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Seniors Northern NSW

August, 2017

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2 Seniors Northern NSW

In this edition

Cover Story: Eileen Kramer..............................Pages 4–5 Wellbeing .........................................................Pages 11-14 Travel................................................................Pages 19-22 What’s On ...............................................................Page 23 Reviews...................................................................Page 24 Puzzles ....................................................................Page 27

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”.

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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.

Welcome

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, August 21, 2017

Nourish yourself with creative spirit CREATIVITY is the key to longevity, it can nourish the soul and feed the spirit.

Creativity is enjoyed in many forms – from woodworking to dressmaking to cake baking and dancing, The Oxford dictionary defines creativity as: The use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness.

In other words, the place where the mind steps off the process line and begins its own thinking.

Staid, is not part of the creative equation.

So, in this issue, with plenty of evidence to show the benefits, I encourage you to rearrange the furniture of your mind and make way for the new, the fresh, the imaginative and creative.

My desire to give the finest example of creative is expressed in the choice of our wondrous cover personality; a dancer, choreographer, designer, artist and poet Eileen Framer.

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK GAIL FORRER

Group editor Seniors Newspapers network

At nearly 103-years-old, she is extraordinary, dynamic, gentle and perhaps even lucky to reach this age with such apparent beauty and grace of mind and body.

Fortunately, we are gifted with her desire to share her life story of creativity with us.

Eileen was born in the Sydney suburb of Mosman Bay. She began her dance studies with Gertrud Bodenweiser at age 22.

Bodenweiser, German dancer and choreographer arrived in Australian in 1939 and went onto found a company based on German expressionist dance.

Eileen toured with the company for 10 years. She then travelled the world and spent the last 20 years in the USA.

At 99-years-old Eileen missed her birthplace and came back to Australia.

These days, the world is home to an ever-growing number of centenarians.

In Japan, it has been reported there are now more than 65,000 centenarians.

It is simply not Eileen’s age that is impressive, it is her artistic mind and movement.

It is, as CEO of Arts Health Australia Dr Maggie Haertsch said, her ability to challenge ageing stereotypes.

“Dancing,” Eileen said.

“Psychologically strengthens me.”

Since back in Australia, Eileen has danced and choreographed at the Independent Theatre Sydney, featured in music videos, performed on stage, collaborated with an Australian fashion designer and given movement workshops.

No wonder Westpac and the Australian Financial Review announced her as a winner in the 100 Women of Influence

Awards 2016.

In this edition, we also speak to two of Australia’s leading Art Health proponents – CEO of Arts Health Australia Dr Maggie Haertsch and Dr Margret Meagher, founding Executive Director of Arts and Health Australia, the national advocacy and networking organisation dedicated to promoting the positive impact of the arts and creative expression on health and wellbeing.

We also feature Dr Bianca Brijinath, the newly appointed Deputy Director of the National Ageing Research Institute.

Dr Brinjinath is a social geronotologist researching the cultural and social aspects of ageing (See interview p.8).

I trust you enjoy reading about the people and industries that are changing the face of ageing in Australia.

Cheers, — Gail

Four generations of fond memories in classroom Yvonne Gardiner

TIME TO REFLECT: Deslie Daniels recalls fond memories of her time at Byron Bay Public School.

PHOTO: YVONNE GARDINER

DESLIE Daniels (nee Flick) has had an association with Byron Bay Public School for as long as she can remember.

Her father was a student, she was educated there between the ages of five and 12, her children went there and now three of her grandchildren make up the fourth-generation with school connections.

Deslie will be much involved in upcoming 125th anniversary celebrations at the school on Saturday, September 16.

“I’m teaching the maypole dance for this 125th. The maypole is over 100 years old,” she said.

“The history room will be full of archives, photographs and a slide show.

“They’re having a street march.”

About 2000 people turned out to the school’s centenary celebrations in 1992. Deslie, 74, remembers her school

FAMILIAR FACES: Former students of Byron Bay Public School meet up.

days with fondness, particularly her “wonderful teachers”.

“I’ve been involved with the school nearly all my life,” she said.

“I had six children – all but the oldest boy went to the school.”

Folk dancing and other all-day entertainment from 9am–4pm will be a feature of the 125th celebrations.

“We’ve got a lady teacher in her early 90s, Esme Walker, and the eldest student, Hazel Roberts, she’s coming on the day,” Deslie said.

“They will be in the official party.

“There’s a book being processed and it will be on sale by order or on the day for $10.”

On Friday night,

September 15, the celebrations will start with a Bring, Brag and Share at the Byron Bay Bowling Club. This will be an opportunity for sharing photos, news clippings, and stories about personal experiences.

On the Saturday, current students will be joined by past students and teachers in a re-enactment of the walk that took place in 1992 at the school’s centenary.

The walk will start at 9am from Apex Park and end at the school grounds on Carlyle St. On Saturday night, the Byron Bay Services Club will host a final meet-up.

For inquiries about the 125th celebration, call Geoff Spargo on 0417 274 476.

Monday, August 21, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Creative Ageing

Northern NSW

Seniors 3

Secret ingredient of a power-packed age

By Alison Houston

THE arts are like chocolate for the brain.

It’s a captivating image, and one that caught the imagination of Margret Meagher, who would go on to establish the Australian Centre for Arts and Health.

She’s deeply involved in the concept of Creative Ageing and how the arts can have a powerful positive impact on the mental and physical health of older people.

A US study across three cities and four years found that engagement in the arts – that is actively taking part, not just listening to music or watching a movie – increases confidence and self-esteem, reduces the length of hospital stays and reliance on medication, improves heart and respiratory function and even results in less falls.

Margret believes this is a combination of activity, the sense of achievement and mastery involved (often unavailable to seniors), as well as the social connections made.

And socialising is vital.

“A research paper in the US made the statement that loneliness is more detrimental to health and wellbeing than smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and is more likely to usher in an early death,” Margret said.

“Older people often feel quite invisible.”

This can be overcome by participation in the community, for instance, singing as part of a choir – a growing pastime worldwide – creating

something of beauty for others to appreciate.

Margret also strongly believes in the need for interconnection between generations, with old and young taking part in a knowledge transfer, for instance older people teaching the young knitting or other crafts and the young, in turn, teaching them how to use technology.

“These interconnections are really important because one of the biggest issues of getting older is ageism, which is pervasive across Western society,” she said.

“We need to recognise that older people have extensive wisdom, experience and knowledge and find a way to unlock that asset and encourage older people to recognise what they have to offer is valuable.”

This changing of perceptions is part of Margret’s work with the NSW Government Ministerial Advisory Committee on Ageing, and includes altering people’s approach to the elderly so they are not doing things “for” but “with” older people.

She believes local government has a “massive role to play in the way older people live their lives”.

As the custodians of

CREATIVE AGEING: Australian Centre for Arts and Health patron and former NSW Governor Dame Marie Bashir with ACAH founding director Margret Meagher; and (inset) OMA, the mascot for the Creative Ageing Festivals, has won a heart in Margret Meagher’s granddaughter, Fife.

PHOTO: SHARON HICKEY

libraries, community centres, art galleries, museums and more, she believes it is incumbent on them to ensure older people have access to these activities.

That is where ageing needs to be thought of from a whole-of-government perspective, with transport links and access to the arts and services vital.

“The older population is increasing exponentially and we are coming to the point where there will be more older people in the

world than young, which has massive social and financial implications, particularly with a commensurate increase in the incidence of dementia,” Margret said.

“There is no known cure for dementia, but the evidence is clear that engagement in creative activities can have a major impact on people’s quality of life.”

Hence the need to change another preconception, the idea that arts is an elitist activity.

And, Margret pointed out, involvement in the arts does not have to be expensive – joining a choir, an art or craft group, woodwork or a book club, going dancing, joining U3A or a community group

involves only a minimal outlay.

“The sadness is that when people get older they tend to drop away from engagement in the arts, particularly after 75, because they are reluctant to go out at night or to go out alone,” she said.

The Creative Ageing Festival, which Margret instigated three years ago, came up with a Cultural Companions program, whereby people reluctant to go out alone can pal up with others, giving them confidence to go out, and overcoming associated problems such as transport and geographical distance.

“The case for arts in relation to health is very clear, and people in

government are coming to the realisation that prevention is better than cure,” Margret said.

Prominent gerontologist, the late Dr Gene Cohen, presented the business case for the arts almost a decade ago, finding the financial savings to government amounted to millions on the basis of reduced reliance on medication alone.

“It is a basic human right that all people should have access to creative activity because creativity is an essential part of the human condition. We are all born creative,” Margret said.

However, she said, it was also up to all of us not to minimise our abilities or be constrained by age.

“There are just so many different ways in which you can be actively engaged, and it encourages us to be silly and have fun.

“If you are in a wheelchair, you can still dance - move your hands, maybe your feet and sing along.”

As for the future, Margret believes it is bright, with Baby Boomers demanding better quality facilities and services for their parents and themselves, so that access to creative activities will become an accepted part of life, not a special occasion.

“The arts doesn’t think about age, it thinks about creativity and the fun you can have in creating something,” Margret said.

To find out more information, visit the website: artsandhealth.org.au.

4 Seniors Northern NSW

Cover Story: Eileen Kramer

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, August 21, 2017

Mastering the fine art of graceful living

By Yvonne Gardiner

EILEEN Kramer, at the age of 102, throws a completely different perspective on the notion that age is a “limiting factor”.

“She’s just really special,” Arts Health Institute’s co-founder and chief executive Dr Maggie Haertsch, said of the institute’s lively and independent ambassador.

“Our whole focus is around improving the quality of life for older people; she personifies that,” Maggie said.

A mutually rewarding relationship exists between Eileen and the institute – she continues to be creative, and helps with staging and art supplies.

“She comes to our events as well where she basically is able to engage her audience,” Maggie said. “She doesn’t like the word ‘aged’, she prefers to say she’s been on the planet a long time.

“Eileen enjoys being around other generations.

She’s hip and groovy, and has a beautiful way of living.

“She’s a great inspiration for everybody,” she said. “Ageing is thought of as a condition of life, but actually it’s just ‘life’.

“It’s about embracing it and loving it and not seeing that anything gets in the way.

“That’s the key, it’s attitudinal. It’s about keeping on creating and having something that’s meaningful.

“The arts and health together is the art of living well.

“Using imagination and the arts helps frame your identity and there’s something magical about the arts – they’re deeply rooted in our primal selves.”

Maggie, an academic, nurse and midwife, proud grandmother and “half Eileen’s age”, is on a mission to improve quality of life as people age. In 2015, she was a finalist in the United Nations Australian Association’s Media Peace Prize Awards

for her work promoting positive images of ageing, and in the same year she was recognised as one of the 100 Women of Influence in Australia.

“I’ve always felt that aged care services is about enablement,” she said.

“Aged care services have to change. It’s no longer clinical, it’s about how you live well.

“I know you don’t thrive when you’re older when you’re not doing

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health system,” Maggie said. “Where we need to be, is to make what we do mainstream.

“What we do is therapeutic. We’re a registered charity and a social enterprise.

“We’re also a major employer of artists; they’re professional highly skilled extraordinary artists. There’s a lot of work to be done; we’ve got a big mission.”

For more: www.arts healthinstitute.org.au.

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Monday, August 21, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Cover Story: Eileen Kramer

Northern NSW

Seniors 5

The inner stillness of Eileen Kramer “Usually I don’t like realism, but I like this one very much.

“It also looks expressive.”

Eileen’s talents go far beyond dancing. She writes, designs costumes for her productions and studied painting.

“In Paris, I was earning my living as an artist’s model so I learnt a lot from that,” she said.

She has also experienced life in India, London and New York, returning just three years ago to her birthplace Sydney – a city she describes as “absolutely fascinating” with its historical inner city.

It was in India 60 years ago where she imagined her latest ballet work, the Buddha’s Wife.

This will be performed in November, and crowdfunding for the project will begin soon.

“When I came to Australia I became ambassador for the Arts Health Institute so I had a good backing from these people,” Eileen said.

“As ambassador, I create ballet dance works and we try to have performances several

times a year.

“I’ve actually performed the Buddha’s Wife in the United States.

“I dance with the upper body so I’m able to still entertain people.

“I’m interested in choreographing big dance works.

“In the dance company that I belonged to in America, we had quite a mix of dancers.

“I don’t think in ages, I just like anyone who can do what I ask them to do.”

Eileen lives a very simple life devoted to her work.

“I now don’t have to worry about domestic duties, I can devote myself entirely to the creation of my next dance work as I am living in a residential home. And that is like living at The Ritz,” she said.

“At the moment I’m really engaged in creating costumes and choreography.

“I like this period of my life because I’ve learnt so much and I’m now reaping the benefits.

“I am now blossoming.

I look alright too,” she

said playfully.

Eileen personifies the concept of creativity as a key to longevity and a full, rich life.

She is the world’s oldest working dancer/ choreographer as well as a poet and artist.

Her stage career began as a member of the first modern dance company in Australia.

“I was chosen to be in the company so that was a wonderful thing when I was 22,” she said.

Eileen, always eager to brush off any mention of aging, reluctantly offers her advice on living a long and happy life.

“Just keep on dancing. I don’t smoke or drink,” she said.

“I feel like the present time is the best time.

“When you like your work, you just do it.”

PHOTO: CYBELE MALINOWSKI

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IF ANYONE embodies the vivacity of life after 100, that lady is Eileen Kramer.

After 80 years as a dancer, energetic Eileen is still performing and choreographing ballet dance productions.

Her gentle nature and graceful poise has been captured in a recent portrait, The inner stillness of Eileen Kramer, which has emerged as one of 43 finalists in the 2017 Archibald Prize.

Artist Andrew Lloyd Greensmith, a plastic surgeon, says Eileen at 102 years of age embodies beauty as that intangible thing which cannot be fixed on the surface nor defeated by the wear and tear of age.

