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Kamahl lifts the lid on "disrespectful" Hey Hey, It's Saturday feud

Kamahl has lifted the lid on his many years as a regular co-host on Hey Hey, It's Saturday, calling out the show's "disrespectful" actions. To celebrate his 90th birthday, Kamahl has shared the highs and lows of his career in his newly-released biography, Kamahl: The Triumph of Hope. In the book, the musician and TV presenter criticised the popular Australian variety show for constantly using him as the butt of many jokes, despite his popularity on the program. Hey Hey stopped airing in 1999, but in 2021, Channel 7 showcased a special episode of the show to celebrate its 50 year anniversary. Despite being a regular fixture on the show for many years, Kamahl wasn't invited to participate, even though he said at the time he would've gladly joined in the celebrations if they had asked. Instead of Kamahl appearing in person, they acknowledged his many years on the show with a split-second image amongst a montage of pictures of hundreds of other artists who had appeared on the show during its history. Kamahl wrote in his book that while the snub was ungracious, it was consistent with a lot of the treatment he received on the program over the years, so it wasn't unexpected. Kamahl said, “You know, I have never been capable of being disrespectful, so when on the receiving end of such treatment, it genuinely confuses me. However, the resurrection of the show in the 50th Anniversary special just made me reflect once again on some of the things that had involved me on the show over the years. A number stood out for all the wrong reasons." “It was obvious that they had got me on the show as some kind of comic foil. It was hardly subtle nor clever, but it appealed to a segment of their audience, so they milked it for all it was worth. I thought that by taking such treatment in my stride in good grace may show that I could rise above it all by not overreacting." “I thought that by going along with it, by being a good sport, the audience may understand that we can laugh at ourselves and that we aren’t all that different. I now realise that in doing so I may have been seen to be supportive of such treatment, which is wrong." “When the 50th Anniversary special aired and it was being lauded by all and sundry within the business, I felt compelled to seek an answer as to why my career milestone was treated with such disdain. I wrote an open letter to Daryl Somers so that he could be given an opportunity to publicly explain his actions.” The <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/i-felt-let-down-kamahl-s-open-letter-to-daryl-somers-after-hey-hey-smash-hit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">open letter</a> to Somers, that was published on many news sites in the days after the anniversary special aired, Kamahl stated, “In a week where you are deservedly receiving such plaudits for your career milestone, I am left wondering why when you had the opportunity to acknowledge mine you chose not to.” Kamahl's open letter remained unanswered. Image credits: Getty Images / New Holland Publishers <div class="media image" style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 24px; align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: column; width: 705.202209px; max-width: 100%;"> </div>

Matthew Perry's sister and step-dad break silence

Matthew Perry's younger sister and step-dad have opened up about the actor's death for the first time since his passing one year ago. Keith Morrison married Perry's mum in 1981 and couple soon after welcomed their first daughter and Perry's half-sister, Caitlin Morrison. In an interview with Hello! Canada Keith said that Matthew's death at just 54-years-old was "incredibly shocking". "Anybody who has lost a child will tell you that, even if you are in some way prepared for the possibility, it's shattering." "What we have decided to do is hang on to that determination and try to do something useful," Keith continued. He added that the late Friends star would want to be "remembered for doing something to help people suffering from addiction," something that Perry himself had been battling. Perry's sister, Caitlin, is the Executive Director of the Matthew Perry Foundation of Canada, a separate entity that expands on the work done by the Matthew Perry Foundation in the US. She explained that the work she is doing at the foundation allows her to still feel close to her brother. "The work that I'm doing now is very selfish because it kind of feels like I'm sitting right next to Matthew, working with him every day on something that was important to him," she shared. "I have this treasure of getting to keep him very, very close to my life all the time, which is wonderful." Caitlin works on the foundation alongside both of her parents, and the actor's childhood friend Brian Murray, as well as mental health professional Cara Vaccarino. Image: Instagram <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">Need to talk to someone? Don't go it alone. <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">Lifeline: 13 11 14, <a style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #258440; text-decoration-line: none; background-color: transparent; transition: 0.2s ease-in-out;" href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lifeline.org.au </a> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">Reach Out: <a href="https://au.reachout.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://au.reachout.com/</a> <em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">Beyond Blue: 1300 224 635, <a style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #258440; text-decoration-line: none; background-color: transparent; transition: 0.2s ease-in-out;" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/beyondblue.org.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">beyondblue.org.au </a>

Family & Pets

Tragedy as Aussie dad dies on dream cruise holiday with family

The community has rallied together for the family of an Aussie father-of-two who tragically passed away while on a cruise holiday. Edward Langley was on holiday with his family and they had a stopover at Vanuatu, where the tragedy occured. Mr Langley “unexpectedly fell on the footpath”, according to a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/edward-langley?cdn-cache=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page set up for his family, and they believe he may have died from a heart attack or stroke, although the official cause of death is still not known. The fundraiser, set up by a friend of Mr Langley’s wife, Heidi, has exceeded the campaign goal of $10,000, with $11,075 raised for the grieving family at the time of writing. “Our hearts goes out to Heidi … and the rest of the family,” the fundraiser read. “Our deepest and most sincere condolences to each of you. We can’t even begin to understand what you are all going through now.” "Hopefully we can all make a difference in helping [Heidi] and the family in this unsure and devastating time with the sudden loss of her husband, Edward," the fundraiser states. “There has been a few requests on how friends and family can support and help her, so this is just one way to donate and help in a way that we all know is hard and expensive. “I want to thank you all for the smallest amount and if you can share this page it would be highly appreciated. “I want to thank you on behalf of Heidi and hope that we can come together, to not only celebrate Edwards life but also support this family that needs all of us now more than ever.” Many have expressed their condolences in the comments and sent their prayers to his family. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through, but please know that my thoughts are with you constantly,” one person wrote. “This is absolutely devastating. so sorry to hear — we’ll be praying,” another commented. Images: GoFundMe

