Paniyiri Greek Festival 2012 – Take The Journey!
Published May 1, 2012 | 
Paniyiri 2011
In 1976, some 36 years ago, a group of passionate Greek Australians wanted to share their cultural traditions with Brisbane. They wanted to take this city on a journey. A journey of discovery, a celebration of dance and music, a gastronomical tour through secret recipe books, a voyage through history rich in colour and passion.
Fast forward to 2012, and this kaleidoscopic cultural explosion is now legendary with over 50,000 Greeks and honorary Greeks flocking to Musgrave Park, South Brisbane every year for the annual Paniyiri Greek Festival.
Paniyiri Greek Festival will be held on Saturday May 19 and Sunday May 20, this year, making it the longest running cultural festival in Queensland and the longest running Greek festival in Australia!
In Musgrave Park more than 30 food stalls will showcase the tastes, recipes and secrets of food from all corners of Greece while on the main stage famous Greek dances the Zorba, Sirto, Kalamatiano and Sousta, performed to music performed on traditional Greek instruments including the bouzouki, tarabuka, lira and laouto are enjoyed by Greeks and non-Greeks alike in a wonderful cross cultural celebration.
From 12noon on Saturday 19 May and 10am on Sunday 20 May in Musgrave Park, South Brisbane.
Wake up governments!
Published May 1, 2012 | For the first time, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) have urged governments worldwide to make dementia a national public and social care priority.
The new report by the WHO and ADI -‘Dementia: A public health priority’ -finds the predicted trebling of the prevalence of dementia from 35 million to more than 115 million by 2050 will have huge economic and social costs on health systems around the world.
“With its devastating impact on people with dementia, their families, their communities and national health systems, dementia represents not only a public health crisis but a social and fiscal nightmare as well,” executive director of ADI, Marc Wortmann, says.
“Around the world a new case of dementia arises every four seconds. That’s a staggering growth rate, equivalent to 7.7 million new cases of dementia every year – the same size as the populations of Switzerland and Israel.
“Our current health systems simply cannot cope with the explosion of the dementia crisis as we all live longer; this is as much an economic and fiscal disaster waiting to happen as it is a social and health challenge of the highest order,” he adds.
The report identifies priority areas of action that need to be addressed within policy and planning, including raising awareness, timely diagnosis, commitment to good quality continuing care and services, caregiver support, workforce training, prevention and research.
Glenn Rees, the chief executive of Alzheimer’s Australia, says the report’s priority areas are spot on for Australia and must be addressed by the federal government if we are to provide both better care and support for people with dementia and reduce the numbers of people with dementia in the future.
According to Mr Rees, the WHO and ADI report is yet another “wake up call” to our national and state governments.
“Dementia can no longer be neglected; we need a funded comprehensive plan to beat dementia and dementia must take centre stage in aged care reform.”
There are 1.2 million people who care for someone with dementia in some way and it is the third leading cause of death in Australia.
Each week there are an estimated 1,600 new cases of dementia in Australia, which equates to one person every six minutes. This number is expected to grow to 7,400 cases each week by 2050.
“If the government does not take action to address dementia now then by 2060 spending on dementia will outstrip that of any other health condition,” Mr Rees says.
Finding lost superannuation
Published January 25, 2012 | The Australian Taxation Office SuperSeeker tool at www.ato.gov.au/individuals/ can help you find any lost or unclaimed superannuation. SuperSeeker can also help you to lodge a request to have any funds that you do find transferred into another super account.
To conduct a search you will need to provide full names, date of birth and your Tax File Number (TFN).
Using SuperSeeker on the phone is also quick and easy. Phone the self-help line on 13 28 65, Fast Key Code 1 then 2.
You are not obliged to transfer your lost super, but you should consider contacting the fund that reported you as a lost member to update your contact information and remove your details from the lost super register.
Where unclaimed super or other super amounts are found, you can follow the links to the claim forms provided by SuperSeeker to make a claim. Alternatively, you may phone 13 10 20 for more information about these accounts.
The lost members register (LMR) holds lost member records from all regulated super funds in Australia, other than self-managed super funds. Super funds are required to provide updated information by 30 April and 31 October each year.
