The Truth About Ageing

A little sugary BONUS ep to kick-start your 2023! We have my beautiful Grandma on the show to re-cap her 2022 - we talk about accepting help, challenges with health, ageing and knowing you won't always be around to see your family grow up. It's really just like you're hanging out in Grandma's kitchen with us as we chat life, health and family.  I hope you're all having a b...

For many of us lucky enough, Christmas is a time full of family catch ups, seeing relatives and friends that you haven’t for a while and probably indulging in a few too many serves of Christmas pudding. For some, it can be a challenging time of year as we experience Christmas without a loved one that may no longer be with us.  This time of year often gives us an insight into how our ageing loved o...

Happy International Volunteers Day (for the 5th December)! Today I spend some time discussing the myriad of different volunteer roles available out there and how you could find one that might suit you. Volunteering is more people of all ages - there are infinite ways to give back to your community. Not only are you doing a wonderful deed giving to those less fortunate, but you also give yourself a...

I am SO excited to announce that Navigate Aged Care is now live! www.navigateagedcare.com.au Navigate Aged Care is a business I've been dreaming of, refining, re-working and crafting for almost 10 years now. I always knew I wanted to run my own aged care business and over the years I've narrowed it down to this little gem.  Navigate Aged Care specialises in helping you access the aged ca...

Today we're joined again by the lovely Kim Somerville who is an End of Life Doula.  Kim chats with us today about what to expect after someone dies - What happens to them physically? When does Rigor Mortis set in? How long before I have to tell people? Do I need to start contacting their bank/health insurer/dentist? I really enjoyed todays chat and I love how Kim encourages us all to tread ge...

In today's episode of the podcast we're talking all about future planning documents and what happens if you don't have them in place when they're needed. There are a number of Government organisations in place to protect those vulnerable persons who may not have family or decision makers available to assist when they lose capacity themselves. Today we discuss: How 'capacit...

Better late than never! This episode might have been handy a few months ago, but there are so many lessons that apply any day of the year. Today I chat with my Mum and Life Coach, Steph Noon, about how we can find the joy when we might be feeling a bit down after months of gloomy weather. Our brain is wired to be alert for what's wrong, so today we unpack how we can intentionally feel better...

Today's episode is part two of my chat with the wonderful Joanna McIlveen! If you haven't already listened in to part one, head back on to episode 49.  In this episode we unpack: How to know the difference between normal grief and prolonged grief What to do if you are suffering from prolonged grief How you can support others to grieve What things to say or not say when someone is grievin...

Today's episode is with the incredibly knowledgeable Joanna McIlveen. Jo is a Grief & Bereavement Social Worker from NSW who is currently doing a PhD exploring how communities and hospital work together in partnership to provide care during end of life. Jo assists people every day to navigate their grief and helps to normalise their experiences.  In part one of our chat we discuss: What i...

It's Pride Month and it felt fitting to have an episode dedicated to navigating LGBTI services. As an LGBTI ally I feel it's important we all better understand potential barriers to accessing aged care services for LGBTI folk and there are a number of wonderful resources out there to assist in doing so.  In today's episode we discuss: LGBTI Ageing Strategy 2012-2017 :  this strategy...

Ever wondered how you'd support a friend or family member that was dying? Have you thought about how you'd look after yourself during such an emotional time? What would you do if the individual could no longer communicate their feelings? In today's episode with EOL Doula Danielle, we talk all about emotional health particularly in the context of terminal diagnosis and palliative car...

Home Care Packages can be great at providing funding for assistance to keep yourself or a loved one living independently at home. But what happens when your level of care increases and you need more funding? In todays episode I discuss what to consider before contacting My Aged Care for a re-assessment. The clearer you can be in highlighting your needs, the more likely you are to be considered for...

