP FINANCIAL PLANNER DIANNE CHARMAN

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

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

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

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

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

If money is tight, it is

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

never too late to have a second career or part-time job.

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

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

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

emotional, it may not make good financial sense.

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

Superannuation is a key part of retirement planning.

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

If you are already retired, review your super

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

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

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

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

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

You may also need to change your family private

GET YOUR PERSONAL

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JUSTIN BEDNALL Branch Manager

82 Woodlark Street, Lismore NSW 2480 (02) 5698 1500 BranchLismore82Woodlark-2715@anz.com

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AARON CHAMPION Senior Personal Banker

HELP AND ADVICE: Dianne Charman, AMP financial planner.

health plan to single coverage.

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

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

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

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

Help is available for those drowning in debt THINK MONEY PAUL CLITHEROE FEW things are harder than admitting you’re struggling with debt, but help is at hand.

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

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

On top of this, interest rates are at historic lows but it’s unlikely they’ll stay that way forever. To be fair, our home loans represent a significant chunk of household debt. If you can manage your loan repayments, this type of debt is not a problem as a well-located home will rise in value over time.

The type of debt that tends to land people in financial hot water is ‘have it now’ debt - credit cards, store debt and payday loans that let us

buy more stuff we often don’t need, and which certainly doesn’t rise in value. Australians owe a total of $35 billion on their credit cards. And while we are using debit cards a lot more these days, the purchases made on credit cards tend to be big ticket items.

The average credit card purchase is $120 compared to just $50 for debit card buys. So, it only takes a handful of big purchases to rack up a four-figure card balance.

Now, you could say that compared to the balance of our home loans, the average card debt of $3,100 isn’t worth worrying about. The trouble is, surprisingly few people have just one credit card. It turns out close to one in five cardholders have three or more cards.

That could mean facing a debt of $10,000 or more at interest of around 18%.

(If debt is getting the better of you, call this free service 1800 007 007.)

Paul Clitheroe is a founding director of financial planning firm ipac, Chairman of the Australian Government Financial Literacy Board and chief commentator for Money Magazine.

Northern NSW

Monday, March 20, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Seniors 15

Travel

10 Ann Rickard

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

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

reasons to go to Adelaide in autumn

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It doesn’t get any more recognised than that.

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

■ BAROSSA VALLEY Neat vineyards roll over

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

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

You could be in Tuscany but Barossa is better.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6513898ac

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

16 Seniors Northern NSW

travel

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 20, 2017

Sula is one of the smiling staff.

Sunset from the Sundowner Bar.

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

PHOTOS: SHIRLEY SINCLAIR

Time for fabulous fun in Fiji Shirley Sinclair

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

And you don’t want to

have to be anywhere at a particular time. You just want to go with the flow at your pace for once.

Fiji’s first five-star resort may be just what you’re looking for. Outrigger Fiji

Beach Resort on the Coral Coast combines traditional hospitality with the modern facilities and conveniences of a world-class resort.

Everything is at your

Please callDetails for full of details PTO for all of all upcoming tours upcoming tours.

Travel in style aboard Simes Bros Luxury Coaches.

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6482583aa

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

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

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

2. Dinner at Fiji’s leading restaurant, Ivi, sees modern Fijian cuisine meet food theatre. For entrée, try Fijian Ika Kokoda – the nation’s beloved national dish uniting lime juice marinated island fish with coconut cream and a hint of chilli, created by your host beside the table, or mangrove crab wonton bisque slow-baked in a freshly cracked coconut bilo. For dinner, you can’t go past Fiji’s deep sea snapper and shelled mud crabs (fish wrapped and poached in a banana leaf

❝

Reclaim your 20-something zing with dancing to the resident band. with ginger and coriander, plus crab meat braised in coconut “miti”’ sauce with caramelised onions and kumala) or slow roasted, five-spice duck breast (vichy carrots, brie and duck spring roll with orange sauce). Dessert calls for the Ivi tasting platter.

3. Talai Butler is a five-star butler service with a Fijian twist that operates from 7am–11pm for guests in Deluxe Ocean View rooms, suites and bures.