“In the short time I spent with Eileen, I felt that she exudes a sense of inner stillness and is very much at ease with the world, her life and her craft,” he said.

Eileen thought the portrait had a “good chance” of winning the prize.

“He’s (the artist) very pleased about it and so am I,” she said.

6 Seniors Northern NSW

Profile: Sister Anne Gardiner

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, August 21, 2017

Senior Australian award proving catalyst for change AUSTRALIA’S Senior Citizen of the Year in 2017, Sr Anne Gardiner, is on the move utilising her national profile to benefit the Tiwi indigenous community on Bathurst Island.

As a result of this award and through the generosity of Richard Rolfe OAM, the dealer principal at the Audi Centre Canberra, Sr Anne has been gifted a 4WD scooter which will allow her to activate a new project where she will meet and talk with every Tiwi person between the ages of 18 and 35 about self-esteem, motivation, and mutual respect.

“I will sit down and talk to the people to see if I can help them to understand the world that they are living in,” Sr Anne said.

“These people can be leaders in their own right.

Their ideas have got to be listened to. Let’s give them a fair go.

“I will be able to take what they tell me, decipher it and then say, if the Tiwi people allow me to do it, these are their thoughts regarding the situation they are finding themselves them.”

Sr Anne is understated in her acceptance of the prestigious award, but when it comes to the Tiwi people she has no qualms about using the award to have her concerns for their future heard.

The 86-year-old moved to Bathurst Island when she was 22 as a member of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

She remembers the community didn’t have much, but they shared everything.

But now she sees money has had the biggest negative impact on the Tiwi people.

“We have become individualistic and I see family breakdowns, not only on Bathurst Island, but also in my own family.

“We seem to be forgetting that the core of society is family and I think individualism is wrecking it.”

Sr Anne has a one word answer for this problem: respect.

The senior members of the Bathurst Island community are gravely concerned about the loss of language and culture, and the loss of respect for the elders.

“Respect has to come back into the vocabulary of all of us. Once that respect goes, what have we got?”

She is also calling on medical professionals to make the time to sit down with the Tiwi people to talk to the them about their health issues and options.

“They have leaders in their own community. They have to look at this very seriously and say, ‘what can we do to better our health?’,” she said.

Sr Anne is seeing the community elders starting to take charge of trying to turn around their problems by working on the younger generations retaining the Tiwi language and culture.

In support of these community elders wanting to turn around the cultural outgoing tide, in March this year she handed custodianship of the people’s Patakijiyali Museum to a group of four “strong” women so they could continue to collect and preserve Tiwi artefacts and stories.

SENIOR AUSTRALIAN: Sister Anne Gardiner remains proud of her faith and of the Tiwi people's willingness to safeguard their language and culture.

PHOTO: PAUL HICKEY.

She still has an ongoing connection to the museum through the family tree project where each family will receive a copy of their family tree.

“The women are working on computers, trying to get the family trees finished. They are also working on story books and a calendar for next year.

“I see great potential for that museum.”

Before her reign as Senior Australian of the Year finishes in January, Sr Anne wants so very much to see one thing change among the Tiwi community; she wants to see respect return for its elders.

“If they can respect themselves first, then they will really know who they are,” she added.

Sister Anne Gardiner with students from Murrupurtiyanuwu Catholic School, which is a Catholic primary school from preschool (aged four years) to Year 6 and managed by a Tiwi leadership team.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF MURRUPURTIYANUWU CATHOLIC SCHOOL

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Tracey Johnstone

Local Story

Monday, August 21, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Northern NSW

Seniors 7

All Things Legal MARRYING INTO MONEY - CAN THIS BE FINANCIAL ELDER ABUSE?

Grandparents saving industry Yvonne Gardiner

GRANDPARENTS are saving the picture book industry in Australia.

That’s the view of successful children’s book author Michelle Worthington.

She told an audience of Probus Club members at Hastings Point, Tweed Coast, recently that grandparents were her “very best clients”.

“Grandparents are single-handedly saving the literacy of kids in this country,” Michelle said.

“They understand the importance of reading to children from an early age.

“They don’t necessarily have more time than parents, but they make time because they see the benefits over time.

“Those times are memory-making. Some of my fondest memories are being read to by my grandfather, especially now that he’s not with us any more.

“I treasure the memories, and treasure the books that remind me of him.”

Michelle’s latest book, The World’s Worst Pirate, is about a little boy whose mother is captain of the pirate ship – and she wants him to follow in her footsteps.

“All he wants to be is a chef but, when a ferocious sea monster attacks the ship, he must decide how he can save them,” the author explains.

The book is available now online and in book stores.

“If you want to get a kid to love reading, you have to start young,” Michelle said.

“It’s just you and them and they have your undivided attention.

“What I’m passionate about is using my books to empower kids.

“There’s something in these books that is resonating with them.”

Michelle is doing all she

can to keep book-reading and production alive.

Share Your Story is a business she started for aspiring authors.

“It took me such a long time to get published because I didn’t have the knowledge or confidence to start,” she said.

“The Australian publishing industry is a lot about luck and timing.

“By pairing experienced industry professionals with emerging writers through mentor programs, workshops and manuscript assessments, we are wanting to encourage the next generation of Aussie authors to share their stories with the world.”

Find out more information at: sharingyourstory.com.au.

Michelle’s books are written for children up to 10 years old.

Her first picture book, The Bedtime Book, was released in November 2011.

TELL YOUR STORY!

Have you written your life story?

Do you want to pass a legacy on to your family?

Do you have a novel waiting to be published?

There have also been cases where there is a huge question mark over whether the elderly person actually has the mental capacity to fully understand the legal consequences of a marriage. Where an elderly person is suffering from dementia and/or has a debilitating medical condition, it is sometimes difficult to make an accurate assessment as to whether the elderly person truly understands the impact of the marriage and how this will affect their families.

There have not been very many legal cases concerning a challenge to someone getting married but in cases that have been determined

by Courts, it appears that providing the person to be married has an appreciation of the general effect of the marriage ceremony, they will be deemed to have sufficient capacity to get married.

That does not necessarily mean that they need to fully understand all of the legal ramifications that the marriage may cause (such as the marriage revoking their Will).

It is accepted that the test for appropriate mental capacity at law to get married is substantially less than that required to make a valid Will. Making a Will has a slightly lower standard that is required than making an Enduring Power of Attorney. It is

We are now accepting manuscripts

MARRIAGE CAN REVOKE YOUR ENDURING POWER OF ATTORNEY AND ENDURING GUARDIAN! A marriage not only revokes a Will but can also revoke an Enduring Power of Attorney or Enduring Guardian. Again the laws are different between Qld and NSW but, generally speaking, a marriage revokes Wills, Enduring Powers of Attorney and Enduring Guardians (in NSW an Enduring Power of Attorney survives a marriage). The most prudent thing to do when you marry is to obtain legal advice and make a fresh Will as well as a new Enduring Power of Attorney (and an Enduring Guardian in NSW). If an elderly person marries, and there are mental capacity issues due to illness and/or infirmity, making a new Will can be problematic. Sometimes an experienced estate planning lawyer will need to carefully take all of these issues into consideration when providing legal advice to the elderly person and getting them to fully understand the legal implications of the marriage. Even though an elderly person is suffering from some form of dementia and is also frail due to a medical condition, it may still be that they have sufficient capacity to make minor changes to their existing Will or alternatively, a simple amendment to make the Will valid in contemplation of marriage. There are various avenues open to ensure that the elderly person’s wishes are properly taken into account and that both the new spouse and family of the elderly person are catered for.

There is no easy answer to making sure that all parties will be happy with the outcome in these circumstances but the most important consideration is for the elderly person and their family to ensure that they receive proper legal advice from an experienced legal practitioner in estate planning. Unless a solicitor regularly practices in this area, it could be that they do not have sufficient knowledge and experience to provide advice in this crucial area.

In many cases, if the correct legal advice is not provided, the matters more often than not end up being dealt with in the Supreme Court which can cost the estate hundreds of thousands of dollars. In a recent case involving an elderly man who made a fresh Will leaving his entire estate to his de facto partner, the Court held that he did not have the requisite mental capacity to make the Will even though this was done by a solicitor. The Judge used the case as an opportunity to provide a warning to the legal profession to ensure that they were experienced in this area and carefully investigated the mental capacity of elderly clients.

You are welcome to contact our office with any enquiries concerning estate planning advice, especially issues concerning capacity and Elder Law. Please contact our Wills and Estates Department Manager, Donna Tolley on direct line 07 5506 8241, email dtolley@attwoodmarshall.com.au or free call 1800 621 071 to book your free 30 minutes estate planning review appointment with one of our dedicated Estate Planning lawyers.

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WARNING! MARRIAGE REVOKES YOUR EXISTING WILL! Most people do not realise the impact of a marriage upon someone’s overall legal affairs.

Unless a Will is expressed to be in contemplation of marriage, if the person who has made the Will gets married, the Will is revoked and the Will maker dies intestate if they do not make a new Will. If the Will maker does not have any children, the surviving spouse inherits “the whole of the estate of the deceased”. Although there are different thresholds and legislation applying in Qld and NSW, if the deceased has children, the surviving spouse receives a designated monetary amount ($150,000 in Qld and $350,000 in NSW) plus differing shares of the balance of the estate with the surviving children of the deceased. This outcome can be in many cases the exact opposite of what the deceased person had in their previous Will before the marriage.

conceivable that someone could have the capacity to get married and yet not have the capacity to make a Will or an Enduring Power of Attorney.

Likewise a person could have sufficient capacity to make a Will and yet not sufficient to make an Enduring Power of Attorney. It all depends upon the circumstances of each case.

Visit our website attwoodmarshall.com.au Coolangatta | Kingscliff | Robina

6437446ak

A NOVEL TIME: Probus Club members Shirley Miethke (left) and Helen Phillips line up to buy Michelle Worthington’s books when she visited Hasting Point recently.

YVONNE GARDINER

We are all familiar with the archetypal stereotype of the beautiful young woman who beguiles a rich elderly man and marries him in his twilight years.

There have been notorious “black widows” whose husbands have met an unexpectedly quick death after their marriage and the increasing incidence of online overseas brides who marry much older husbands and quite often seek a divorce after their Australian residency has been confirmed.

It is not confined to elderly men marrying younger woman. There is also the case of elderly woman being befriended by much younger men and marrying at a late stage in life. There are examples of famous elderly women marrying much younger men such as Joan Collins and Elizabeth Taylor but these ladies certainly had their wits about them and knew what they were doing.

It is a different matter when the elderly partner has capacity issues as a result of dementia and/ or ill health.

We have all experienced or know of cases involving ‘suspicious’ marriages that occur with wealthy elderly people and much younger partners. Most families have a story of an elderly parent or grandparent who is befriended in their later years by a much younger person and in many cases where that person is or becomes the carer for the elderly person. As the elderly person becomes physically frail and in need of an increasing amount of help and assistance in general day to day living activities, the closer the carer becomes to the elderly person. Family members are often surprised to learn their elderly relation is about to get married, or in many cases, they only find out afterwards!

8 Seniors Northern NSW

News

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, August 21, 2017

Dementia care aware research SOCIAL gerontologist Dr Bianca Brijnath isn’t giving herself too much time to adjust to her new role as she quickly turns her skills to developing technology to help the culturally diverse tackle dementia issues.

Dr Brijnath last month joined the not-for-profit National Ageing Research Institute in the role of deputy director for a new division which looks at social and cultural aspects of ageing and encompasses four interconnected programs; cultural diversity, relationships, healthy ageing and elder abuse.

The top of Dr Brijnath’s agenda is developing electronic tools aimed at helping people within Australia’s Indian, Chinese and Middle Eastern communities become dementia aware.

Coined Moving Pictures, Dr Brijnath’s project will develop short films for an app and a website which will be freely available to people who are Hindi, Mandarin or Arabic speakers to help them understand dementia.

“These groups represent the fastest growing migrant populations in this country,” Dr Brijnath said.

“We need to address both in Australia and internationally issues around cultural diversity and care, specifically

dementia.

“Dementia is going to be a major issue very quickly on the Australian horizon.

But, also not just in Australia; it’s going to have huge ramifications in places like India and China where the rates are going to go up by 90% by 2020.

“People are living longer so with dementia linked to ageing, the longer you live, the more likely you are to get it.”

She highlights that more people need to know more about dementia care, not only in the caring for, but also in the caring about, to effectively support families and carers.

To achieve better care for dementia patients, Dr Brijnath is advocating three changes: ❚ Increase awareness and understanding of the issues around illnesses that happen with ageing. ❚ Good articulation of the care pathways available so people know what to do and who can help them. ❚ Develop and maintain therapeutic relationships between medical personnel, providers, older people and family members.

Dr Brijnath hopes that if her Moving Pictures awareness model is successful she will be able to emulate it in India and China.

GREAT HOPES: National Ageing Research Institute deputy director, social gerontology, Dr Bianca Brijnath.

Retirement trendsetters take home the gold

PROUD AS PUNCH: Palm Lake Resort Ballina placed first in three categories including best medium density project, best exhibition home and best commercial building ($5 million to $10 million).

PALM Lake Resort Ballina won gold at the recent Master Builders Association Awards, placing first in three categories including best medium density project, best exhibition home and best commercial building ($5 million to

$10 million). Palm Lake Resort national sales manager Sue Baldwin says the glowing comments from judges praising the sleek and smart designs were further testament to the gold-class standard that Palm Lake Resort brings

to the market.

“With 40 years’ experience, Palm Lake Resort really does have first-hand knowledge in crafting designer lifestyle communities,” Sue says.

“We pride ourselves on being trailblazing trendsetters in

retirement living.”

The crown jewel of Palm Lake Resort Ballina is the new Oasis Country Club – a thriving community hub within the resort. Featuring a private 10-pin bowling alley, the sprawling country club is packed

with luxury inclusions of world-class standard.

