Search

Placeholder Content Image

Readers response: What have you had to cut out of your life to cope with cost of living pressures?

<p>As the cost of living continues to rise, many people have had to cut things out of their day to day spending to cope with the financial struggles. </p> <p>We asked our readers what they have had to cut out of their budgets to cope with cost of living pressures, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. </p> <p><strong>Wendy Oliver</strong> - We don’t eat out often at all… I spend too much in the supermarket.</p> <p><strong>Christine Brooks</strong> - I've cut out steak, good nutritional foods, TV streaming, entertainment, haircuts, new clothes, pets, pool cleaning, and more.</p> <p><strong>Kerrie Dare</strong> - I limit steak meals. I've stopped my haircuts to every 4 months. Internet is getting chopped. I can only afford exercise classes twice a week. I don't eat as much fruit as I used too. I only buy groceries when on special. One bottle of wine per fortnight. One slice of sourdough in the morning, which means the loaf lasts a week. I turn on my washing machine around every 10 days &amp; I have quick showers. No eating out or take away. Maybe one cup of coffee per week with a friend. Movies once every 6 weeks as a social group. No concerts or clubs. I drive only locally, so a tank of petrol lasts 1 month. No weekends away.</p> <p><strong>Jane Dawes</strong> - No coffees, beauty treatments, hairdresser, eating out, takeouts etc. The trouble is not affording to spend on certain items has a flow on effect for businesses. Everyone is suffering. </p> <p><strong>Lois E. Fisk</strong> - Going out to eat or see movies in the cinema or live plays or new clothes. I shop at the least expensive grocery stores as much as possible, and good cuts of meat rarely happen.</p> <p><strong>Janice Stenning</strong> - Don't go to the hairdressers as often and don't buy as many clothes. </p> <p><strong>Debra Dugar </strong>- Thinking about dropping my extras cover of my insurance. By the time I pay for it, I can't afford the gap you have to pay.</p> <p><strong>Robyn Lee </strong>- Living in my own house. I now live with my family. </p> <p><strong>Rhondda Hughes</strong> - Well, petrol is expensive so I have to really think if I can afford to visit anyone. I can’t eat meat much and even vegetables can be expensive. We have three chickens so they give us eggs but good quality eggs and healthy chickens require money too. Fortunately I live in Perth so, in comparison to other states, it isn’t as cold however the cost of heating is a significant consideration and therefore I just tend to go to bed.</p> <div style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Felicity Jill Murphy</strong> - Stopped going out to shopping centres. That's where I spend money unnecessarily.</div> <div style="font-family: inherit;"><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></div> <div style="font-family: inherit;"> </div> <div class="x6s0dn4 x3nfvp2" style="font-family: inherit; align-items: center; display: inline-flex; min-width: 584px;"> <ul class="html-ul xe8uvvx xdj266r x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x1n0m28w x78zum5 x1wfe3co xat24cr xsgj6o6 x1o1nzlu xyqdw3p" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px -8px 0px 4px; padding: 3px 0px 0px; display: flex; min-height: 15px; line-height: 12px; caret-color: #1c1e21; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, '.SFNSText-Regular', sans-serif; font-size: 12.000001px;" aria-hidden="false"> <li class="html-li xdj266r xat24cr xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x1rg5ohu x1emribx x1i64zmx" style="display: inline-block; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 8px;"> </li> </ul> </div> <p> </p>

Money & Banking

Placeholder Content Image

Thousands of eligible Aussies to receive cost-of-living payments

<p>Around 210,000  eligible South Australian households will receive a cost-of-living payment this week, including pensioners, Centrelink recipients and low-income earners. </p> <p>A Cost of Living Concession of $255.60 will be paid to all eligible households, with the annual payments made to eligible tenants and self-funded retirees doubled to match the amount given to homeowners.</p> <p>The payment is part of the state government's $266.2 million cost-of-living relief package announced in this year's state budget.</p> <p>This included the one-off additional payment of $243.90 to households who received last year's cost-of-living payment in June. </p> <p>South Australia's Premier Peter Malinsauskas said the government had delivered the “single largest cost-of-living assistance package in South Australia’s history”.</p> <p>“We know people are doing it tough and cost-of-living pressures are continuing to have an impact on many South Australians,” he said.</p> <p>“In the past two months, our government will have issued more than $100 million in targeted cost-of-living relief to South Australian households.”</p> <p>Pensioners and other card holders including, the Pensioner Concession Card, Veteran Gold Card, Low Income Health Care Card and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, as well as low-income households and those receiving Centrelink payments including JobSeeker, the Parenting Payment and Youth Allowance, are eligible to receive the  SA Cost Of Living Concession.</p> <p>Those who want to receive the concession for that financial year will need to apply <a href="https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/care-and-support/concessions/household-concessions/cost-of-living-concessions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online</a> by December 31 and only one person per household can receive the payment and it will be based on your circumstances on July 1. </p> <p>Those who have previously received the payment and whose circumstances haven't changed don't need to reapply. </p> <p>The payments started rolling out this month, with Human Services Minister Nat Cook saying that all payments should come through by early next week. </p> <p>“This includes everyone who received a payment last year and who is still eligible, as well as new applications which have been processed up to now,” Cook said.</p> <p>"Anyone who thinks they might be eligible for cost-of-living support should head to the sa.gov.au website to have a look at the eligibility criteria."</p> <p>Other states have also provided cost-of-living support, with eligible seniors in Western Australia able to receive a Cost of Living Rebate of $107.12 for singles and $160.68 for couples.</p> <p>While in the ACT, apprentices and tradies in the state can get a one-off $250 Cost Of Living payment if they are employed by an ACT employer.</p> <p>NSW has a few cost-of-living initiatives including up to $350 energy rebates for eligible households, and up to  $4,220 early childhood fee relief for 3 to 5-year-olds attending eligible community and mobile preschools.</p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Money & Banking