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

4. Meimei Nanny Service gives parents and grandparents peace of mind while their children, aged six months to 12 years, are entertained with a host of fun and educational indoor and outdoor activities under the smiling eyes of their Fijian nannies. They learn more about the Fijian culture and hospitality through games, arts and crafts, and simple language lessons. The children can also meet new friends through the Kids’ Club and teens’ programs.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Northern NSW

Monday, March 20, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Seniors 17

Tripaway Cruise & Travel

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18 Seniors Northern NSW

travel

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 20, 2017

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

At 95, Iris is a jet-setting celebrity known

❝

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

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

documentary featuring fashion, creativity and her soaring free spirit.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Northern NSW

Monday, March 20, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

What’s on Yvonne’s top 10 things to do throughout your region:

JOURNALIST YVONNE GARDINER

yvonne.gardiner@apn.com.au

THURS, MARCH 23

1. A SCREENING of Jasper Jones followed by a Q&A with the producer. A rare opportunity to hear award-winning film and TV producer Vincent Sheehan talk about the making of one of Australia’s auspicious novels into a stunning film. Adapted from Craig Silvey’s bestselling Australian novel and featuring a stellar cast including Toni Collette, Hugo Weaving, Levi Miller, Angourie Rice, Dan Wyllie and Aaron McGrath. Jasper Jones is the story of Charlie Bucktin, a bookish boy of 14 living in a small town in Western Australia.

Screened from 7pm at Byron Bay Community Centre. Tickets $23.30 general, $18.30 members and concession.

SAT, MARCH 25

2. AN ARIA Hall of Fame winner, Brian Cadd released his 24th album Bulletproof in November 2016, coinciding with

hitting the road again.

Heralding the return of The Bootleg Family Band, the album and show comprises original members. There are so many funny stories told in this show the audience gets as many jokes as hit songs. Those hits include Little Ray of Sunshine, Ginger Man, Let Go and Don’t You Know it’s Magic.

Brian Cadd performs at the Lismore Workers Club, 225-231 Keen Street, from 8pm. Tickets $48.

Details: 02 6621 7401.

SAT, MARCH 25

3. RELAY for Life is an overnight, community event where teams of 10 to 15 people participate in a relay-style walk or run to raise funds for the Cancer Council. In New South Wales around 40,000 people each year take part in Relay For Life.

Some people do the relay in memory of a loved one who has passed away from cancer, some do it to show how proud they are at having survived cancer and some just love to be involved in their community. Details: fundraising.cancer.org.au.

SAT, MARCH 25

4. ASK anyone who grew up through the 70s and

they will be able to tell you exactly where they were when they first heard Tubular Bells. Composed

by Mike Oldfield in 1973, the album was the first release on Richard Branson’s fledgling record label, Virgin Records. The album went on to sell more than 30 million copies, kick-starting the Virgin empire. Now, more than 40 years on, two young Australian multi-instrumentalists, Aidan Roberts and Daniel Holdsworth, are presenting this modern masterpiece in a spectacular live event.

The duo are literally rushed off their feet as they rush around a sea of instruments. From 7.30pm at Lismore City Hall theatre. Box office: 1300 066 772.

THURS, MARCH 30

5. A.C. GRAYLING is the Master of the New College of the Humanities, London, and its Professor of Philosophy, and the author of more than 30 books of philosophy, biography, history of ideas and essays.

His new book, The Age of Genius, explains how, fuelled by original and unorthodox thinking, war and technological innovation, the 17th century became the crucible of modernity. Join Prof Grayling for an

evening of ideas and discussion when he presents this compelling lecture on progress in troubled times at Byron Theatre starting at 6pm.

Tickets $30/$35 from byronwritersfestival. com or call 6685 5115.

TO APRIL 1

6. LOVERS of murder mysteries are in for a shock when Murwillumbah Theatre Company presents the brilliant Tom Stoppard farce The Real Inspector Hound. When feuding theatre critics Moon and Birdboot come to review a new Agatha Christie-like whodunit, they become implicated in the lethal atrocities of a suspected escaped madman.

The murder mystery – the play-within-a-play – is set at Muldoon Manor, a typical stage for the detective genre.

Murwillumbah Civic Centre on March 24, 25, 26, 31 and April 1. Night-time shows start at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm. Seating will be cabaret style and patrons are invited to bring their own food and drinks.

This is an 80-minute production with no interval but drinks and snacks will be available from 7pm.

Details: murwillumbahtheatre company.com or call Lesley on 02 6672 6753.

TUESDAY, APRIL 4

7. 2017 MARKS 25 years of The Waifs. To celebrate and commemorate, the band will be hitting the road for a mammoth national tour, and are releasing their 14-track studio album, Ironbark, along with 11 bonus tracks making a rousing collection of 25 songs, to celebrate 25 years.