Including both indoor and outdoor pools and a cinema, it also features a spa, sauna, dance floor, grand dining room, billiards room, library, commercial kitchen, craft room and coffee lounge.

Plus there is a championship eight rink undercover bowls green on-site with its own clubhouse.

To secure your slice of luxury at Palm Lake Resort Ballina visit: over55palmlake.com.au or call 1800 335 666.

Northern NSW

Monday, August 21, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

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Seniors 9

10 Seniors Northern NSW

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, August 21, 2017

Talk ‘n’ thoughts Hurdles, highjumps and solutions

Unique affordable housing program

A PILOT affordable housing program, based on shared equity, is planned to begin near the end of the year in Victoria.

Chief executive officer of Women’s Property Initiatives Jeanette Large told ABC radio late last month that investment funds were now in place to finance the next steps of the development.

The shared equity program, a first of its kind in Australia, is aimed at providing affordable housing for older women who may have retired without owning a home but at the same time have savings, though not

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK GAIL FORRER Group editor Seniors Newspapers network

enough to buy a home.

Ms Large said there were about 15,000 Victorian women in this, in-between category, that is, not able to purchase a home but having savings that may range between $100,000 to $300,000.

She said there were a variety of reasons that led to the situation, including working part-time due to

care for children or ageing parents, divorce and lower paid employment.

The pilot program is ready to commence with a combination of funding from philanthropic sources and WIP’s commercial borrowings.

The women would also be expected to make an upfront investment and pay rent. However, there would no expectation of further investment, although it would be possible.

Rent would be kept to a minimum and legal agreements put in place for future circumstances, including sale and opt out

options.

Ms Large said the women in private rental suffered problems such as emotional drain due to insecurity and depletion of their funds because of the high cost of renting.

She believed the pilot program was a preventative measure offering a viable housing solution before women inevitably ended up on a Public Housing list.

The adaptability meant housing could be modified as the women age and provide an alternative to retirement villages.

At this stage the program is only in Victoria.

Share your thoughts

Email editor@seniors newspaper.com.au or go online to www.seniorsnews .com.au

What is the Women’s Property Initiatives WOMEN’S Property Initiatives is a not-for-profit, women-specific Registered Housing Provider.

Mission: To create new beginnings for women by providing stable and affordable housing that empowers at-risk women and children to have a secure, brighter future.

This is achieved by working with the private, public and non-government sectors to develop high-quality, safe and affordable housing where rent is charged at not more

than 75% of the market rent.

WPI owns 755 properties in Melbourne, housing more than 200 women and children.

Beneficiaries: Single women, women-headed households, children, older women, indigenous women, women exiting correctional facilities, newly arrived migrants, homeless women, women on low incomes, women escaping domestic or family violence, women with a disability.

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

It’s Good to Share 6657999aa

Submit your photos, stories, events and notices online.

Look for the ‘share your event or story’ box on our home page. Visit us at seniorsnews.com.au

Northern NSW

Monday, August 21, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Wellbeing

Seniors 11

Better health for over 80s Foundation 49

HAVING got past the three score years and 10 (70) you are likely to have quite a few more years ahead.

Preventing illness and being aware of maintaining good health is key to success.

Older people are at increased risk of conditions that may impair function and quality of life.

Health problems can be a sign of poor nutrition, poor oral health, insufficient activity, taking multiple medications (may be confusing), falls and lack of sun exposure.

Other risks include depression, anxiety, emotional distress, loneliness and isolation.

Next up is using the following 80s health check when talking with your GP ■ Weight and waist

measurement ■ Blood pressure ■ Dental check ■ Cholesterol and glucose levels (diabetes) ■ Eye and hearing tests ■ Risk of falls- balance, feet, footwear ■ Immunisations – if recommended by your GP: Influenza (Flu), Pneumococcal polysaccharide (pneumonia), Herpes Zoster (shingles) ■ Waterworks or bowel issues, etc? Don’t be embarrassed to ask for help ■ Mental health – talk about any issues or concerns with your GP Put the following Foundation 49 DIY tips into action to keep enjoying your life and good health.

■ The benefits of physical activity cannot be overestimated as it assists in retaining your physical function, improves your social

interactions, improved sleep and reduces depression. Other advantages include maintaining healthy bones, muscles and joints which assists in preventing falls.

■ Activity can also reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and a host of other conditions…

■ Remember: stay connected with your friends and family, get out and about ■ Keep your brain active-play cards, crosswords, Sudoku, music, surf the internet, tell your story.

■ And, laugh lots and loud.

Have a problem? Talk about it – your GP or counsellor will be able to assist you.

Young visitor eases the symptoms of dementia WHEN baby Lola Fletcher linked up with dementia sufferer Morleen, the reaction was astounding.

Morleen lives at Feros Care Bangalow Residential Village in the northern New South Wales Byron Bay hinterland, where Lola’s mum Shelly works as a manager.

Shelly says the interaction between the six-month-old baby and 83-year-old woman began about four months ago, and visits are now weekly.

“There’s a very special bond between Morleen and Lola,” she said.

“We share a meal and Lola loves it. The interaction is definitely by choice.

“There are audible changes for Lola, she’s wide-eyed and sleeps well after each visit.

“I benefit from (the interaction) too. I enjoy watching Lola engage.

“I can just sit back and enjoy my own lunch while she’s being looked after.”

Lola’s grandparents and great-grandparents all live far away in Sydney so the weekly visits to the village mean she doesn’t miss out on interaction with the elderly.

“As soon as Morleen sees Lola, her speech improves, her body is upright and she has an incredible maternal

energy,” Shelly said.

“Lola triggers fond memories for Morleen, probably as a mother and grandmother.

“I’m so pleased that Lola can spark such a noticeable change in people like Morleen. And it’s not just Morleen who

is benefiting. Lola and I get a real kick out of visiting each week.”

Bangalow Village care manager Jo Dwyer says the interaction, apart from pleasing Lola and Morleen, also lifts the spirits of staff at the village.

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“Morleen doesn’t speak clearly until she sees Lola and her speech is back,” Jo said.

Jo is hoping to widen the interaction between young children and the elderly by reaching out to Playgroups NSW and other groups and individuals.

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“Another staff member has a new baby, and I’m hoping she will join in,” Jo said.

Shelly also encouraged other families to visit.

“The village is a non-judgmental, calm and interactive place that is baby-friendly,” she said.

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12 Seniors Northern NSW

Wellbeing

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, August 21, 2017

Hyperbaric healing help

THEY enter the giant chamber one at a time.

Each person picks their spot, grabs their ‘mask’ and settles in for the long haul – 14m straight down.

The technician closes the large outer door, locks it in place and suddenly they’re away and diving, like Jacques Cousteau exploring the vastness of the oceans.

But these divers won’t leave the first floor of The Wesley Centre for Hyperbaric Medicine, and their mission is a discovery of a different kind – one of personal recovery.

And it’s one the hyperbaric team is confident they can help achieve, with “80%” of patients finding solace in the treatment.

Most of the patients’ stories take a similar path – cancer and diabetic patients who continually suffer from the after-effects of their treatments, usually wounds and burns.

Until they discover hyperbaric medicine.

Hyperbaric treatment literally dug its roots from bridge construction in the

late 1800s, when compression chambers were used to stop men working in deep caissons from “developing the bends”.

Then, in the 1960s, Dutch doctor Ita Boerema started using chambers and pure oxygen to perform complex heart surgery on small children. “(Boerema) made the link that by pressurising the body, it made the body more absorbent to the gas it was breathing,” Wesley Centre doctor Graeme Kay told Seniors News.

“They also found that wounds were healing more quickly and from that, the link was made to diabetics and radiation injuries.

“These injuries could be healed more quickly using hyperbaric oxygen to treat these people and get back to their normal life as quickly as possible.”

But how does the process work? And why does it appeal to cancer and diabetic patients?

The body’s healing mechanism is prompted by a chemical “trigger”, a drop in the oxygen tension in the skin which prompts

blood vessels to grow into the wound and help build new “scaffolding”.

However, diabetics and people who have radiation injuries suffer a decline of blood supply to the wound, which in turn halts the chemical trigger and negates the healing process.

And as Dr Kay explained, a 90-minute trip to the “bottom of the ocean” was the perfect tonic.

“Our body is majority water, so being in the chamber you’re breathing in a gas at high pressure and your body absorbs more of the gas,” Dr Kay said.

“So when they’re in the chamber, they have up to 15 times the amount of oxygen dissolved in their blood.

“When we stop the treatment, they go from that 15-times amount of blood oxygen content straight back to what it was normally, and it’s that drop that recreates that chemical trigger for blood vessel growth to occur.”

And the results are somewhat extraordinary, with The Wesley Centre for

Hyperbaric Medicine “able to help 80% of patients improve their quality of life back to almost normal”.

Patients also notice several other physiological changes in the chamber: pressure in their ears and a slightly raised temperature, which is offset by the “coolness” of the oxygen coming through the hoods.

There are also some slight side effects – such as the reduction and improvement of long- and short-range vision – however these symptoms are only temporary.

But overall, the experience has been met with universal praise from the patients, right through from the interview to check the treatment will be suitable for the patient to putting on the hood (a clear plastic mask that fits over the patient’s head) before the dive.

But it’s Dr Kay, his fellow practitioners and the hyperbaric staff who are afforded the greatest acclaim, and not just for the end result but the professionalism, knowledge and understanding offered

GREAT RESULTS: Wesley Centre doctor Graeme Kay.

throughout what could be a 40-treatment process providing benefits that can last at least eight weeks.

And the worry of balancing the finances against a potential life-changing recovery is almost non-existent, with Medicare funding and private health cover taking the sting out of any charge.

“We can give someone

their normal life back,” Dr Kay said.

“And that’s quite a powerful feeling to know you can do that after they have been suffering for so long.”

■ For more information about the process or to book an appointment, please phone The Wesley Centre for Hyperbaric Medicine on (07) 3371 6033.

Shift in attitude for men A FEW years ago it would have been unheard of for a man to admit to suffering from any mental health condition.

Admitting you may be depressed or anxious might elicit a scathing retort of “pull yourself together” or “man up” or similar unhelpful responses.

Naturally, in the past, men chose hide or bottle up their worries and carry on as usual. Fortunately times have changed.

SANE Australia chief

executive officer Jack Heath said: “Young men are often put off from seeking help because of stigma, embarrassment and the need to appear independent. Instead, they stick it out on their own, hoping the problem will go away.

“There are notions of masculinity and what it means to be a man that prevent them from getting help,” Mr Heath explained.

“There’s a belief that the very idea of being a man is that you deal with

stuff and you don’t reach out or connect.

“Untreated, the problem snowballs.

“The combination of that and the notion of having to deal with it alone, is the reason behind high suicide rates.”

Genetics, substance abuse, a traumatic childhood and relationship issues are thought to be the most common reasons people can develop a mental illness.

Men are less likely to

get the help they need, with other ABS data showing only 27% of men seek professional help, compared to 40% of women. In many cases men turn to drugs or alcohol instead of getting assistance, this is especially so with men under 25.

“For a lot of men, the process of talking really puts them off,” Mr Heath said.

“Moving straight to the practical steps they can take to help while learning

about their illness, such as eating well, exercising and getting into a regular sleep pattern, is something many guys feel engaged with and empowered by.”

While seeing a psychologist is an excellent form of support, there are many other options for men who are uncomfortable talking about their feelings.

“For guys, quite often it’s about being connected, without actually talking,” Mr Heath

said.

“It’s the reason why going to a sporting event with a mate is good. It gives you a sense of connection, without having to talk about your feelings,” he added.

For more information, go to www.headspace.org.au, www.au.reachout.com, www.beyondblue.org.au/ taking-action, www.blackdog institute.org.au, or www.mindhealthconnect. org.au.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Treats: • Non-healing wounds • Radiation tissue injury

• Diabetic ulcers • and many more

Can Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy help you?

Go to wesleyhyperbaric.com.au for the full list of treatable conditions.

6463699ay

Call 07 3371 6033

Monday, August 21, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Wellbeing

Northern NSW

Seniors 13

Aim for the stars when buying packaged food Tracey Johnstone

DISCUSSION over the five-year review by the Federal Government of packaged food labelling, has unearthed problems with the formula used to determine food health star ratings.

Importantly, added sugar is not considered in the formula and the inclusion of a HSR is voluntary.

Health experts are now calling for HSR formula to be reviewed and food labels required to identify added sugar in processed foods.

Dr Christina Pollard, an adjunct research fellow in the school of public health at Curtin University said the big problem was Australians weren’t being told how much added sugar there was in processed foods.

“For example, a strawberry yoghurt has less strawberries and a lot more added sugar sweetener in it, so what you are actually tasting

and getting is added sugar rather than fresh strawberries,” Dr Pollard said.

The HSR, which appears on the front of some packaged foods, indicates the nutritional profile of food and assigns it a rating from half a star through to five starts.

❝

the big problem was Australians weren’t being told how much added sugar there was in processed foods.

The more stars, the healthier the choice is the mantra, but this only works when comparing products within the same range.

The problem, as identified by Professor Bruce Neal, from Sydney University’s George Institute for Global Health,

BETTER EATING: Food experts want the Heath Star Rating formula reviewed now, not to wait until 2019 when its review is due.

is 70% of packaged foods contain added sugar but this is not shown on the nutrition labels as food manufacturers are only required to list total sugars, including processed and natural.

Dr Pollard said public health experts wanted a

mandated system across all foods, both processed and natural, not just cherry-picked by manufacturers.

In the meantime, selecting packaged foods with the highest HSR within a product range is recommended.

If there is no HSR on the product, you will need to read its label, looking for total kilojoules, and then fat, sugar and salt content.

Dr Pollard recommends, reading the ingredient list.