Caring

Bogus "rule" sees bus driver block Dad and daughter

A father from Sydney's inner west and his toddler have been denied entry onto a bus after a confrontation with the driver over an alleged "rule" about travelling with children. Graham Cooke and his daughter Katie had been commuting on the 370 bus from their home in Newtown to Katie's childcare every day for a year, until one morning when the pair were confronted with a problem. When trying to board the bus as normal, Graham recalled to <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/dad-refused-entry-on-public-bus-after-driver-enforces-little-known-child-rule-031938462.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo News</a> that the bus driver "aggressively" asked the dad how old his daughter was. When he explained that she was two-and-a-half, the dad claims the driver told him it was against the rules to have a toddler ride the bus without being in a stroller, and refused to let them onboard. "He immediately goes, 'no', puts his hand up, and he's like, 'you need to get off the bus. Children under three need to be in a stroller'." Cooke explained to Yahoo News. "He kept kind of yelling 'you need to get off the bus, I'm not driving the bus with a two-and-a-half-year-old held in your arms'," Graham said, while he tried to explain to the driver that he's done it "every day". Cooke then quickly looked up if such a rule existed on Transport NSW, eventually finding no evidence that young Katie had to be in a stroller to board the bus. When he tried to once again confront the driver to let them on, the driver responded that Cooke was holding everybody on the bus up. "I'm entitled to get the bus with my toddler, I'm just trying to get to work," Cooke said. After the standoff, the dad and his daughter had no choice but to get off the bus and wait for the next one, where they had no issues getting on board. "It was a really unpleasant experience," he said, recalling how his daughter, who ordinarily loves getting the bus, was left "upset" and cuddling into her dad. "She loves saying hello to bus drivers. She tends to, kind of charm everybody around pretty, pretty lovely experience," he said. "It upset me, because I just wanted to get to work and to be rejected on public transport in such a way. So it was a very unpleasant start to the day, and he was very aggressive and dogmatic about his view." After contacting Transport for NSW, the authority apologised for the incident, as a spokesperson said passengers travelling on buses with young children and prams have the choice to seat children in their care on a seat next to them, on their lap or to have them strapped into a pram where there is space on board for it to be parked safely. "All of our accessible buses have specific areas for prams and wheelchairs near the front of the bus, which will allow children to remain in the pram while on board if required," they said. "In that case, the front of the pram must be facing towards the back of the bus and be in firm contact with the panel, or bar behind it. "You'll need to fold your pram or stroller and store it in the luggage rack if there is not enough space on board the bus to safely park the pram, or if the driver asks you to. "In that case, you’ll need to seat the children in your care with you as it is not safe to stand and carry a child while a bus is moving." Responding to the statement, Cooke said, "It looks like it's completely not a rule. Parents should be able to bring their kids to daycare. A lot of daycares don't allow you to bring a stroller and leave it there." While the dad admits that most bus drivers are "lovely", he wants to send a message to other parents that they should know their rights travelling around on public transport. "It's difficult enough getting around in NSW with a toddler," he said. "It makes having a child and exploring the city pretty difficult. If you're in this situation, know your rights and that you can't be kicked off a bus just because you don't have a stroller, if you're happy enough carrying or holding your toddler." Image credits: X (Twitter)

Legal

George Negus' son shares heartbreaking update on his dad's condition

The son of TV legend George Negus has shared a devastating update on his father's health, two years after his Alzheimer's <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/tragic-diagnosis-for-news-and-media-legend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">diagnosis</a> was made public. In a heartbreaking post shared to LinkedIn, Ned Negus revealed that his father is now non-verbal due to his illness, and is living in an aged care facility in Sydney. “I was hesitant to post this on LinkedIn, as it’s pretty personal,” Ned, who is Chief Commercial Officer for the A-League, began in a lengthy post shared on Father’s Day. “But then realised you’re all humans and there’s always a place for sharing human realities with your professional network.” He continued, “For those of you who don’t know, my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s around five years ago. He’s now non verbal most of the time (mind-blowing for me but also any of you that know him).” Along with his touching words, Ned shared a photo of him and his father embracing in a hug as they took a walk along the beach, recalling the heartfelt moment with his dad. “He was clearly not sure why this particular walk was symbolic and sometimes not sure with whom he was walking,” Ned shared, before adding that his dad “smiled broadly and then hugged me for quite some time”. “It was sad, but it was uplifting to know that even when you can no longer say what you feel, you can still DO what you feel. Love you Negsy.” Ned ended his emotional post by all paying tribute to his mother for her endless love and care for his dad. “P.s. My mum took this photo and is by his side most days helping him through, helping him remember (even the slightest thing) and feel. Massive shout out to her too,” he concluded. In 2022, the Negus family revealed George's diagnosis, sharing that he had been living in care home since 2021. “As a family, we are sharing the new path we walk as George faces the realities of his diagnosis of dementia from Alzheimer’s disease,” they wrote in a statement at the time. “We continue to share wonderful family times and are grateful for the care and support we have had from extended family and friends over the past few years who understand our challenges.” Image credits: Getty Images / LinkedIn