Mental health of older Australians is being ignored
Published January 25, 2012 | The mental health of older Australians is being ignored despite key mental health issues such as men over 85 having the highest age-specific suicide rate and the elderly having a prescription rate for anxiety, insomnia and sedative drugs at 500% of the general population, according to a statement released by The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists’ Faculty of Psychiatry of Old Age.
The statement, ‘Priority must be given to investment that improves the mental health of older Australians’, is calling for the government to include older people in all mental health planning to improve their quality of care, remove discrimination and obtain better understanding of the mental health needs of older Australians. “It is vital these issues be considered in the Commonwealth Government’s Ten Year Roadmap for Mental Health Reform and response to the Productivity Commission Report into Aged Care,” said Dr Roderick McKay, Chair of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists’ Faculty of Psychiatry of Old Age.
“Untreated mental illness robs older Australians of their quality of life, physical health and independence at significant cost to individuals, family and community. While there are effective mental health treatments for older people, limited resources deny them equitable access,” said Dr McKay.
“In the next 20 years, the number of Australians over 65 will double, yet the mental health care of older people has been largely ignored in the mental health reform agenda,” said Dr McKay.
“To improve the quality of mental health care for older people we require national benchmarks in mental health services for older people, and national principles for providing coordinated care across different services for older Australians with mental illness. Basic mental health training for people working with older Australian is also essential,” said Dr McKay.
“To remove discrimination against older people with mental disorders we require community and residential aged care services that are inclusive of the needs of people with mental illness, we need removal of all barriers to older Australians in residential aged care accessing the same mental health services as the rest of the community and removal of all exclusions from access to mental health services on the basis of having dementia,” said Dr McKay.
“To obtain a better understanding of the mental health needs of older Australians we must undertake a survey of the mental health and wellbeing of older Australians which will identify all older people, fund research on effective mental health interventions in older people and fund mental health promotion activities,” said Dr McKay.
Support for grandparent carers
Published December 28, 2011 | Grandparent carers will be able to share experiences and build their parenting skills through 25 new newly launched peer support groups.
Australia has more than 11,000 families where grandparents are the full-time carers of children.
Grandparents who care for their grandchildren make enormous personal sacrifices and significant contributions to the broader community.
Their selfless efforts can be socially isolating, and they are often faced with emotional, physical and financial difficulties.
Parliamentary Secretary for Community Services, Julie Collins said the Federal Government is providing for the establishment of 25 MyTime for Grandparents peer support groups nationally.
“They give grandparent carers a supportive environment to meet, seek peer support and find out about services and assistance available to them.
“A facilitator provides grandparent carers with information about support services and resources, while a play helper provides activities for their children.
“The groups will support around 300 families where grandparents are raising children each year,” Ms Collins said.
The Parenting Research Centre is coordinating the MyTime for Grandparents program nationally. It is based on the successful MyTime peer support network for parents caring for a child with a disability.
The Government has established dedicated grandparent advisors in Centrelink offices in Perth (Warwick), Sydney (Caringbah and Penrith), Melbourne (Oakleigh) and Brisbane (Caboolture).
These advisors improve grandparent carers’ access to Centrelink payments and services, and provide information and referral to other government and community services.
All grandparent carers are entitled to the full range of Australian Government payments, including Family Tax Benefit , Child Care Benefit and Parenting Payment, on the same basis as other families.
For further information on MyTime for Grandparents go to www.mytime.net.au/grandparents or freecall 1800 889 997.
Courtesy: www.seniorau.com.au
New research tackles depression in older Australians and their carers
Published November 11, 2011 | The Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, has visited the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI) to launch the start of research into a ground-breaking program that aims to tackle depression among older Australians and their carers by improving their fitness.
The study is the first of its kind and will investigate whether the use of the Otago Exercise Program by older Australians and their carers can reduce the incidence of depression and improve mental wellbeing.
The Federal Government is providing more than $690,000 grant funding for the four year study.
“Carers provide the majority of direct care to older Australians and the invaluable work that they carry out underpins the lives of many families right across the country,” Mr Butler said.
“Often this care is provided at a cost to their own physical and mental health.