Better still, regularly eating diets that consist

largely of fresh fruit, vegetable, grain, rice, meat, fish, diary, will ensure you eat healthier.

The government is encouraging public comment by going online to www.consultations. health.gov.au.

Can you give up a pleasure for one week each month?

CAN you really give up a different pleasure for one week, let alone doing it once a month?

Scientists the Greater Good Science Centre at the University of California in Berkeley challenge who you how to do it.

■ Select something that you enjoy doing on a regular basis and that you have unlimited or nearly unlimited access to. A good choice may be a particular food or

beverage that you enjoy, such as chocolate or beer.

■ On day one allow yourself to indulge as you normally would in this activity; scarf down a chocolate bar, pour yourself a glass of wine, veg out in front of the TV. ■ Then, for one week, do not allow yourself to indulge in this pleasure at all. If you’re giving up chocolate, abstain from any foods that contain it; if you’re giving up TV, try

not to even watch a video on your phone.

■ At the end of the week, allow yourself to indulge again. As you do so, pay attention to how you feel.

Are you noticing certain physical sensations (eg, taste and texture of the chocolate) more than usual? How pleasurable is the experience? What kind of mood are you in?

■ Try to go through this same process with a different pleasure the following month.

And in between these weeks of abstinence, try to focus your attention on the pleasures you enjoy every day.

What are the activities or experiences that you actually enjoy doing?

What do you enjoy about them—how do they make you feel?

How do you think you would feel if you were prevented from enjoying this activity ever again?

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14 Seniors Northern NSW

Wellbeing

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, August 21, 2017

Sleep a little easier no matter where you are Tracey Johnstone

ON THE market this month is the newest small device technology to help the nearly two million Australians who struggle every night with chronic obstructive sleep apnoea.

ResMed has launched the world’s smallest Continuous Positive Airway Pressure device, the AirMini, which weighs in at 300g. It’s being described as a discreet sleep therapy device, which incorporates the proven CPAP technology into a portable, pocket-sized device.

The unit joins the ResMed’s CPAP family of treatments for the condition. It uses innovative technology and is suitable for use at home and while on the go.

Dan Alter lives a very active life and has had to carry with him a CPAP unit. The 66-year-old now has his hands on one of

the new ResMed AirMini devices.

“I’m really happy to be able to use the AirMini,” Mr Alter said.

“I have been living with sleep apnoea for about 17 years and as a keen traveller and motorcyclist I am so pleased to have access to a smaller, lightweight CPAP device that I can easily take on the road.

“The fact that the AirMini syncs with my phone means I can analyse my sleeping patterns on a daily basis, which provides me with information on how I am managing my sleep apnoea.

“It’s also a bonus that I won’t need to pack a separate travel suitcase just for the device.”

Sunshine Coast University Hospital senior clinical measurement scientist Anita Brake described the ResMed’s CPAP technology as the

“gold standard” in sleep apnoea treatment.

“It treats the obstructive sleep apnoea by preventing the collapse of the upper airway,” she said.

“It blows air through a mask.

That pressure of the air holds the upper airway open; it splints open the tongue and the roof of the mouth.”

Ms Brake said some surgical procedures had been trialled to cure the condition or prevent it happening in the first place.

The other treatment is a mandibular advancement splint, which is similar to a mouth guard.

Sleep apnoea is where a person’s breathing is compromised during periods of time while they sleep.

The person may have shallow breathing or may stop breathing completely.

It’s comes in two forms

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BETTER EQUIPMENT: Dan Alter is sleeping a lot better when on holidays these days as he has the compact AirMini with him on his travels.

structure and you then you put on weight, you make a very mild problem became a significant problem,” Ms Brake said.

Other causes can be increasing age and for women hormonal changes due to menopause.

In addition to the use of the ResMed’s CPAP machines, Ms Blake recommended sleep apnoea sufferers could improve their sleep quality with these tips: ■ Lose weight.

■ Reduce alcohol intake, particularly in the evening,

as it is a sedative and will make your muscles more floppy.

■ Ensure the nose is clear.

■ Look at the sleeping position.

■ Follow a good sleep hygiene program of a regular sleep pattern, limit napping during the day, light exercise and getting out in the morning sunlight to reduce melatonin.

■ Turn off electronic devices that have a blue light well before going to bed.

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– obstructive and central.

“Obstructive sleep apnoea is caused by a physical obstruction of your upper airway,” Ms Brake said.

“The tongue and roof of the mouth can collapse, making you shallowbreathe or block up your upper airway completely and make you stop breathing altogether.

“Central sleep apnoea is caused by a problem with the signal from the brain to the breathing muscles so that a person doesn’t try and take a breath, so their upper airway remains open but they physically don’t try and breathe.”

The two main causes of this condition are genetics and excess weight.

■ Genetic is the shape of your upper airway, tongue, roof of your mouth and jaw – some of things can predispose some people to having sleep apnoea.

■ Putting on weight means adding a loading to a person’s breathing system, which then requires more effort to take a breath in.

“If you already have a naturally narrow throat from your genetic

Dr Meon Lamont

THE NSW Police has an innovative program for residents living at home alone.

You can register details of a nominated person through the NSW Police’s Next of Kin program. The contact details are held by your local police in case of an emergency. In addition

to next of kin, you can have on the register your doctor, dentist or any other medical alert contacts that could help you in an emergency.

This information can assist the ambulance and police to contact a relative or other nominated person to inform them of your

situation. The NSW Police will give you a registered number along with a sticker and a keyring. You will need to put your number on those items.

To register for this free service, contact your local police station and speak to the Crime Prevention Officer.

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Monday, August 21, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Neighbourhood News

Northern NSW

Seniors 15

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.

Deadline for the September issue is September 6. Email Nicky or Chris at community notes@seniors newspaper.com.au

CASINO QUOTA CLUB

WE ARE holding a Spring Fashion Parade and High Tea at Windara, 253 Sextonville Rd on Saturday, September 9 from 1pm. Tickets are $25 and available from Cottage Collection, 76 Walker St, Casino.

Details phone Lisa on 0438 641 261.

TURN YOUR TRASH INTO TREASURE

SECOND Hand Saturday is on again this year on Saturday, September 23.

With more than 1000 garage sales as part of last year’s event, it’s the North Coast’s biggest coordinated garage sale day of the year. An optional ‘leftovers’ day will also be held on Saturday, September 30 to increase your chances of selling your unwanted goods. It’s a great opportunity for local clubs to hold a giant fundraising garage sale or for neighbours to get together for a huge street sale. Just register online at: secondhandsaturday. com.au and your garage sale will be promoted for free in local newspapers, online and in the popular Second Hand Saturday app. You’ll also be able to pick up a free garage sale sign from Ballina Shire Council in the weeks leading up to the big day.

TWEED AREA COMPUTER TUITION CLUB

OUR 10-year general meeting was celebrated in style with the Hawaiian theme adding to the atmosphere with members wearing Hawaiian outfits. A wide variety of classes ranging from absolute beginners to the more advanced

concert will be on Monday, August 28 at 1pm featuring Kathleen Moore.

For enquiries phone 07 5536 4050 or visit the centre at 2 Gerrard St, Coolangatta.

TWEED GOLD COAST FAMILY HISTORY ASSOCIATION

FESTIVE FUN: (From left) Bev McLeod, Kay Drew, Carolyn Cobb, Nancy Green, Dianne Lutze, Elaine Olsen and Barbara Holloway enjoying Coolangatta Tweed VIEW Club's Christmas in July.

STYLING: Twin Towns Day VIEW club ladies modelled clothes at their recent fashion bargain day. It was hosted by Kimya, who generously donated 10% of the takings to our club.

classes are available from Monday to Friday, course enrolment days for new and prospective members are held on the last Friday of each month from 10am–12pm. Details regarding classes phone 07 5524 9212 or by go to www.tact.org.au.

Enrolments for classes can be done at any time.

We are located at South Tweed Sports Club, 4 Minjungbal Dr, Tweed Heads South.

already a U3A’er join now for only $25 to attend classes up to the end of December, as many as you like for the one joining fee. On Friday, September 1, our monthly talk is “How to downsize and dispose of clutter” followed by our famous afternoon tea. Details and our timetable are on the website: www.tweedcoast. u3anet.org.au/wp or phone Val on 0421 686 310.

to get the most out of their education so they can create better futures for themselves.

PROBUS CLUBS

1937 – A GATHERING OF OBE’S (OVER BLOODY EIGHTY)

■ HASTINGS POINT TWEED COAST

OUR September meeting will be on Tuesday, September 9 at 10am at the Tri Care Retirement Community, 87/89 Tweed Coast Rd, Hastings Point.

Visitors welcome.

Details call Julie on 0418 966 256 or website: http://hastingsptprobus. org. At our September meeting author John Howell will be give a presentation about his book The Only Woman At Gallipoli.

■ BANORA POINT

NEW to the Tweed area, retired or semi retired and want to make new friends? Banora Point Probus Club meets on the fourth Monday of each month at South Tweed Sports Club at 10am. We are a mixed club. We have interesting speakers and an outing each month.

The speaker for August is Jenifer Campbell speaking about living in the UAE Everyone welcome.

Contact Colin on 07 5590 7454 or Norma on 07 5590 5919.

TWEED COAST U3A

THE new term has now started but you can join in any of the 46 classes.

There is writing, tai chi, yoga, languages, cards, mah-jong, history to name a few. If you are not

MANY in the local Tweed and surrounding Community were born in this significant year (or thereabout) and a gathering is being planned for September to celebrate and reminisce the years that have gone ever so quickly. Lyn Beck, Mary Mummery and Bob Watson have formed a committee to organise a reunion and they would like to welcome all of these terrific 80 year olds and their families, to share this year with so many famous people some of whom have unfortunately left us. The celebration is planned for Sunday, September 10 at the Murwillumbah Services Club at 12pm.

Please indicate your attendance to a committee member via phone Lyn on 07 5524 8716 or 0428 660 476, Bob on 07 5524 8860 or email to bobhwatson@gmail.com.

Mary on 07 5524 1563, or email marymummery@ bigpond.com by August 25 so the club can be informed.

VIEW CLUBS

VIEW (Voice, Interests and Education of Women) is a valued part of The Smith Family, a national children’s charity helping young Australians in need

■ TWIN TOWNS DAY

WE MEET for lunch at the South Tweed Sports Club at 10.30am on the first Thursday of each month.

For $25 we enjoy a two course lunch and hear from an interesting and informative guest speaker.

If you are interested in knowing more about our club Freda would love to hear from you, phone 07 5524 1357.

■ CASINO

WE ARE celebrating our 31st birthday on September 7 at the Casino RSM Club at 11am with a luncheon meeting followed by a fashion parade by Irresistible Treasures. All women are welcome. Names to be phoned through to Barbara on 6661 2530 before Monday, September 4.

■ COOLANGATTA TWEED HEADS

OUR ladies celebrated Christmas in July at a delightful function in Tweed Heads recently. The venue was beautifully decked out in Christmas decorations and a delicious Christmas Dinner complete with Plum Pudding. Members participated in some hilarious games and then generally enjoyed fun and friendship with all those present. Our Monthly Luncheon Meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month at the South Tweed Sports Club, Minjungbal Dr, South Tweed Heads at 11am for 11.30am. Interesting guest speakers are invited to attend each month.

■ TWIN TOWNS EVENING

OUR club meets on the

second Wednesday of each month in the Blue Room of Tweed Heads Bowls Club at 6.30pm for 7pm. Always a great meal and guest speakers insures a great time with ladies of all ages coming together to support disadvantaged Australian children reach their full potential in education. On September 13 we will celebrate our 28th birthday of this club and will be a great night with a Once upon a fairy tale theme. Phone Trudy on 07 5524 1770 on the Monday prior to advise if you wish to come and bring a guest. This night we will be in the Opal Room of the club, so get dressed up and come and enjoy. For details of our club, look at our Facebook page: Twin Towns Evening View.

ART EXHIBITION

THERE an Art Exhibition held by four local artists with a great selection of artwork for sale just in time for Christmas. Starts on August 23 at Kirra Hill school/ community centre on the top of Kirra Hill, behind the big eagle. Last one this year. At 9am–4pm Monday to Friday for four weeks.

Phone 0414 376 057.

COOLANGATTA SENIOR CITIZENS CENTRE

OUR centre for 50 and over seniors welcomes all Gold Coast and Tweed area residents and visitors.

The centre has a large range of activities including, bingo, new vogue dancing, computer lessons, cards, choir, indoor bowls, craft, light exercises, line dancing, mah jong, qigong, rock & roll, eight ball, table tennis, tai chi, yoga, guitar and ukulele, bus trips, hairdressing and beauty.

Our next free monthly

WE INVITE members and visitors to attend our monthly get together at South Tweed Sports Club, Minjungbal Dr, Tweed Heads South on Tuesday, September 5 starting at 1.30pm.

Our research room is open between 10am–7pm Tuesday; 10am–4pm Wednesday to Friday; and Saturday 9.30am–3pm. At our September get together we will be having a relevant family history related podcast or talk about a website. Details Trish on 07 5524 2156.

TWEED HOSPITAL AUXILIARY

WE WILL be holding our Annual Fete in the auditorium of the Tweed Heads Civic Centre, cnr Wharfe & Brett Streets, Tweed Heads on Saturday, October 14.

Donations can be left at the Auxiliary Gift Shop in the Tweed Hospital. Sale of tickets for the raffle to be drawn on the day of the fete are on sale at various locations around the Tweed now.

Don’t forget that the auxiliary holds its regular bingo session at the Tweed Bowls Club every Sunday starting at 1pm.

All proceeds go towards purchasing equipment for the Tweed Hospital.

A.O.O.B’S TWIN TOWNS BRANCH

OUR monthly meetings are held on the first Friday of each month at South Tweed Sports Club, Tweed Heads South at 2pm in the secret garden room.