Caring

Beloved Hey Hey It's Saturday star passes away

Beloved Australian entertainer Marty Morton has passed away at the age of 82. Morton, who was best known for his role as a children's entertainer in the 1970s on shows such as The Super Flying Fun Show and Hey, Hey It’s Saturday, died on Friday after a lengthy battle with cancer. His sons, Anthony and Terry, confirmed the news on behalf of their family in an emotional statement, writing, “It is with great sadness that my first post in a very long time, is to let you know that my father, Marty (Darrell) Morton passed away on the morning of Friday." “He almost made it to 83. I love him and will miss him big time.” Morton was born in Lancashire in the north of England in 1941 before moving to Australia with his family at a young age. His 50-year career in entertainment began on the stage, before the talent ventriloquist became a regular face on television, where he appeared with puppet Emu on The Super Flying Fun Show alongside Marilyn Mayo. Along with his work in children’s television, Morton also featured in a string of other guest roles including on Spyforce, Division 4, The Young Doctors and All Saints, and maintained a presence on the cabaret and comedy circuit. His contributions to Australian entertainment were recognised by the Australian Entertainment Mo Awards, where he was awarded the Versatile Variety Act of the Year in 1982, 1983 and 1986. A celebration of his life will be held on Monday, with attendees asked to dress “happy and bright with even a touch of cringe if you feel the need”, with Terry saying, “It’s dad, remember.” “Dad had two favourite charities, A.L.V.A inc. (entertainers’ benevolent fund), and the Cancer Council. Dad would have preferred a donation to charity rather than flowers.” Image credits: Facebook

Caring

Jessica Alba surprises dad by buying his childhood home

Jessica Alba has spent the past three years working towards buying her parents a house, but not just any house, she bought her father's childhood home. She took to Instagram to make the announcement, with a teaser video of her special home-renovation project. "Almost three years ago, I started the project of my dreams… I surprised my parents by buying them a house!!" she began. "Now, it wasn't just any house – it was extra sentimental as it was my grandparent's house that my father grew up in," she continued. "After my grandfather passed away, my parents were planning on selling the house in order to pay for my grandmother's medical bills. Well… I pretended like I was going to help them flip it before selling when in reality, I had planned to buy it for them all along." <blockquote class="instagram-media" 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);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_TWEyhPyy_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <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> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </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;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_TWEyhPyy_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jessica Alba (@jessicaalba)</a> </div> </blockquote> She published the first part of her renovation series on YouTube and in it explained the sentimental value of the house and how it was a symbol for her father, who was an immigrant from Mexico, that "he had made it". Her family initially planned to sell it to ease some of their financial burden, as her grandmother required "24/7 care" but Alba wanted to keep the house in the family and so her plan began. "Instead of it giving to a stranger, I wanted to keep this home in our family," she said in the YouTube series. The moment Alba surprised her parents was also captured in the video, with her father brought to tears as he was overcome with emotion. "That's so sweet Jessica. That's a big surprise," he said while embracing his daughter. "I'm very proud of you." Images: Instagram

Money & Banking

Doting dad sells everything he owns to develop cure for son's "incurable" condition

A dedicated father has drained his life savings to help find a cure for his son's "incurable" disorder. Terry Pirovolakis, a 44-year-old IT director, was hellbent on finding a cure for his six-year-old son Michael after he was diagnosed with Spastic paraplegia 50 (SPG50): a degenerative neurological condition that affects less than 100 people worldwide. SPG50 affects children's development, leading to cognitive impairment, muscle weakness, and paralysis over the course several years, often ending in death usually before a patient reaches the age of 30. "They said he'd never walk or talk, and would need support for the rest of his life," he recalled of the 2018 diagnosis. "They told us to just go home and love him - and said he would be paralysed from the waist down by age 10, and quadriplegic by age 20," he continued. Determined to save his son, Terry drained his life savings to start researching potential cures rooted in gene therapy, after reading countless journals on the subject and meeting with experts around the world. Terry said, "We then liquidated our life savings, refinanced our home and paid a team at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to create a proof of concept to start Michael's gene therapy." The father soon signed a contract to start a gene therapy program, consisting of injecting cerebral spinal fluid into the patient's back, and after years of lab work, the treatment started to take, and on December 30th 2021, the government <a id="mol-70453400-6948-11ef-9b54-1d20db350cbd" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/canada/index.html" target="_self"></a>moved it forward. "On March 24, 2022, my son was the first person to ever get treated with gene therapy at SickKids in Toronto," Pirovolakis, a father of three, told Fox News in detailing his medical odyssey. Michael was the first to receive his father's one-time treatment, after Pirovolakis quit his job and started a nonprofit in California to devote himself to the cause. The company, named Elpida Therapeutics, after the Greek word for 'hope', now has five employees and 20 consultants, with Michael now on the mend. Since being treated, the youngster's condition seems to have stabilised, and he is now able to use a device to communicate with his family and caregivers. Another three children who were able to receive the remaining doses from Pirovolakis' first batch, as the drug still costs about $1million to make for each child, are also seeing positive results. "When I heard that no one was going to do anything about it, I had to - I couldn't let them die," Pirovolakis said. "We decided that we had to help other kids." Despite it being approved, big pharmaceutical companies have been slow to manufacture the drug, with several firms rejecting the prospect when proposed, Pirovolakis said "No investor is going to give you money to treat a disease that is not going to make money," he said. "That's the dilemma we're in." Pirovolakis said that when his son was diagnosed, he was told the boy would be paralysed from the waist down by the age of ten and quadriplegic by the age of 20, forcing the father to do everything he can. "We were told he would never speak or walk, and that he will have severe developmental delays. I just couldn't accept that fate for my child," he said. "The technology to cure our children is already here. I hope that someone with immense wealth - and more importantly, the vision and influence - will step in." Image credits: Facebook

