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Hunt for Australia's first Golden Bachelor begins

<p>While former <em>Sunrise </em>host Samantha Armytage has been confirmed to host Nine's new reality series <em>The Golden Bachelor,</em> there are still a few major roles to fill. </p> <p>The bachelor and all the women needed for the series are yet to be found, but one well-known businessman is believed to be a leading contender for the show. </p> <p>“We are looking for Australia’s first Golden Bachelor and many incredible women who want to find love again,” read the official casting website. </p> <p>Nine are looking for people aged between 60 and 75 years old who are “looking for the last great love” of their life, live in Australia and are single. </p> <p>“Do you know someone in their golden years who deserves one more shot at their happily ever after?” the casting notice read. </p> <p>According to TV Blackbox expert Steve Molk, “Mark Bouris is being touted as their guy.” </p> <p>Bouris, 68, is a podcaster for <em>Straight Talk</em> and a former host of Nine's <em>The Celebrity Apprentice</em>. </p> <p>Molk added that it's not uncommon for a network to create buzz with the announcement “in the hope it will help shake the trees for prospective applicants to flock and submit their audition”.</p> <p>Although Nine has yet to confirm their broadcast date, Molk believes that it's likely to air mid next year. </p> <p>“This gives them time to cast and film while still showing partners why they would want to drop their cash with Nine."</p> <p>Armytage said the Australian version of the show has “got a different spin”. </p> <p>“This is for people who are looking for love again, who’ve got some miles on their tyres and are ready to fall in love again,” she told Nine's <em>Today</em> on October 29. </p> <p>“These are people with life experience. There’s going to be some great stories here, some kind of sad stories in some.</p> <p>“We’re looking for a happy fairytale ending.”</p> <p><em>Image: Nine</em></p>

The financial reality check after a major diagnosis

<p>Once you have received and processed your doctor’s diagnosis, take stock of the situation, because this will determine how you respond and what resources you have available to support you going forward.</p> <p>Who received the diagnosis – you or your spouse (if you have one)? Is it a terminal illness, chronic condition or treatable setback? </p> <p>If you are not yet retired, will you be able to keep working, need a period off work or will this bring forward your retirement? If leaving work temporarily, what are your prospects for re-entering the workforce? Will your partner need to leave their work to care for you (or vice versa)?</p> <p>Once you have clarified and considered this, spring into action as soon as possible.</p> <p><strong>Revisit your spending</strong></p> <p>Healthcare is expensive by any measure. </p> <p>Pensioners and healthcare card holders may get much or all of your treatment covered, but waiting times in the public system can be lengthy. For self-funded retirees, even with private health insurance, there can be considerable out-of-pocket costs: specialist visits, diagnostics, symptom management, physiotherapy and so on. </p> <p>Depending on the type of diagnosis, you may also need to modify your home (install ramps, railings etc.) and/or obtain specialist furniture and equipment. Then comes care requirements – private nurses, retirement living, hospice or palliative care.</p> <p>Your lifestyle may also change, and quickly. Your clothes and shoes may no longer fit if you lose weight rapidly. You may no longer be able to drive. You may need help with household chores – cleaning, cooking, gardening. Covering these requires money if you don’t have family and friends able to lend a helping hand.</p> <p>Carefully look at what supports your new reality demands and whether they will be one-off or ongoing expenses. Some things will need to be purchased, others could be hired to split the cost over the longer term. </p> <p><strong>Secure your income</strong></p> <p>Once you’ve established the impact on your ability to work and your spending needs, determine how you will pay for everything going forward.</p> <p>Your emergency fund can provide short-term cash if you need to stop working suddenly or fork out for large, unexpected bills. </p> <p>Depending on your age and circumstances, it may be worth bringing forward your retirement – allowing you to draw income from superannuation and focus more on your (or your partner’s) health.</p> <p>Check your insurances to see what claims you could make – having paid the premiums, now is the time make use of them. Relevant insurances include total permanent disability, income protection, trauma or critical illness cover. Meanwhile some life insurance policies may pay out based on a specialist’s diagnosis, unlocking much-needed funds sooner. Depending on your diagnosis, policy and the type of insurance, payouts may be a lump sum or smaller payments spaced out over time.</p> <p><strong>Update your estate plans</strong></p> <p>A major diagnosis typically elicits thoughts about mortality, legacy and how you want your loved ones to be provided for.</p> <p>Crucially, it may also influence factors such as guardianship of minors and pets while you are unwell/in hospital, Power of Attorney to cover important legal and financial decisions if you are incapacitated, and palliative care arrangements if required.</p> <p>Before heavy medications, surgeries or further deterioration of your health cloud your judgement, ensure your will and estate plans are updated to fully reflect your current needs and wishes.</p> <p><strong>Look after yourself</strong></p> <p>Stress, shock, anger and despair are common emotions to feel when faced with a major diagnosis. As such, it’s important you look after your mental and emotional wellbeing too.</p> <p>It needn’t cost a cent – you could look to free counselling services available such as Lifeline and Beyond Blue; a daily walk by the beach or through the local park; catching up with loved ones for support and companionship. </p> <p>Keeping your spirits up, as much as you can under the circumstances, can improve your quality of life while also helping you make clearer decisions about your health, finances and relationships – making it arguably the best investment of all.</p> <p>Back that up with sound legal, tax and financial advice. There is much to consider where insurance, superannuation, inheritances, Centrelink and more are involved, and you can’t know everything – especially when your focus is rightly elsewhere!</p> <p><em><strong>Helen Baker is a licensed Australian financial adviser and author of On Your Own Two Feet: The Essential Guide to Financial Independence for all Women. Helen is among the 1% of financial planners who hold a master’s degree in the field. Proceeds from book sales are donated to charities supporting disadvantaged women and children. Find out more at <a href="http://www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au/">www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au</a></strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Disclaimer: The information in this article is of a general nature only and does not constitute personal financial or product advice. Any opinions or views expressed are those of the authors and do not represent those of people, institutions or organisations the owner may be associated with in a professional or personal capacity unless explicitly stated. Helen Baker is an authorised representative of BPW Partners Pty Ltd AFSL 548754.</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Image credits: Shutterstock </strong></em></p>