We are a not-for-profit organisation raising money for local children’s charities, story dogs, palliative care, baby and children’s wards at Tweed Heads Hospital and Westmead Children’s Hospital. New members are most welcome.

We raise our money by holding raffles and bus trips.

Details call Twenette on 07 5523 2939.

Continued on Page 25

16 Seniors Northern NSW

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, August 21, 2017

Living

Gardeners prepare for judgment day Yvonne Gardiner

BEING a gardener isn’t always as relaxing as it can be, especially around competition time.

Judges are going to look for colour, plant health and garden planning – and all this has to come together perfectly for just one week of the season.

Murwillumbah gardener Ted Chilcott admits to being “competitive” at this time of the year and, even with his 17 years’ experience of growing plants, plus his prize-winning abilities, he’s unable to control the

weather.

“We had too much rain to start, from end of March,” he said.

And now a dry spell has set in.

Ted has entered the 40th Murwillumbah and District Garden Club competition with his bed of annuals and mixed flowers.

The colours are magnificent, with snapdragons, stocks, marigolds, primulas, pansies and polyanthus in flower.

“I start planting them the last week in May for the garden competition

the last week in August,” Ted said.

“I like the colour you get and variations of all the different flowers.

“Annuals are a lot more work but it keeps me out of the house, busy and not watching that idiot box.”

With 21 different categories in the competition, club steward Linda Hill said anybody with a passion for gardening had a chance to win.

“Judges look at the general layout, they look at whether a garden complements the house

and the general maintenance,” Linda said.

“For the first time, retirement village residents can enter the competition in their own category.”

New club member Lyn Chapman is entering the competition for the first time, with her “overall garden” and succulent display.

She thanks her father for her love of gardening.

“He had me out in the garden at two years old,” she said.

“I like just the beauty of it and the nature. It’s lovely to see the bees

LATE BLOOMER: Lyn Chapman is a first-time entrant in the annual garden competition.

PHOTO: YVONNE GARDINER

amongst the petals.

“I love all flowers. The only thing I don’t like is weeds.”

Entry forms for the 2017 Murwillumbah and District Garden Club annual competition are available from local nurseries.

Entry is free and closes on August 23. Judging is on August 29 and 30, and presentations on September 4.

For any inquiries, contact chief steward, Linda Hill on 6677 9149 or email: linda30351@gmail.com.

Using the internet to discover your family roots FAMILIES have secrets and surprises and tend to believe their own stories!

So, when my friend received results from a DNA test with Ancestry.com – she could hardly believe it.

Indeed, the colour of her life story began to take on a different hue.

And it seems, per Ancestry.com, my friend’s Freya’s experience, is similar to many other thoughtful Australians.

Recent figures from The Australian 2016 Census, revealed that Aussies identify with more than 300 different ancestries, the most common of which is listed as being English (36%), Australian (34%) and Irish (11%).

GAIL FORRER

Group editor Seniors Newspapers network

But what does being “Australian” actually mean?

For some it is citizenship, for others it’s calling themselves sixth-generation Australian born.

But there’s often a difference between the nationalities we identify with and those that make up our DNA, whether you know about them or not.

"While the 2016 Census revealed some generation-defining shifts

around population statistics, our combined DNA tells an additional story about the diversity of the nation."

Ancestry Australia and New Zealand’s Marketing Manager Nigel Seeto said.

In Australia, up until about two years ago, a laborious and often complex “genealogical” search carried through family tree research was required to find family history details.

In contrast, these days a simple saliva test can provide many answers in a fraction of the time.

Mr Seeto says the DNA test has more focus on defining your own personal identity.

“It’s more just about the

person who is searching," he said.

"About your search for identity, your place in the world, how you fit into history," he said.

My friend’s DNA pointed to her ethnic heritage and provided names of people who were very likely to be second, third, fourth and beyond cousins.

But unlike those wonderfully detailed family trees, there were no birth, death and marriage dates, nor hints of occupations and collaborations.

So, if you wish to delve deeply into your heritage, Mr Seeto recommends the combination of a DNA test along with a search through Ancestory.com family tree.

But, back to my friend, who believed she was from a tribes spilling out of Bulgaria, Lithuania and Poland, with a big splash of Irish in the mix and a thin Germanic line.

Well, no.

Her DNA revealed something quite different.

She was shown to be 62% British Isles (England, Scotland, Wales) with a tad of Greek/Italian and the rest Swiss and German.

She can’t quite come to terms with the news and plans to do further research.

"Then we will get to the nitty-gritty,’ she says with a sly smile.

ANCESTRY.COM DNA TESTING

■ You can request a kit online for upwards of $100.

When this is sent, you give a small saliva sample and send it back to the US laboratories.

The analysis arrives in the mail 6 – 8 weeks later.

■ The DNA analysis traces back 500 to 1000 years.

The Ancestory.com DNA folk have divided the world into 26 regions: the regions are not defined by geographical borders due to their changing nature.

The DNA is firstly tested individually as is, it is then tested against DNA that makes up the 26 regions.

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Monday, August 21, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Seniors 17

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18 Seniors Northern NSW

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, August 21, 2017

Money

Beware of super change UNFORTUNATELY after years of unwinding complexities and making super easier to understand and work with, we’ve just taken a backward to step into a more complicated system.

The new $1.6 million superannuation cap doesn’t seem unreasonable at first glance but once you investigate the anomalies it may not look so fair.

When investigating, the first thing that must be considered is the people who are initially going to be affected by this are the people already in retirement or those who are about to embark on a

Drawing a pension in retirement has become more complicated retirement strategy. Often people will tell you they have worked long and hard, and gone without, to accumulate the superannuation benefit they have and now their plans have been thrown into disarray by this retrospective change to the whole super industry.

It’s not uncommon to meet a couple going into retirement that have a super benefit of around $1 million each and who wish to start a pension.

This is fine even under the new rules, but it is a game changer once one of the parties dies and the

benefit passes to the surviving spouse/partner.

The survivor will end up with a total superannuation benefit (TSB) of $2 million, which is in excess of the general transfer balance cap (GTBC - $1.6m) by $400,000. And yes, now we have a whole new swathe of acronyms!

In this situation the excess could be transferred back to super if taken from the survivor’s benefit, or if taken from the deceased benefit it will be taken out of the super environment and this can never be rolled

back to super. In this case if the pension had been passed on via a reversionary pension option, the survivor would have 12 months to make the changes.

Another complication brought about by the change is with SMSFs that have large chunks of property in them.

This is a whole new dilemma in itself and may force the sale of some assets just to make them flexible enough to make changes.

The upshot of this is that progressing into retirement without

engaging an advisor is unwise. Mistakes in this area can be very costly and the short summary here is only the tip of the iceberg.

For more Information contact Mark Digby at Maher Digby Securities Pty Ltd - Financial Advisers – AFSL No. 230559 Ph: 07 5441 1266 or visit our website www.maherdigby.com.au This document was prepared without taking into account any person’s particular objectives, financial situation or needs.

It is not guaranteed as

accurate or complete and should not be relied upon as such. Maher Digby Securities does not accept any responsibility for the opinions, comments, forward looking statements, and analysis contained in this document, all of which are intended to be of a general nature.

Investors should, before acting on this information, consider the appropriateness of this information having regard to their personal objectives, financial situation or needs.

We recommend consulting a financial advisor.

We’re catching on to digital payment choices Tracey Johnstone

SENIORS are taking to the digital era by switching from cash and cheques to digital payment methods with card transactions doubling since 2007.

The 2016 Reserve Bank’s triennial Consumer Payments Survey shows that across the population debit and credit cards are now the most frequent means of payment, overtaking cash for the first time.

In 2007 cash payments accounted for 70% of transactions. In 2016 they account for just 37%.

However, while tap-and-go is increasingly the choice for lower-value transactions and direct debits are being used

more frequently, cash is still used regularly in households aged 50 and older.

The amount of cash carried in the 65 and over age group was about $95 which was more than twice what was being carried by people in other age groups.

Our use of cheques is declining with the RBA reporting a decline in the past decade of about 13%. In 2007 the RBA reports cheques represented just over 2% of payments by consumers aged 65 and over. In 2016 it has fallen to less than 1%.

Older Australians are moving towards internet banking as they gain confidence in electronic

payment options The survey found internet use among older Australians is rising rapidly and their largest single use of the internet is for online banking and paying bills.About 40% of respondents aged 65 and over used online payments in the 2016 survey week, compared with 5% in 2007.

It appears we are rapidly adopting to online payments just as younger age groups are doing so.

Using a mobile phone app for payment is gaining momentum with a noticeable increase in online and person-to-person payments.

But don’t sit back and relax as there is another

MONEY: How we pay is changing rapidly away from cash to tap-and-go, mobile phones and soon the NPP. PHOTO: RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

change on its way in October 2017.

The New Payments Platform, or NPP, is described as a world-class platform for payments which will allow for money and data to move between bank accounts instantaneously.

The official word from the RBA is the NPP will allow for simply addressed payments with near real-time funds availability to consumers 24/7, so gone will be the days of waiting until Monday for a weekend payment to be processed.

Payment messages will be able to carry more remittance information than the 18 characters currently available for direct entry payments.

Your investments can reflect your ethics while making money MANY of us hold strong views about social and environmental sustainability.

If that sounds like you, it’s possible to tailor your portfolio to reflect your values – and it doesn’t mean low returns.

A new report shows ethical investing can be good for your hip pocket as well as the planet.

Responsible investing is all about putting your money into sustainable assets and enterprises as a way of supporting a healthier economy, society and environment.

THINK MONEY PAUL CLITHEROE It may mean investing in alternate energies for example, while shunning industries that can harm people or the environment.

This style of investing is heating up faster than global warming.

Responsible investment represents around half of all professionally

managed assets in Australia.

Some investors may be concerned taking an ethical approach could mean sacrificing decent returns.

However, a new report

by Responsible Investment Association Australasia has put this view to the bullet.

The study found managed Australian share funds following a responsible investment strategy averaged annual returns of 13% over the past five years.

That’s well above the

11.6% average return recorded by the S&P ASX 300 Accumulation Index.

It’s a similar story over the past 10 years, with responsible Aussie share funds recording average returns of 6.3% annually compared to 4.4% across the broader market.

If you’re keen to match investments with personal ethics, one option is to invest in companies you believe are making a positive contribution to the environment and sustainability.

A potentially easier way is to invest in a managed

fund with socially responsible or ethical investment options.

There’s no shortage to choose from with 77 Australian asset fund managers having signed up to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment.

You can even extend ethical investing to your retirement nest egg.

Among Australia’s top 50 super funds, 70% have some level of commitment to responsible investing.

If responsible investing is something you’re interested in, be sure to

check the principles underpinning the fund.

And while investing responsibly may add the feel-good factor to your portfolio don’t overlook the basics.

Check the fund fees – those that apply on a regular basis plus any fees charged if you bail out of the fund.

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, August 21, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Seniors 19

Travel

10

reasons to love the south of France

OUI OUI: The south of France is a multi-sensory delight that begins with the stunning azure water and spreads to the most delectable tables of food and wine.

TRAVEL author Ann Rickard gives us her top ten reasons to love the south of France in summer, a place she returns to year after year.

The climate: The south has 300 days of sunshine a year, with average summer temperatures in the high 20s, early 30s. You’d have to be unlucky to visit in summer and not be bathed in sunshine.

The language: Is there another language in the world that sounds so gorgeous? You’ll enjoy just being surrounded by its lyrical loveliness. Within a day of a visit you’ll be chorusing ‘bonjour’ and ‘merci’ to everyone you encounter.

The countryside: Smiling yellow sunflowers at every turn, lovely leafy plane trees lining back roads, mauve fields of lavender shimmering in the sun, red poppies dancing on the roadside and endless rows of lush grapevines. Happiness everywhere and reassurance you are in the south of France.

The wine: It’s very good and super cheap. Supermarket shelves are stacked with wines with labels that bring to mind regions you have only dreamt about. We

EXPLORE: Be amazed by the red earth vibrancy of Roussillon.

love buying wine from the co-operatives in the countryside, where the wine is pumped straight from a vat into a container, just as you would pump petrol into your car. For just a few euros you can fill your container with five litres of good stuff.

The dining: It is difficult to find a dud meal in France, even in the most modest establishments. The French love local produce cooked without fuss, vegetables take centre stage, and the excellent bread is free and keeps coming throughout each meal. Most bistros and cafes

have pix fixe menus of three courses at reasonable cost, which means you know what you’ll pay before you eat, and the house wine by the pichet (jug) barely adds to the cost.

The towns and villages: Some of the prettiest villages in the country are found in the south, from the rocky spectacle of Gordes and Les Baux to the leafy charm of St Remy and the red-earth vibrancy of Roussillon.

Then there are the towns of Avignon with its grand and gothic Palais des Papes (where the popes lived during the 14th century), and the Roman amphitheatres in Nimes and

Arles. L’isle sur la Sorgue is called the Venice of Provence for its many canals and waterways.

In smaller villages such as Menerbes and Bonnieux, the petanque players will put you right in the heart of Peter Mayle (A Year in Provence) country.

The cheese: Oui, sil vous plait. With more varieties than there are days in the year and every region having its own varieties, you’ll be in a cheese frenzy. Start with the familiar – a soft camembert, a runny brie and build up to daring varieties with names you can’t pronounce (try a munster and then a sainte nectaire, followed

by a roquefort. Better still, set a goal to try a new-to-you cheese every day of your visit.

The history: The Romans swept through much of France 2000 years ago and left a legacy that exists in many parts of the countryside today. A standout is the three-tiered Pont du Gard, the ancient aqueduct the Romans built to carry water from a spring in Uzes to Nimes 50km away – an engineering marvel that astounds.

The patisseries: Even if you don’t own a sweet tooth, you will love standing at the window of any patisserie in any town or village. Almond croissants, macrons, pain au chocolat, mille-feuille, tart-tatine, citron and strawberry tarts. The pastries are displayed as though they were precious jewels. Give in.