Money & Banking

Dad fined $1,200 for 'critical' seatbelt mistake

At the start of last month, Queensland authorities increased driving fines to a record high, with the value of a penalty unit increasing by 4.2 per cent. One Aussie dad found out the hard way this week after he copped a $1,209 fine when he was stopped by police during a traffic operation as part of the state's Road Safety Week and found that his two kids did not have their seatbelts fixed correctly. They found the 5-year-old boy not properly secured in his booster seat, while a 6-year-old boy, who was seated in the right-side back seat, was found to have the middle seat belt wrapped around his neck. The hefty fine also comes with 4 demerit points. Queensland Police have warned their motorists about increased police vigilance on their roads. "Failure to wear a seatbelt is one of the leading causes of road crash deaths. Unrestrained drivers and passengers are eight times more likely to be killed in a road crash," Acting Inspector Kylie Doyle said. "If this driver had been in a crash, it would have likely resulted in significant, possibly life-threatening injuries for these children." Following the state's move to increase the value of a penalty unit, drivers caught using their phone or not wearing a seatbelt properly will now pay a fine of over $1,200. Drivers caught speeding more than 30km/h over the speed limit are also forced to pay over $1,200. Based off the average salary in the state, this means that drivers caught for such infringements would be paying around 65 per cent of their weekly salary on the fine. Authorities across the country have been cracking down on driver misbehaviour in attempt to reduce the number of road fatalities. "It is critical we all play our part to be safer on Queensland roads," Acting Inspector Kylie Doyle warned motorists on Tuesday. Image: Songsook / Shutterstock.com

Travel Trouble

Men have a biological clock too. Here’s what’s more likely when dads are over 50

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karin-hammarberg-113096">Karin Hammarberg</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> We hear a lot about women’s biological clock and how age affects the chance of pregnancy. <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821811#google_vignette">New research shows</a> men’s fertility is also affected by age. When dads are over 50, the risk of pregnancy complications increases. Data from more than 46 million births in the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821811#google_vignette">United States</a> between 2011 and 2022 compared fathers in their 30s with fathers in their 50s. While taking into account the age of the mother and other factors known to affect pregnancy outcomes, the researchers found every ten-year increase in paternal age was linked to more complications. The researchers found that compared to couples where the father was aged 30–39, for couples where the dad was in his 50s, there was a: <ul> <li>16% increased risk of preterm birth</li> <li>14% increased risk of low birth weight</li> <li>13% increase in gestational diabetes.</li> </ul> The older fathers were also twice as likely to have used assisted reproductive technology, including IVF, to conceive than their younger counterparts. <h2>Dads are getting older</h2> In this <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821811#google_vignette">US study</a>, the mean age of all fathers increased from 30.8 years in 2011 to 32.1 years in 2022. In that same period, the proportion of men aged 50 years or older fathering a child increased from 1.1% to 1.3%. We don’t know the proportion of men over 50 years who father children in Australia, but data shows the average age of fathers has increased. In 1975 the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/births-australia/latest-release">median age of Australian dads</a> was 28.6 years. This jumped to 33.7 years in 2022. <h2>How male age affects getting pregnant</h2> As we know from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/celebrities-dads-first-time-over-age-50#when-he-was-54-simon-cowell-and-girlfriend-lauren-silverman-became-parents-to-their-son-eric-7">media reports</a> of celebrity dads, men produce sperm from puberty throughout life and can father children well into old age. However, there is a noticeable decline in <a href="https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(18)30269-3/fulltext">sperm quality</a> from about age 40. Female partners of older men take longer to achieve pregnancy than those with younger partners. A study of the effect of male age on <a href="https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(03)00366-2/fulltext">time to pregnancy</a> showed women with male partners aged 45 or older were almost five times more likely to take more than a year to conceive compared to those with partners aged 25 or under. More than three quarters (76.8%) of men under the age of 25 years impregnated their female partners within six months, compared with just over half (52.9%) of men over the age of 45. Pooled data from ten studies showed that partners of older men are also more likely to experience miscarriage. Compared to couples where the male was aged 25 to 29 years, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32358607/">paternal age over 45 years</a> increased the risk of miscarriage by 43%. <h2>Older men are more likely to need IVF</h2> Outcomes of assisted reproductive technology, such as IVF, are also influenced by the age of the male partner. A <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2022.03.031">review of studies</a> in couples using assisted reproductive technologies found paternal age under 40 years reduced the risk of miscarriage by about 25% compared to couples with men aged over 40. Having a male under 40 years also almost doubled the chance of a live birth per treatment cycle. With a man over 40, 17.6% of treatment rounds resulted in a live birth, compared to 28.4% when the male was under 40. <h2>How does male age affect the health outcomes of children?</h2> As a result of age-related changes in sperm DNA, the children of older fathers have increased risk of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9957550/">a number of conditions</a>. Autism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and leukaemia have been linked to the father’s advanced years. A <a href="https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(22)01979-3/fulltext">review of studies</a> assessing the impact of advanced paternal age reported that children of older fathers have increased rates of psychiatric disease and behavioural impairments. But while the increased risk of adverse health outcomes linked to older paternal age is real, the magnitude of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29471389/">the effect is modest</a>. It’s important to remember that an increase in a very small risk is still a small risk and most children of older fathers are born healthy and develop well. <h2>Improving your health can improve your fertility</h2> In addition to the effects of older age, some chronic conditions that affect fertility and reproductive outcomes become more common as men get older. They include <a href="https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(23)01935-0/fulltext">obesity and diabetes</a> which affect sperm quality by lowering testosterone levels. While we can’t change our age, some lifestyle factors that increase the risk of pregnancy complications and reduce fertility, can be tackled. They include: <ul> <li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4639396/">smoking</a></li> <li>recreational <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/tre.414">drug taking</a></li> <li><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/tre.414">anabolic steroid</a> use</li> <li>heavy <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5504800/">alcohol consumption</a>.</li> </ul> <h2>Get the facts about the male biological clock</h2> Research shows <a href="https://academic.oup.com/humupd/article/23/4/458/3065332?login=false">men want children</a> as much as women do. And most men want at least two children. Yet most men <a href="https://academic.oup.com/humupd/article/23/4/458/3065332?login=false">lack knowledge</a> about the limitations of female and male fertility and overestimate the chance of getting pregnant, with and without assisted reproductive technologies. We need better public education, starting at school, to improve awareness of the impact of male and female age on reproductive outcomes and help people have healthy babies. For men wanting to improve their chance of conceiving, the government-funded sites <a href="https://healthymale.org.au/">Healthy Male</a> and <a href="https://www.yourfertility.org.au/">Your Fertility</a> are a good place to start. These offer evidence-based and accessible information about reproductive health, and <a href="https://www.yourfertility.org.au/fertility-week-2022">tips</a> to improve your reproductive health and give your children the best start in life.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/236892/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karin-hammarberg-113096">Karin Hammarberg</a>, Senior Research Fellow, Global and Women's Health, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/men-have-a-biological-clock-too-heres-whats-more-likely-when-dads-are-over-50-236892">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Who let the wrong dog out? Dad's hilarious doggy daycare blunder

