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"No remorse": Ivan Milat dies aged 74

<p>Ivan Milat, Australia’s most notorious serial killer has died while serving seven life sentences for the murders of seven backpackers at 74-years-old. </p> <p>Milat was diagnosed with terminal oesophagus and stomach cancer in May and was transferred for advanced pain relief treatment to Sydney’s Prince of Wales Hospital on October 11. </p> <p>The terminally ill Milat had been under heavy guard surveillance in the intensive care unit but was returned to jail when it became clear that death was imminent. </p> <p>New South Wales Minister for Counter Terrorism and Corrections Anthony Roberts told<span> </span><a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/"><em>The Daily Telegraph</em></a><span> </span>Milat had shown no remorse for his crimes and deserved no mercy on his deathbed. </p> <p>Mr Roberts added he could “rot in hell”. </p> <p>“He was sentenced to die in jail and he was going to die in jail,” Mr Roberts said.</p> <p>“I wasn’t going to have him take up a public hospital bed. Both the commissioner and I were of that opinion.</p> <p>“We had him removed from a hospital and sent back to Long Bay Jail. He can rot in hell.</p> <p>“He showed no remorse. We ensured the sentence was carried out.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz9lLXzAq7u/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz9lLXzAq7u/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by True Crime Talk (@truecrimetalk)</a> on Jul 15, 2019 at 8:15pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Milat has been in prison since being arrested in 1994 for the murders of seven backpackers whose remains  were found in Belanglo State Forest. </p> <p>He was convicted in 1996 and given seven consecutive life sentences. </p> <p>Detectives have always feared his murder tally is much higher, with up to six more victims whose bodies have never been found.</p> <p>Despite pleas from police and families of his suspected victims, Milat died with his secrets. </p> <p>A spokesperson told<span> </span><a href="https://www.news.com.au/">news.com.au</a><span> </span>the serial killer was “found dead in his cell” just after 4am.</p> <p>Milat’s victims were all hitchhikers travelling along the Hume highway, near Liverpool in Western Sydney.</p> <p>His victims included Deborah Everist and James Gibson, both 19, from Victoria, Simone Schmidl, 21, from Germany, Anja Habschied, 20, and Gabor Neugebauer, 21, a couple from Germany, and Caroline Clarke, 21, and Joanne Walters, 22, from Britain.</p> <p>Two of the victims were found shot multiple times in the head, as if though they were being used for target practice. </p> <p>Another victim had been decapitated while three others had stab wounds that would have caused paralysis. </p> <p>His other two victims had their spinal cords completely severed. </p> <p>All but one of his seven victims had been subjected to “sexual interference, either before or after death”. </p> <p>Ivan Robert Marko Milat was born on December 27, 1944 in Guildford, Western Sydney, to a Croatian father, Steven, and an Australian mother, Margaret.</p> <p>He was the fifth of 14 children, brought up in a violent and financially struggling home.</p> <p>By the time Milat reached 17-years-old, he had been sent to juvenile detention for six months on burglary charges, beginning adulthood in and out of prison for a number of theft offences. </p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4Gs-x0Fc8p/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4Gs-x0Fc8p/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Tyler Dunstan (@dunstan.tyler)</a> on Oct 26, 2019 at 7:22pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>In 1971, he was accused of abducting two 18-year-old female hitchhikers. </p> <p>He threatened them at knifepoint and raping one of them before they both escaped. </p> <p>He was acquitted of his charges in1974, after his lawyer, John Marsden, accused the two women of being lesbians. </p> <p>In 1990, Milat picked up a British hitchhiker by the name of Paul Onions, then aged 24, in Casula, near Liverpool, after introducing himself as "Bill".</p> <p>Mr Onions managed to escape after Milat pulled a gun on him and he was rescued by a passing car and taken to a police station.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BV7mhxbl9hq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BV7mhxbl9hq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by The Generation Why Podcast (@generationwhypodcast)</a> on Jun 29, 2017 at 10:07am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Onions' account was remarkably not followed up by police at the time.</p> <p>After an international appeal for information following the horrifying discovery of the bodies in theBelanglo State Forest, Mr Onions once again contacted police and was flown back to Sydney in 1994, where he identified a photo of Milat — by then of interest to police due to other tip-offs — as "Bill".</p> <p>A few weeks after Mr Onions' identification, police raided Milat's home to find multiple incriminating possessions.</p> <p>This included clothing, camping equipment and other items belonging to the dead backpackers, and various weapons and ammunition.</p> <p>Milat was found guilty in July of 1996 of the murders of the seven backpackers and of the abduction of Mr Onions.</p> <p>While it is believed Milat has a much longer list of victims, he kept his secrets closely to his chest and maintained his innocence. </p> <p>His death means some of NSW’s unsolved murders remain a mystery.</p>

