The lure for young people to go into certain careers is strong. From finance, banking, the legal system and everything in between, jobs and careers that promise high incomes and inner city living are tempting. Yet for some this life didn’t yield what they were expecting. Mike had a well-paid inner city job in central London but something was calling him to do something else, something drastically different. Mike eventually set up a charity to combat loneliness in the senior community. His friends thought he was nuts, he admits he may have been nuts but for anyone on the outside …

For countless years too many industries to name have created campaigns and geared their efforts towards a miniscule lens of beauty. From largely praising slenderness as the only way to be attractive to using incredibly young models, the beauty industries have arguably left a legacy tilted towards the young. Aside from marginalising billions of us who are now no longer ‘young’, this unrelenting focus on ‘vibrant youth’ has been having significantly negative consequences on people of all ages. For seniors, not seeing themselves in beauty campaigns and ideals of beauty has had a myriad of negative consequences from challenging mental …

While some recent films have tickled our fancy and the ivories, there are few modern “moving pictures” that have so captured up our imaginations, dreams and hearts as the good old films of yore. We recently wrote a blog on the mesmerising talents of Audrey Hepburn, you can find that article here. With spring just around the corner and some rainy days in store, we thought that a few more films to have us laughing up a storm, swooning around like swans or biting our nails at the sheer thrill of it all might do everyone some good. This time …

As of Wednesday, the Federal Government has launched an exciting new initiative aimed at helping some of Australia’s most vulnerable figure out the best options for them when it comes to aged care. The radio project has been designed to help around 50,000 families and their seniors access relevant and up to date information on aged care options. Those who are new to a country, its language and processes face the greatest obstacles to finding and accessing quality health and aged care. This project is an exciting development for those in our Australian communities who need it most. The $1 …

Visiting a loved one in an aged care facility can sometimes be tricky, especially when it’s bucketing down outside! Taking into consideration factors such as limited mobility, set schedules for services and possibly changing moods at the time you visit, it can sometimes feel as if your options are very limited. A trick to navigating the area of visiting your loved one in a RACFs is to have a few options up your sleeve. Films, especially films from your loved ones favourite eras, can be really strong contenders for a fun and entertaining rainy day. They don’t demand much movement, …

Films and popular culture set in time periods of yesteryear have been popular for as long as there has been a present. As a society in general we love to look back. Fashion, music, film, theatre have all drawn inspiration from times gone by. From Forest Gump to The Notebook, Grease and plenty of films in between, audiences have loved the opportunity to be immersed in times of old, from the coiffed hairstyles to the frocks and dance halls of swing, we can’t seem to get enough. While these films can easily be put down to ‘something the grandchild would …

In this moving video filmed by volunteers Alice Barker is shown, for the first time in her life, short clips of her dancing in the 1930s and 40s. Alice, at 102 years old had been living at her residential aged care facility for over eight years and had befriended David Shuff. David, a volunteer who regularly brought his dog, Katie, in as a therapy dog and Gail Campbell, a recreation therapist, searched for years to find clips of Alice dancing back in the day. After a lucky break, David and Gail were able to bring three “soundies” on an iPad …

Whether a loved one is in an aged care facility or still at home, the pressures of the basic services that need to occur, and the structure of their days, can make it tricky to enjoy quality one on one time with them. The struggle of worrying about your loved one but not wanting that to cloud the way you treat them and their enjoyment of your visit is one that many people can attest to. Being able to have a few gentle leisure activities can be a way to approach visiting and loving your loved one. Regardless of your …

HelloCare recently had the pleasure of speaking to two remarkable women. Marjorie and Sylvie are both 105 years old, and are both are residents at Bentons Lodge in Mornington. They spoke to HelloCare about their long and interesting lives, their fondest memories, the secret to their longevity and why they are 105 years and thriving. Marjorie on life and love Marjorie was born in Moonee Ponds and lived for all of her life around Melbourne. She worked as a junior teacher for two years after she left school, and then worked as a clerk for the Electricity Board. Marjorie learned …

Ensuring that residents feel safe, cared for and engaged is a goal that many aged care facilities pursue. It is an obvious and necessary area to cater resources and strategy too. Yet there is another component of aged care that is vitally important as well, the morale and wellbeing of staff. Numerous experts believe there is a direct link between staff morale and the quality of care and attention that residents receive. The care of residents must come first but it should not be done at the detriment of staff. Making sure staff feel seen and appreciated, along with providing …