Placeholder Content Image

Hollywood legend dies at age 94

<p><em>The Notebook</em> star Gena Rowlands has passed await the age of 94 after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's. </p> <p>Her death was confirmed today by representatives for her son, filmmaker Nick Cassavetes, who told <em>TMZ</em> that Rowlands died on Wednesday afternoon at her home in Indian Wells, California, surrounded by family including her husband Robert and daughter Alexandra Cassavetes.</p> <p>While no official cause of death has been announced, Rowlands had been suffering from Alzheimer's for five years. </p> <p>In June, director of <em>The Notebook</em> and Rowland's son Nick Cassavetes was discussing the film's 20th anniversary when he shared <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/hollywood-star-s-heartbreaking-health-update" target="_blank" rel="noopener">details</a> of his mother's diagnosis and how it was reminiscent of her character in the movie. </p> <p>“I got my mum to play older Allie, and we spent a lot of time talking about Alzheimer’s and wanting to be authentic with it, and now, for the last five years, she’s had Alzheimer’s,” Cassavetes told <a href="https://ew.com/the-notebook-star-gena-rowlands-has-alzheimers-8668642">E<em>ntertainment Weekly</em></a> of Rowlands’ character, who also had dementia.</p> <p>“She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us.”</p> <p>Gena’s mother, fellow actress Lady Rowlands, had also suffered from the same disease.</p> <p>While <em>The Notebook</em> was Rowlands’ most notable 21st century role, the acting veteran broke into the industry in the 1950s and earned two Academy Award nominations and multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Award wins throughout her career.</p> <p>She was known for her frequent collaborations with actor-director husband John Cassavetes in ten films, including 1974’s <em>A Woman Under the Influence</em> and 1980s <em>Gloria</em>.</p> <p><em>Image credits: New Line Cinema/Demmie Todd/Warner Bros/Spring Creek/Kobal/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p> <div class="more-coverage-v2" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: #e0e1e2; float: right; margin-left: 16px; max-width: 40%; padding: 16px 0px;"> </div>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Yomojo savings: A lifeline in the cost-of-living crisis

<p>In the wake of Telstra announcing yet another increase in mobile rates, Yomojo stands out with its much more affordable options – and, having never raised their prices for existing customers, that makes them an excellent choice for anyone looking for a quality mobile service without the hefty price tag.</p> <p>So if you’re looking for a mobile phone plan that grows with your family and offers fantastic savings, <a href="https://yomojo.com.au/family/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yomojo’s Family Bundles</a> offer the perfect solution. With these bundles, the more lines you add, the more you save! For example, adding two lines saves you 5%, while adding six lines saves you an impressive 15%.</p> <p>These discounted multi-line plans help reduce monthly expenses, ensuring that everyone in the family, including seniors, can stay connected without breaking the bank. By choosing Yomojo, families can manage their mobile costs more effectively, making a significant difference in their financial well-being during these challenging times.</p> <p>Yomojo also understands that every family is unique. That’s why they offer a range of Unlimited Plans that can be mixed and matched to suit each member’s needs and your budget. Whether you need 8GB or 100GB of data, Yomojo has you covered with plans starting as low as $19.90.</p> <p>Managing your family’s mobile services has never been easier. Yomojo provides a simple, secure, and easy-to-manage family dashboard where you can oversee all plan details through a single interface. Plus, with no lock-in contracts, you can freely customise your plans every month to adapt to your changing needs.</p> <p>Yomojo also offers proactive plan management to help you avoid bill shock, convenient plan renewals every 30 days, and easy top-ups to boost your mobile credit or data allocation as needed. Their exceptional customer service and reliable coverage make Yomojo a top choice for families across Australia.</p> <p>You can also “spread the love” for further savings with Yomojo’s simple and rewarding <a href="https://yomojo.com.au/mgm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Referral Program</a>. Simply invite friends and family to join Yomojo, and both of you will receive a $20 credit when they activate their new SIM card. This is a win-win situation where you can refer as many people as you like, and watch your credits roll in! It’s a fantastic way to share Yomojo’s great service while enjoying additional savings on your own plan. </p> <p>But don’t just take our word for it – Yomojo customers have been raving about the great value, flexible plans and outstanding customer service. “By far the best value mobile plans out there,” wrote Stevo on ProductReview.com.au. “My wife and I both have accounts with them. Spoke to customer service and had my query dealt with quickly and effectively. Would recommend this company.”</p> <p>“I am a long-term Telstra customer who has never changed networks until now,” wrote Kerryn on Facebook Reviews. “The ever-rising charges I was receiving from Telstra promoted my change. My changeover experience has been very smooth. There was a lot of communication from Yomojo, both via sms and email, updating me with the progress of my sim card, activation and porting from Telstra.”</p> <p>“Definitely best value for money plan out there,” wrote Cam on Google Reviews. “Optus coverage has been very reliable as well. Excellent customer service and fast number porting.”</p> <p>So why not join the Yomojo family today and experience the freedom, flexibility and savings that come with their Family Bundles! For more information, visit <a href="https://yomojo.com.au/family/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yomojo Family Bundles</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Yomojo.</em></p>

Money & Banking

Placeholder Content Image

Distraught wife of cricket legend reveals cause of death

<p>The grieving wife of late cricket legend Graham Thorpe has spoken out after her husband's untimely <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/tragic-news-cricket-legend-dies-at-just-55" target="_blank" rel="noopener">death</a>, revealing that he tragically took his own life. </p> <p>After an illustrious cricket career in the UK, Thorpe died on August 5th at just 55 years old, leaving behind his wife and four children. </p> <p>Thorpe had previously been hospitalised in May 2022 following a suicide attempt, but made a full recovery. </p> <p>His wife Amanda has spoken out about her husband's mental illness, sharing how he had been suffering for many years. </p> <p>“Despite having a wife and two daughters whom he loved and who loved him, he did not get better,” Amanda told <em>The Times</em>.</p> <p>“He was so unwell in recent times and he really did believe that we would be better off without him.”</p> <p>She added: “We are devastated that he acted on that and took his own life.”</p> <p>Amanda said Graham had suffered from major depression and anxiety “for a couple of years”, explaining, “Despite glimpses of hope and of the old Graham, he continued to suffer from depression and anxiety, which at times got very severe."</p> <p>“We supported him as a family and he tried many, many treatments but unfortunately none of them really seemed to work."</p> <p>“Graham was renowned as someone who was very mentally strong on the field and he was in good physical health. But mental illness is a real disease and can affect anyone.”</p> <p>Following his sudden death, the England and Wales Cricket Board released a statement that said, “It is with great sadness that we share the news that Graham Thorpe, MBE, has passed away."</p> <p>“There seem to be no appropriate words to describe the deep shock we feel at Graham’s death."</p> <p>“More than one of England’s finest-ever batters, he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans all over the world."</p> <p><em><strong>Need to talk to someone? Don't go it alone. Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">lifeline.org.au</a></strong></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Colorsport/Shutterstock Editorial</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Anthony Albanese under fire over "cringe" cost of living joke