“As Australia’s population ages and an increasing number of older frail and disabled people require care, it’s important we support people who are adjusting to the needs and responsibilities of being a carer and help them to stay happy and healthy.
Providing support to carers will improve their quality of life and the quality of the caring relationship.
“The National Ageing Research Institute has been a model for translating research into practice since the early 1970s and this research is a wonderful example of health and medical research improving the physical and mental well-being of older
Australians, their families and carers.”
Carers and care recipients will take part in the personalised home exercise program together which will include balance and strength training. Improving the fitness of carers and care recipients will help build confidence, reduce isolation and
depression and prevent falls.
Important numbers you may need to call
Published October 8, 2011 | Seniors Enquiry Line - 1300 135 500
Seniors Card - 131 304 or 1800 175 500 (free call outside Brisbane)
Department of Veterans Affairs - 133 254
Veteran Affairs Network - 1300 551 918
Centrelink: Retirement - 132 300
Veteran Affairs Network - 1300 551 918
Commonwealth Carelink Centres - 1800 052 222
Disability, Sickness and Carers - 132 717
Elder Abuse Prevention Unit Helpline - 1300-651-192
Employment Services - 132-850
National Information Centre on Retirement Investments (NICRI) - 1800-020-110
Older Australians and the internet
Published October 8, 2011 | Older Australians aren’t getting the help they need to take advantage of the Federal Government’s $43 billion national broadband network, said a Queensland University of Technology researcher.
Dr Sandra Haukka, a Senior Research Fellow, based at QUT, said despite the nation’s broadband investment and $15 million Broadband for Seniors initiative, many older Australians who wanted to use the internet couldn’t.
The study, released in May 2010, found while 98 per cent of people aged 18 to 24 used the internet only 40 per cent of people aged 64 and over did too.
Dr Haukka’s new Older Australians and the Internet study, supported by the auDA Foundation and National Seniors
Australia, surveyed older Australians to find out why they weren’t using the internet.
“Over 50 per cent of older Australians who participated in the survey were interested in using the internet, but faced a range of
barriers preventing them from doing so,” she said.
“Barriers include lack of skills and knowledge about what computer to buy, concerns about security and viruses, lack of support,
high costs, not wanting to burden their friends or family by asking for help and fear of ‘breaking the computer’ .
“This is surprising given that many participants are high achievers in other aspects of their lives, have the transferable skills
needed to use the internet, and are living independently.”
Dr Haukka also found that, despite the Government’s efforts to address these issues, many older Australians were unaware of the available support and services provided to help them get online.
“The $15 million Broadband for Seniors project is setting up 2,000 free internet kiosks in community centres, retirement villages
and clubs for seniors across Australia,” says Dr Haukka.
“However, our study found 70 per cent of survey participants have not heard of the kiosks and 64 per cent have not heard of
computer clubs for seniors.
“Many of those survey participants who had undertaken internet training claimed that these classes were not effective. They said the pace was too fast, courses were too advanced and differences in computer knowledge among classmates made it impossible to have effective group instruction.”
“We should focus on promoting services better with a different approach,” Dr Haukka said.
“My initial recommendations include expanding the availability of one-on-one training, focusing on the needs of individual users,
addressing the barriers and supporting older Australians to buy, install and maintain the technology that best suits their needs and select the right internet plan.”
How to identify and assist someone who’s having a stroke
Published October 8, 2011 | www.bribieseniors.info
Blood Clots/Stroke – They Now Have a Fourth Indicator, the Tongue
STROKE: Remember the 1st Three Letters…. S. T. R.
It only takes a minute to read this…
STROKE IDENTIFICATION:
RECOGNIZING A STROKE
Thank God for the sense to remember the ’3? steps, STR . Read and Learn!
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.
Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
S *Ask the individual to SMILE.
T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)
(i.e. It is sunny out today.)
R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
New Sign of a Stroke ——– Stick out Your Tongue
Ask the person to ‘stick’ out his tongue.. If the tongue is ‘crooked’, if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.
During a BBQ, a woman stumbled and took a little fall – she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) .she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.
They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Jane went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening
Jane’s husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital –
(at 6:00 pm Jane passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Jane would be with us today. Some don’t die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.
A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke…totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough…
A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.
I have done my part. Will you?