Leigh Terrell entrusted her dad to pick her dog up from daycare. Little did she know that the pup he had with him was not hers, and now the moment she realised her dog had been left behind at the daycare has gone viral. "This is what happens when you let a man pick up your dog from daycare," she captioned the post shared on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@leigh.terrell/photo/7403459903190289695" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a>. She shared a series of text messages between her and her dad, after he sent her a picture of the dog he collected, to which she replied: "Let me see his face haha that doesn't look like him." She then jokingly sent a follow up text saying: "make sure you got the right dog," with no idea that he actually collected the wrong dog. Her dad then sent another photo of the dog, now facing him, and wrote: "His collar [is] on," and that was the moment it clicked for Terrell. "That's not my dog dad. That is not Archie, you need to go back and switch him out," she replied. It appeared that both dad and the daycare had mixed up the two dogs who looked pretty similar. The father then replied with a photo of Archie, to which Terrell replied: "Alright that's my dog thanks." The video has racked up over 4 million views, and many were amused at the dad's blunder. "The way the first dog is looking out the window for his real dad, too," one user wrote. Another joked: "I'm imagining the first dog thinking 'my name is NOT Archie' as your dad tries to get his attention for a pic lmao." "The way your dad didn't reply, I bet he was panicking and thinking he did not just dognap someone's baby," another wrote. "That dog knew he wasn't supposed to be there" another joked. Images: TikTok

Family & Pets

Aussie dad's life-changing $100,000 find

After seven years of hunting for lost items with his metal detector, one Vi dad has struck gold - unearthing a nugget worth about $100,000. Luke Phillips, who shares metal-detecting videos on his YouTube channel Dig It Detecting, recorded the moment found the nugget in the Goldfields region. Phillip initially found tiny flecks of gold in the 150-year-old miner's hole dating back to the Victorian gold rush. It was when he decided to run his detector over a moss-covered log that he heard a faint signal. He rolled the log over and thought he might actually be digging for a horseshoe before repeatedly exclaiming “oh my god” as he realises it was something much bigger. “This is probably the deepest target I’ve ever dug for gold,” Phillips said in the video. “Holy smokes! Mate, we didn’t dig that far for no reason,” he says to his friend, Andrew, as they unearthed the nugget. “Holy smokes, if we didn’t get a gram before we’ve certainly got it now. “Holy f***, look at it!” Phillips then joked his friend would not need his glasses to see the nugget. “I’ve never witnessed or seen or experienced something quite like this,” Phillips said. “I didn’t expect to see gold. That is so cool.” Phillips continued to excavate a larger hole, and couldn't hide how astonished he was. “I never thought I would see this day where I was going to unearth a nugget,” he said. “It’s like an egg ... that’s like a freaking egg.” He took the nugget home where he cleaned it and weighed it at 868.4g. He has reportedly sold the nugget since finding it back in May, and although the sale price was confidential, it was likely to have been sold for a six-figure-price. "It was an exhilarating feeling — I knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime moment. That moment in time will be with me forever," Phillips told 9News. The discovery and sale of the gold nugget has been "life-changing" for Phillips after he had to stop working full time due to health issues a few years ago. He said that the nugget will help out his family in a "big way". "It's not something I'm going to retire on, of course, but it will pay some bills off and we can put a bit on the mortgage, or buy a car," he said. Images: YouTube

Money & Banking

“I tried my best”: Heartbreaking scenes as famous dad consoles Aussie Olympic teen

Chloe Covell, the 14-year-old skateboard sensation, was left in tears midway through the final round of the street skateboarding event in Paris, when she struggled to land her tricks and repeatedly fell. At 14 years and 170 days, the teen was striving to become the youngest Australian to win a gold medal, and was even competing with a splint on her left hand after breaking two of her fingers. The record for the youngest Australian to win a gold medal is still held by Sandra Morgan, who was 14 years old and 183 days when she was was a member of the victorious 4x100m freestyle team at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. The teen made a promising start with her first run, but struggled with her attempts after that. After conceding her third trick, the teen was in tears but pushed on, and despite the cheers from the crowd she struggled to smash her final two attempts as she fell on the concrete. Covell finished on 70.33, and although she was unable to realise her Olympics dream in Paris, the teen is looking on the bright side. “I tried my best and I just couldn’t land much. But it’s all good,” Covell said. “I just wanted to keep trying and not give up. “It was very hard work to get here ... I just have to come back better and stronger for the next time.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" 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);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9-7a1eSFYt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <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> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </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;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9-7a1eSFYt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Skate Australia (@skate.australia)</a> </div> </blockquote> Her father, former NRL player Luke Covell, immediately embraced his daughter on the course and shielded her further by taking over media duties. He said he was proud of her for not giving up, even tough she struggled in the first round where she rallied to qualify fourth. “It’s not always someone’s day,” Luke said. “We knew if you wanted to go for a medal, that you just had to go for it. “She did her best, it wasn’t her day, I’m just glad she backed herself and didn’t take the easy option.” He added that the splint on her hand was “definitely not” a factor. “When you get to the Olympic final, no one remembers who comes fourth,” he said. “All the girls were going for their best tricks.” Japan’s Coco Yoshizawa won the gold medal with a total score of 272.75, beating compatriot Liz Akama’s 265.95. Australians Liv Lovelace and Haylie Powell also missed out on spots in a final where the ages ranged from 14 to 19. Images: Nine/ Instagram / Skate Australia