<p>Anthony Albanese has come under fire for a tone deaf joke about the ongoing cost of living crisis. </p> <p>The Prime Minister took to his Instagram page to share a parody photo of the So Fresh compilation CDs,  with the cover instead saying “so helpful, cost of living relief — Winter 2024”.</p> <p>In place of top songs, the album cover references government initiatives including “cheaper medicine”, “tax cuts for every Australian taxpayer”, “$300 off power bills” and “$3 billion of student debt wiped”.</p> <p>“New album just dropped,” Mr Albanese captioned the post.</p> <p>While the references on the cover are in relation to the cost of living relief measures introduced in the 2024 federal budget, many were quick to slam to the post as "insensitive" as everyday Aussies continue to struggle. </p> <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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-XB4myzqSV/?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/C-XB4myzqSV/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Anthony Albanese (@albomp)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“This just isn’t it bro. You’re making light of a very situation currently happening in our country. Whatever intern posted this, be better,” one person commented.</p> <p>“The cost of living isn’t a joke! You created it and live off our taxes,” another wrote.</p> <p>“People are losing their homes because of you and what’s your response,” another commented.</p> <p>Another person described the cost of living relief measures as "literal crumbs while the rich get richer."</p> <p>Others took aim at the prime minister's social media team, with many wondering how the post ever got approved.</p> <p>The post comes after the Albanese government came under fire for some of the cost of living relief measures, including the $300 energy rebates. </p> <p>A number of economists have been highly critical of the rebates, arguing they threatened to exacerbate already persistent inflationary pressures as households that can cover their electricity expenses themselves will simply spend the money elsewhere, adding to demand.</p> <p><em>Image credits: LUKAS COCH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Money & Banking

Placeholder Content Image

Last Australian 'Rat of Tobruk' dies age 102

<p>Thomas Pritchard, Australia's last "Rat of Tobruk" has passed away at the age of 102. </p> <p>Pritchard was part of the famous garrison who held the eponymous Libyan port against a furious Nazi siege in World War II.</p> <p>The Rats of Tobruk Association announced Pritchard's death on Saturday, honouring his service to his country.</p> <p>"Tommy was a stalwart member of our association and a most humble veteran, having served with the 2/5th field ambulance throughout the Middle East and the South West Pacific," the association wrote in a post.</p> <p>"We as an Association are extremely grateful to have had Tommy for so long yet we mourn his loss and the last direct linkage with some 14,000 Australian servicemen who served in Tobruk."</p> <p>The post added that Pritchard would be farewelled in a private family funeral, as was Tommy's wishes. </p> <p>However, they added that a public memorial for all Rats of Tobruk will take place in Melbourne, with the date yet to be confirmed. </p> <p>The Rats of Tobruk were an Allied garrison of about 26,000 soldiers, including 14,000 Australians, commanded by Australian Lieutenant-General Leslie Morehead.</p> <p>They were besieged by the Nazi Afrika Korps, comprised of German and Italian troops, from April 10th to November 27th 1941.</p> <p>The Africa Korps, under the leadership of Nazi general Erwin Rommel, had never known defeat, until he faced the Rats for 231 days, who denied Rommel a port on the Libyan coast as the Nazis were unable to take control of Tobruk. </p> <p>The nickname came from American-born Nazi propagandist William Joyce, who, when he heard the Allied soldiers were taking cover in the pre-existing below-ground defences of the city, derided them as living like "rats".</p> <p>However, Aussies took the nickname with pride as they celebrated their victory. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Rats of Tobruk Association</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Six-year-old denied passport over trademarked name

<p>A mother from the UK has been left "absolutely devastated" after her six-year-old daughter's passport application was denied because she is named after a famous character in the fantasy series Game of Thrones. </p> <p>Lucy, a 39-year-old mum from South West England, told the <em><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4ng1xd06xwo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a></em> that things went downhill when she started planning their “dream” trip to Disneyland Paris as a family and needed to get her daughter a passport. </p> <p>She said that the initial application to get her daughter, Khaleesi, 6, was unable to be processed, with officials telling her she needed approval from Warner Brothers because they own the name’s trademark.</p> <p>“I was absolutely devastated, we were so looking forward to our first holiday together,” Lucy said.</p> <p>“I had a letter come through from the Passport Office, saying her name is trademarked by Warner Brothers,” she said. </p> <p>“It was the first I’ve heard of such a thing — I was astonished.”</p> <p>After receiving legal advice, the mum learned her daughter was legally allowed to use that name, and forwarded that information along to the Passport Office.</p> <p>“I didn’t understand and felt frustrated. If she could get a birth certificate, would something not have been flagged up then?” she said.</p> <p>“I never thought you could trademark a name,” she added.</p> <p>The Passport Office reportedly later called Lucy to apologise for the error and said they would continue with the process of little Khaleesi's passport. </p> <p>Lucy said she believes the problem was only solved because she complained on social media.</p> <p>“If I hadn’t posted this on social media, nothing would have been done. I would have been stuck, not knowing what to do,” she said, adding that others had reached out saying they’d experienced something similar.</p> <p>Lucy now said she is waiting until her daughter’s passport arrives before booking a new trip to Disneyland Paris.</p> <p>“I am hoping the passport will be issued soon and was promised that they would call back in a few days to see if it had progressed,” she told the <em>BBC</em>.</p> <p>She also hopes her story may help others stuck in a similar situation, saying,  “I think there might be other people in this situation, that they may have had their passports declined recently because of something like this. Hopefully, they now know it can be resolved."</p> <p><em>Image credits: HBO / BBC / Family Handout</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Sinéad O'Connor's cause of death finally revealed