Money & Banking

"Expectation vs Reality": Woman's reaction to hotel scam

<p>A woman was left outraged after forking out on a hotel room with a gorgeous sea view, only to find out she had fallen for a scam. </p> <p>Influencer Clarisa Murgia paid an obscene amount of money for the room with a view, which was advertised as part of a holiday of a lifetime across Europe. </p> <p>Expecting blue seas, sailing boats and a view of the mountain range, the influencer was utterly disappointed when she found out that the breathtaking views was nothing but a poster attached to the wall of the building outside her window. </p> <p>She shared footage of the "view" on TikTok, with the caption "Expectation vs Reality" and from one angle the poster looked just like the real thing. </p> <p>But as she pans to the another side, the massive poster emerges attached to a crumbling white wall, with her actual view being rows of barred white windows and a dingy alley. </p> <p>"Someone rented a B&B with a sea view. I feel scammed, guys," the influencer added. </p> <p>"No one has ever deceived me like this before, hahaha."</p> <p>The video racked up over 2.5million views, with many joking about her unfortunate situation. </p> <p>"Not even my ex lied that much," one joked. </p> <p>"My luck in life is summarised in this video," another added. </p> <p>"That's why I always look at the location so I don't fail," a third wrote. </p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

"Get the medic": Grant Denyer collapses in first-look trailer for Amazing Race

<p>The Amazing Race Australia is back and more dramatic than ever, after Gold Logie winner Grant Denyer collapsed on set, needing medical attention. </p> <p>The first-look teaser of the celebrity edition of the reality show has come out, and showcased some of the most tense scenes of the season. </p> <p>The 45-year-old Logie winner is at the centre of the scene, as footage showed him lying on the ground as paramedics struggle to give him urgent medical attention, while his wife Chezzi watches on. </p> <p>“Can we get the medic? He’s shaking, he’s shivering,” a voice said. </p> <p>The upcoming season of the show will feature stars Grant Denyer and his wife, Jackie Gillies and husband Ben, Bec Judd and sister Kate Twigley, and <em>Australian Survivor </em>player "King" George and sister Pam. </p> <p>A few of the other stars competing this season are <em>The Voice Australi</em>a co-host Darren McMullen and his nephew Tristan, <em>Kath and Kim</em> comedian Peter Rowsthorn and his daughter, and <em>Too Hot To Handle</em> stars Harry and Teddy. </p> <p>The show is set to air in October on <em>Ten, </em>and the stars will work with their loved ones to compete for $100,000 to their chosen charity, as they race against the clock to complete challenges in countries including India, Cambodia, Malaysia and Borneo.</p> <p><em>Image: Ten</em></p>

The Block contestants accused of cheating one week in

<p>Barely a week into the newest season of The Block and Sydney-based contestants Steph and Gian have been accused of breaking the rules. </p> <p>The couple had a difficult start to the competition after their builder consistently made costly mistakes. With one builder down and the time running out, Steph’s father Nick - a qualified builder - turned up at the site for a visit. </p> <p>Nick, who had travelled from interstate to visit them, was filmed helping the couple build their bathroom well into the late hours of the night. </p> <p>“It’s like the gods were aligned this week for my dad to be in town,” Steph said in the show.</p> <p>“This was a really hard week, and having someone that you trust there, that’s qualified also... he was just the perfect person.”</p> <p>This didn't sit well with Brisbane couple Leah and Ash, who had a few questions about Nick's involvement, including whether he received a site induction the night before. and if he would get paid for his work. </p> <p>If the answer was "no", then Steph and Gian would've broken the rules. </p> <p>Fellow contestant Kristy added fuel to the fire and <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">noted that Nick was still working on-site after midnight - when even Steph had called it a night. </span></p> <p>“What set me off was the commentary, ‘Steph has had a big day so we’ve popped her to bed,’” she said. </p> <p>Turns out the other contestants had nothing to worry about, with Steph and Gian placing dead last in the bathroom judging with a score of 20.5 out of 30. </p> <p>The judges called out the “rustic” wooden beams in their bathroom ceiling which they said looked messy and needed to go. </p> <p><em>Image: The Block</em></p>

“That’s the reality”: Older Aussies forced into shared living

<p>Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe’s suggestion that more and more Australians would need to consider life in a share house if they had any hope of bringing rental prices down hasn’t landed as he would have hoped. </p> <p>“We’ve got a lot of people coming into the country, people wanting to live alone or move out of home,” he said. </p> <p>“The way that this ends up fixing itself is unfortunately through higher housing prices and higher rents.</p> <p>“We need more people on average to live in each dwelling, and [higher] prices do that.”</p> <p>But for those wrestling with Australia’s cost of living crisis and high rental demand with even higher costs, the suggestion is hardly cause for comfort. </p> <p>And as 51-year-old Mandy Pritchard - a recently single NGO worker hoping to move closer to friends in either Sydney or Wollongong - told <em>The Guardian</em>, the reality of shared housing isn’t so straightforward anyway. </p> <p>“It’s challenging because I’m obviously not the first choice for a household of twenty-to-thirty-somethings,” she said of her struggles to secure a new home - and potential new roommates - for herself. “I didn’t think I’d be going back to share accommodation at this age, but that’s the reality because of the cost of rent.”</p> <p>According to Pritchard, it could take up to 50% of her full-time wage to rent a one-bedroom property in Sydney’s Newtown suburb if she wanted to live alone.</p> <p>“It’s not as if I am on low income, I make a decent wage,” she pointed out. “I wanted to live even in just a studio apartment, but it just isn’t feasible.”</p> <p>However, as Lowe noted during Senate estimates, the problem and ‘solution’ were a case of supply and demand. </p> <p>“Higher prices do lead people to economise on housing. Kids don’t move out of home because the rents are too expensive or you decide to get a flatmate,” he said. “That’s the price mechanism at work.”</p> <p>He went on to state that the nation’s population was set to rise by 2% with the arrival of migrant workers and international students, and that the only way - in his opinion - to combat the pressure on the housing and rental market was through supply. </p> <p>“Are there 2% more houses? No,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of people coming into the country, people wanting to live alone or move out of home. The way that this ends up fixing itself is, unfortunately, through higher housing prices and higher rents.”</p> <p>Lowe’s comments drew a wave of criticism from housing advocates - with data suggesting that Australians are beginning to share more - as well as the argument that the government actually needed to construct and provide more housing.</p> <p>As Flatmates.com.au’s Claudia Conley said, the share housing website had actually just experienced its busiest April on record. </p> <p>“This year has been unusually busy and we started to see a real increase in traffic around October, which has not died down,” she said.</p> <p>“Month after month we’re breaking new records, with April just gone our busiest ever. March recorded the highest number of new property listings in over two years, since January 2021, up 14% month-on-month to be 33% above March 2022 levels.”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Real Estate

