The Truth About Ageing

HAPPY FESTIVE SEASON FRIENDS! We are well and truly into the silly season, so this episode is all about how to check in on loved ones over this festive time.

The idea of an annual check-in is a yearly reminder to pause and take stock of how your ageing loved ones are progressing. You might look back on the past 12 months and be impressed at how independent they've been! You might compare to Christmas last year and realise there are quite a few changes in their overall wellbeing. 

In today's episode I break down 8 key categories to look out for, probing questions you could use to learn more and what this could potentially be a sign of:

• Personal appearance
• Weight change
• Mobility
• Engagement
• Social/community participation
• Memory/recall
• Medication management
• Home maintenance

For more information on this topic, you can head to www.navigateagedcare.com.au/post/annual-check-in-december-newsletter 

As always, you can find me on Facebook @navigateagedcareau or in Instagram @thetruthaboutageing

Happy Festive season!!

E71 is one of my passion topics... Advance Care Directives. These documents have slightly different names and formats in each state and territory, but they're essentially a document that details your wishes for future health care, end of life planning, living arrangements and other personal matters .

In today's episode I discuss:
- What is an Advance Care Directive?
- How do I find out what it's called in my state/territory?
- Why should I have an Advance Care Directive?
- What if my family already know what I want?

For more details on Advance Care Planning please head to www.advancecareplanning.org.au. 

If you want to know more about me and the services I offer, you can head to www.navigateagedcare.com.au or find me on Instagram @thetruthaboutageing or on Facebook @navigateagedcareau :)

Welcome back to The Truth About Ageing podcast! Today we're talking all things Advance Care Planning.

In South Australia, there are three key succession planning documents that can help your family as you are ageing and once you die - a will, Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) and Advance Care Directive (ACD).**

In case you’re wondering what the difference between these documents is and what roles they play… a very high level, simple summary is:

WILL
A legal document with instructions for who you want to inherit your estate, care for your children and be the executor of your estate.

ENDURING POWER OF ATTORNEY
A legal document which allows you to appoint an Attorney to make decisions about your financial and legal matters.

ADVANCE CARE DIRECTIVE
A legal document which allows you to appoint a Substitute Decision Maker and documents wishes for your future health care, end of life, preferred living arrangements and other personal matters.

**Now Advance Care Directive's will have different names in different states and territories. If you're unsure what your state's equivalent is, you can head to www.advancecareplanning.org.au, which details the various different forms.

For more information, head to www.navigateagedcare.com.au :)

The theme for October is 'Home Is Where The Heart Is' and in last fortnights episode I discussed how to know when it might be time to move. In today's episode I unpack what those next steps might be. In Australia we're incredibly lucky to have many housing options available to Seniors, each with varying levels of support.

Today I discuss:

• Independent Living Units / Retirement Villages
• Serviced apartments
• Semi-support living

If you would like to have a chat about which option might work best for you or your loved one, please head to www.navigateagedcare.com.au/services and book a free 15 minute consult. 

As always, you can find me on Facebook @navigateagedcareau or on Instagram @thetruthaboutageingpodcast - can't wait to talk again soon! :)

Choosing to move from the family home can be an incredibly difficult decision. 80% of  ageing Australians, would like to remain there for as long as possible. And the majority have negative views of Residential Aged Care facilities (what used to be called nursing homes).  

What I find most people don't fully understand, are the are many alternatives between 'home' and Residential Aged Care. Whilst it might not be the family home they're staying in, an Independent Living Unit, Serviced Apartment or Semi-Supported Living arrangement may allow them to stay in the community for longer, before moving to a Residential Aged Care home.

In today's episode I talk about re-defining 'home' and when you know it might be time to consider alternate living arrangements.

In next fortnight's episode, I'll be diving deeper into the different options available and when/where you might access them.

As always, you can find me at www.navigateagedcare.com.au, or on Facebook @navigateagedcareau or on Instagram @thetruthaboutageingpodcast

The podcast theme for September is 'Living Longer, Living Better', so with my own Grandma turning 90 on the 17th September it seemed like the perfect time to sit her down and soak up all her wisdom. 