The beaches, the glam: While we have some of the best beaches in the world in Australia, it doesn’t hurt to be so close to names that send tingles up the spine: Nice, St Tropez, Villefranche, Cap Ferrat. You don’t have to say another thing.

Read more of Ann’s musing at: www.annrickard.com.

20 Seniors Northern NSW

Travel

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, August 21, 2017

Built in name of love EAT, DRINK AND BE KERRY KERRY HEANEY THERE are some moments in life that don’t live up to the anticipation, but your first sight of India’s Taj Mahal will not be one of them.

This building is every bit as impressive and wonderful as you have been led to believe, and an amazing tribute from a man to the woman he loved.

A LOVE STORY LIKE NO OTHER

As I walked around this enormous building, our guide shared his version of the story behind its creation.

Evidently, when Shah Jahan was 14 years old, he was strolling through the local market.

A strong wind blew through the market stalls, blowing aside the demure

clothing of Mumtaz who was just a young girl serving on her father’s stall.

Blown away by Mumtaz’s beauty, Shah fell deeply in love and romance blossomed between the couple.

Although they both longed for marriage, Shah was the heir and promised to marry another.

So, he did, and then another wife before finally marrying Mumtaz.

They say it was a marriage of love, and the birth of 14 children is fairly good evidence that it was. Unfortunately, the birth of the 14th child resulted in Mumtaz’s death at the age of 37.

Shah was so distressed by her death he decided to construct of the Taj Mahal as a memorial.

Although you can’t see them, the bodies of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahai lie under the building in a crypt only accessed by family.

The gardens between the entrance and the tomb are set out in a formal pattern with a reflecting

IMPRESSIVE: Taj Mahal lives up to all expections and then some, a beautiful tribute to love.

pool. Even on the hottest day, the trees provide a cool respite from the sun.

TAKE A DAY TRIP FROM DELHI

The Taj Mahal is located in Agra which is a four-hour,

perhaps longer depending on the traffic, drive from Delhi. It is open from sunrise to sunset daily, except Friday when it is closed.

From The Leela Palace New Delhi, the driver took the new expressway which

is a toll road and less crowded than other routes. The locals were very surprised at how quick our journey was.

If you can allow a full day for the tour, include a visit to the Red Fort in Agra and the tomb of

Shaikh Chisti.

The Leela Palace in Chanakyapuri is located in New Delhi’s Diplomatic Enclave and is a luxurious blend of royal Indian culture and modern architecture that will impress even the most jaded traveller.

An independent hotel, The Leela was selected as member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts because it embodies the local culture of the New Delhi and the romance of travel.

Visual splendour is everywhere, but even more apparent is the hotel’s hospitality which works on the mantra that the guest is god.

It’s the first time anyone has offered to draw my bath, a service I foolishly rejected from my private butler.

My biggest regret is not making time to indulge at either the spa or the roof top swimming pool, which is maintained at a comfortable 26°C. Disclaimer: The writer was hosted by Jet Airways and The Leela Palace New Delhi.

WHEN IN ROME: The eternal city of Rome.

Escorted tours through Italy DISCOVER bella Italia in 2018 on Tauck’s most popular escorted Italy tours.

Visit scenic Tuscan hill towns, centuries-old cities and countryside villages, and enjoy a three-night stay in the Eternal City of Rome.

The pleasure will be yours with an after-hours guided visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel without the crowds.

Art is the focus in Florence; a lecture by an art historian precedes a walking tour of the city and a visit to Galleria

dell’Accademia.

You’ll also tour the magnificent Uffizi Gallery with a local guide.

Cruise along the Mediterranean shores of Cinque Terre for an in-depth look at these remote, centuries-old coastal villages. Stay at a luxury resort in Umbria that was once a fortified medieval village. Discover historic sights in Pompeii.

Spend two nights in magical Venice with an exclusive after-hours guided tour of St Mark’s Basilica. Visit the hill towns of Orvieto, Assisi and San Gimignano, each

with their own celebrated sights.

Orvieto’s star is the Duomo of Orvieto, with the St Francis Basilica housing some of Italy’s great 13th- and 14th-century frescoes a highlight in Assisi.

In San Gimignano, stroll through Piazza della Cisterna, one of Italy’s most picturesque town squares and marvel at the village’s 12th century towers.

For more information contact your travel agent, or TAUCK on 1300 732 300 or go to www.tauck.com.au.

Northern NSW

Monday, August 21, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Join us & our Hurtigruten g Cruise Expert p for a FREE informative evening g to discover d sco e more o e about Antarctica ta ct ca & our ou Exclusive c us e Fly/Stay/Cruise y/Stay/C u se Package. ac age Take a e advantage g of the amazing g Earlybird y Offer whilst enjoying j y g mulled wine & nibbles.

RSVP to Tripaway Holiday ys— —P: 07 5525 7304 or E: E holidays@tripaway.com.au o days@t pa ay co au

Seniors 21

WHEN: Tuesday y 29th August g at 5.30pm p WHERE: Tripaway pa ay Holidays o days Head ead Office, O ce, Suite 11- Upstairs, p , Corner of Gold Coast H’way & Palm Beach Ave, Palm Beach

Antarctica, Patagonia & Chilean Fjords j 23 d days from f $21 $21,499 499

per person twin share

i thi id Plant your Fl Flag in this maiden expedition cruising season including Chile, Patagonia & ANTARCTICA; a true Bucket list item! Hurtigruten is changing the world of expedition travel forever, building the safest, greenest & most advanced expedition ship ever created. The MS Roald Amundsen will feature impressive custom-built expedition equipment, taking you to some of the world’s most intriguing spots. Along with Antarctica the highlight of the journey, visit one of the most scenic national parks in the world, see the rich wildlife of Patagonia, the Chilean fjords & Cape Horn. This Exclusive Escorted Group will head first to Chile to spend 3 days exploring Santiago before flying south to Punta Arenas to board this once-in-a-lifetime cruise on this brand new state-of-the-art hybrid vessel.

Enjoy spending time ashore, kayaking, hiking & close encounters with penguins, birds & seals, whilst on-board your comfortable basecamp at sea, there will be workshops & presentations to prepare you for the incredible experiences ahead. Spend the last amazing days cruising north up the South American Coast, including the National Park of Torres del Paine, and disembarking in the colourful Chilean port of Valparaiso for one more night in Santiago.

Our Exclusive Fly/Cruise/Stay package includes;  Return Economy Airfares from Brisbane to Santiago, Chile  3 nights 4-star twin share accommodation in Santiago  Return airport & port transfers & a Santiago city tour  Economy flight from Santiago de Chile to Punta Arenas  19 day Hurtigruten Cruise in an outside twin share cabin, full board, landings with boats & activities both on board & ashore.  Wind & water resistant jacket  1 night post cruise accommodation in Santiago with port and airport transfers  Fully Escorted based on minimum 10 passengers  The option to extend your stay in South America.

Full itinerary details & ship information available in-store

Departs Brisbane 5th March 2019 *Terms & conditions Apply. Prices are per person & are correct as of 31July 2017 but may change depending on surcharges, fees, taxes and/or currency changes,. Advertised price is based on lead-in cabin category– outside Polar twin share. Valid for cruise date 8 March 2019 and offer not combinable with any other offer. A 30% deposit is required within 7 days of confirmation and full payment is required 100 days prior to depar ture. Offers strictly subject to availability. Package cancellation fees apply. Hurtigruten standard Booking terms & Conditions apply. Escort inclusion is based on minimum 10 passengers travelling. Travel insurance is mandatory and any required visas are the responsibility of the traveller, however Tripaway Cruise & Travel can assist in obtaining these prior to departure. Prices do not include tipping for tour guides, drivers or porterage nor items of a personal nature.

1300 737 544

tripaway@helloworld.com.au tripaway.com.au

Murwillumbah Tweed City Tweed Heads Coolangatta Elanora Palm Beach

Main St, Murwillumbah Tweed City Shopping Centre Tweed Mall Shopping Centre The Strand at Coolangatta The Pines Shopping Centre GC H’way & Palm Beach Ave

22 Seniors Northern NSW

Travel

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, August 21, 2017

ALLURING ADVENTURE: (Left) The male white lion; (top) The Gondwana Lodge suite veranda; and a Dwyka Luxury Tented Camp suite.

PHOTOS: SHIRLEY SINCLAIR

Meet the African stars of Sanbona Wildlife Shirley Sinclair

THEY are unexpected lunch guests, but we are thrilled to see these celebrities all the same.

Staying their distance, they prefer the vegetarian buffet away from the strange creatures sitting down to an a la carte lunch.

But unlike most stars of the show, they don’t mind when we turn into animal paparazzi on the hunt and start shooting in their direction.

In fact, they pay us little heed.

We have only just checked in to Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in South Africa’s Barrydale district when a steady procession of giraffes and their closest zebra companions come up to the thorny acacia trees just past the resort fence.

They stay long enough for me to finish my pineapple and rooibos-infused chicken salad and then secure a bird’s-eye view from our Gondwana Lodge suite balcony.

It is so natural for them but oh so foreign a lunchtime spectacle for Aussies.

Little do we know that this will be the first of many once-in-a-lifetime, exhilarating experiences over the course of a three-night stay in the vast Little Karoo reserve, just three hours’ drive from Cape Town.

The big five African

animals (rhino, leopard, cheetah, lion and Cape buffalo) all call Sanbona home.

Our ranger guide Marco Fitchet tells us the animals are like London buses: you don’t see them for a while, but then they appear around every corner.

And while the cheetahs and leopard prove his point by remaining elusive, we are more than pleased with our haul of memories over the course of six morning and afternoon safaris that include night spotlighting and a cruise on the large man-made dam inhabited by hippos.

Greatest of all for me is the sight of a male white lion walking so close beside me as I sit in an open-air safari vehicle that I can hear his panting.

We find his mate and the rest of the tawny and white lion pride relaxing in shade a little further away.

They barely acknowledge our presence, at a safe distance, before rolling over and going back to their naps.

In three full days, we mark off plenty of other birds, flora and fauna from the Sanbona indigenous species checklist.

Among the animals we encounter are: Chacma baboons crossing the road into dense shrubs; cheeky dassie (African rodent and relative of the elephant) near the dam; regal oryx with their straight antlers;

majestic eland; a new container of kudo springing to freedom, and a large grey mongoose darting in and out of rocks near the hippos’ dam.

We marvel at the grand herd of elephants, pounding the ground slowly but determinedly in front of us (and looking much more threatening than I ever imagined), as they make their way up from the waterhole.

No one can prepare us for the sight of a nonchalant crash of rhinos (mum, dad and baby) by the side of the road, only metres away, or the sadness of a lonely hippopotamus forced to live in a small watering hole after being harassed by other males.

We observe the baboon telegraph springing into action on a ridge, warning of the male white lion’s approach.

A wary ostrich checks out our strange four-wheeled “animal” from the top of a hill, and a red hartebeest keeps us in his sights as we move through the main entry gate.

The black-backed jackal – a beautiful scavenger – appears to be on a mission but stops and turns just long enough for a photo of his beautiful colours.

By the end of the first day, we can even tell the difference between plains and cape mountain zebra by their stripes.

But while Sanbona, at

FAST FACT Sanbona Wildlife Reserve is a pleasant three hours’ drive from Cape Town on the scenic Route 62 wine route in Barrydale – on the border of the Overberg and Klein Karoo regions of the Western Cape Province in South Africa.

Its accommodation suits a range of budgets, with Dwyka Tented Lodge, Gondwana Family Lodge, Tilney Manor and the Explorer Camp.

Rates per person per day include lunch, dinner, breakfast, two game drives, guided walks, tea, coffee, water, game drive beverages, tourism levy and 14% VAT. Families staying at Gondwana Family Lodge also have access to the Kids on Safari Program. Visit www.sanbona.com. the foot of the Warmwaterberg Mountains, is all about the animals, we are introduced to the most amazing, uniquely African landscapes across the 58,000ha park.

From salt pans to semi-arid plains, a series of natural pyramids to a rocky knoll with a monkey-like face, the ancient landscapes are epic – big, bold and beautiful.

The “Baboon Condos” – caves in the cliff faces – glow red and orange in the afternoon sun.

The reeds and grasses are ablaze in golden glory against midnight blue waters as we drink “sundowners” by the man-made dam.

The late-afternoon reflections create symmetrical shapes that would impress any geometric abstract artist.

A visit to the upmarket tented lodge known as Dwyka (meaning “lioness” in the bushman’s

language) is an unexpected treat as the rain falls around us.

Greeted by hot chocolate, we regroup in the stylish communal lounge before a private tour of one of the luxury suites under canvas that come complete with private deck and heated spa bath.

Set in a horseshoe bend of a dry Karoo ravine, the romance of the great outdoors here is far removed from the style the San hunter-gatherers, who once roamed the area, would have known.

But I’m sure they would have welcomed the Relaxation Retreat at the end of a long journey.

Our own family-friendly Gondwana Lodge is more than comfortable with a claw-foot bath and shower plus a veranda overlooking the Bellair Dam and Anysberg Mountains (we dub one of them Mufasa’s Rock in reference to The Lion King).

A chauffeured transfer in a private car from Cape Town, arranged through Sanbona, allows us to drink in the pleasures of this wild life and far-off horizons even before we arrive at our lodgings.

The drive is an attraction in itself with a new landscape curiosity around each bend, with towering escarpments, passes cutting through mountain ranges, heathland and wildflowers, massive boulders, vineyards and suburban streetscapes.

The wildlife reserve once boasted 22 sheep, goat and dairy farms, as well as lucerne crops, vineyards and orchards.

But its role today is much more important to South Africa.