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Still got it at 74! Diane Keaton’s style secrets you need to know

<p>When the name Diane Keaton comes to mind you immediately envision a quirky persona and movies such as <em>Father of the Bride</em>, <em>The First Wives Club</em> and <em>Something’s Gotta Give</em>.</p> <p>But the 74-year-old isn’t just known for her acting prowess, as she brought menswear suits into the forefront of women’s fashion in the late ‘70s after starring in Woody Allen’s 1977 comedy, <em>Annie Hall</em>.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Btd2QMtlFfE/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Btd2QMtlFfE/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Diane Keaton (@diane_keaton)</a> on Feb 4, 2019 at 8:21am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Now, over 40 years later, the star is yet to slow down as she always makes sure to put her best foot forward when it comes to her outfits. Sharing to her 805,000 Instagram followers, Keaton showcases her love of suits, monochromatic colours and unique accessories proving that age really is just a number.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see some of her most trendy outfits.</p> <p>Are you a fan of Diane Keaton’s style? Let us know in the comments below.</p>

Beauty & Style

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74-year-old woman loses thousands of dollars in scam

<p><span>A 74-year-old woman has fallen victim to a scam that specifically targets seniors.</span></p> <p><span>Irma Orozco received a call from someone who claimed to be her adult grandson Jack. Irma was excited by the call as she knows her family is busy and doesn’t like to bother them by calling.</span></p> <p><span>"I got the phone and the person said, 'Hello.' And I said, 'Hello, hello?" And he said, 'This is Jack.' And I said, 'Hi Jack,'" Irma said.</span></p> <p><span>The person impersonating her grandson claimed he had been in an accident and needed financial help. A second man who pretended to be Jack’s attorney, told Irma that they needed $7,000.</span></p> <p><span>Irma deposited the money into the scammer’s Bank of America account as she wanted to help her grandson. She deposited a further $6,500 into the account when they said they needed more.</span></p> <p><span>When Irma got through to her real grandson and asked about the money, he had no idea what she was referring to.</span></p> <p><span>Unfortunately, Irma lost $13,500 to the “Grandparent Scam” which sees criminals prey on seniors by targeting their emotions.</span></p> <p><span>AARP has advised those who receive a call from a relative asking for money to calmly say you have to check with another family member and hang up. Then consult family members to see if it is real.</span></p> <p><span>If the person on the phone says, “Don’t tell Mum and Dad”, it is a red flag that the call could be a scam.</span></p> <p><span>"Just be careful," Irma advised in her<em> 3 On Your Side</em><a href="http://www.azfamily.com/story/35966167/grandma-scammed-out-of-13k-in-grandparent-scam" target="_blank"></a> interview. "They trick you so bad. They traumatise you. They traumatise you so bad that you lose your sense. I lose my sense."</span></p>

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74-year-old bodybuilder

<p>74-year-old Janice Lorraine is a bodybuilder is who breaking age stereotypes.</p> <p>Janice has recently competed at the 2017 iCompete Natural (ICN) bodybuilding NSW titles in the 50-plus and 70-plus categories.</p> <p>When Janice retired at 55 she started taking her gym workouts seriously and searching for a new focus instead of work.</p> <p>"I go to the gym three days a week. I walk eight kilometres, I do push-ups, 30 push-ups on my knees, 30 on my toes, back-leg raises, abdominals, facial exercises. So that takes all morning. I get up at 5am," she told the ABC.</p> <p>The former psychologist has been competing nationally and internationally since 1998.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="280" height="419" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/38025/janice.jpg" alt="Janice"/></p> <p>Janice is preparing for the World Amateur Natural Titles in Thailand later in June.</p> <p>Although Janice is usually in rooms filled with tanned and youthful bodies, she doesn’t let it phase her.</p> <p>"Rather than being 74 and feeling awful and embarrassed, I feel good. Head up, strong, I strut along the street," Janice said.</p> <p>"I'm probably the oldest female by far who is competing at the moment.”</p> <p>ICN NSW President Rab Mehajer says bodybuilding is a longevity sport.</p> <p>"There's more 40-plus and 50-plus ladies. It basically says to them, keep training, keep staying healthy, enjoy what you are doing, and then come and show it off."</p> <p>Janice doesn’t have plans to slow down anytime soon and hopes she can inspire other people in their 60s and 70s that they can be healthy.</p> <p>“As far as I am concerned, the only person to make a cut off is the good Lord.”</p> <p>"While I'm here I'll do everything I can to stay strong and as competitive as I can be for my age."</p>