Reality TV star welcomes identical twin girls

<p>Reality TV star Dani Dyer has welcomed two baby girls with her partner, footballer Jarrod Bowen. </p> <p>The <em>Love Island UK</em> winner, who won the show in 2018 with her ex-partner Jack Fincham in 2018, shared the happy news on her Instagram on Thursday. </p> <p>Dani didn't reveal the identical twin girls' names, but confirmed the date of their birth, May 22nd, in the caption. </p> <p>Dani is already mum to Santiago, two, who she shares with with ex Sammy Kimmence.</p> <p>Her <em>Love Island UK</em> co-stars were quick to send their congratulations, with season one winner Cara De La Hoyde writing, "Congratulations Dan they are beautiful ❤️."</p> <p>"Congratulations to your beautiful family ❤️," Zara McDermott added, while season four winner Molly-Mae Hague added, "Congratulations beautiful 😭😭😭."</p> <p>Dani is the daughter of English actor and presenter Danny Dyer, who's well known for his role in British soap <em>EastEnders</em>.</p> <p>Dani shared the news of her pregnancy with a sweet announcement post, showing her son Santiago holding a letter board with the ultrasound pictures of her new babies. </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/CnpWIihrD1x/?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/CnpWIihrD1x/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by ♡ Dani Dyer ♡ (@danidyerxx)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"We have been keeping a little secret... Our little TWINS!" she wrote.</p> <p>"So excited to meet our babies and watch Santi be the best big brother.. The biggest surprise of our lives but feeling SO blessed.. our family is getting a lot bigger and we can’t wait."</p> <p>Just weeks after announcing the pregnancy, Dani confirmed the gender of their babies in another Instagram post. </p> <p>"A lot of you have been asking on the gender of our babies and we are so excited to share with you all that we are having identical twin girls. Half way our little darlings."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

Australian Big Brother star dies suddenly at just 37

<p dir="ltr">Sydney-born <em>Big Brother </em>star Monica Sirianni has died suddenly at just 37.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sirianni, who was a contestant on the Italian version of <em>Big Brother</em> between 2011 and 2012 , reportedly died on a night out in Italy.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to Italian newspaper <em>La Repubblica</em>, Sirianni was out with friends at a bar in Soveria Mannelli, South Italy on May 5 when she suddenly fell ill.</p> <p dir="ltr">The former reality star turned English teacher reportedly collapsed onto the floor while in a bar, and was taken to a local hospital. She was pronounced dead shortly after.</p> <p dir="ltr">At this stage, the cause of death has not been revealed, but the Italian newspapers have reported that doctors have not ruled out an underlying heart condition.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her body will be repatriated to Australia where her parents live.</p> <p dir="ltr">Although her parents still live in Australia, the former TV personality chose to return to Italy, and initially lived in the north of the country before appearing on <em>Big Brother</em> when she was 25.</p> <p dir="ltr">Following her appearance on the TV show, she pursued a career as an English teacher.</p> <p dir="ltr">A couple of fans have paid tribute to Sirianni, following the news of her passing.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I wanted to remember this beautiful girl Monica Sirianni, former competitor of<em> Big Brother</em> and now a teacher," one fan wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I'm very sorry! A hug to the family,” wrote another fan.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

News

Insane salaries for I’m A Celebrity contestants revealed

<p>The I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! Stars are off in the South African jungle, with each one of them competing for a $100,000 prize going to a charity of their choice. However, some stars might be taking even more money home for themselves.</p> <p>The Daily Mail reported that the celebrity cast are in for salaries ranging from $35,000 to $180,000. Although an impressive sum, it’s unsurprising for Channel Ten as they are known to splurge when it comes to the show, with Shane Warne claiming he received $2 million for his appearance back in 2016 (a fact which was enough to <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/how-much-kyle-knocked-back-when-asked-to-appear-on-i-m-a-celebrity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convince Kyle Sandilands to steer clear of the jungle </a>for this year's adventure).</p> <p>Speaking to news.com.au prior to the show, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/kerri-anne-kennerley-heads-to-the-jungle-on-one-condition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kerri-Anne Kennerley revealed she had negotiated some special “provisos” in her contract.</a></p> <p>She told producers she would only brave the jungle if she was able to bring her beauty products along with her.</p> <p>Alongside Kerri-Anne, Channel Ten star Peter Helliar, 47, is up for an apparent $90,000 for his appearance on the show.</p> <p>Former Australian Idol judge Ian ‘Dicko’ Dickinson has secured some hefty funds too, reportedly being paid $80,000 for his short stint in the jungle.</p> <p>Some of the lower profile celebs are earning a smaller wage of $50,000, including <em>MAFS</em> star Domenica Calarco, radio host Woody Whitelaw and AFL player Adam Cooney.</p> <p><em>Geordie Shore’s</em> Charlotte Crosby was rumoured to have pocketed $1 million when she appeared on the reality show in 2020, but this year’s <em>Geordie Shore</em> star Nathan Henry will only be taking a fraction of that home.</p> <p>Henry, with over 1.4 million followers on Instagram, will be earning $35,000 for his appearance.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

“Welcome to reality”: Dad fined for daughter's seatbelt mistake receives little sympathy

<p dir="ltr">A Queensland father has posted a plea for help on social media, after he received two hefty fines adding up to $2,156 for his daughter’s simple seatbelt mistake.</p> <p dir="ltr">The father claimed that he was completely unaware of what his daughter was doing, after cameras caught her wearing her seatbelt incorrectly twice as a passenger.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Just received two x $1078 fines plus total 8 demerit points, only 2 weeks apart for my 13yo daughter not wearing her seatbelt correctly. Had no idea that she was wearing it that way as can’t see from the driver's point of view," he wrote on Facebook.</p> <p dir="ltr">The frustrated dad revealed that his daughter had made the same mistake twice within two weeks and asked whether it was worth taking it to court.</p> <p dir="ltr">He also asked if "any chance of somehow reducing the penalty".</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the <a href="https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/safety/rules/road/seatbelt-rules#:~:text=Everyone%207%20years%20or%20older,are%20not%20frayed%20or%20loose." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Queensland Government</a> fines and demerit points apply for not wearing a seatbelt or wearing it incorrectly, and that drivers “may be fined for each unrestrained or incorrectly restrained passenger in the vehicle”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Dozens of people have responded, but many didn’t sympathise with the dad saying that they both should’ve known better.</p> <p dir="ltr">"You as a driver are responsible for everyone in the car. Perhaps you need to be firm with your daughter. Welcome to reality," commented one person.</p> <p dir="ltr">"She's old enough to know how to wear a seat belt, just give her the fines to pay and she will wear it properly from then on," wrote another.</p> <p dir="ltr">Others have said that they should learn from this mistake and be more aware of the dangers of wearing a seatbelt incorrectly.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Both learn from this and fix the problem for next time before your daughter flies out of the car in a crash," said one person.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I’d suggest you forget about the law and just think of the damage done to your daughter in an accident with the seatbelt worn like this," wrote another.</p> <p dir="ltr">A few others did sympathise and acknowledge that kids can make mistakes despite the adults knowing better.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I feel for you, I caught my 13-year-old doing this and yelled at her," commented one user.</p> <p dir="ltr">"These fines are crippling people. I understand to a certain degree but mistakes are made," wrote another.</p> <p><em>Image: Facebook</em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