As general manager Paul Vorster says, Sanbona allows visitors to experience this raw, untouched land and tranquil isolation as the San people would have seen it many years ago: “Sanbona imparts a sense of excitement at becoming aware of the various elements of conservation, knowing its intent for perpetuity, while being amazed by the untamed wildlife.”

So the vision for Sanbona is to continue to celebrate its colourful history and create even more animal magnetism for its visitors. *The writer paid her own expenses.

Entertainment

Monday, August 21, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

What’s on

ENJOY what’s on offer in your community this August and September with all sorts of entertainment, outings, food, wine and more on offer.

AUGUST 23–26

THE work of local artists will go on display at the Murwillumbah Rotary Club 27th annual art show to be held at Jessie McMillan Hall, Wollumbin St, Murwillumbah. The exhibition will be held Wednesday to Friday from 10am–6pm, and on Saturday from 10am–2pm. For details, contact Douglas Jardine on 0427 226 270 or email djplanning@ yahoo.com.au.

AUGUST 25

EVERY Friday Mullumbimby Farmers’ Market, 7–11am, is where you’ll see Mullum at its colourful best. The market has become the gathering spot for Mullumbimby’s vibrant community, re-inventing the age-old tradition of a community market meeting place at 51 Main Arm Rd. It’s a wonderful place to shop for fresh produce, meet with friends, enjoy a market brekkie and local coffee, and soak up the fun and friendly vibe.

There’s live local music each week, plus a dedicated kids’ space to keep the little ones entertained. The market also hosts regular workshops and special events throughout the year. The market is a not-for-profit organisation, which means every dollar you spend goes toward supporting local farmers, the community and a

JOURNALIST YVONNE GARDINER

yvonne.gardiner@apn.com.au

more sustainable future. www.mullumfarmers market.org.au.

AUGUST 26

THE first of its kind in the Tweed, a Championship Cat and Kitten Show will display a variety of pedigree and domestic cats. The exhibits will be assessed by international, NSW and Queensland judges. If you are looking to adopt your next feline friend, Friends of the Pound will have friendly kittens for sale.

Information on responsible pet ownership will be available, plus cat-related merchandise will be on sale.

The show will run from 10am–4pm at South Tweed Sports Club, 4 Minjungbal Dr, Tweed Heads South. Details Borderline Cats on 0419 275 840.

AUGUST 27

QUOTA Craft and Garden Fair is an annual event with more than 80 craft stalls offering an array of wonderful hand-crafted wares along with garden stalls and speakers providing gardening tips for all ages. The traditional Aussie barbecue is there to tantalise the taste buds and wonderful home baking by the Quota members takes care of all the food requirements for the day. Cost $5 per person.

GOOD TIMES: Tintenbar Up Front is held on the second Friday of every month with musicians, poets, comedians, dancers and more.

PHOTO: MOODBOARD

Access is easy for all at the Alstonville Leisure and Entertainment Centre, Commercial Road, Alstonville.

The event runs 9am–3pm. For details email Robyn at quota alstonville@gmail.com.

AUGUST 27

CASINO Riverside market offers a big range of arts, crafts, clothing and food under the New South Wales sun by the edge of the Richmond River at Hickey Street, Casino.

Home to lots of market stalls selling local and imported hand crafts, food and beverage vendors and potentially also performers, the riverside will be the perfect destination to find special gifts for someone you love or just to treat yourself to a relaxing day by the river. Markets held every fourth Sunday of the month from 9am–2.30pm.

See www.richmond valley.nsw.gov.au for more.

AUGUST 31

FOLLOWING a huge show last year, the funniest comedians from this year’s Sydney Comedy Festival are hitting the road and bringing another all-star comedy showcase to Lismore City Hall, 1 Bounty St, Lismore. With tickets from just $32, you’ll get to see the crème de la crème of stand-up comedy, with a huge international line-up including South African firebrand Dusty Rich, Los Angeles Comedy Awards’ comedian of the year Al Del Bene, in-demand Sean Woodland, hot emerging talent Daniel Connell and more special guests. Show runs 7.30–9.30pm. Details on sydney-comedy-festivalshowcase-tour-2017 website.

SEPTEMBER 2&3

THE annual Nimbin Performance Poetry World Cup is a community sponsored event that each year grows in

Northern NSW

popularity, not only with the performers but the audience members who attend. Performers travel from all over Australia to be part of this gruelling poetry marathon.

Poets have eight minutes to perform one or more original poems throughout the weekend.

Heats are run on the Saturday with poets vying for a position in the semi-finals, which are run on Sunday.

The grand final is held on Sunday evening at the Nimbin School of Arts.

Heats are held all day Saturday, semi-finals kick off from noon on Sunday and the grand final of eight poets starts in the School of Arts Hall from 7.30pm.Various venues at cafes in Nimbin and Nimbin Town Hall. www.nimbinpoetry.com.

SEPTEMBER 8

TINTENBAR Up Front, on the second Friday of every month, gives the opportunity for performers of all kinds – musicians, poets, comedians, dancers – to strut their stuff in a wonderful old hall.

Come see the lady from the shop, or hear that guy from the mechanic’s belt out a tune on guitar. From delicate finger-picked songs, to intricate arrangements of classical and contemporary recorder pieces; from well-spun yarns to humorous poems of the bush. At George St, Tintenbar.

This is a wonderful community event from 6.30–11pm, so grab some friends and enjoy a night out. www.tintenbarup front.com.

Seniors 23

SEPTEMBER 14–17

SINCE 2007, the Uki community have gathered together once a year for a weekend of creativity and art. Every year we come together and celebrate our unique Uki – Life, Arts and Culture. Sometimes we have “the whole shebang” with grants and opening ceremonies, sponsors and closing ceremonies, special guests, 50 bands and wishing ceremonies, and dozens of performances in multiple venues. And other times, we take it a little bit easier and simply provide the space and the reason to gather. In every case it is a weekend not to be missed. Come along and enjoy the Uki community spirit which is Ukitopia at Uki Hall and Village Green, Kyogle Rd, Uki, 6–7pm all days.

Free event. Details on website: ukitopiaarts collective.com.

SEPTEMBER 16

BYRON Bay Public School, 17 Kingsley St, celebrates its 125th with a gathering of present and past students, parents, teachers and community members.

Students and teachers will recreate The Walk that took place in 1992 at the school’s centenary from 9am at Apex Park and proceed to the school grounds.

A formal ceremony, student performances, photographs, historical displays, an old fashion sports afternoon, classroom demonstrations from the past and present will be held during the day from 9am–4pm. Details Geoff Spargo on 0417 274 476.

Betty is a regular at Ballina meeting place

HOME FROM HOME: Longtime Ballina RSL Club member Betty Sanders relaxes in the comfortable surrounds of Level One. PHOTO: YVONNE GARDINER

FOR Betty Sanders, the Ballina RSL Club has become a “home from home”.

She and husband Ray moved to Ballina from Sydney when they retired 30 years ago.

“He was in the Navy and also 40 years in the fire brigade,” Betty said.

“I joined the Naval Ladies, War Widows, Legacy group and the Laurel Club.”

The Laurel Club is a social club for widows of war veterans that also raises money to support the work of Legacy.

“Ray was in the Naval Association.

“The RSL club is a home from home, a meeting place.

“They really care for one another.”

The club is a constant source of companionship, with outings and bus trips available.

And Betty’s been lucky enough over the years to win two of the major prizes in the members’ draws – both cars.

Ray died about a year ago, as the couple

were coming up to their 70th wedding anniversary.

Betty, at 91, has seen the Ballina RSL make many improvements.

Recently, renovations of Level One have created a sports lounge, TAB and gaming room.

There’s also a terrace area and indoor lounge, function room and auditorium.

Both venues overlook the beautiful Richmond River.

Ballina RSL Club CEO Bill Coulter said a range

of additional services for club members and the wider community would come with the exciting new look.

“The improvements will make the club one of the region’s most impressive lifestyle and tourism attractions,” he said.

On Father’s Day, September 3, the first 100 dads at the bar will each receive a free gift.

There’ll be face painting for children from 12–3pm, and live music.

For more information, visit the website; www.ballinarsl.com.au.

24 Seniors Northern NSW

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, August 21, 2017

Reviews Tall tales and true stories

A Fifty Fifty thriller set in outback

HAMPSTEAD: A heart-warming and entertaining comedy.

Find the love at the movies

LOVE can grow where you least expect it.

The movie Hampstead, inspired by a true story, is artfully portrayed through the veteran actors Diane Keaton and Brendan Gleeson.

The is a romantic comedy set around the beautiful Hampstead Heath in London, a quiet piece of countryside in a vast metropolis. The landscape offers

another element of beauty and interest to this engaging film.

The story line follows American widow Emily Walters (Keaton), who is living in a lovely old apartment on the edge of the Heath, but this rich scenery is not enough to provide inner satisfaction, Walters feels like she is drifting aimlessly through life.

In contrast, there is Donald (Gleeson) who

has lived harmoniously in a ramshackle hut on the heath for 17 years.

Their meeting occurs when property developers attempt to destroy his home. Emily steps up to defend Donald in the escalating battle and soon finds that, despite his gruff exterior, there is something special about this unconventional man. Movie opens August 17.

IN THIS sequel to the Never Never, Detective Harriet Blue must choose between saving her brother or saving a whole town.

The world’s best-selling thriller writer James Patterson once again joins forces with award-winning crime writer Candice Fox for a compulsive page-turner in the Australian outback.

It’s not easy being a good detective when your brother’s a serial killer.

Sam Blue stands accused of the murders of three young students, their bodies dumped near the Georges River.

Only one person believes he is innocent: his sister, Detective Harriet Blue. And she’s determined to prove it.

Except she’s now been banished to the outback town of Last Chance Valley (population 75), where a diary found on the roadside outlines a shocking plan – the massacre of the entire town.

Penguin Random House, ebook or in bookshops. RRP $32.99.

Seventy-nine-year-old retired drover Charlie Bridge believes family is everything and it’s better to share your life experiences while it’s still on your mind. And Mr Bridge has achieved this by writing his moving and absorbing tall tales and true stories of how he overcame colossal adversity in his life to win through.

This way, other people can get a feel for the experiences of his life and apply some of the lessons he imparts, in their lives.

“The younger generations can hopefully then begin to understand older generations. Books like this can also open up the lines of communication between generations,” Mr Bridge said.

For those wanting to find out about Charlie’s book, Hard Knocks and Golden Opportunities, please phone 0438 749 638.

Suspense, romance, espionage

TERRORISM, politics and betrayals collide in this must-read, fastpaced thriller from a highly recognisable political insider.

In September 1972, journalist Anna Rosen takes an early morning phone call from her boss at the ABC telling her about two bombings in Sydney’s busy CBD. It’s the worst terrorist attack in the country’s history and Anna has no doubt which group is responsible for the carnage.

She has been investigating the role of alleged war criminals in the globally active Ustasha movement.

High in the Austrian Alps, guided by starlight and a crescent moon, Marin Katich is one of 20 would-be revolutionaries who slip stealthily over the border into Yugoslavia on a mission planned and funded in Australia that will have devastating consequences.

Author: Tony Jones Allen & Unwin RRP $32.99.

Don’t forget to include all your digital assets in your will YOU may know where you would like your assets to end up when you die, but have you also included in your will how you want your online presence to be managed. Paul PaxtonHall of the legal firm Paxton-Hall said technology had given rise to a whole new world of digital assets.

“There has been a shift from people keeping photo albums, journals and letters – physical assets that can be dealt with easily in a will – to posting and storing photos digitally, blogs and email accounts,” Mr

Paxton-Hall said.

“Applying succession law to these intangible assets has its challenges as there is still uncertainty around the status of the digital assets as property.

“These assets can be particularly hard to manage when you consider the average Internet user has 26 different accounts and 10 unique passwords.

“People should pay close attention to their various digital assets when preparing wills and give thought to what they would like to happen to

their digital footprint.”

He noted it can be difficult to identify the ownership rights of digital assets as they are often stored, created and managed by a third party.

“Most social media and digital platforms’ user agreements do not allow users to own the property in their account,” Mr Paxton-Hall said.

“Many online platforms rest in a foreign jurisdiction, meaning challenging their policies are likely to be even more stressful, expensive and time-consuming.

“Fortunately, Facebook

and Google allow users to nominate a legacy contact who can access their account in the event of their death.

“When developing a digital estate plan, people need to understand who owns the asset, where it’s located and how to access it.”

Some practical tips for digital estate planning: ■ Decide what you would like to happen to your digital assets. Will they be deleted? Memorialised?

Will your family have full access?

■ Create a list of your accounts and identify the

policies of each platform regarding the death of a member. Facebook and Google allow people to nominate another person as a ‘legacy contact’ to administer a limited, memorialised account.

These legacy contacts must be appointed from your account before your passing.

■ If you want your loved ones to have access to your account, ensure you note down the passwords where they can access them in the event of your death. You can use a password manager such as TrueKey to manage all

your passwords under a single password master key. This master password can be left with your legal representative.

■ Draft a memo of wishes that sets out how you would like your online assets dealt with. This should include nominating someone to be the executor of your ‘digital estate’.

A word of warning with the exception of the legacy contact process, your loved ones may be in breach of some platforms’ terms of service by accessing your accounts after your death.

Northern NSW

Monday, August 21, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

Let’s save Food for thought

IF YOU consider yourself a budding MasterChef or just have too many recipes on hand waiting on a rainy day, try creating a customised recipe book.

Before starting your cookbook, think about what function it will have – a keepsake, or a gift for family and friends.

Your cookbook can be filled with family recipes you have been given, have collected from friends or torn out of magazines over the years.

You can add photos and indulge in food styling, straight out of Donna Hay. Let’s look at these easyas-pie ideas on how you can put together your own masterpiece.

■ Online publishing sites: These photobook creation

BE THRIFTY AND THRIVE NICKY NORMAN websites feature the tools and templates for you to create your own cookbook.

Add recipes, photos, textured backgrounds and more to create a bound book. You may need to download software.