<p>One year after the tragic <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/sin-ad-o-connor-passes-away-at-just-56" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passing of iconic singer Sinead O'Connor</a> at just 56 years of age, the cause of her death has finally been officially revealed. According to the Irish Independent, O'Connor succumbed to complications from obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.</p> <p>The Grammy Award-winning artist, known for her powerful voice and poignant lyrics, died from an "exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchial asthma, together with a low-grade lower respiratory tract infection", as stated on her death certificate. This information was made public after the certificate was registered by her former husband, John Reynolds, in London on July 24.</p> <p>Julian Morris, the senior coroner for Inner South London, certified the cause of death following a thorough post-mortem examination. The news has brought a sombre clarity to the tragic loss of O'Connor, whose music touched the hearts of many worldwide.</p> <p>Sinead O'Connor, born in Dublin, was celebrated for her distinctive voice and fearless approach to music and social issues. Her legacy continues to inspire fans and musicians alike. </p> <p>O'Connor also courageously shared her battle with mental illness, revealing that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In 2017, she posted a poignant video on Facebook while staying in a New Jersey motel, expressing that she was holding on for the sake of others and admitting her own struggles.</p> <p>In 2022, she faced immense heartache when her teenage son, Shane, died by suicide. O'Connor's emotional response on Twitter at the time – that there was "no point living without him" – led to her hospitalisation.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Clint Eastwood's partner's cause of death revealed

<p>The cause of death of Clint Eastwood's partner has been revealed, just days after the actor addressed her tragic passing. </p> <p>Christina Sandera, Eastwood's partner of 10 years, died suddenly on July 18th at just 61 years of age. </p> <p>Now, a representative from the Monterey County Health Department confirmed to <em><a href="https://nypost.com/2024/07/23/entertainment/clint-eastwoods-partner-christina-sanderas-cause-of-death-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Post</a></em> that Sandera died of a heart attack. </p> <p>The death certificate listed her immediate cause as cardiac arrhythmia, which is an abnormality in the timing or pattern of the heartbeat.</p> <p>Atherosclerotic coronary artery disease was also outlined as an additional condition that led to Sandera’s death.</p> <p>Eastwood addressed the passing of his partner after the <em>Hollywood Reporter</em> confirmed her death, with the actor writing, “Christina was a lovely, caring woman, and I will miss her very much.”</p> <p>The pair met when Sandera worked as a hostess at a hotel and restaurant owned by the actor in California, before they started dating in 2014. </p> <p>The couple largely kept their romance out of the public eye with Sandera only attended a handful of events with the Hollywood icon during their 10-year relationship.</p> <p>The couple, who never married, walked their last red carpet together in November 2019 at AFI Fest in Hollywood. </p> <p>One of Eastwood's children from a previous marriage Morgan, 27, paid tribute to her father’s longtime love on Sunday by sharing a photo of herself, her father and Eastwood and her wedding, writing, “A devastating loss for our whole family. Thank you Christina for being a good partner to my Dad ❤️ you will be greatly missed.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: John McCoy/UPI/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Why Greg Lynn could walk free from prison

<p>Greg Lynn has applied to be freed from jail until his sentencing hearing over the murder of Carol Clay. </p> <p>The former Jetstar pilot, who was found guilty of murdering the 73-year-old while she was camping with her secret partner Russell Hill in March 2020, is appealing the guilty verdict which the jury came to after a weeks-long trial in June. </p> <p>The 57-year old appeared in the Supreme Court of Victoria on Friday where Justice Michael Croucher heard the convicted killer had been the victim of prison attacks during his six-week trial. </p> <p>The court heard Lynn's barrister Dermot Dann KC is in the process of compiling submissions calling on Justice Croucher to hold of on sentencing his client until an appeal over his conviction can be heard by the Court of Appeal. </p> <p>If granted, the "stay" of sentence could allow Lynn to apply for bail while his appeal goes through the court. </p> <p>The court also heard that Lynn had been placed in isolation within the Metropolitan Remand Prison for his own safety since the guilty verdict was read, but now fears he will be targeted by inmates at whatever prison he ultimately ends up in. </p> <p>Mr Dann said a successful appeal could result in Lynn being set free altogether without the possibility of a re-trial, due to doubts over whether he could obtain a fair trial because of the significant publicity surrounding the case and the murder conviction. </p> <p>"The chances of a fair re-trial are non-existent," Mr Dann said. </p> <p>The experienced barrister said any potential jurors would have been "polluted or poisoned" by the "inadmissible evidence" that has "flooded" news sites since the guilty verdict was delivered.  </p> <p>The court heard Mr Dann believed his client had multiple reasons to push for an appeal over his verdict, including the "unfair" way in which he claimed the Office of Public Prosecutions carried out the trial. </p> <p>Mr Dann reiterated to the court that his client has always maintained his innocence, saying, "He maintains that he's never killed any person at any time, at any place, anywhere, ever."</p> <div data-component="EmphasisedText"> <p>"The long-term future of that guilty verdict must be seen as being in grave doubt."</p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">The case was adjourned until a pre-sentence hearing on September 12th. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Image credits: Facebook</span></em></p> </div>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

"They lied": Kerri-Anne Kennerley blasts I’m A Celeb

<p>Kerri-Anne Kennerley has opened up on her dramatic appearance on <em style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! </em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> last year, claiming that she was "lied to" ahead of her decision to sign up. </span></p> <p>Speaking to Tammin Sursok on her podcast, <em>The Sh*t Show</em>, Kennerly alleged that Network Ten made promises they couldn't keep. </p> <p>“[Ten] came to me and promised me this, this and this … and I had nothing else to do at the time,” the TV veteran claimed.</p> <p>“I got promised a bunch of stuff and they lied. And so instead of being in there, the three weeks I committed to, I got out in three days. They lied.”</p> <p>Sursok asked her to elaborate on the promises they made, but Kennerley refused. </p> <p>“I don’t want to go into it now. History. And I’m even dumbfounded that I said to myself after I’ve gone, oh my God. I avoided exactly what happened for 10 years.</p> <p>“ … If I had thought about it for one more nanosecond and the things that were said to me were not said to me, I wouldn’t have done it in a heartbeat.”</p> <p>Kennerley tearfully quit <em style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">I'm A Celebrity</em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> last year after clashing with </span>MAFS star Domenica Calarco, who she claimed called her "the most self-centred b***h” she’d ever met during an eating challenge.</p> <p>The TV veteran added that going on the show was the "dumbest" decision she has ever made. </p> <p>“Comes out as absolutely number one dumb and as backed by several of my friends – especially straight after [I left IAC], them going, ‘You didn’t tell us, we would’ve locked you in a room if you had said you were going’,” she admitted.</p> <p>“But I don’t know … I’ve always thought I was pretty bulletproof, and then you get wounded and move on. But no … dumb, dumb, dumb – and lies. That’s what I put it down to.”</p> <p><em>Images: Ten</em></p>