“The stuff of nightmares”: Baked to imperfection

<p>Some people are destined for the kitchen, while others may be better suited to a career in comedy, if these cake decorating disasters are anything to go by.</p> <p>Even armed with a visual guide and the world’s best intentions, some bakers are just in for a wild time - and thanks to some good-natured social media posts, we can all enjoy the colourful consequences right along with them. </p> <p>Lucy was one such baker to face a betrayal from her cake. Posting to the Facebook page Woolies/Coles Mudcake Hacks, she shared her experience trying to follow professional baker Tegan ‘Tigga’ Maccormack’s Bluey birthday cake tutorial. </p> <p>Needless to say, their end results weren’t exactly mirror images.</p> <p>"Enjoy this absolute abomination - it looked easy on TikTok," Lucy wrote, attaching a picture of her hilarious creation. </p> <p>Fellow Facebook users loved her attempt, with some even trying to make Lucy feel better.</p> <p>One informed her that although it was nothing like the inspiration picture, it was “very cute”.</p> <p>“OMG I genuinely love it!” another declared. “It made me smile, thank you for sharing.”</p> <p>Meanwhile, one mum wrote that her seven-year-old encouraged Lucy to “keep trying!”, before stating that “it looks so bad she should probably eat the whole thing.” </p> <p>On Reddit, someone had another unfortunate cake story to share - though this time they weren’t the baker responsible, simply the customer who got something they certainly hadn’t paid for. </p> <p>“The ice cream cake we ordered vs what we received,” they wrote, sharing the image of two monkey cakes. One, the ‘expectation’ image, was a smoothly iced monkey head. The second, the ‘received’ product, was at least discernible as a monkey, even if the ‘smooth’ icing job left a lot to be desired. </p> <p>“This was an ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins," it was explained. “They usually come out exactly as pictured online, but this time was truly spectacular."</p> <p>And while many thought this particular approach to replicating the vision was hilarious, most were of the opinion that this had not actually been a failure, but instead an improvement. According to the majority in the comments, “frosting tastes much better than fondant” anyway.</p> <p>Another Reddit user referenced a tweet they’d seen of another cake disaster, this time of a Minnie Mouse cake that someone had purchased for their niece, and the nightmare they’d gotten in return. </p> <p>“I saw that it was posted in Arabic on Twitter, and it was pretty funny,” the Reddit user said, “so I just wanted to share it with a wider audience!"</p> <p>“The cake's shininess is the stuff of nightmares,” was all one had to say about it. </p> <p>“I would not have paid for that abomination,” another said. </p> <p>Thankfully for the individual who had dealt with the cake firsthand, they were able to return it for a full refund. </p> <p>"The cake was for my sister for her birthday," they told TODAY. "In the beginning, it was a horrible shock for us, but after I posted the picture on Twitter, I was laughing because of people's reactions."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, Shutterstock</em></p>

Food & Wine

New photos capture devastating reality of helicopter collision

<p><em><strong>Warning: This article contains images that some readers may find disturbing. </strong></em></p> <p>Four of the survivors of the deadly Gold Coast helicopter collision have released a series of photos that document the immediate aftermath of the tragedy. </p> <p>New Zealand couples Marle and Edward Swart, and Elmarie and Riaan Steenberg, were on board the descending helicopter that was struck by one just taking off. </p> <p>The ascending helicopter crashed to the ground, killing <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/helicopter-crash-victims-identified" target="_blank" rel="noopener">four people</a> on board and wounding three other passengers. </p> <p>On Sunday, the four New Zealand survivors issued a collective statement, sharing how they are still struggling to come to terms with the tragedy. </p> <p>"We want to express our deepest sympathies and sincere condolences to the injured, deceased, and their families," they said.</p> <p>"Our hearts are deeply saddened by the loss. This has been traumatic for us as survivors, and we cannot imagine the terrible sadness their families and loved ones must be feeling."</p> <p>The couples also offered their gratitude to those who helped them, including their "hero" pilot Michael James, bystanders who rushed to their aid and emergency and medical personnel who helped them.</p> <p>"Their care and heroism changed our lives," the statement said.</p> <p>"Our pilot, Michael James. You are our hero. You landed the helicopter safely and kept the bystanders and us safe. We are eternally grateful to you."</p> <div>"Unidentified bystanders who ran to our assistance. The person on the jet ski who was first on the scene and helped us out of the helicopter, the off-duty paramedic who ran to our assistance, the holidaymakers who brought us hats, towels and water, and chairs."</p> <p>"Every police officer and emergency services personnel both on the scene of the crash and later in the hospital. The staff of Villas de la Mer who helped our children to visit us and kept them safe. There are no words to describe our gratitude."</p> <p>"Every staff member involved in our care at Robina Public Hospital. Your discretion and compassionate care during our stay brought us much comfort. We will always remember your kindness."</p> <p>"Our community in New Zealand for all their well wishes and messages of comfort.</p> <p>"Our dear family and friends in Australia who have supported us over this period. We appreciate you so very much."</p> <p>"Craig and the staff of Sea World Helicopters for their support. We also want to express our deep condolences for the loss of pilot Ashley Jenkinson."</p> <p>"The reality of the last five days' events is sinking in and is a heavy weight to carry," they said.</p> <p>The four survivors also shared a series of images of their recovery in the hospital, as well as a photo snapped from inside the wreckage of the helicopter. </p> <p>The four said they would continue to help the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and Queensland Police with their investigation into the incident as needed.</p> <p>They are headed home to New Zealand, where Elmarie and Marle will continue their lengthy recovery.</p> <p><em>Image credits: The Swart and Steenberg families</em></p> </div>

News

Puttin’ on the Ritz and improving well-being with older adults through virtual music theatre