Family & Pets

"Such dad vibes": Prince William spotted on electric scooter

Prince William has been captured whizzing around the grounds of Windsor Castle on his electric scooter. The now viral <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@a.n.g.e.l.a_xue_/video/7387939184310258986?_r=1&_t=8nlhHj5x223" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video clip</a> showed the royal keeping up with the times and riding the scooter in style - wearing a a blue jumper, black pants, sneakers and sunnies. The text overlay on the video read: "Happy 4th of July from Prince William on a scooter." The royal was filmed whizzing down a pathway at Windsor Castle before turning down an archway and disappearing from sight. Many viewers were amused at the sight of the next King casually zooming past them. "Pulling up to Windsor Castle on a scooter is the funniest thing," one wrote. "Prince William has such dad vibes and I love it," added another. A third commented that the senior royal has been "hip these days... dancing like no one's watching to [Taylor Swift], riding scooters... love that for him." "Didn't know he was chill like that," another commenter remarked. Prince William reportedly bought the two-wheeled ride last year so he could easily travel from his family home in Adelaide Cottage to the castle. "It just makes sense. He whizzes up to the castle when he needs to see the King," a royal source reportedly told The Sun. "It's a two or three-mile round trip from his family home at Adelaide Cottage to Windsor Castle so it is much easier by scooter than car or walking." It is reported that William was dropping by the castle to visit his dad, King Charles, who was there on Thursday, before he headed to Buckingham Palace to hold audiences with outgoing and incoming prime ministers, Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer. Images: TikTok

Travel Trouble

Daryl Somers drops big hint over Hey Hey It's Saturday tour

Daryl Somers, 72, was named Victorian of the Year during a ceremony at Melbourne Town Hall on Monday. During his speech, the TV veteran revealed that he was "serious" about touring highlights from his iconic show, Hey Hey It's Saturday. “I’m seriously considering going out and touring with the archives because we’ve digitised well over 20 years worth of Hey Hey,” Somers revealed. “There are some marvellous backstories to things that happened over that time.” The presenter accepted the honour for his charitable contributions and services to entertainment, after a nearly 30 year career on the show, which ran until 1999. He told the audience that he was a "performer at heart" and missed the excitement of live entertainment. During his speech, he also admitted that even though it was an honour to receive the award, it had come at a difficult time, following the death of close friend and former co-star John Blackman, who served as Hey, Hey’s voiceover artist for the show. Blackman passed away on June 4 after a battle with cancer. “It is an honour, I’m a born-and-bred Victorian,” he said. “You think about the highs and lows in life and this is a high for me at the end of a rather solemn week. “Last week, we laid to rest my dear friend John Blackman. John was a passionate and loyal Victorian as well. “He is not here, but in part I’d like to dedicate this award to him because we had an endearing friendship. I love the guy – we went back over 50 years.” Somers also thanked his team and his wife, Julie for supporting him throughout his career. The TV veteran was also involved with plenty of charities over the years including Lost Dogs Home, Kids Under Cover and Camp Quality. Images: Channel 9

Dad forced to live in tent amid housing crisis

An Aussie dad is the latest to fall victim to the housing crisis, with soaring rent and low vacancy rates forcing him to live in a tent. Peter Woodforde, 58, has been forced to live makeshift gazebo wrapped in tarps that's set up in an Adelaide park, and while his children know that he is doing it tough, they don't know that he is homeless and living in a tent. The father has yet to tell his kids, who live with their mother, that he's unable to find a suitable place to live as he said that they would be distraught if they found out. He admitted his 15-year-old daughter once told him that it "hurt her" to know her dad was struggling to find a comfortable place to live - but she doesn't know the extent of it. Speaking to 7News, Woodforde said it's been difficult not being able to offer his kids a place to sleep. “Every parent wants to give their kids everything they possibly can and wants to give them the best chance of having a good life,” he told the publication. “What I say to them is that this is only temporary, Dad will get back on his feet. “(But) you’re missing out on some golden years ... I help where I can, I might pick them up and drop them off from school, but now they’re too far for me to do that,” he added. "I have to get myself off the street. I have to get my family into a house." Woodforde is sharing his story because he believes that homelessness is in a “state of emergency”, especially with winter approaching. He is also unsure about whether his makeshift tent will collapse when heavier rain hits, and hopes that more could be done to help these people facing desperate circumstances. “We’re coming into the colder months - what’s the bill going to be for all the health problems that are going to arise out of this?" he said. Images: 7News