Recorded in true Waifs style in a makeshift studio in the unfinished kitchen of Josh Cunningham’s rural retreat on the NSW South Coast across two weeks. Ironbark is a double album made for their incredibly loyal and loving fan base, for those who have been there from the start, and for those who have become fans of the band along the way.

Performing at Bangalow Hall, Station St, from 7pm. Cost $61.20.

Details: Jackie Lymn at vicoffice@secret-service. com.au.

FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH

8. BYRON Community Markets are a fanfare of colour and music amidst a myriad exotic flavours and other products. Local art and craftwork fill the market site - beautiful things made by people using unusual and natural materials sit side-by-side with colourful imports

Seniors 19

from Africa and Asia. With the diversity of more than 300 stalls, there is something for everyone.

Details: byroncentre.com.au.

SUNDAY APRIL 8

9. REVERED, multi-platinum selling singer/songwriter Damien Leith is returning with a new show.

Showcasing the greatest hits of one of the world’s most loved singer/songwriters Roy Orbison including Crying, Pretty Woman, Blue Bayou, You Got It, Only the Lonely and more, Damien and his band will delight audiences, in an intimate, nostalgic tribute to this great of modern music. At Park Lane Theatre, Lennox Community Centre, 1 Mackney Lane.

Details: communityspaces @ballina.nsw.gov.au or call 6687 6291.

TO MAY 21

10. A NEW exhibition at Tweed Regional Gallery delves deeper into a celebration of town halls in the Northern Rivers and the stories they inspire.

The exhibition, Tumbulgum and the Countdown to Midnight at the First Supper Between Now and Forever, is on display at the gallery and is derived from a multi-arts project entitled, If These Halls Could Talk.

Get a taste of Italy at the colourful carnevale salutes the strong cultural heritage of the Northern Rivers community.

New Italy Management president John Barnes said organisers were looking for descendants of the original or later settlers of New Italy which was first settled in

1881 in Northern NSW, south of Woodburn.

"We are inviting all descendants, wherever they may be, to join us on the day, or to contact us so that we can find out approximately how many are living in Australia today," he said.

Carnevale Italiano will

Seniors News

be held on Sunday, April 9, beginning with Mass at 10am.

Parking is available from 9am at the New Italy Museum, 10 minutes south of Woodburn on the Pacific Hwy. Entry is $10 per person with children aged 14 and under free.

COME CELEBRATE: Dancers enjoying all things Italian at the Carnevale Italiano in 2016.

PHOTO: PETER DERRETT

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IT’S almost time for Carnevale Italiano – the full-day celebration at New Italy to commemorate the successful settlement of a group of Italian refugee survivors in the Northern Rivers 136 years ago.

Carnevale has become an annual event which

20 Seniors Northern NSW

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 20, 2017

Reviews

To advertise, call 1300 136 181 or visit finda.com.au Buy & Sell

Motoring

For Sale

Cars

Mazzers CoaChes

$4899 twin share | ss. $840

Phone richard at

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1300 888 469 anytime

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.

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

Tip

Tie Up Loose Ends.

Avoid leaving items lying on the floor of your vehicle or in the boot. An unsecured item rolling about during a test drive is unlikely to leave a good impression.

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Tour

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Ethical recipes for the planet

BEWARE OF SCAMS

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

Airship alerts the protest for suffragist A CAPTIVATING new biography of the Australian actress who became one of London’s most famous suffragists.

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

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

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

A year earlier, Muriel Matters, who became known as “that daring Australian girl”, became the first woman to make a speech in Parliament after chaining herself to a brass grille to protest against women being segregated in the Parliament. She was sent to Holloway Prison for her crime, and on her release added prison reform to her list of campaigns.

Muriel Matters went on to become one of the most famous suffragists of her day.

Her skill as an orator drew crowds in their thousands. So why has Muriel Matters remained a relative unknown in both Britain and her home country?

In Miss Muriel Matters, best-selling writer Robert Wainwright discovers an extraordinary woman full of intelligence, passion and bravery who fought for women’s rights.

Available from ABC Books from March 27.

RRP is $32.99.

NEW guide to popular plant-based diet helps us eat kindly, tread lightly and live well. It’s a cornucopia of nutritious recipe ideas about plant-based eating.

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

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

Just a few well-known fans of the plant-based diet include Bill Clinton, Liam Hemsworth, Missy Higgins and The Veronicas.

And why not?

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

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

A Taste for Life

by Animals Australia is available from ABC Books.

RRP is $39.99.