<p>Digital programming and virtual interactions, initially considered to be stop-gap measures during the first few waves of the pandemic, may now be an important part of supporting many people’s health and well-being — including the well-being of older adults.</p> <p>During the COVID-19 pandemic, group musical activities moved online, prompting a wave of <a href="https://ericwhitacre.com/the-virtual-choir">virtual choir</a> experiments and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rzZ2F18MwI">virtual orchestra</a> offerings.</p> <p>These and other online communities weren’t limited to students. A <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/45-28-0001/2021001/article/00027-eng.htm">Statistics Canada survey</a> found that more than half of Canadians between the ages of 64 and 74 increased their participation in online activities during the pandemic by connecting with family and friends through video conferencing, or accessing entertainment online.</p> <p>Virtual opportunities in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0252956">performing arts are ripe with potential</a> for older adults to foster skills and creativity, and to improve well-being.</p> <h2>Social connection</h2> <figure><figcaption> </figcaption>Going digital serves many purposes, the most important of which may be social connection. Since <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/23748834.2020.1788770">connecting with others</a> remains important for older adults, this can be achieved through, or in addition to, virtual leisure or entertainment opportunities.</figure> <p>Our research has revealed that <a href="https://storage.googleapis.com/wzukusers/user-20563976/documents/598184972c66407e9334c5df1b37bb91/Renihan%2C%20Brook%2C%20Draisey-Collishaw.pdf">virtual music theatre — music theatre online — allows for a more accessible and a less exclusive way to engage with this art form</a> with many benefits for participants.</p> <h2>Online performing arts</h2> <p>The performing arts allow performers and audiences to feel, be creative in community, express themselves and communicate or play through song, movement or storytelling.</p> <p>Benefits associated with participation in the arts include <a href="https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/329834">improved mood and well-being</a> and sense of <a href="https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/turn-to-the-arts-to-boost-self-esteem">belonging</a>.</p> <p>Research has also documented associations between seniors’ participation in the arts and improved <a href="https://doi.org/10.1159/000499402">mobility</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2018.02.012">vocal health</a>.</p> <p>Before the pandemic erupted, we had started leading a program, <a href="http://www.riseshinesing.ca/">Rise, Shine, Sing!</a>, that created opportunities for local citizens typically excluded from the creation of music theatre due to age, ability and access. The program was mostly attended by older adults, some with Parkinson’s Disease or other chronic conditions.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/59MTQnoi2hU?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">A trailer for the ‘Rise, Shine, Sing!’ program.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>We held three weekly face-to-face sessions from the end of February 2020, until mid-March, and then moved the program online (via Zoom) for 12 sessions from April until June 2020. The program continues to be offered, with many participants indicating a preference to continue virtually.</p> <p>Somewhat to our surprise, when the program moved online, the fact that participants could only hear the facilitator and themselves singing was not a deterrent to participating. Participants enjoyed singing, dancing and creating characters using costumes and props based on cues and feedback from facilitators.</p> <h2>Paradigm shift for music theatre</h2> <p>Virtual music theatre presents a serious paradigm shift for the genre. Most of the time when people think of music theatre, they think of live bodies moving in perfect synchrony <a href="https://www.americantheatre.org/2022/02/04/what-can-be-said-with-and-about-broadway-dance/">to choreographed movement</a>, and voices singing in perfect harmony while performers are physically present together.</p> <p>Researchers have examined how group singing and movement fosters togetherness, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-020-00549-0">community</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01096">social bonding</a>.</p> <p>Music theatre has made strides to become more inclusive over the course of the 21st century. <a href="https://www.deafwest.org/">Los-Angeles based Deaf West Theatre</a>, for example, creates works of music theatre that can be experienced and performed by members of the Deaf and hearing communities.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k08lV8GO43w?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">ASL version of ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno,’ from Disney’s ‘Encanto’ with Deaf West.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>A multitude of new works, stagings and casting practices are highlighting and supporting the experiences of marginalized groups, by <a href="https://www.blackoperaalliance.org/">diversifying</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/arts9020069">queering</a> the field, for example.</p> <p>Such works offer resistance and new stories to an industry that has traditionally been ableist, white and ageist.</p> <p>But despite a healthy <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/beyond-broadway-9780190639525?cc=ca&lang=en&">community music theatre scene</a> in North America, most opportunities still leave out many people due to issues related to social anxiety, experience, mobility, family life and/or finances.</p> <h2>Music theatre meets universal design</h2> <p>We drew on the intersection of <a href="https://muse.jhu.edu/article/629960/pdf">music theatre performance</a> and <a href="https://www.cast.org/impact/universal-design-for-learning-udl">universal design for learning</a> to develop a model where success could look different from person to person.</p> <p>In terms of the movement, participants could synchronize with the facilitator and/or other members of the group. They were equally welcome and encouraged to customize or adapt their movements to suit their own needs and interests.</p> <p>We embraced dancing from both a seated and standing position, to explore different levels and to accommodate different mobility capabilities. Participants controlled how much they shared by deciding how visible they wanted to be on camera.</p> <h2>Classics and newer numbers</h2> <p>We drew on musical classics or standards from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Singin-in-the-Rain-film-1952"><em>Singin’ in the Rain</em></a>, the <em>Sound of Music</em>, <a href="https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/stage/2022/08/23/joseph-and-the-amazing-technicolor-dreamcoat-coming-to-toronto-as-a-test-run-for-possible-broadway-revival.html"><em>Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat</em></a> — as well as newer numbers from <em>Wicked</em> and other popular songs.</p> <figure class="align-left zoomable"><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <p>We also <a href="http://www.riseshinesing.ca/glow.html">co-created our own songs</a> by combining our shared memories or inspirations through image, lyrics and movements to explore themes of joy and resilience in difficult times.</p> <p>While the program was led virtually, before sessions, leaders dropped off or mailed prop boxes to all participants. These were filled with costumes including small scarves and ribbons that could be used for choreography.</p> <h2>Promise of virtual musical theatre</h2> <p>Virtual music theatre has shown incredible promise, even in the short time we have been exploring it. Digital connections reframe being together at the same time and in the same space. This adds new unexpected dimensions to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2012.06530.x">making music in a group</a>.</p> <p>First, goals and expectations of uniformity are replaced with goals of individual empowerment and creative exploration.</p> <p>Second, participants remain committed to the community and group endeavour, but are also free to tailor and adapt the ways they engage with the material and with one another. If group members invite friends or family in other cities to participate virtually, as some in our group did, the virtual community also expands in meaningful ways.</p> <p>Finally, participants can also adjust their personal comfort by sharing as much or little of themselves with the group without feeling like they are letting the group down.</p> <h2>Our hybrid future</h2> <p>The pandemic catalyzed the need for virtual interaction. While we know that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqab041">Zoom fatigue</a> is pervasive, virtual opportunities for music theatre participation and creation offer a new paradigm of artistic experience.</p> <p>These opportunities also offer striking promise for bringing performers some of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00778">same benefits</a> as in-person music theatre experiences.</p> <p>In some cases, they also facilitate new access to music in community, and allow participants to engage with the art form and one another in ways that support personal agency and independence, while also maintaining social connection and interactivity. <a href="https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/6358131/George+Gershwin/I+Got+Rhythm">Who could ask for anything more</a>?<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/188690/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/julia-brook-1064153">Julia Brook</a>, Director and Associate Professor, DAN School of Drama and Music, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queens-university-ontario-1154">Queen's University, Ontario</a></em> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/colleen-renihan-1044307">Colleen Renihan</a>, Associate Professor and Queen's National Scholar in Music Theatre and Opera, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queens-university-ontario-1154">Queen's University, Ontario</a></em></p> <p>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/puttin-on-the-ritz-and-improving-well-being-with-older-adults-through-virtual-music-theatre-188690">original article</a>.</p>