Money & Banking

Grieving dad fights for "ZaZa's Law" after toddler dies in his arms

A grieving father has called for change after his toddler tragically died from choking on a grape. Brian Bwoga, a 44-year-old dad from Perth was at the beach with his two sons, Alessandro, four, and Zaire (ZaZa) 22 months, at the beginning of the year on what seemed like a normal family day out. But what was meant to be an idyllic summer’s day soon turned into any parent’s worst nightmare. “The weather was amazing, the boys were playing and it was just the perfect summer’s day,” Brian, who parents his boys with their mother Claudia, 39, told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/perth-toddler-dies-five-minutes-after-being-eating-popular-snack/news-story/0bfb598fe70bb5b47259cdc3b80c60cd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>. “I was gathering up our things ready to go home. My older son Alex came up to me and asked if he could play for just five more minutes. I was carrying ZaZa, and I told them both to go and play together with their friends while I finish packing the car." “The next minute ZaZa is just running to me, holding his neck and gasping for air." “I jumped into action and did CPR, I put my fingers inside his throat and got one grape out. I was so relieved, I thought thank god I got it out. But I didn’t know there were four more grapes inside his throat.” The toddler continued to choke on the grapes, and Brian says his eyes started “popping out”. The terrified dad began performing abdominal thrusts to try and dislodge the grapes but to no avail. “I told one of the mothers to call the ambulance. I was terrified,” he recalled. “My older son was scared and asked me why there was blood coming from ZaZa’s mouth. I told him to go with another parent because I didn’t want him to see this. I was holding ZaZa and he was looking at me. I gave him CPR again and I tried so hard to save him." “He gave me this look and died in my arms.” “I left home with a beach bag and left with a body bag. It happened so quick. Within a few minutes he was gone. My son Alex is traumatised. He misses his brother so much and I don’t know how to fix it.” Grapes are a notorious choking hazard for children under the age of 5, as it is often recommended to always cut up grapes when feeding them to young kids. Sadly, Zaza consumed the grapes whole, and although the mistake cost his son his life, he doesn't place the blame on anyone. Instead, he wants to educate the public about the importance of cutting up grapes and is now fighting for <a href="https://www.change.org/p/zaza-s-law?source_location=petitions_browse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">change</a> as he hopes to introduce ‘ZaZa’s Law’ to parliament. This new law would ensure there are choking hazard labels on all grape packets and other food items that could be dangerous for small children. “I would hate for this to happen to anyone else. But I hear so many stories about kids dying from choking,” he said. “Ideally, I would like a warning label on all grapes and small foods to warn people to cut them up. Even a big sign at the supermarket for parents." “Not everyone knows this, but every parent needs to be aware of the dangers of food. I want ZaZa’s Law to come into parliament to get labels on everything." “We buy toys and they come with warning labels for things like batteries or other choking hazards. Why can’t we do the same for food?” The dad also hopes that a new anti-choking device, called LifeVac, might be more widely introduced in Australia and placed in public spaces. “Everywhere you go, shopping centres or beaches, there is a defibrillator on the wall,” he explained. “That is great, but we also need those anti-choking devices. It sucks everything up like a plunger and has saved so many lives." “If we had that at the beach that day, ZaZa might still be here.” Image credits: Courtesy of Brian Bwoga

Caring

Sad reason why Sydney dad went overboard

A father-of-three who <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/cruising/sad-end-in-search-for-overboard-cruise-passenger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fell overboard</a> a P&O cruise ship last week has been identified, and his brother claimed that he had racked up a $4,000 casino debt onboard after being lured to spend big by the company's incentives. Shane Dixon, 50, died after falling overboard the cruise ship two hours before was due to dock in Sydney Harbour at 6am on Monday, May 6. Shane was reportedly on the three-day Elvis-themed cruise to Queensland's Moreton Island with his mother Sue Dixon, 66, who had saved up for the trip. "Our mother is devastated. Broken," Shane's brother Scott Dixon told <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13410955/Dad-three-plunges-death-luxury-cruise-liner-running-eye-watering-debt-ships-casino-tables-insider-reveals-high-rollers-lured-gamble-Australias-shores.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a>. “She has already buried one son and now she has to bury another one,” he said. Scott said that his brother was going through a rough time, as he struggled financially due to a series of tragedies including the breakdown of his marriage, and the deaths of their brother and father. Shane had spent $5000 at the cruise’s casino on the Friday, and Scott claimed that his brother received free drinks, a $750 play voucher and a ticket for a future cruise. In Australia, strict laws govern how gaming providers can advertise gambling, with promotions like the above, which may encourage someone to spend more than they intend banned. However, cruise ships that operate casinos in international waters can bypass these laws, reported the Daily Mail. After borrowing money from his family to repay the debt, Shane ended up spending another $4000 the following night, according to Scott. "His brain was probably going 100 miles an hour. He probably thought, ‘s***, I’ve done it again. I can’t afford it and I can’t ask mum for more money," Scott said. He added that P&O staff have been amazing and compassionate towards his mother. A P&O Australia spokesperson said they won’t be commenting on the claims due to the coroner’s investigation that is underway. Images: ABC News/ news.com.au

Travel Trouble

Dad kicked off Jetstar flight for breaking cardinal rule

A dad has been kicked off a Jetstar flight after snapping a picture of his family boarding the plane from the tarmac. Jimmy Mitchell was with his wife Pauline and their two children as they went to board their flight from Sydney to Brisbane, where they were embarking on a cruise. As the family were boarding the plane from the tarmac, Jimmy quickly took a picture of his kids and his wife who were walking up the rear stairs of the plane. According to Jimmy, who is a seasoned traveller, he didn't hear an announcement be made that passengers were prohibited from taking photos on the tarmac because the plane was refuelling. He was eventually able to board the flight after being confronted by cabin crew, but described the debacle as “one of the most traumatic experiences” he’s had. In a viral TikTok, he alleged that while he was taking the photo, a cabin crew member called him an “idiot”. He said that when she tried to get his attention to put the device away it left him embarrassed and shocked. “This is the worst experience I’ve ever had flying,” he said in the clip. “I try and get on the plane, I take a photo of my kids as they get on the plane, in flight mode, and the lady calls me an idiot,” he said. After he confronted the staff member, Mr Mitchell claims he was told he won’t be allowed to board the flight. “I turned around in disbelief because I was half way up the stairs at this point. I basically stormed over to her and I was like, ‘Are you serious? What did you just call me?’ “She was basically saying ‘you can’t take photos on the tarmac, you can’t take photos on the tarmac’.” The pair allegedly went back and forth before the father-of-two, known for his travel content, was rejected from boarding the plane. “If she had literally just said anything else, like ‘get off your phone’, I would have done it.” “Apparently, they made an announcement, but I had noise cancelling headphones, Pauline (wife) told me after the fact – I didn’t hear it, there was no notifications about it, there was no signage, no nothing." “All she had to do was say something constructive. ‘Get off your phone,’ ‘you can’t have your phone out’ and I would have been like ‘sorry’, but she screams across the tarmac calling me an idiot.” “I can see how she maybe felt I was being intimidating because I am a big guy and I am a loud guy. She turns around to me and goes ‘you almost assaulted me, get off the tarmac, you’re not getting on this plane’.” Mr Mitchell then walked back inside the terminal where he awaited further instructions, and was later able to board the flight “after cooler heads prevailed” but wants the airline to apologise to him and his family over the “stressful” situation. “The way they treated Pauline and the kids and not allowing me to communicate with them what was going on, was completely unacceptable,” he said. The debacle has sparked a huge debate on his TikTok and Instagram over who is in the wrong. “Wow … that’s insane! So sorry that happened to you!” one person wrote. “Take it further and don’t let them get away with what they have done,” a second person said. However, others were quick to comment that as a seasoned traveller, Jimmy should've been well versed in the rules of not taking photos on the tarmac. Image credits: TikTok