Two days gone and where to?

RANDALL Silvis’ Two Days Gone is a literary page- turner about a beloved college professor accused of murdering his entire family and one small-town cop’s dangerous search for answers. Thomas Huston, a beloved professor and best-selling author, is something of a local hero in the small Pennsylvania college town where he lives and teaches.

So when Huston’s wife and children are found brutally murdered in their

❝

Huston has also mysteriously disappeared, and suddenly, the town celebrity is suspect number one. home, the community reacts with shock and anger. Huston has also mysteriously disappeared, and suddenly, the town celebrity is suspect number one.

Sergeant Ryan DeMarco has secrets of his own, but he can't believe a man he admired, a man he considered a friend, could be capable of such a crime. Hoping to glean clues about Huston's mind-set, DeMarco delves into the professor's notes on his novel-in-progress. Soon, DeMarco doesn't know who to trust—and the more he uncovers about Huston's secret life, the more treacherous his search becomes.

Published by Landmark. Paperback RRP is $22.99.

Monday, March 20, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

ALWAYS ON

theartscentregc.com.au | (07) 5588 4000

Northern NSW

Seniors 21

22 Seniors Northern NSW

puzzles

JIGGERED

6/3

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

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

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

V I A W N P T

M E S A P E D

N E X S O

T H E A H U M

S

E

L L O P

N O V E E

O

I L O A N D

G S I N U G

A D M I E M P

H G I N G N S

E D V L E D

S E R A Y

S A S I L S

R C Y T H E

H F T T

O C O U R W I

K N O

S C R

D E A H H E E

A R I N E G A S

I N P P L

E N D S

I T T L L O Y

A G L E

A A T D S E

V

I

S W L

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 20, 2017

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

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

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

16

17

8

9

10

11

12

13 14

15

18

19

TRIO

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

SUDOKU

20

21

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

MOIST, NICEST, ORGANIC, PICTURES, QUOTATION.

Good 20 Very Good 27 Excellent 33+

1. What year did BridgeClimb Sydney open?

2. Who is the Greek goddess of victory?

3. In the phonetic alphabet, what word represents the letter “Z”?

4. How many nautical miles is a league?

5. Which has no moons – Pluto, Mars or Mercury?

6. Do rattlesnakes lay eggs or have live babies?

7. In the human body, where would you find the metatarsi?

8. Who sang the song Suddenly during Charlene and Scott’s wedding on Neighbours?

A P S E

B R I S K

L O C K E T

H I S U N T E T E O T L S A T O M A N E R D A E T I MO V I N Y R E

P A C T E A D R N E I M S P H E R O R

A T H F O O T A T N I P R O A R A U R A A R R A Y R S MO R A L N O D E R O D E O S T E R S I E R E N D

QUIZ

T A L K I E

7 lEttERS CREATOR EMPEROR IMMORAL MANNERS STETSON TARNISH

QUIZ

T E N O R

5 lEttERS ABLER ADDER AFOOT ARRAY ARSON ATONE BRISK ETHER KEVIN LAMED OSIER OTTER PACED TAUNT TENOR TIARA

6 lEttERS CATNIP DELETE ESKIMO HONOUR LOCKET ROOTED ROSTER TALKIE

D I S C

4 lEttERS AFAR APSE AURA DISC EMIR INTO LEER NODE PATH PRAY

PROD REND ROSE SOIL THIS TYRE

WORDFIT

Solution opposite

3 lEttERS ARM ASP HUE INK IVY OAR ODE SAD SIC SIN TAR TOT

1 1998, 2 Nike, 3 Zulu, 4 Three, 5 Mercury, 6 Have live babies, 7 In the feet, 8 Angry Anderson.

Fit the words into the grid to create a finished crossword

ALPHAGRAMS

woRDFIt

WORD GO ROUND

OMITS INSECT NO CIGAR PIE CRUST TOO QUAINT

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

T O

TRIO: SEC

420

L A

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

TODAY

C

SUDOKU

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

H F

W R

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

There is at least one nine-letter word.

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

JIGGERED

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

woRD Go RoUND

QUICK CROSSWORD

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

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

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

Vulnerability 20. Loser 21. Damaged.