For those who have listened to her previous episodes or who know her personally, her no nonsense approach to life will come as no surprise. Her reminder to not take life too seriously, to trust in the good in others and the importance of family are lessons she's passed down the family for many generations. I hope through this episode that she gets to spread those lessons a little further. 

If you want to get in touch with me, please head to www.navigateagedcare.com.au. 
You can find me on Facebook @navigateagedcareau or on Instagram @thetruthaboutageing.

We are all living longer, so how can ensure we spend our days living with a sense of purpose, fulfilment and enjoyment?

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare released a report in June 2023 that identified from 1967-2021, life expectancy increased by 13.7 years for males (to 81.3) and 11.2 years for females (to 85.4). During 2016-2018 Indigneous Australians life expectancy was 72 years for males and 77 years for females. What these statistics show us is that a) we have a long way to go in bridging the gap with First Nations healthcare and b) we are living increasingly longer.

In today's episode I discuss the rise of depression in ageing Australians and how social connection can help overcome that.

Small steps to increase connection can go a long way. A check in text each morning or a weekly chat with a neighbour can make a big difference to someones feeling of connection and value. Below are some simple ways to get more connected:

• Social Groups - book club, gardening group, Seniors choir, U3A
• Getting out in the community - shopping, appointments, exercise class
• Family and Friends - regular contact and visits
• Volunteering - local library, school groups, Meals on Wheels
• Talking to a neighbour - small conversations can make big connections

You can read the full Black Dog Institute Article on depression in older people here - https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Depression-in-older-people.pdf

To read Professor Catherine Haslam's article titled 'Social connectedness and health in later life', click here - https://psychology.org.au/inpsych/2016/december/haslam

To sign up to the monthly Navigate Newsletter head to www.navigateagedcare.com.au/newsletter. 

As always you can find me at www.navigateagedcare.com.au, on Instagram @thetruthaboutageing and on Facebook @navigateagedcareau

Until next time! 

Convincing a loved one to see a doctor or access home care services can be hard at the best of times... throw dementia or a cognitive impairment in the mix and it can be an incredibly delicate situation to manage. 

In todays episode I discuss how to support loved ones living with dementia in the community, including:

• What a cognitive assessment is
• How to encourage someone with a cognitive impairment to seek assessment
• What to do if someone refuses assessment
• Supports available for those living with dementia in the community
• How to create a community support network for your loved one
• What to do if all else fails

If you would like to look further into the wonderful resources available from Dementia Australia you can do so at www.dementia.org.au or contact the National Dementia Hotline on 1800 100 500.

As always, you can find me at www.navigateagedcare.com.au, on Instagram @thetruthaboutageing and Facebook @navigateagedcareau :)

Hard Conversations in ageing can take many different forms. It might be encouraging your loved one to accept some help at home. It could be broaching discussions about moving permanently into a residential care facility. It may be gently assessing if the individual has insight into their own cognitive decline. So what can you do about this?

In my experience the keys to productive and positive Hard Conversations are:

• Curiosity
• Empathy
• Goal-focused discussion

In this episode we unpack how to use those three pillars to work alongside your loved one and ensure they achieve their ageing goals. 

If you'd like to subscribe to the monthly Navigate Newsletter you can do so here - www.navigateagedcare.com.au/newsletter

If you'd like to book a free 15 minute phone consult to discuss your loved ones needs (Australia only) you can do so here - www.navigateagedcare.com.au/services

If you'd like to follow me on socials you can find me at @navigateagedcareau on Facebook or @thetruthaboutageing on Instagram.

Talk soon! x

In today's episode I thought I'd unpack a very regular conversation I have with clients about how to access home care services.  There can be a lot of confusion when it comes to starting your aged care journey, so today I discuss what flags to look out for, what services are available, what fees you might have to pay and how to get started with services.

• Flags you might need support - specific areas of decline to look out for
• Government funded services in the home - Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP), Home Care Packages and hospital discharge programs
• Fees - charges to your Home Care Package for care and package management and fees that you may personally pay
• How to access services - contacting My Aged Care, what to request, in home assessments and wait times

Thank you as always for tuning into todays episode. If you have any questions or would like to seek individualised advice, please feel free to contact me at www.navigateagedcare.com.au :)