TV

Placeholder Content Image

Today Show entertainment reporter's cause of death revealed

<p>Beloved <em>Today</em> show and KTLA entertainment reporter Sam Rubin's cause of death has been revealed, two months after his sudden <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/legendary-today-show-reporter-dies-unexpectedly" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passing</a>. </p> <p>The 64-year-old died in May with a new report from medical officials finding he died from a heart attack after he suffered a massive blockage to his coronary artery. </p> <p>Just hours after hosting his Hollywood news segment in the morning of May 10th, Rubin was rushed to home after collapsing in his Los Angeles home. </p> <p>The multi-Emmy Award winner was a renowned figure in the news industry on the West Coast, and had covered entertainment, movies and TV for KTLA since 1991.</p> <p>He was also well-known in Australia as a contributor to Channel Nine's <em>Today</em> show and <em>Today Extra</em>, and in the UK where he appeared on <em>This Morning</em>.</p> <p>Following his death, Karl Stefanovic paid tribute to his colleague on Instagram, saying he "adored every second with Sam on air and off over the past two decades".</p> <p>"His spirit. His laugh. His warm caring nature. He was a beautiful man. What a loss. All love to his family, and to his TV family at KTLA5 News."</p> <p><em>Today Extra</em> host David Campbell also paid tribute to Rubin, calling him a "Hollywood great".</p> <p>"He had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the industry," Campbell posted on social media.</p> <p>"For years we would cross to him and gossip and laugh," he said.</p> <p>"He would visit us Down Under, and whenever you were in LA you had to catch up. His loss is profound. My love and condolences to his family whom he adored."</p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">"Also his KTLA team who have lost a brother. We will cross back to you some other time Sam."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Walking or running: for the same distance, which consumes more energy?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/clement-lemineur-1529211">Clément Lemineur</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/universite-cote-dazur-2917">Université Côte d’Azur</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/clement-naveilhan-1495411">Clément Naveilhan</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/universite-cote-dazur-2917">Université Côte d’Azur</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/francois-dernoncourt-1495410">François Dernoncourt</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/universite-cote-dazur-2917">Université Côte d’Azur</a></em></p> <p>It’s Monday morning, the alarm goes off and it’s already 7:30 a.m. – and you’re 30 minutes late. Normally you need 45 minutes to walk the 3 kilometres to work, but this morning you’ll be running for 20 minutes. Yes, but by lunchtime you’re feeling more tired and you have the impression that you’ve expended more energy than usual on the trip. Yet you’ve covered the same distance as on the other days. How can this be?</p> <p>The calorie expenditure associated with any activity is called the “metabolic cost”, and corresponds to the energy consumed by our organs to cover a given distance. This metabolic cost can be determined by analysing the oxygen our bodies consume and the carbon dioxide they produce, we can estimate the amount of energy expended, and thus the metabolic cost. It was using this method that <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/692303/">researchers had already answered our question back in the 1970s</a>.</p> <p>Perhaps not surprisingly, running consumes more energy than walking for the same distance covered. But why?</p> <h2>Energy lost when running</h2> <p>Imagine you’re watching someone running. Now look closely at the vertical movement (up and down) of their pelvis and head. As you can see from the diagram below, when we run, the distance that our body moves up and down is greater than when we walk. To produce this vertical movement, the muscles of the lower limbs have to generate more force, and that consumes more energy, yet doesn’t bring us any closer to our destination. So when running, part of the energy expended is used to move our bodies <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16029949/">upward rather than forward</a>. The energy needed to cover those 3 km is therefore higher for running than for walking.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/602769/original/file-20240625-18-xilv63.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/602769/original/file-20240625-18-xilv63.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/602769/original/file-20240625-18-xilv63.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=287&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/602769/original/file-20240625-18-xilv63.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=287&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/602769/original/file-20240625-18-xilv63.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=287&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/602769/original/file-20240625-18-xilv63.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=361&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/602769/original/file-20240625-18-xilv63.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=361&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/602769/original/file-20240625-18-xilv63.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=361&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="Illustration of the oscillations of running and walking" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Running involves much greater vertical oscillation of the centre of mass than walking. This is the main reason why running consumes more energy than walking for the same distance covered.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">François Dernoncourt</span>, <span class="license">Fourni par l'auteur</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p>This difference between walking and running is not confined to what happens during the activity itself. In fact, each physical exercise causes a delayed expenditure of energy, which is added to the expenditure during the activity.</p> <p>Taking this into account, it’s once again running that uses more energy than walking. Immediately after running your 3 km, the increased energy consumption (compared with resting) lasts for several minutes, mainly because of the increase in body temperature and the replenishment of energy reserves. This additional expenditure after running is <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22446673/">more than twice that observed after walking</a>, due to the difference in intensity between the two exercises.</p> <h2>It all depends on speed</h2> <p>Running therefore involves a higher calorie expenditure than walking for the same distance covered. But this is on condition that the walking speed considered is “normal” (around 5 km/h). So, if we walk very slowly, it will take us so long to cover the 3 km that the calorie expenditure will be greater in the end. This is because the body expends a certain amount of energy per unit of time no matter what, regardless of the activity performed (known as the “basal metabolic rate”).</p> <p>The same applies if the walking speed is very fast (<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29925582/">more than 8 km/h</a>): running is more energy-efficient. Here, the coordination required to walk at such a speed means that we need to activate our muscles more, without being able to take advantage of the elasticity of our tendons, as is the case with running.</p> <p>Moreover, we have a very precise intuitive perception of the energy efficiency of a particular style of movement. If we’re on a treadmill whose speed gradually increases, the point at which we spontaneously switch from walking to running coincides with the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096663622100120X">moment when it would become more energy-consuming to walk than to run</a>.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/604700/original/file-20240703-17-4dlrj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/604700/original/file-20240703-17-4dlrj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/604700/original/file-20240703-17-4dlrj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=395&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/604700/original/file-20240703-17-4dlrj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=395&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/604700/original/file-20240703-17-4dlrj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=395&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/604700/original/file-20240703-17-4dlrj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=497&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/604700/original/file-20240703-17-4dlrj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=497&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/604700/original/file-20240703-17-4dlrj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=497&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Modelling of metabolic cost (kilocalories expended per kilogram per kilometre covered) as a function of speed (kilometres per hour) for walking and running. The curves cross at a certain speed (purple line; around 8 km/h): this means that above this speed, walking becomes more energy-intensive than running. It’s at around this threshold speed that people spontaneously switch from walking to running.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">François Dernoncourt, Adapted from Summerside et al</span>, <span class="license">Fourni par l'auteur</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p>In conclusion, because of greater oscillation of the centre of mass and increased energy expenditure after exercise, running to work is more energy-intensive than covering the same distance by walking. But remember, whether you choose to walk or run to work, the most important thing is that you’re already saving energy!<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/233943/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/clement-lemineur-1529211">Clément Lemineur</a>, Doctorant en Sciences du Mouvement Humain, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/universite-cote-dazur-2917">Université Côte d’Azur</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/clement-naveilhan-1495411">Clément Naveilhan</a>, Doctorant en Sciences du Mouvement Humain, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/universite-cote-dazur-2917">Université Côte d’Azur</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/francois-dernoncourt-1495410">François Dernoncourt</a>, Doctorant en Sciences du Mouvement Humain, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/universite-cote-dazur-2917">Université Côte d’Azur</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>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/walking-or-running-for-the-same-distance-which-consumes-more-energy-233943">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