Body

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74-year-old lends car to stranger stranded on way to a funeral

<p>A mourner stranded en-route to a funeral has been the recipient of one of the most selfless acts of kindness we’ve ever seen, taking to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/todd.collins.73/posts/1567743323239777?pnref=story" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Facebook</span></strong></a> to share the story of how he made an unlikely friend in a very unlikely situation.</p> <p>Todd Steinkamp from Iowa in the US was travelling to a funeral in a different state when he was forced to pull over at an auto service garage after his car began making unsettling noises. That’s when he met 74-year-old mechanic Glenn Geib.</p> <p>“He noticed that I was all dressed up and asked where I was off to,” Steinkamp wrote. “I told him I was from Iowa on my way to a funeral. He paused and said pull it around back.’”</p> <p>Upon inspecting the car, Geib came to the conclusion that Steinkamp would be unable to drive the remaining distance in time for the funeral.</p> <p>“I must have looked pretty stressed out at this time because Glenn then reached into his pocket, pulled out the keys to his own vehicle and said ‘Take my truck. Fill it up with gas, don't turn on the emergency lights and get going.’”</p> <p>The unlikely hero had no qualms about offering up his old truck for someone so in need. “He looked burned out like he was tired yet,” Geib told <a href="http://wbay.com/2017/02/22/mechanic-in-wild-rose-lends-his-keys-so-stranded-driver-can-make-funeral/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">WBAY</span></strong></a>. “It looked like he had a rough night, you know had things on his mind, worried about getting there, that’s about it, looked like he needed some help.”</p> <p>Thanks to Geib’s beautiful act of generosity, Steinkamp made it to the funeral in time. “I literally went from just not knowing what to do, stressed out to this is fantastic so it completely lifted my spirits.”</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2017/02/duchess-cambridge-visits-action-for-children-project-wales/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Duchess makes little girl’s dream of meeting a princess come true</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2017/02/waitress-drags-goanna-from-restaurant/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Waitress drags huge goanna from Aussie restaurant</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2017/02/fascinated-orangutan-tries-to-taste-bubbles/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Fascinated orangutan tries to taste bubbles</strong></em></span></a></p>

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Oz founder Richard Neville dies aged 74

<p>Richard Neville, the co-founder of the controversial counterculture magazine Oz, has passed away aged 74.</p> <p>The Australian author and commentator died on Sunday at his home in northern NSW, with his wife Julie Clarke Neville and daughters Lucy and Angelica by his side.</p> <p>"Our wonderful Richard has gone on to his next adventure," his wife posted on Facebook.</p> <p><img width="413" height="276" src="http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/7813748-3x2-340x227.jpg" alt="Richard Neville and his wife Julie Clarke pose for a photo." style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Rising to prominence in the 1960s, Neville was one of the decade’s leading members of the counterculture movement. He co-founded Oz in 1963, a controversial publication at the time that covered topics including abortion, censorship, and homosexuality.</p> <p>He, along with fellow co-founders Martin Sharp and Richard Walsh, were charged twice with printing an obscene publication. They were convicted and sentences, but after a big public outcry, they were acquitted.</p> <p>The last edition of Oz was published in 1973.</p> <p>RIP Richard Neville. Our thoughts are with his family. </p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/entertainment/books/2016/08/7-lesser-known-books-by-famous-authors/"><em>7 lesser-known brilliant books by famous authors</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/entertainment/books/2016/07/12-hilariously-honest-alternate-titles-for-books/"><em>12 hilariously honest alternate titles for books</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/entertainment/books/2016/07/6-of-the-best-books-about-war/"><em>6 of the best books about war</em></a></strong></span></p>