Costs can start from $25, depending on the software, or some may offer free services for signing up to their site.

More details available from websites like: momento.com.au, myfoodbook.com.au,

FEED YOUR SOUL: Customise your own recipe book with a little creative input and love.

mycookbook-online.net, thesecretIngredients.com blurb.com, or shutterfly.com.

■ Binder book Purchase a binder or bound notebook with clear pockets and pages.

This is a good format for a functional cookbook.

Gather recipes and place them in the pockets where they are protected

from kitchen splatter.

You could create more than one binder book depending on the frequency of use.

You might prefer to have one for daily/weekly use, as opposed to your alltime favourites, or you can separate into sweet and savoury recipes.

■ Scrapbook Buy a scrapbook and you can handwrite the recipes straight on the page or glue them on.

A keepsake scrapbook is less for kitchen use and more for keeping track of family history.

You can use scrapbooking materials, such as stamps, stickers, ribbons and paper to artistically show your cooking traditions.

Feeding your vegan visitors THE first thing I do when inviting people over is to ask if they have any food allergies or food preferences. It can be very difficult to know what to cook if you are not familiar with a life choice.

The most important thing is not to panic. Ask the questions of what they can eat and go from there.

And, if in doubt, salads, tofu, vegie pizza, pumpkin soup or roast vegetables are always a winner.

Don’t forget to read the labels of any purchased products and see if they are suitable for your guest. There are so many pre-packaged choices in the supermarket for you to choose from as well.

If your grandchildren are

HOME COOKING CHRISTINE PERKIN vegan, hummus dip and carrot sticks or celery is a nice snack. Pasta with vegetable sauces or a vegie stack are easy enough to make.

Beware of products with gelatine as it is an animal by-product and use a good stock. A good brand for this is Massel as the liquid stocks are glutenfree and, because they are vegetable-based, are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Vegans do not eat any

TASTY: Bruschetta.

animal products.

A healthy and varied vegan diet includes fruits, vegetables, plenty of leafy greens, wholegrain products, nuts, seeds, and legumes.

BRUSCHETTA

Ingredients 4 medium tomatoes, diced

Fresh basil leaves, torn 2 garlic cloves, crushed Sea salt 1 baguette 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Balsamic glaze Method Combine tomatoes, basil, garlic and sprinkle liberally with salt. The salt will help draw out the tomato juice. Set aside in the fridge. Slice the bread into thick slices. Grill or toast the slices until they’re golden on both sides. Just before serving, add the olive oil to the tomato mix and stir through, then drizzle with balsamic glaze. Arrange bread on a platter, spoon on the tomato mix and serve immediately.

Seniors 25

Community continues From Page 15

TWIN TOWNS AND DISTRICT GARDEN CLUB

WE WELCOME members and guests to our monthly meetings, which are held on the second Monday of the month at the South Tweed Sports Club in the downstairs Auditorium, 4 Minjungbal Drive, Tweed Heads South.

More information phone 0412 638 373. Our August guest speaker is Earthlife soil balancing made easy. Doors open 8.30am. The Annual Flower and Garden Show is on Saturday, September 16 8.30am–2.30pm.

Entry $3. Prizes, raffles and workshops. Exhibits being accepted on Friday, September 15 between 2.30–5.30pm with judging at 6.30pm. Tweed Shire Civic Centre, Brett Street, Tweed Heads.

Phone 07 5524 4274 or email ttgclub@gmail.com.

CLUB ACTIVE

TWEED Heads exercise physiologist Jonathan Freeman is the director and brains behind Club Active, a Tweed Heads gym aimed at keeping healthy, happy and moving as you age.

Open Day on Saturday, September 2 from 9am–1pm at Club Active, Shops 3&4, Tweed Hub, 112 Minjungbal Drive, Tweed Heads South. www.club-active.com.au.

TWEED LIBRARY

■ TECH SESSIONS FOR SENIORS FREE one-on-one tech sessions available for seniors with students from Wollumbin High School. Any device welcome. Wednesday, August 23 at 9–10.30am.

Phone 6670 2427 for Murwillumbah.

■ HARPIST AND CRYSTAL SINGING BOWL DUET MEDITATION IN THIS session,

you will learn to relax with Deborah (harp), Louise (crystal bowl) and meditate to these harmonious sounds.

Wednesday, August 23 at 1–2pm. Phone 6674 1607, for Kingscliff.

■ TECH SAVY SENIORS ✰Introduction to iPads FREE two-hour workshop for seniors introduces the iPad and its many uses. Bookings essential. Thursday, August 24 at 10am–12pm. Phone 5569 3150 for Tweed Heads. Friday, August 25 at 10am–12pm. Phone 6670 2427 for Murwillumbah. ✰Photos and Attachments IN THIS two-hour workshop for seniors you will learn how to share your photos and files online. Bookings essential. Tuesday, August 29 at 10am–12pm, phone 6670 2427 for Murwillumbah. Friday, September 1 at 10am–12pm, phone 6674 1607 for Kingscliff.

Wednesday, September 6 at 10am–12pm, phone 5569 3150 for Tweed Heads.

■ FAMILY HISTORY ALL welcome to a beginners presentation

by Tweed Gold Coast Family History and Heritage Assoc. Monday, September 4 at 10am.

Phone 6670 2427 for Murwillumbah.

■ MEMOIR WORKSHOP KIM Hodges will speak on her own memoir and then conduct a workshop on the Hows, Dos and Dont’s for Memoir Writing.

Friday, September 15 at 2pm. Phone 6674 1607 for Kingscliff.

■ ENGLISH CONVERSATION GROUP ARE you learning English? The group is aimed at people from non-English speaking backgrounds who wish to improve their English speaking skills. Meeting each Wednesday at 10am, Murwillumbah Library.

Get excited for September!

Next month we catch up with Don Burke as he talks about his passions.

Pick up your free copy of the September edition at your local stockist or read online at seniorsnews.com.au LIVING + MONEY + WELLBEING + TraVEL

6513898ah

We discuss his success pioneering Burke’s Backyard lifestyle show, helping seniors create the world’s easiest vegetable gardens, breeding colourful budgerigars, and his home garden. Plus we find out what happened to all those jumpers he used to wear during his 18 years on air with Burke’s Backyard.

26 Seniors Northern NSW

News

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, August 21, 2017

GRAFFITI FUN: Hugh Webster's tagging work being enjoyed by the local Byron Bay street art network.

PHOTOS: FEROS CARE

Spraying bright and bold into old Tracey Johnstone

WITH a spray can in hand and a blank, brick canvas to work with, Byron Bay’s Feros Silver Foxes have proven it’s okay to make your mark by going bright and bold.

Channelling their inner youth, the group of seven budding artists were given the freedom to make their

mark, or in street language, tag a downtown wall, all in the name of getting creative.

Introducing the Feros Aged Care residents to graffiti during the Popped Festival was the innovation of local street artist Davey Mac. The artists firstly attended a graffiti workshop before hitting

the Byron Bay laneway for some real tagging action.

Stepping out of their comfort zone, the artists were surprised at what they could create with a spray can in hand.

Ninety-six-year-old Jilli Richardson had the time of her life.

“They are all really beautiful colours; beautiful expression.

CREATIVE AGEING: The cheeky Silver Fox artists, Hugh, Doreen and Jilli.

I love the lifestyle. I love to be amongst it because I have been living very quietly.

“The whole experience has been very rich for me.”

Former architect Hugh Webster, 86, took bold to a new level.

“I’m not growing old yet.

I am heading that way, I suppose, but nowhere near,” Hugh said.

With a spray can in each hand and a sparkle in his eyes, he asked the crowd of onlookers, “how bold do you want me to be?”.

Another workshop is just around the corner.

Clothing salvation way to help the environment OUR unwanted clothing items are being reused, reinvented and upcycled

by Salvo Stores as they divert each year close to 30,000 tonnes of items from landfill.

Up to 83% of Australian women have clothes in their cupboards that they have worn only once or twice while about 62% own clothes that haven’t even been worn.

Eco-stylist, TV fashion commentator and

ambassador for Salvos stores, Faye De Lanty, says the lifecycle of a garment in Australia has been reduced almost to a “single wear” with Australians purchasing more than 20kg of new clothing each on average per year.

“When you donate an item to a Salvos store, it’s just the beginning of its repurposed lifecycle, rather than the end,” Ms De Lanty said.

“Your old pair of jeans

RECYCLE REUSE: Salvo stores will be reinventing and upcycling clothing in National Op Shop week.

or lived-in leather biker jacket gets a new start rather than being destined for the bin.

“We restyle them in store, reinvent them with customisation and sometimes they’ll end up in a fashion parade or featured on the tele.

“Over 90% of what the community sends to landfill can be reused and resold, and by saving it from landfill you’re helping the less fortunate, while getting

an eco-chic look for less.”

National Op Shop Week runs from August 27 to September 2.

In NSW, the ACT and Queensland, all stores will offer 50% off everything, excluding new items, on August 28.

To donate your clothes, call the Salvos on 137 258, or deliver them during normal business hours to your nearest Salvos store.

Puzzles

Monday, August 21, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au

A S T O S H R

A G V E E C

C

G C O N H

C A N E G D E S

C S O C T N O

A U T S O E X T

I N D G

21

SUDOKU

22

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

alpHaGRaMS 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.

woRD Go RoUND

O I TODAY

E R

B 464

U G

H N

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

SUDOKU

HOE US ARMPIT JET SITE TWIN RAKE DENTAL AIM

HOUSE, IMPART, JETTIES, KNITWEAR, LAMINATED.

F

Good 17 Very Good 24 Excellent 29+

Solution opposite

3 lEttERS ADO ANT BAA FIN LAW LEA MIR NOT OAR ORE WAS YES 4 lEttERS ANON COIN COPY DEFT EMIR GAME LYRE OSLO OWNS POOR

RAVE READ SCAB SLAY SWAB TERM 5 lEttERS AISLE CARTS DEMUR EMIRS EVENS GHANA GORSE LAIRS LODES NANNY OCCUR SLAIN SLANT SNARL TIGER YAWNS

6 lEttERS ALMOND APOLLO BELLOW GALORE MINING POISON SHIELD TRIBES 7 lEttERS BANANAS CASHIER INSTALL INTEGER NOTHING REDCOAT

QUIZ 1. What is Australian actress Rebel Wilson’s real first name?

2. Which composer had first names Johann Sebastian?

3. The Roman numeral L represents which number?

4. Sheriff Pat Garrett shot and killed which famous figure on July 14, 1881?

5. Which Italian city hosted the 2006 Winter Olympics?

6. How many sides has a trapezium?

7. What does an anemometer measure – atmospheric pressure, wind speed, or altitude?

8. What three main ingredients are added to mayonnaise to make a Waldorf salad?

QUIZ

1 Melanie, 2 Bach, 3 50, 4 Billy the Kid, 5 Turin, 6 Four, 7 Wind speed, 8 Apple, celery, walnuts.

Fit the words into the grid to create a finished crossword

ALPHAGRAMS

woRDFIt

begin begun being bier bighorn bing binge bingo bogie bone bonier bore boring born borne bough bourn brig brine bring brio brogue bruin bung burg burgeon burin burn ebon grub herb NEIGHBOUR robe robin

B M A T S

TRIO

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

WORD GO ROUND

G D L E T

20

A P O L L O

R A B S R I L

19

L O D E S

I E N E E G A P

18

17

S C A B

L E D C T H

16

E F T M I R S I N I N G R B A A T E R M A I S L E N G T E G E R R A V E S L E A L MO N D A I R S Y R E

V A C I K N I

15

D E M C U A R S H I I N E S R T A L L

J O T E O R

I

O O R R S E E L D O C N O A N A N O T N T Y Y C A L OW A I N WN S

A O B E R

I

14

P O I S O N

G U M R A E G

13

G H A N A

N U F U S O

12

S W A B

R O N C E W

11

WORDFIT

O U L E R

I

10

T

D

I S

I

9

I

G E E R

6

8

A S L E E P

E I D E C L

5 7

B B E U R H A A G V E E C D I O U L E R G D L E T J O T E

B B E U R H A

4

I O R

E E D R

3

B U M B A M A E R E G S I I N E D E C I S L R L L E D O C B T H R I T U E I N E S E D R G A G N A U T S O E E X T E R

L O E R T

Down 1. Moor (5) 2. Emerging (7) 3. Effeminate (4) 4. Empathy (6,7) 5. Ludicrous situation (5) 6. Tales (7) 7. Astonish (7) 12. Worked out (7) 13. Nauseous (7) 14. Conceited person (7) 15. Distorts (5) 17. Guide (5) 19. Misplaced (4)

2

C S A O C T O B O R N V A C C I K D I N I G C A N C E G E D E S E R G N C O N F U O H A S T R O C O S H R E W

C E

Across 1. Manacle (8) 7. Separate (5) 8. Gathers (9) 9. Mongrel (3) 10. Coloured (4) 11. Glum (6) 13. Clumsy person (colloq) (13) 15. Dish (6) 16. Sprockets (4) 18. Writing material (3) 20. Exemplify (9) 21. Single (5) 22. Trouble maker (8)

1

TRIO: IMI

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.

QUICK CRoSSwoRD

QUICK CROSSWORD

7/8

Seniors 27

Across: 1. Handcuff 7. Apart 8. Assembles 9. Cur 10. Hued 11. Morose 13. Butterfingers 15. Saucer 16. Cogs 18. Ink 20.

Epitomise 21. Unwed 22. Agitator.

Down: 1. Heath 2. Nascent 3. Camp 4. Fellow feeling 5. Farce 6. Stories 7. Astound 12. Deduced 13. Bilious 14. Egotist 15.

Skews 17. Steer 19. Lost.

JIGGERED

Northern NSW

28 Seniors Northern NSW

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, August 21, 2017

WINNER

WINNER

WINNER