Every Saturday, Sophie brought her dad a meal, and after lunch they’d stroll to his beloved pond to watch the ducks. When asked about his health, he’d always announce with gusto that he was “fit and rearing to go”. Sophie believed him — until one Saturday everything felt suddenly different. He couldn’t (or wouldn’t) leave his favourite armchair. He refused […]
More older Australians are exploring retirement beyond our shores—drawn by rising housing costs, warmer climates, and the potential to stretch a pension or superannuation further. Popular destinations include Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines), Southern Europe (Portugal, Spain), and nearby New Zealand. The dream vs the reality Many fall in love with the idea of living abroad—relaxed pace, sunshine, and […]
Picture this: a cat at the chessboard, tail twitching, claws half-out, playing a sly game where every move is about outsmarting the next opponent. That’s what toxic gossip feels like in a retirement or strata community—more strategy than truth, more claws than kindness. You’ve downsized from the family home, helped your kids into theirs, and enjoyed a send-off with […]
Being a carer for someone you love can be relentless. Exhausting. Sometimes thankless. It can feel like you’re running a marathon without water stops—except the marathon never ends, and someone keeps moving the finish line. Those of us who’ve “been there, done that” often look back and wonder: how on earth did I keep going? We were permanently tired, putting […]
Many older travellers dream of finally seeing the world—no school runs, no work deadlines, no feeding teenagers at 10 pm. Just the thrill of hopping on a plane and landing somewhere fabulous (be it Fremantle or Florence). But let’s be honest: once you’ve got a few more birthdays under your belt, flying takes a little more planning than just buying […]
I confess when I bought my first strata property, I had no idea what a body corporate—now called an owners corporation— was. I didn’t read the minutes. I didn’t care who was on the committee. I was travelling for work, the lawns were mowed, the pool sparkled, and no one parked in my spot. Life was good. I figured paying […]
There’s no delicate way to put it—your poo matters. Whether it’s too hard, too soft, or just right, your daily (or whenever-it-suits-you) deposit can reveal a surprising amount about your overall health. How often you go, what it looks like, the colour, texture, smell, consistency—even whether it floats—can offer early clues about more than just your gut. It can reflect […]
Many of us have at least some direct debits on our bank accounts. Some might have passed their due by date. You might be no longer using the service. Perhaps you forgot to cancel the direct debit. You might be paying for the same service with different companies at different rates. There are many stories where a relative with a […]
Recently, Australian Football League fans lost a legend: Robert Walls. Diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer, Walls used the Victorian Government’s Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017 to take control of his destiny and end his suffering. It was a brave and deeply personal decision. Voluntary assisted dying (VAD) offers a legal option for people with a […]
It sent a chill down our spines: a grandmother from Western Australia ended up in a Tokyo jail after being caught smuggling drugs. She was the victim of a romance scam, groomed by a calculating criminal who saw this trusting woman not as a future bride, but as a convenient mule and meal ticket. He love-bombed her into carrying two […]