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Meet the 74-year-old coach behind South Africa’s golden boy

<p>The world was stunned when 24-year-old Wayde van Niekerk smashed Michael Johnson’s iconic world record in the 400 metres from lane eight. If that’s not impressive enough, wait ‘till you meet his coach.</p> <p>Van Niekerk credits his 74-year-old coach, Anna Botha, with pushing him into gold medal-worthy form. “She's really kept me very disciplined on the goal and where I need to be,” he told <a href="http://www.foxsports.com.au/olympics/great-grandmother-ans-botha-is-the-mentor-to-south-african-sensation-wayde-van-niekerk/news-story/8c164a1e7a94e59ab83bf120b31ba268" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Fox Sports</span></strong></a> after his record-breaking win. “I'm really grateful I can go on the track and say my coach has pushed me to reach every level and believe anything is possible.”</p> <p>Botha, whom van Niekerk calls “an amazing woman”, began her career in Namibia, training daughter Herma before moving to South Africa in the ‘80s. Now, the great-grandmother of four has earned her highest accomplishment yet – coaching an Olympic gold medallist.</p> <p>Proudly cheering her star runner from the stands, Botha says van Niekerk’s success is down to determination and respect between the pair. “We can laugh, but when we have to work hard, we work hard.”</p> <p>What an inspirational woman! Tell us in the comments below, what’s been your favourite moment from the Rio Olympics so far?</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/08/grandpa-declines-seat-on-rio-train/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Grandpa declines seat on Rio train in the most impressive way</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/08/ryan-lochte-robbed-at-gunpoint/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>US swimmer Ryan Lochte robbed at gunpoint in Rio</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/08/rio-olympic-pools-turn-deep-shade-of-green/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>What on earth is going on with the pools at Rio?</strong></em></span></a></p>

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After years of deafness, 74-year-old Shirley Ackehurst celebrates 30th hearing anniversary