Can I choose to die at home? Why might I want to die at home? What support is needed for me to die at home? Who needs to know my wishes? When do I need to communicate these wishes? What happens if things don't go to plan? These are all questions you might have about the choice to die at home. As we discuss with Kim Somerville in todays episode, there are an increasing number of Australian&apo...

With any election comes a lot of policy promises and today we're unpacking what funding Labor have committed to the Aged Care sector. The majority of these policies are based on recommendations from the Aged Care Royal Commission that occurred from October 2018 to March 2021. Labour have committed to $2.5 billion over the next 4 years.  Amongst other things, they have committed to: Wage incre...

Welcome back! I regularly get asked about what people can use their Home Care Package for and unfortunately like many things in aged care, the answer isn't straightforward. Today we discuss the 'spirit' of the Home Care Package, the many goods & services you can use your Home Care Package for and what items are specifically excluded. Underlying all Home Care Package spending is...

Today we pick the brains of the beautiful Tamara from Adelaide Hills Counselling & Consultancy about hoarding and squalor.  Tamara is accredited Social Worker with the AASW and has worked in the aged care sector for 8 years.  We talk about: the difference between 'clutter' and hoarding or squalor, including the mental illnesses that sit behind the behaviour the risks associated with...

Whilst the podcast has maintained regular programming... I've had a little bambino! We welcomed our daughter Cecelia into the world on the 15th of March - known as Cece to her friends. She is an absolute delight, but wowee I don't think I've ever been so sleep-deprived! Thankfully I pre-recorded a number of episodes prior to having her, so episodes have stayed regular.  Today is my...

Worried that you or a loved one are starting to forget medications or maybe get them mixed up? There are so many wonderful prompts and aids available to assist with taking medications on time. In today's quick tip episode we run through the cascading assistance that can be offered for medication administration. 1.      Taking medications from original containers 2.      Using pill boxes/doset...

Sometimes we start to become worried about loved ones living at home and become concerned they're not coping independently. In today's episode I unpack some of the common checks I complete for clients (and loved ones!) when visiting their home to give me an indication of how well they're doing. As highlighted at the top of the podcast, please know that each of these checks are just...

Blue Zones refers to the study of the five places in the world ­where people live the longest, and are healthiest: Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece, and Loma Linda, California. The concept of Blue Zones has been increasingly reported and filtered down into four key categories with nine denominators. In E38 we talk with Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Tara McC...

If you or your loved one are in hospital, how on earth do you work out how to get home? Hospitals are incredibly busy, so knowing what options are available & what to ask can help ensure a smooth discharge for yourself or a loved one. 1. Understand the situation: a) Understand the diagnosis - do they know what the diagnosis is? Or is there something they suspect? b) Potential discharge plans -...

Ever been in hospital or had a loved one in hospital and been unclear about what options are available when discharging? Most people want to get home as soon as possible, however may require some additional support before safely & confidently returning home. In E36 we discussed nine different options and pathways available on discharge from hospital. Please note, the names of these programs ma...

Finding your individual purpose and meaning are integral to helping you feel connected. The more clarity we have around our purpose and what brings us a sense of fulfilment, the less lonely we're going to be.  Finding your purpose can feel overwhelming and complex, however today we work through some simple questions to reflect on that will assist with getting to the core of what lights your f...

Loneliness and social isolation are such common phenomenon for the elderly, with 1 in 3 seniors living alone in Australia* and 20% expressing daily feelings of loneliness**. Often this is met with a feeling of fear or shame which can lead to further withdrawal and potentially depression.  In E34 I talk with Wellbeing Coach and Positive Psychologist, Stephanie Noon (aka. my Mum!), all about lonelin...

Today we are talking all things Residential Aged Care (RAC) Placement with the lovely Tamara. Tamara is accredited Social Work with the AASW and has worked in the aged care sector for 8 years. Tamara now runs her own private practice specialising in aged care services and residential placement and shares her many nuggets of wisdom in today's ep! The key pieces Tamara discusses today are: 1. K...