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

Wizard 17. Toyed 19. Ear.

alpHaGRaMS

actor arch arco calf carol cart char chart chat choral chow claw clot cloth coal coat cola colt coral cowl craft craw crawl croft crow fact factor FLOWCHART focal larch latch loach octal orca roach taco talc torc torch watch

O

grey nomads

Monday, March 20, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Northern NSW

Seniors 23

Discovering the alternative route

Park

OLD DELIGHTS: The historic Coach and Horses Inn at Clarkefield, Vic.

parks,motels and BnBs in town or on farms. The football and cricket oval is right in the heart of the main street, near the information centre.

That's where I meet with Bob, one of the centre’s volunteers, and talk about RV camping.

He grabs a street map and his wife grabs a hi-lite pen.

“Which way are you parked,’’ he asks.

“Well you go back to here,’’ he points on the map. “Chauncey St. And go out here.’’

That's when his wife draws in a different turn-off.

You cross over McIvor Creek, past the showgrounds and about 5km you turn to the left into Plantation Rd. It's a sandy, well dusty, not really gravel road from when you enter the Heathcote Graytown National Park. About another 3km then turn left

into Plantation Track and after another 2km you come across the Dargile picnic area.

It a very pretty place among the trees and has tables and seats, walking tracks and a long-drop toilet – you need to take your own water.

Joining the Midland Highway at Elmore, there are plenty of picnic areas beside the Campaspie River.

Just north of Rochester, with its giant Devondale dairy processing plant there is beautiful pull-over point but no facilities.

By late afternoon I am in the old river port town of Echuca.

Once you cross the Murray into New South Wales the roads get straighter and the countryside flatter.

This is a land of beautiful sunrises and sunsets and surprises. (full story online: seniorsnews.com.au).

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specials available check our website

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Welcome to Deniliquin.

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MAGICAL MOOLOOLABA

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Phone: 07 5444 1642 Contact: 84 The Spit & La Mer, Mooloolaba

H O M E

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6539925aa

I STARTED off in Queensland and ended up at Deniliquin in the Riverina region of New South Wales. What began as a drive down roads from my past turned into a journey into the future.

Instead of taking the Calder Hwy from Melbourne Airport, I headed towards Sunbury on a road less travelled, along the C325 to places such as Clarkefield, Lancefield and on to Heathcote.

A little research on Deniliquin revealed there was a lot of grain and grazing and a certain liking for setting world records. Not only does the town host the biggest ute muster it has seen the most blue singlets being worn in the same place at the same time.

Heading north, I followed the signpost to Clarkefield.

The Coach and Horses Inn is a heritage bluestone beauty that dates back to 1857 and has the honour of being regarded as Australia's Most Haunted Hotel.

Lancefield, was first settled by European squatters in 1837 but in recent years, many wineries have been established. The town has a connection to the Kelly Gang; for it was here that Constable Fitzpatrick, the instigator of the Kelly Outbreak in 1878 was finally found out by the Victorian police.

At Toobarac I joined the Northern Hwy and headed to Heathcote that, like Bendigo, is undergoing a renaissance after its gold mining beginning. Today it’s wine and tourism.

Neat as a pin and RV friendly. There's caravan

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Erle levey

24 Seniors Northern NSW

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 20, 2017

WHAT’S ON AT

SEAGULLS E

aster

L ong Weekend

Good Friday Easter Raffle

April

12.30PM - 3.30PM

EUREKA FUNK K

Star Buffet

3.30PM - 6.30PM

Dine for lunch or dinner for $27.80 and enjoy seafood with special Easter treats.

ENJOY ALLL DAY DINING G

Mangrove Restaurant $10 KIDS MEAL SPECIAL Prawn and Avocado Salad - $19 M $21 V Barramundi Special - $26 M $29 V

Easter

•

Roxy Rocket magic show

•

Face painting + balloons

Free Family Event 2-6pm

•

•

Sunday Funday •

STAR BUFFEET - SEAFOOD FOOD $27.80 LUNC CH OR DINNER

SUN 16 April

Easter bunny visit + egg hunt Viv’s Animal Farm Jumping castle

•

Meet Tabatha from Tabatinga

•

Old Mates Smoker

•

Live music – Sweet Mixjah

Community Notice GET YOUR FLU VACCINE

WWW.SEAGULLSCLUB.COM.AU

TUESDAY 25TH APRIL

TWO UP WITH GLENNO G

Tickets on sale from 4pm, draws at 6.40pm $1,500 in EASTER prizes to be won!

FRI 14

ANZAC DAY

MANGROVE RESTAURANT Red Wine Beef, m mushroom & bacon pie served with chips $18 M $21 V

Three crumbed lamb cutlets served with chips & salad $22 M $25 V

FEB MAR APR MAR

2017