Music

Pauline Hanson's bold move into reality TV

<p>Controversial One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, who regularly sparks outrage with her questionable comments - is set to be shipped out to the Middle East as she makes her big break on reality TV, starring on Channel 7’s SAS Australia.</p> <p>She’s survived jail, Dancing with the stars and now returns to the small screen once again. In fact, Hanson could be up for a six figure pay out to appear on the program.</p> <p>It has not yet been revealed if she’s being paid or not but It is more than likely she could expect a lump-sum payment. The payment would be equal to $2500 a day and a bonus of between $1000-$5000 every three days.</p> <p>7’s SAS Australia is shot over a 14 day period with a 13-episode run plus a reunion special.</p> <p>“The new season will be filmed in the Middle East, so it will definitely take Pauline out of her comfort zone,” a Seven insider told <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11427603/SAS-Australia-Pauline-Hanson-joins-new-season-set-Middle-East.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>The Daily Mail</em></a>.</p> <p>Only five years ago did the former senator dramatically rip off a black veil in Parliament, declaring: “I’m quite happy to remove this because it’s not what should belong in this Parliament.</p> <p>“In light of what is happening with national security… will you work to ban the burqa?’’ she said.</p> <p>Pauline isn't the first contentious public figure to appear on the reality show. The series has also seen the likes of Sam Burgess, Wayne Carey, host Ant Middleton, and more.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Why The Block 2023 is looking at a potential disaster

<p dir="ltr">The Block's producers and contestants may suffer financially in what could be the "worst series yet" in 2023, given the current economic climate, according to experts.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, there is one saving grace for the next instalment of the Channel 9 reality series and that is the new location that’s been selected.</p> <p dir="ltr">The hugely successful series sees five couples renovate a property each before selling it at auction, with contestants able to keep any profit above a set reserve.</p> <p dir="ltr">In 2023 they'll be up against a different property market compared to the heated conditions enjoyed by fans of the show in previous series.</p> <p dir="ltr">After staging a "tree change" season in Gisborne, located in Victoria's Macedon Ranges this year, The Block will return to Melbourne's Bayside in 2023 – the location having already been leaked.</p> <p dir="ltr">Producers bought five classic brick homes in Hampton East at 14 Charming Street, 16 Charming Street, 18 Charming Street, 20 Charming Street, and 22 Charming Street, securing them all at once, costing $14.3 million.</p> <p dir="ltr">The humble Charming Street blocks, which measure around 600sqm to 700sqm, will this time next year be occupied by high-end trophy homes, with the show's producers and contestants hoping to net big profits.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The Block has paid a premium there, double what we would expect the properties to be worth. It could be financially the worst series yet.</p> <p dir="ltr">"They're $7 million behind the eight-ball from day dot."</p> <p dir="ltr">The median house price in Hampton East is $1.55 million, down from a price peak of $1.57 million in February, with a further drop in price expected.</p> <p dir="ltr">Nationally, home prices have slipped 3.53% since March.</p> <p dir="ltr">To be able to recoup their money in 2023, producers will have to do some good advertising and sponsorship deals, he added. Local real estate agents remain skeptical that the renovated properties will be able to sell and turn a profit.</p> <p dir="ltr">Nevertheless, Mr Sibley, director of Buxton Hampton East remains optimistic The Block can set a new suburb benchmark and current property owners could benefit.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Valentic said while it was "hard" to get buyers willing to pay $4 million on a property in Gisborne, it shouldn't be as hard to find those willing to spend $3 million in Melbourne's Bayside.</p> <p dir="ltr">The question is whether that price will be good enough for producers and contestants.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Channel 9 </em></p>

Expectation vs reality: Reporters share inside look at what cruises are like now

<p dir="ltr">Four reporters have shared their experiences on some of the most popular cruising lines - revealing that their expectations weren’t quite met by the reality of their trip.</p> <p dir="ltr">For Joey Hadden, who booked her first ever cruise on the Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, her sessions of relaxing in the sun came with unexpected crowds and difficulties in finding a chair.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I spent more time waiting in lines than I had anticipated. And I saw much of the world from behind other people's heads,” she wrote of her experience in <em><a href="https://www.insider.com/what-its-like-to-go-on-a-cruise-now-photos-2022-10#and-as-she-explored-more-of-the-ship-during-her-weeklong-stay-she-was-surprised-to-find-that-even-the-worlds-largest-cruise-ship-felt-overcrowded-at-times-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Insider</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">She shared that when she first boarded the ship and excitedly went to watch the ocean as they sailed away from the port, that tall, thick glass and not being able to find a spot to stand stopped her from doing so.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fellow <em>Insider </em>reporter Monica Humphries said her experience with crowds aboard Carnival Vista, which was at partial capacity during her trip in July 2021, saw her waiting in long lines to disembark at each port and for help from the service desk.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-34a72885-7fff-8bfa-d8da-1752b0965c73"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Buffets were another source of contention and crowds for the two reporters, with Humphries also finding that issues with how food was labelled meant she accidentally ate meat twice despite asking what was in her food due to being pescatarian.</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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci2sCi_OmYu/?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/Ci2sCi_OmYu/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Amanda Krause (@amandalynn_14)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Mikhaila Friel, who sailed on the Queen Elizabeth, made the common mistake of sitting by herself on her first night in the dining room - not realising that wherever you sit becomes your table for the rest of the cruise.</p> <p dir="ltr">Surprising temperatures were another common experience, with Friel, Hadden, and Amanda Krause, who travelled on Disney Cruise Line’s Wish, finding that they hadn’t packed enough warm clothes.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Europe in the fall can be pretty chilly, so I wore a coat during my excursions in Amsterdam. However, I wish I'd brought a larger selection of warmer clothes and accessories to wear on outdoor areas of the ship that were affected by the wind, something I hadn't considered,” Friel wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">“A woolly hat and a pair of gloves certainly wouldn't have gone amiss.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Krause, who had never travelled by ship before, hadn’t expected the chill that came from the cold air-conditioning inside the ship and wished she had brought warmer clothes to avoid shivering at restaurants and bars, as well as in the Walt Disney theatre.</p> <p dir="ltr">While they reported having an enjoyable time during their cruise experiences, each of the travellers encountered hiccoughs and disappointments that made them all the wiser.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f0becb41-7fff-b1b7-92ae-503f52e12a06"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Cruising