Travel Trouble

How to look after your mental health while packing up Mum or Dad’s home

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/erika-penney-1416241">Erika Penney</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alice-norton-1516505">Alice Norton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/avalon-tissue-1515840">Avalon Tissue</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> So Mum or Dad has died, or moved to aged care, and now you’ve got to pack up their house. It’s a huge job and you’re dreading it. It’s normal to feel grief, loss, guilt, exhaustion or even resentment at being left with this job. So how can you look after your mental health while tackling the task? <h2>It’s OK to feel a lot of feelings</h2> Research has documented how this task can exert an intense <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15267431.2021.1943399">physical and emotional toll</a>. This can be more intense for those who had strained – or even <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/0030222819868107">traumatic</a> – relationships with the person whose house they’re packing up. Decisions around distributing or discarding items can, in some families, bring up painful reminders of the past or end up <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1074840711428451">replaying strained dynamics</a>. Family members who were carers for the deceased may feel exhaustion, overwhelm, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/hec.1512?sid=vendor%3Adatabase">burnout</a> or a sense of injustice they must now continue to be responsible for their loved one’s affairs. Grief can be compounded by the practical challenges of deciding how to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-2963(94)00054-I">store or discard belongings</a>, <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/30000385">arrange the funeral</a>, execute the will, deal with the aged care place or, in some cases, navigate legal disputes. But packing up the house may also be cathartic or helpful. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15267431.2021.1943399">Research</a> has shown how the task of cleaning out a loved one’s belongings can provide an opportunity for family and friends to talk, share memories, and make sense of what has just happened. It’s also normal to grieve before someone dies. What psychologists call “<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29206700/">anticipatory</a> grief” can happen to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1615888/">relatives packing up the house</a> of a parent who has moved to aged care or palliative care. <h2>What to do with all this stuff?</h2> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-2963(94)00054-I">Some</a> treat their loved one’s items with sanctity, holding onto as many of their belongings as possible and creating “shrines” in their honour. Others alleviate the weight of grief by clearing out a loved one’s house as soon as possible, giving away, selling or discarding as much as they can. But if you experience a mix of these – enthusiastically getting rid of some stuff, while desperately wanting to hold onto other things – that’s OK too. One <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10253866.2017.1367677">study</a> identified a process punctuated by four key periods: <ol> <li> numbness and overwhelm at the task of packing the house </li> <li> yearning to maintain a link to the loved through their belongings </li> <li> working through grief, anger and guilt regarding the loved one and the task of managing their belongings, and </li> <li> healing and making sense of the relationship with the deceased and their belongings. </li> </ol> However, it is important to note everyone’s approach is different and there is no “right” way to do the clean out, or “right” way to feel. <h2>Caring for your mental health during the clean out</h2> To care for your mental health during these difficult times, you might try to: <ul> <li> make space for your feelings, whether it’s sadness, loss, resentment, anger, relief or all the above. There is no right or wrong way to feel. <a href="https://guilfordjournals.com/doi/abs/10.1521/jscp.2011.30.2.163">Accepting</a> your emotions is healthier than suppressing them </li> <li> share the load. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1365-2648.1999.01220.x">Research</a> has shown practical support from close friends and family can help a lot with grief. Accept help with packing, planning, dealing with removalists, selling or donating items and cleaning. Don’t be afraid to reduce your mental load by delegating tasks to friends, who are likely wondering how they can help </li> <li> take a systematic approach. Break tasks into their smallest component. For example, aim to clean out a drawer instead of an entire bedroom. This can help the mental and physical task feel more manageable </li> <li> reflect on what’s meaningful to you. Some belongings will have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-2963(94)00054-I">meaning</a>, while others will not. What was valuable to the deceased may not be valuable to you. Things they probably saw as pretty worthless (a handwritten shopping list, an old sewing kit) may be very meaningful to you. Ask yourself whether retaining a small number of meaningful possessions would allow you to maintain a connection with your loved one, or if clearing out the space and discarding the items is what you need </li> <li> share your story. When you feel ready, share your “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15267431.2021.1943399">cleaning out the closet</a>” story with trusted friends and family. Storytelling allows the deceased to live on in memory. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1365-2648.1999.01220.x">Research</a> also suggests we cope better with bereavement when friends and relatives make time to hear our feelings </li> <li> remember that professional help is available. Just as a solicitor can help with legal disputes, a mental health professional can help you process your feelings. </li> </ul> The home of your loved one is not merely a place where they lived, but a space filled with meaning and stories. Packing up the house of a loved one can be incredibly daunting and challenging, but it can also be an important part of your grieving process. If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/223956/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/erika-penney-1416241">Erika Penney</a>, Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alice-norton-1516505">Alice Norton</a>, Lecturer in Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/avalon-tissue-1515840">Avalon Tissue</a>, Associate Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-look-after-your-mental-health-while-packing-up-mum-or-dads-home-223956">original article</a>.

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How to look after your mental health while packing up Mum or Dad’s home

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