Young woman exposes "hate" response to Origin's Welcome to Country

<p>The young woman who delivered the Welcome to Country at the State of Origin has opened up on the "overwhelming" response to it, revealing how she has "received a lot of hate".</p> <p>Savannah Fynn, 22, was invited to deliver the Welcome to Country and while it was generally well received, it also led to radio host Kyle Sandilands slamming the practice in general, saying the practice had become “overused and lost its impact”.</p> <p>Since then, Fynn revealed that she has received an overwhelming amount of hate online, with some even jumping to criticise her appearance. </p> <p>“I was just so worried I would stutter or mess up my words because I’d never spoken in front of that many people,” Fynn told <em><a title="www.dailytelegraph.com.au" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/lifestyle/stellar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-tgev="event119" data-tgev-container="bodylink" data-tgev-order="stellar" data-tgev-label="lifestyle" data-tgev-metric="ev">Stellar</a></em>.</p> <p>“But once I finished, I felt a moment of relief. I ran straight over to my nan, obviously one of my Elders, and I gave her a big hug and a cuddle. It’s definitely an overwhelming feeling, getting all this attention. It’s not something I’m used to at all."</p> <p>“I’m a very quiet person so this is a big change. Even though it’s all positive, I struggle with taking compliments and I get a bit shy. I’m kind of ready for it to die down!”</p> <p>“As sad as it is, being a lighter skin colour, I’ve received a lot of hate for that,” the 22-year-old university student said.</p> <p>“A lot of people have picked on the way I look, the way I speak, even coming down to having blonde hair. My hair is actually dark, I’ve just dyed it blonde."</p> <p>“I think people also get very confused as to what an Acknowledgement and Welcome actually is. We’re not welcoming you to Australia; obviously you live here."</p> <p>“We’re welcoming you to the traditional owners of that land and acknowledging the traditional land. And in terms of comments about overuse, I feel you have to respect everyone’s opinions, even if you may not agree."</p> <p>“Being a First Nations person, I find it wonderful seeing my culture embraced. But obviously you can’t please everyone.”</p> <p>Fynn is aiming to be a young role model and hopes to show “young Indigenous people that we can get up and speak”.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine </em></p> <p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </p> <p> </p>

TV

Placeholder Content Image

Hollywood star's heartbreaking health update

<p>Gena Rowlands's son has shared his mother's heartbreaking health battle, that is reminiscent of one of her most iconic movie character's similar health issue.</p> <p>The 94-year-old Golden Globe winner who portrayed an older version of Rachel McAdam’s character, Allie, in the 2004 film<em> The Notebook</em>, has been battling Alzheimer’s disease for the past five years.</p> <p>While discussing the film's 20 year anniversary, Nick Cassavetes, the director of the movie and Rowlands’ son, revealed his mother’s diagnosis. </p> <p>“I got my mum to play older Allie, and we spent a lot of time talking about Alzheimer’s and wanting to be authentic with it, and now, for the last five years, she’s had Alzheimer’s,” Cassavetes told <em><a href="https://ew.com/the-notebook-star-gena-rowlands-has-alzheimers-8668642">Entertainment Weekly</a></em> of Rowlands’ character, who also had dementia.</p> <p>“She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us.”</p> <p>Back in 2004, Rowlands — whose mother, actress Lady Rowlands, also suffered from the disease — explained why playing Allie was “particularly hard.”</p> <p>“This last one — The Notebook, based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks — was particularly hard because I play a character who has Alzheimer’s,” she told <em><a href="https://www.oprah.com/spirit/gena-rowlands-aha-moment">O magazine</a></em>.</p> <p>“I went through that with my mother, and if Nick hadn’t directed the film, I don’t think I would have gone for it — it’s just too hard. It was a tough but wonderful movie.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: New Line Cinema/Demmie Todd/Warner Bros/Spring Creek/Kobal/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Walking can prevent low back pain, a new study shows