<p>Shirley Ackehurst is 74. A mother and grandmother who loves working in her garden. She's also a medical pioneer whose story is one of perseverance, loss, heartbreak and triumph that she relays with such poignancy, humour and courage it is impossible not to be moved and inspired by her.</p> <p>Thirty years ago, on 15 April 1986, Shirley (then 44) became South Australia’s first Cochlear implant recipient. She was very much a pioneer, at a time when Professor Graeme Clark’s invention was still a bit of a mystery.</p> <p>But her story began three decades earlier, in 1956, when she contracted mumps at the age of 11. Shirley didn't know it immediately, but her world had changed forever. "I didn't realise I had lost my hearing at first," she recalls. "When I went back to school, everyone seemed to be mumbling and I couldn't understand them. I thought something had happened to everyone else. Not for one minute did I think something had happened to me."</p> <p>It was the adaptability of childhood that allowed her deafness to remain undetected for several years. "Although I didn't realise it, I started to lip read straight away and really no-one noticed that I couldn't hear very well," Shirley says. "I still passed my tests and kept up with my school work."</p> <p>As a country kid from Corop West in Victoria, Shirley attended a boarding school for two years. It was when she returned home that her parents began to notice that she didn't answer them if she wasn't looking at them. "They decided to take me to a hearing specialist and I believe we were all shocked when he told us I was very deaf and I had only been coping by lip reading," she recalls.</p> <p>Then came the blow. For as long as Shirley could remember she had wanted to be a nurse. "I was due to have a medical exam after I won a Nursing Bursary. When the doctor tested my hearing, of course he found out how deaf I was and my treasured bursary was cancelled. I was shattered."</p> <p>Shirley was now very shy, self-conscious and began to feel isolated, lonely and miserable. "Social outings were fraught because I couldn't lip read in poor light in the evening," she says. "I started to hide my deafness and pretended I could hear, which led to all kinds of misunderstandings and even more embarrassment."</p> <p>Shirley received her first hearing aid at 15. "It was large and heavy, like a metal cigarette box," she recalls. "I wouldn't wear it, partly because it didn't help at all and partly because I felt too ashamed to wear it. After I was married I tried out a more modern aid and it still did not help me to hear much better. I eventually gave up on it as my hearing gradually got worse."</p> <p>Then came the 1980s and Shirley read about Professor Graeme Clark's early work with Cochlear Implants. "I was unable to hear my daughters' and husband's voices by now, so this information about the implant gave me hope." So when a cochlear implant clinic opened at Flinders Medical Centre in 1985, Shirley couldn't wait to get a referral to implant surgeon. "I saw Dr Beaumont in late 1985 and received my implant April 15, 1986."</p> <p>That first sound processor was a heavy metal container, a little larger than a packet of cigarettes that Shirley wore on a belt. A far cry from the small, light, unobtrusive Cochlear implants she wears behind her ear today. But it gave her the gift of sound.</p> <p>"It wasn't until I arrived home and I heard my footsteps on our polished wooden floors and that I felt very excited," she recalls. "The sound anchored me back into the hearing world. My hearing came in slowly and I remember on the third morning after switch-on I was buttering the toast for breakfast and I could hear the crackling sound that makes. Small everyday sounds filled me with so much excitement. The environmental sounds were the ones I loved most in those early days, rain on the roof, the birdcalls, the click of my little dog's toenails on the polished wooden floor."</p> <p>As South Australia's first Cochlear implant recipient, Shirley was asked to do a lot of public speaking about her experience. "I would run a mile from this before my implant," she says. "In fact, I'd never made a speech in my life before. I wrote a book, Broken Silence and I went on an author's tour of Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney with numerous radio, newspaper and TV interviews including the Ray Martin Show. I volunteered for committees and helped to start up a support group, the Cochlear Implant Club and Advisory Association, South Australia. With my friend Rhonda Smith (another implant recipient), we spoke to people before their implants, visited them in hospital and supported them in the early weeks after their implant. I also helped to raise funds for Better Hearing Australia.”</p> <p>Shirley says her life would have been very different during the past 30 years if she did not have her Cochlear Implant. "I would have been isolated and lonely," she says. "I would have avoided social situations. I would have existed in my own silent world."</p> <p><img width="500" height="250" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/23917/shirley-and-grandson-02_500x250.jpg" alt="Shirley And Grandson 02"/></p> <p>She says the greatest gift her implant has given her is the ease of communication with family and friends as well as the sounds of nature. "One of my greatest joys is to have my breakfast outside every morning and listen to the birds," Shirley says. “It has given me the joy of hearing the birds, rain on the roof, wind in the trees and music. It has given me confidence and self-worth. It has anchored me back in the real world. It has made my life warm and happy.”</p> <p>But for Shirley the most beautiful sounds of all are those of her grandchildren's voices. "My youngest grandson, Harrison, who is three years old, inspects my processor every time I see him and tests it out by saying different words in my ear. He is quite fascinated with it."</p> <p><em>For more information on cochlear implants, visit the hearing experts <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.cochlear.com/wps/wcm/connect/au/home" target="_blank">Cochlear</a>.</span></strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/health/hearing/2016/05/quotes-about-hearing-for-first-time/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Quotes about hearing for first time</span></strong></em></a></p> <p><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="/health/hearing/2016/05/man-proposes-to-girlfriend-with-cochlear-implants/">Man proposes to girlfriend with cochlear implants</a></span></em></strong></p> <p><a href="/health/hearing/2016/05/take-the-first-steps-towards-better-hearing/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Take the first steps towards better hearing</strong></em></span></a></p>

Hearing

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74-year-old woman found alive frozen to ground in wake of snow storm

<p>An elderly woman was found frozen to the ground after two days in a snow storm in Tennessee.</p><p>74-year-old Patricia Madden was found lying on a rural road outside of Nashville late last week when Keith Sheldon spotted her. Mr Sheldon, an amateur photographer had ventured out to take photos of the damage done by the ice storm when he discovered Ms Madden’s abandoned car in a ditch.</p><p>“She was frozen to the ground,” said Sheldon. He said that Ms Madden’s brown coat blended in with the dirt of the ground as she lay on her side in the foetal position with her hands tucked into her sweater.</p><p>When paramedics arrived to help, Mr Sheldon heard ice crack as they lifted her off the ground.</p><p>Ms Madden was treated for hypothermia and released into the care of her family, who said that a brain injury may have caused her to become disorientated.</p><p><em>Image credit: Keith Sheldon</em></p><p><strong>Related links:</strong></p><p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/02/police-after-elsa/" target="_blank">US police issue a warning for Frozen’s Queen Elsa</a></strong></span></em></p><p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/02/cyclone-brought-town-together/" target="_blank">How Cyclone Lam brought this tiny town together</a></strong></span></em></p><p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/02/dachshund-helps-save-st-bernard-friend/" target="_blank">This dachshund is a hero to his St Bernard best friend</a></strong></span></em></p>