The concerning reality of Aussie’s retirement finances

<p dir="ltr">It’s no secret that the cost of living crisis has hit the pockets of many Australians, jeopardising the chances of a comfortable retirement. </p> <p dir="ltr">Now, a concerning new survey has highlighted the financial concerns of many Aussies when it comes to retiring, with 60 percent of people admitting they won’t have enough cash and superannuation money to fund their retirement. </p> <p dir="ltr">In addition to this, 31 percent of respondents expect to carry debts into their retirement, with 73 percent of people expecting to receive pension payments at some point.</p> <p dir="ltr">The survey was commissioned by <a href="https://www.money.com.au/research/savings-and-assets">money.com.au</a>, and questioned an independent panel of 573 Australians aged 35-60 years about their financial concerns. </p> <p dir="ltr">The survey also asked how much money respondents think they need to get through their retirement years. </p> <p dir="ltr">More than half (57 percent) believe they will need more than $60,000 per year, while a third (35 percent) expect to need more than $80,000 per year. </p> <p dir="ltr">These income expectations are well above The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia’s (ASFA) Retirement Standard, which estimated for the June quarter that singles living a comfortable retirement will spend $47,383 per year, while retired couples will spend $66,725 per year.</p> <p dir="ltr">Licensed financial adviser and Money.com.au spokesperson Helen Baker says, “While the Retirement Standard increased these figures by around 2 percent in the June quarter, the income levels that more than half of retirees expect to live on are still at least 27 percent higher. The Retirement Standard also assumes people don’t carry debts into their retirement, which many survey respondents have likely considered when answering this survey question.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Respondents have lived through several months of fast-rising inflation and interest rates, which is forcing them to factor price and loan repayment increases into their retirement preparedness and income expectations.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She went on to say, “I urge individuals to implement a financial plan as soon as possible to manage debts, savings and super. Some individuals may plan to sell their property once they exhaust their funds, with the view to downsizing or renting and using the cash to live out the rest of their retirement.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Retirement Income

Heart-breaking image captures reality of rental crisis

<p>A heart-breaking photo has highlighted the reality of Australia's rental crisis, with a six-year-old boy and his mother forced to live in their ute for four long months. </p> <p>Mackay, a 38-year-old mum from Perth, and her son Charlie spent two years couch-surfing with friends and family after Mackay escaped an abusive relationship. </p> <p>After continuously getting knocked back from rental properties due to Mackay's lack of credit and tenant history, the family had no choice but to sleep in their car during the freezing winter months. </p> <p>Their situation got so desperate that Mackay put out a plea for help on their local community Facebook page. </p> <p>Claire Orange, a therapist and co-founder of cyber safety program Digii Social, spotted the post and opened up her home to the pair. </p> <p>"I instantly recognised Charlie's school uniform in a picture Mackay posted and contacted the school to understand their situation," Ms Orange said.</p> <p>"I found out a rental would become available for them within a month and offered they stay with me while they waited."</p> <p>Ms Orange, herself a mother of four, described Mackay as a "remarkable" mum who consistently put her boy first.</p> <p>"I admire her terrifically for her fortitude and resilience," Ms Orange said. </p> <p>"I cannot give this woman any more credit. She looked after her son exceptionally and made sure she did everything to keep him stable, healthy and clean."</p> <p>"Taking him to school every day, cooking for him, putting up her small summer tent when the weather allowed so that they were able to sleep lying stretched out instead of bundled up." </p> <p>"She's a remarkable, ferocious mumma who's put her child's needs first consistently."</p> <p>Claire has since started a GoFundMe for Mackay and Charlie to get back on their feet, as they are "on the cusp" of moving into social housing. </p> <p>The funds will be used to help Mackay and Charlie buy furniture and whitegoods for their home. </p> <p>"Mackay and Charlie have been part of our family for the last month - and what a delightful gift they've been," Ms Orange wrote on the <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/charlie-mackays-new-life?qid=dd61998c88987693d3e53c16020365a6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page. </p> <p>"And now that a home is available - I'd love to give Mackay and Charlie enough money to start their new life together."</p> <p>Australia is facing a major housing crisis with rental prices skyrocketing to keep up with soaring mortgage costs, with vacancy rates plummeting.</p> <p><em>Image credits: GoFundMe</em></p>

Real Estate

The Block contestants deny cheating to win challenge

<p>Another scandal could well and truly be unfolding on this year’s season of the popular home-reno show The Block.</p> <p>Following the infamous cheating scandal that dominated the last season (much to ratings advantage) Tuesday's episode has suggested something just as juicy could be brewing behind the scenes following controversial couple Sharon and Ankara's win in the latest challenge.</p> <p>The couple were spotted using a clever tactic - pulling out their phones to Google the answers.</p> <p>In scenes aired on Tuesday night, all five teams headed off-site to Levantine Hill winery to take part in a unique challenge, where the task was replicating the taste of a premium wine blend: a 2015 Samantha’s Paddock Mélange Traditionnel.</p> <p>They had to taste and mix several wines together to make their own bottle, the closest attempt would win $50,000 of wine to take back to The Block. The win would increase the value of their home.</p> <p>As the rest of the teams muddled through various blends and taste tests, Sharon and Ankur appeared to simply just Google search the ingredients and wine notes, by-passing the trickier elements of the task.</p> <p>After glancing around nervously, Ankur announced: “Cool. I know what it is, I know the percentages … We’ve got Cab Sav, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet, Petit Verdot.”</p> <p>Defending the decision, the couple have declared they hadn’t broken any rules during the challenge, stating: “There are absolutely no rules that we cannot use our phones or search the net/google anything."</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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch4VXEQLU4V/?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/Ch4VXEQLU4V/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Ankur and Sharon (@ankurandsharon)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“This part of the challenge required us to create a 2022 blend of the wine, which doesn’t exist. We took a chance and thought it couldn’t be too far off the 2015 blend, notes which were readily available. THAT was our strategy, and it worked," they claimed.</p> <p>Later on, Sharon and Ankur were announced as the winners of the wine-blending portion of the challenge, leaving fellow contestants scratching their heads.</p> <p>This isn't the last we will be hearing about this potential cheating controversy.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Real Estate

Could ‘virtual nurses’ be the answer to aged care staffing woes?