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tash-pocovi-1293184">Tash Pocovi</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christine-lin-346821">Christine Lin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-hancock-1463059">Mark Hancock</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/petra-graham-892602">Petra Graham</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/simon-french-713564">Simon French</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a></em></p> <p>Do you suffer from low back pain that recurs regularly? If you do, you’re not alone. Roughly <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31208917/">70% of people</a> who recover from an episode of low back pain will experience a new episode in the following year.</p> <p>The recurrent nature of low back pain is a major contributor to the <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2665-9913(23)00098-X/fulltext">enormous burden</a> low back pain places on individuals and the health-care system.</p> <p>In our new study, published today in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)00755-4/fulltext">The Lancet</a>, we found that a program combining walking and education can effectively reduce the recurrence of low back pain.</p> <h2>The WalkBack trial</h2> <p>We randomly assigned 701 adults who had recently recovered from an episode of low back pain to receive an individualised walking program and education (intervention), or to a no treatment group (control).</p> <p>Participants in the intervention group were guided by physiotherapists across six sessions, over a six-month period. In the first, third and fifth sessions, the physiotherapist helped each participant to develop a personalised and progressive walking program that was realistic and tailored to their specific needs and preferences.</p> <p>The remaining sessions were short check-ins (typically less than 15 minutes) to monitor progress and troubleshoot any potential barriers to engagement with the walking program. Due to the COVID pandemic, most participants received the entire intervention via telehealth, using video consultations and phone calls.</p> <p>The program was designed to be manageable, with a target of five walks per week of roughly 30 minutes daily by the end of the six-month program. Participants were also encouraged to continue walking independently after the program.</p> <p>Importantly, the walking program was combined with education provided by the physiotherapists during the six sessions. This education aimed to give people a better understanding of pain, reduce fear associated with exercise and movement, and give people the confidence to self-manage any minor recurrences if they occurred.</p> <p>People in the control group received no preventative treatment or education. This reflects what <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2468781222001308?via%3Dihub">typically occurs</a> after people recover from an episode of low back pain and are discharged from care.</p> <h2>What the results showed</h2> <p>We monitored the participants monthly from the time they were enrolled in the study, for up to three years, to collect information about any new recurrences of low back pain they may have experienced. We also asked participants to report on any costs related to their back pain, including time off work and the use of health-care services.</p> <p>The intervention reduced the risk of a recurrence of low back pain that limited daily activity by 28%, while the recurrence of low back pain leading participants to seek care from a health professional decreased by 43%.</p> <p>Participants who received the intervention had a longer average period before they had a recurrence, with a median of 208 days pain-free, compared to 112 days in the control group.</p> <p>Overall, we also found this intervention to be cost-effective. The biggest savings came from less work absenteeism and less health service use (such as physiotherapy and massage) among the intervention group.</p> <p>This trial, like all studies, had some limitations to consider. Although we tried to recruit a wide sample, we found that most participants were female, aged between 43 and 66, and were generally well educated. This may limit the extent to which we can generalise our findings.</p> <p>Also, in this trial, we used physiotherapists who were up-skilled in health coaching. So we don’t know whether the intervention would achieve the same impact if it were to be delivered by other clinicians.</p> <h2>Walking has multiple benefits</h2> <p>We’ve all heard the saying that “prevention is better than a cure” – and it’s true. But this approach has been largely neglected when it comes to low back pain. Almost all <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673618304896?via%3Dihub">previous studies</a> have focused on treating episodes of pain, not preventing future back pain.</p> <p>A limited number of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26752509/">small studies</a> have shown that exercise and education can help prevent low back pain. However, most of these studies focused on exercises that are not accessible to everyone due to factors such as high cost, complexity, and the need for supervision from health-care or fitness professionals.</p> <p>On the other hand, walking is a free, accessible way to exercise, including for people in rural and remote areas with limited access to health care.</p> <p>Walking also delivers many other <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/VH_Benefits-of-Walking-Summary2020.pdf">health benefits</a>, including better heart health, improved mood and sleep quality, and reduced risk of several chronic diseases.</p> <p>While walking is not everyone’s favourite form of exercise, the intervention was well-received by most people in our study. Participants <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37271689/">reported</a> that the additional general health benefits contributed to their ongoing motivation to continue the walking program independently.</p> <h2>Why is walking helpful for low back pain?</h2> <p>We don’t know exactly why walking is effective for preventing back pain, but <a href="https://www.e-jer.org/journal/view.php?number=2013600295">possible reasons</a> could include the combination of gentle movements, loading and strengthening of the spinal structures and muscles. It also could be related to relaxation and stress relief, and the release of “feel-good” endorphins, which <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23040-endorphins">block pain signals</a> between your body and brain – essentially turning down the dial on pain.</p> <p>It’s possible that other accessible and low-cost forms of exercise, such as swimming, may also be effective in preventing back pain, but surprisingly, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34783263/">no studies</a> have investigated this.</p> <p>Preventing low back pain is not easy. But these findings give us hope that we are getting closer to a solution, one step at a time.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/231682/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tash-pocovi-1293184">Tash Pocovi</a>, Postdoctoral research fellow, Department of Health Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christine-lin-346821">Christine Lin</a>, Professor, Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-hancock-1463059">Mark Hancock</a>, Professor of Physiotherapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/petra-graham-892602">Petra Graham</a>, Associate Professor, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/simon-french-713564">Simon French</a>, Professor of Musculoskeletal Disorders, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>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/walking-can-prevent-low-back-pain-a-new-study-shows-231682">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