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The 74 year-old on a mission to make technology easy for ALL seniors

<p><img width="220" height="258" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2121/sheila-finkelstein-2275191-220.jpeg" alt="Sheila -Finkelstein -2275191-220 (1)" style="float: left;">“Do you feel frustrated when looking at your computer or smart phone, not knowing where to start? Do you find the choices overwhelming?” asks <span>Sheila&nbsp;</span>Finkelstein on her website, Technology for Seniors Made Easy.</p><p>If you answered yes, you are not alone. It is a feeling that all too many over-60s can relate too. For many who didn’t grow up in the digital age learning to use new technology is not easy. <span>Sheila&nbsp;</span>likens it to “learning a new language”. When you throw in society’s expectation to keep up to date with every new technological advance (and there seems to be something every other week) it is enough to make you want to throw your hands up in the air or throw your computer to the wall!</p><p>This is precisely the reason why <span>Sheila</span>, a 74 year-old grandmother based in the United States, decided to launch her site. She saw too many people her age ill at ease with technology and believed it was a great shame.</p><p>“I want seniors to experience the fun and joy of being and staying connected with their loved ones – family members and friends throughout the world,” she says, continuing, “And so they can access information whenever they need – health, nutrition, scholarly, fun and more.”</p><p>It also came from a personal realisation of the powerful beauty of technology to preserve precious memories. &nbsp;</p><p>“Though I’m blessed to have love letters from my beloved, late-husband Sam, from the first week that we met (engaged in six weeks, married three months after that), I miss not having anything with the sound of his voice,” she reveals. “And I had all the knowledge to do it. Simply never thought about it.”</p><p>With a site of easy-to-follow instructions teaching you all the basics and necessities of using social media and technology, as well as the most important lesson how to have fun while using technology, <span>Sheila&nbsp;</span>believes as a tech-savvy senior she almost has a duty to spread the lesson around.</p><p>“I am grateful to be one of those people who is intrigued by the technology that’s simple enough to be figured out (after a while) and then use it to have more fun in life,” smiles <span>Sheila</span>, further adding, “I’m always looking for the ‘easy’ way [to learn technology] myself so I know just what fearful seniors need to feel comfortable.”</p><p><span>Sheila</span>is dedicated to teaching as many seniors as possible through her site. “My biggest tip, aside from deep breathing, is to find local classes or someone to work with online,” she advises.</p><p>It is how <span>Sheila&nbsp;</span>herself came to be the “tech-savvy senior” she is today.</p><p>“I was encouraged by a friend to get a Mac computer and I finally, reluctantly, took the step, probably about 14 years ago,” says <span>Sheila</span>. “I was quite fearful for a long time, always afraid I was going to “break” something or “crash” and lose important information.”</p><p>But before long <span>Sheila&nbsp;</span>was creating websites for her many endeavours including selling her artwork, writing her own books and creating a DVD.</p><p>“I started taking a lot of online courses, thriving in the community of people in the classes. And as I got new ideas, I set up new sites,” explains <span>Sheila</span>.</p><p>She not only wants her story to be an inspiration to any over-60s out there who are feeling overwhelmed by technology but to guide and help you through the journey.</p><p>After interviewing dozens of seniors, <span>Sheila&nbsp;</span>found that over-60s were predominantly using iPads or tablets. “Because of the simplicity and being able to be more directed, I am planning to move my focus onto seniors and tablets. Ultimately I will do more on my latest site ‘Seniors Using Tablets’,” says <span>Sheila</span>.</p><p>Defying all clichés of the older generation, <span>Sheila&nbsp;</span>Finkelstein proves that any “senior” can be tech-savvy. In fact, with some help and guidance <span>Sheila&nbsp;</span>believes anyone can overcome their doubts and enjoy using social media and technology</p><p>To find some handy hits about technology, visit <span>Sheila's&nbsp;</span>site technologyforseniorsmadeeasy.com</p>