<p>Former Health Department Chief Martin Bowles has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/aug/03/virtual-nurses-may-be-needed-to-meet-247-aged-care-staff-mandate-top-health-executive-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly proposed</a> “virtual nurses” could help address the shortage of nurses in aged care.</p> <p>This might involve remote, possibly artificial intelligence-assisted, virtual care, rather than physical nurse presence, to assist nursing homes to meet new legislative requirements to have a registered nurse present 24/7.</p> <p>There are clear opportunities for technological innovations to improve the care, health, and wellbeing of older people. However, substitution of face-to-face nursing and human interaction with remote care is not the answer.</p> <p>This seriously risks perpetuating the status quo where <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/03/03/australia-urgently-address-aged-care-abuse#:%7E:text=%E2%80%9CMultiple%20investigations%20and%20reports%20have,human%20rights%20of%20older%20people.%E2%80%9D" target="_blank" rel="noopener">many older people suffer</a> from isolation, neglect and lack of human engagement.</p> <p>Eroding requirements to properly staff nursing homes with registered nurses could make it even harder to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8685779/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attract and keep</a> staff.</p> <h2>What are ‘virtual nurses’?</h2> <p>“<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00072-z" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Robot nurses</a>” already exist in some contexts, helping to move patients, take vital signs (such as blood pressure), carry medicines and laundry, and even engage with patients.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">How Paro the robot seal is being used to help people w/<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dementia?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dementia</a> <a href="http://t.co/65GZPQdjb2">http://t.co/65GZPQdjb2</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/caregiving?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#caregiving</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Alzheimers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Alzheimers</a> <a href="http://t.co/gXYztkNAJo">pic.twitter.com/gXYztkNAJo</a></p> <p>— Ian Kremer (@LEAD_Coalition) <a href="https://twitter.com/LEAD_Coalition/status/602223483687317504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2015</a></p></blockquote> <p>However, “virtual nursing” likely refers to more familiar technology where a real nurse provides a limited range of care via <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1541461219303866?casa_token=4QuZ-seF5i4AAAAA:0QtENxksLvBDzKsrvWXuPNcgrPcKf6XhaVTbOVJfsnE8nL-XVQypjCq9XZGXp_KJ51ekYUQn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">telehealth</a> (by phone and/or video).</p> <p>While some might appreciate when robots can assist with <a href="https://www.nursingworld.org/~494055/globalassets/innovation/robotics-and-the-impact-on-nursing-practice_print_12-2-2020-pdf-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">certain tasks</a>, much of what nurses do cannot and should not be performed remotely (or by robots).</p> <p>Indeed, older people, their loved ones, and staff are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/feb/05/yelling-out-for-help-the-atrocious-conditions-inside-australias-aged-care-homes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calling out for</a> more physically present staff and more time to care and interact, not virtual interfaces and remote consultations.</p> <p>The benefits of technology in health care are unquestionable and many innovations have improved care for older people. Artificial intelligence shows promise in helping <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-81115-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prevent and detect falls</a>, and socially assistive robots such as <a href="https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-019-1244-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PARO</a> (a baby harp seal), have been shown to reduce stress, anxiety and antipsychotic use in people with dementia.</p> <p>Technology should not, however, be introduced at the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1322769620301438?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expense of care quality</a> or supporting and sustaining a suitably sized and skilled aged care workforce. We still need to adequately staff nursing homes to provide <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020748921000869?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noopener">safe, dignified care</a>.</p> <h2>We need adequate staffing</h2> <p>The <a href="https://agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/final-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety</a> heard a vast quantity of evidence regarding insufficient staffing, particularly of nurses who have the education and skills to deliver high quality clinical and personal care.</p> <p>This expertise is why nurses cannot be replaced with remote care, and why the Commission recommended 24/7 registered nurse presence; this has now been <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r6874" target="_blank" rel="noopener">legislated</a>.</p> <p>More than half of Australian aged care residents live in nursing homes with <a href="https://ro.uow.edu.au/ahsri/1073/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unacceptably low levels of staffing</a> and <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/2020-aged-care-workforce-census" target="_blank" rel="noopener">around 20%</a> do not have a registered nurse onsite overnight.</p> <p>Insufficient staffing results in workers <a href="https://www.anmfsa.org.au/Web/News/2022/The_grim_reality_of_what_happens_in_a_nursing_home_that_doesn_t_have_registered_nurses_24_7.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not having time to interact</a> with residents meaningfully and compassionately and also contributes to avoidable hospitalisations, worse quality care and outcomes, and poor working conditions for staff.</p> <p>As social beings, human interaction is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3150158/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fundamental to health</a>, wellbeing, and best practice care. This is particularly true for <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jan.12173?casa_token=l5Y_-r6rvt8AAAAA%3Awpp7P9Q9CUncyK60XOUPgv5ORx_Pi0jyMJ-Yp_kvdL7b5sTYih66Htp7l05J_I0vafKubec91hRL4Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">older people in nursing homes</a> who are less able to engage with others and is especially vital for those living with <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/psyg.12765" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mobility challenges</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28332405/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dementia</a>.</p> <p>Partly due to nurse low staffing levels, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-020-8251-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">loneliness, isolation</a> and <a href="https://www.racgp.org.au/getattachment/86cf2c46-46f2-4177-a17b-700bb7cfa3ac/20030705lie.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mental ill health</a> are widespread in aged care and have become more common due to <a href="https://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19/nursing-home-residents" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pandemic related restrictions</a> on visitors and staff.</p> <p>Care experiences are shaped by <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6382052/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">human interaction and contact</a>; the touch of a hand, a smile, eye contact, and being able to take the time to genuinely listen.</p> <p>These actions are central to how nurses and other staff build effective and <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jan.12862" target="_blank" rel="noopener">meaningful relationships</a> with residents.</p> <p>Seeking to replace human contact with virtual interfaces seems both inconsistent with the Royal Commission’s findings and possibly cruel.</p> <p>Personal interactions also help staff, as the <a href="https://agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-03/final-report-volume-1_0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Royal Commission</a> highlighted:</p> <blockquote> <p>Knowing those they care for helps care staff to understand how someone would like to be cared for and what is important to them. It helps staff to care – and to care in a way that reinforces that person’s sense of self and maintains their dignity. This type of person-centred care takes time.</p> </blockquote> <p>Rather than circumventing reforms to ensure more nurses provide face-to-face care in nursing homes, we need to address the range of challenges contributing to widespread and tenacious <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1467-8462.12427" target="_blank" rel="noopener">workforce shortages</a>.</p> <p>There are clear challenges for growing and retaining a sufficiently sized and skilled aged care workforce. However, government reforms, such as better pay, mandated care time, and greater accountability and transparency regarding the use of funds all work together to make aged care a feasible and attractive sector to work in.</p> <p>This is one where staff are supported to provide the high quality and safe aged care all Australians deserve and where older people receive best practice, human care.</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared in <a href="https://theconversation.com/could-virtual-nurses-be-the-answer-to-aged-care-staffing-woes-dream-on-188215" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

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Could ‘virtual nurses’ be the answer to aged care staffing woes?

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