Hollywood legend Donald Sutherland dies at age 88

<p>Legendary Hollywood actor Donald Sutherland has died at the age of 88 after a battle with an ongoing illness. </p> <p>The actor, known for his roles in<em> M*A*S*H</em>, <em>Klute</em> and <em>The Hunger Games</em>, passed away on Thursday in Miami, his agency confirmed. </p> <p>Donald's actor son Kiefer announced his father's death in an emotional post on Instagram, reflecting on his illustrious career. </p> <p>“With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away,” he began. </p> <p>“I personally think one of the most important actors in the history of film. Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly."</p> <p>“He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that. A life well lived.”</p> <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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C8cgckJJ548/?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/C8cgckJJ548/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kiefer Sutherland (@kiefersutherland)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Tributes from past colleagues have flooded social media, as director Ron Howard reflected on working with the iconic actor. </p> <p>"I was blessed to direct him in Backdraft. One of the most intelligent, interesting & engrossing film actors of all time," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).</p> <p>"Incredible range, creative courage & dedication to serving the story & the audience with supreme excellence."</p> <p>Helen Mirren, who co-starred with Sutherland in 2017's <em>The Leisure Seekers</em>, also paid tribute to her late friend, saying in a statement, "Donald Sutherland was one of the smartest actors I ever worked with. He had a wonderful enquiring brain, and a great knowledge on a wide variety of subjects."</p> <p>"He combined this great intelligence with a deep sensitivity, and with a seriousness about his profession as an actor. This all made him into the legend of film that he became."</p> <p>Sutherland’s career spanned more than 50 years and 140 film credits and earned an Emmy for his role as a Soviet official in the fact-based HBO movie<em> Citizen X</em>, as well as a pair of Golden Globes.</p> <p>Sutherland’s big break came when he was cast as one of <em>The Dirty Dozen</em> in the star-studded 1967 film, before landing a role in the movie version of<em> M*A*S*H,</em> and also playing alongside Jane Fonda in her Oscar-winning portrayal of a high-class “call girl” in the crime mystery <em>Klute</em>.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Ace Pictures/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Cafe providing free meals to families faces shutdown

<p>Kirsty Parkes spends a lot of her time providing food and clothes to those in need amid the cost-of-living crisis by running a community cafe. </p> <p>But now, her beloved cafe may close if she doesn't receive urgent financial help. </p> <p>"We need to pay our bills in order to keep this going and if we don't pay our bills, people don't eat," Parkes, who has a big family of her own, told <em>A Current Affair</em>. </p> <p>Community Cafe in Sydney's south-west became a safe haven for dozens of men, women and children, with over 100 people showing up every day. </p> <p>The cafe is a place where people can get food, clothes and toiletries for free, as well as connect with others. </p> <p>"We want to help people restore their value and restore their dignity," Parkes said.</p> <p>"Our currency is just a little bit different. So instead of using money, we use manners. Because manners and kindness are free."</p> <p>However, with an increase in costs and a lack of donations, the beloved cafe may soon be forced to close. </p> <p>"Whether there's a rate rise, whether there's a petrol hike, all of these little things affect us tremendously and affect the numbers here," she said.</p> <p>"We need to come up with some funds really desperately before then just to keep us open," she added. </p> <p>She said that at this stage they require "around about $20,000. Our electricity bill alone is almost $10,000."</p> <p>She added that  Cabravale Diggers, who have been paying the cafe's rent, and Liverpool City Council, who have also been providing financial assistance, can't continue to hold responsibility for all of the bills. </p> <p>"We've had fantastic sponsorship, we have fantastic people that back us ... but they can't carry the burden of this," Parkes said.</p> <p>"This is something that the whole community needs to get behind and support."</p> <p>The cafe provides invaluable support for customers like Ted and Lola, who find it hard to find a similar community. </p> <p>"I go to church. Not even a church will help me," Lola said.</p> <p>"These people - I don't even know them and out of nowhere they're taking rich and poor, whoever turns up."</p> <p>"It's hard living on a pension. It's very hard," Ted added. </p> <p>Parkes added that as things are starting to run out, she has had to impose rations, which has been difficult for her. </p> <p>"We've had to then turn around and say 'look today, sorry we can only give you two loaves of bread because we just don't have enough for everyone that's going to come through the door'," Parkes said.</p> <p>"That stuff breaks my heart. It absolutely kills me because people are hungry."</p> <p>From Friday, customers may have to be turned away.</p> <p>"It's terrible. How can we close? We see over 120 people a day. It's terrible," one of the volunteers at the community cafe said. </p> <p>"The community needs it. We can't close. We absolutely cannot close."</p> <p> Those who would like to help the cafe stay open have been encouraged to visit their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Communitycafe.inc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook page</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: A Current Affair</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

"The issue is, he's alive": AFL mistakenly commemorates Hawthorn great

<p>The AFL has found itself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons after prematurely mourning a former player’s death at this week’s Hall of Fame ceremony.</p> <p>The ceremony, held on Tuesday night, saw Collingwood great Dane Swan inducted into the Hall of Fame and Hawthorn’s Jason Dunstall elevated to Legend status. But amidst the celebrations and the teary-eyed tributes, the AFL managed to pull off a major faux pas during the "In Memoriam" segment, which is of course supposed to honour those in the game who have passed away within the last year.</p> <p>Hawthorn's John Kennedy Jr was the first to express his shock on Channel 7’s <em>The Front Bar</em> program on Thursday night. "That 71 team, obviously a famous team and important team in Hawthorn’s history," host Sam Pang began, setting the stage for Kennedy’s bombshell. “But I believe, John, you have a cheerio you’d like to give to one of the players.”</p> <p>Kennedy, not one to miss an opportunity, replied: “I’d like to send one out to Michael Porter who played in the ’71 Grand Final. ‘Portholes’ they called him. He was noted as deceased last night on the AFL Hall of Fame, as one of the deceased people. The issue is he’s alive. So Portholes, if you’re listening mate or you’re up there in NSW, let us know when the wake is because we’ll be all there mate!”</p> <p>Indeed, the prematurely deceased Porter, who played 78 games for Hawthorn and was part of their 1971 VFL premiership team, took the news of his untimely death with remarkably good humour. Instead of sending a ghostly telegram from the great beyond, he simply called up former Hawks captain David Parkin, who was in the room for the Hall of Fame ceremony in Melbourne, to confirm he was alive and well.</p> <p>A league spokesman, likely blushing a shade of crimson, said: “Once this innocent mistake was realised we moved quickly to ring and apologise to everyone affected, including Michael, and thank him for his understanding.”</p> <p>Michael Porter, now thrust back into the limelight in the most unexpected fashion, might just hold the unique distinction of being the only player to attend his own wake and live to tell the tale. We can only hope he’s planning a grandiose party with a guest list featuring all his mates who would’ve otherwise been mourning his "passing".</p> <p>So, here’s to Michael Porter – alive, well and hopefully laughing his head off at the AFL’s latest gaffe. And for the AFL, perhaps a lesson: next time, double-check the list before sending anyone to the great footy oval in the sky.</p> <p><em>Images: Network 7</em></p>

Caring

Our Partners

Over 60

© Copyright 2024 OverSixty.All Rights Reserved.