Technology

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The 74 year-old on a mission to make technology easy for ALL seniors

<p><img width="220" height="258" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2121/sheila-finkelstein-2275191-220.jpeg" alt="Sheila -Finkelstein -2275191-220 (1)" style="float: left;">“Do you feel frustrated when looking at your computer or smart phone, not knowing where to start? Do you find the choices overwhelming?” asks <span>Sheila&nbsp;</span>Finkelstein on her website, Technology for Seniors Made Easy.</p><p>If you answered yes, you are not alone. It is a feeling that all too many over-60s can relate too. For many who didn’t grow up in the digital age learning to use new technology is not easy. <span>Sheila&nbsp;</span>likens it to “learning a new language”. When you throw in society’s expectation to keep up to date with every new technological advance (and there seems to be something every other week) it is enough to make you want to throw your hands up in the air or throw your computer to the wall!</p><p>This is precisely the reason why <span>Sheila</span>, a 74 year-old grandmother based in the United States, decided to launch her site. She saw too many people her age ill at ease with technology and believed it was a great shame.</p><p>“I want seniors to experience the fun and joy of being and staying connected with their loved ones – family members and friends throughout the world,” she says, continuing, “And so they can access information whenever they need – health, nutrition, scholarly, fun and more.”</p><p>It also came from a personal realisation of the powerful beauty of technology to preserve precious memories. &nbsp;</p><p>“Though I’m blessed to have love letters from my beloved, late-husband Sam, from the first week that we met (engaged in six weeks, married three months after that), I miss not having anything with the sound of his voice,” she reveals. “And I had all the knowledge to do it. Simply never thought about it.”</p><p>With a site of easy-to-follow instructions teaching you all the basics and necessities of using social media and technology, as well as the most important lesson how to have fun while using technology, <span>Sheila&nbsp;</span>believes as a tech-savvy senior she almost has a duty to spread the lesson around.</p><p>“I am grateful to be one of those people who is intrigued by the technology that’s simple enough to be figured out (after a while) and then use it to have more fun in life,” smiles <span>Sheila</span>, further adding, “I’m always looking for the ‘easy’ way [to learn technology] myself so I know just what fearful seniors need to feel comfortable.”</p><p><span>Sheila</span>is dedicated to teaching as many seniors as possible through her site. “My biggest tip, aside from deep breathing, is to find local classes or someone to work with online,” she advises.</p><p>It is how <span>Sheila&nbsp;</span>herself came to be the “tech-savvy senior” she is today.</p><p>“I was encouraged by a friend to get a Mac computer and I finally, reluctantly, took the step, probably about 14 years ago,” says <span>Sheila</span>. “I was quite fearful for a long time, always afraid I was going to “break” something or “crash” and lose important information.”</p><p>But before long <span>Sheila&nbsp;</span>was creating websites for her many endeavours including selling her artwork, writing her own books and creating a DVD.</p><p>“I started taking a lot of online courses, thriving in the community of people in the classes. And as I got new ideas, I set up new sites,” explains <span>Sheila</span>.</p><p>She not only wants her story to be an inspiration to any over-60s out there who are feeling overwhelmed by technology but to guide and help you through the journey.</p><p>After interviewing dozens of seniors, <span>Sheila&nbsp;</span>found that over-60s were predominantly using iPads or tablets. “Because of the simplicity and being able to be more directed, I am planning to move my focus onto seniors and tablets. Ultimately I will do more on my latest site ‘Seniors Using Tablets’,” says <span>Sheila</span>.</p><p>Defying all clichés of the older generation, <span>Sheila&nbsp;</span>Finkelstein proves that any “senior” can be tech-savvy. In fact, with some help and guidance <span>Sheila&nbsp;</span>believes anyone can overcome their doubts and enjoy using social media and technology</p><p>To find some handy hits about technology, visit <span>Sheila's&nbsp;</span>site technologyforseniorsmadeeasy.com</p>

Technology

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