I am truly excited with the future of our Organisation. We have developed our Strategic Plan for 2023 – 2026 with a goal of 10,000 Members with 30 Clubs by 2026. A goal that can be achieved by working together. To continue our advocacy towards the prevention of loneliness and isolation for Senior Victorians by providing social connections and activities through our network of Life Activities Clubs and our dedicated Members.
We continue to believe that Life’s better together.

Significant achievements we have made:

1. Increase our Board size to 6 Board Members with diverse skillsets and experiences;
2. Board Members are out and about visiting Clubs;
3. Signed up Corporate Sponsors to assist towards the cost of printing our Life News Magazine;
4. Become a Program Partner with the Seniors Day Festival;
5. LAC’s who disaffiliated with us are now starting to affiliate back to LACVI;
6. We are finalising our re-submission of our request for additional funding with the Victorian Government;
7. We have identified areas in Metro Melbourne and Regional Country areas that we will connect with the LGAs, with a goal of setting up LACs;
8. Our continued investment towards our LAMP project to assist Clubs and bring this Organisation into the digital-era.

Our growth and future can only be achieved with our incredible and dedicated Board Members, our amazing Office Coordinator, Debbie, the wonderful support from all Life Activities Clubs, and to some members who are willing to put their hands-up to assist with special projects.

Alex Sy
President - Life Activities Clubs Victoria Inc.

Transactions with a person you can see and feel, at least empathise with, and gain some emotional contact are reducing at a continuing pace, even after the high street revolution that reduced banking numbers, retired ‘check out chicks (and guys), and made debt collection and purchasing ‘just a click away’.

Staying connected through our phones and smart readers and laptops is now the norm, and saying hello to Norm, or to Nora, a fading action.

Last week I made an eulogy to a friend of 60 years, who I stated was a kind man with many friends and a close family. A humorous man with the driest sense of fun and a knowing that came from close reading of a person’s nature and character, knowledge that morphed to wisdom, which often sifted out the chaff of life and honed in on the needs or lackings of strangers, as well as his large family group and friends.

He did use a laptop occasionally, but mostly called and spent time with his entourage. He stayed connected in the real sense of the word... in touch, in other words, a combination of feeling, listening, and interpretation.
Take a look around the next tram you are on or cafe you are in, or nest of school kids even... texting, roaming sites and social media, not the expressions and loudness of conversation.

And how to reflect my late friend’s kindness, and the theme of the latest Oscar best movie, Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, that it is our small carings and connections, our stepping out of our carapace of self consciousness or feelings of inadequacy, that make us more human and feed our sense of still belonging and still providing value to others.

Yes, keep walking, yes keep abreast of the changing world and be contemporary, but mostly... stay connected or the power will go, the lights will dim, and you will be more alone than an ATM with no cash, or a barcode check out that can only manage... How would you like to pay?

Article by: John Tapper

What is age-related hearing loss?
Age-related hearing loss (also called presbycusis) is a common cause of hearing loss in adults. It occurs gradually for many of us, and it is one of the most common conditions affecting adults around the world as they age.

In Australia, it was estimated that in 2017, 3.6 million Australian adults were living with at least a mild degree of hearing loss, representing 14.5% of the population. More than three-quarters of these were people aged 60 years or older.1 By 2060, the number of people with at least a mild hearing loss is projected to double to 7.8 million people, mainly due to our ageing population.

Presbycusis is a complex and multifactorial disorder typically characterized by progressive loss of hearing in both ears over many years. It usually affects the high frequencies of hearing, although its presentation and clinical course can be variable. Nearly all adults experience a decline in hearing ability in later life2,3, which makes hearing loss one of the most common long-term health conditions associated with ageing.4,5  The annual cost of hearing loss in Australia is estimated to be approximately $33.3 billion1 and is projected to increase as a direct result of population ageing.

Because presbycusis occurs gradually, you may not realise that you’ve lost some of your ability to hear, as it affects your quality of life. Having trouble hearing can make it hard to understand and follow a doctor’s advice, respond to warnings, and hear phones, doorbells, and smoke alarms. Hearing loss can also make it hard to enjoy talking with family and friends, leading to feelings of isolation.

Why do we lose our hearing as we get older?
Many things affect our hearing as we age. For example, changes in the inner ear that can affect hearing are common. Age-related changes in the middle ear and complex changes along the nerve pathways from the ear to the brain can also affect hearing. Long-term exposure to noise and some medical conditions can also play a role. In addition, new research suggests that certain genes make some people more susceptible to hearing loss as they age.

Conditions that are more common in older people, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, are associated with hearing loss. In addition, medications that are toxic to the sensory cells in your ears (some chemotherapy drugs, for example) can cause hearing loss.

How can I prevent age-related hearing loss?
Scientists don’t yet know how to prevent age-related hearing loss, but you can protect yourself from noise-induced hearing loss. Potential sources of damaging sounds include loud music, headphones/earbuds used at high volume, workplace machinery, construction equipment, fireworks, guns, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and motorcycles. To help safeguard your hearing as you age, avoid loud noises, reduce the amount of time you’re exposed to loud sounds, and protect your ears with earplugs or protective earmuffs.

Adapted from: Cassarly C, Matthews LJ, Simpson AN, Dubno JR. The Revised Hearing Handicap Inventory and Screening Tool Based on Psychometric Reevaluation of the Hearing Handicap Inventories for the Elderly and Adults. Ear Hear. 2020 Jan/Feb;41(1):95-105. doi: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000000746. PMID: 31124792; PMCID: PMC6864238.

What should I do if I have trouble hearing?
If you are concerned about your hearing, start by learning more about hearing loss. If your symptoms are complex or if you have questions about next steps, consider seeking advice from a hearing health care provider each of whom offers a different set of expertise:

• A primary care physician is a doctor who practices general medicine and is often our first stop for medical care. This health care provider can refer you to a specialist, if needed, and can also help to determine whether you have other medical conditions that can contribute to hearing loss.
• An otolaryngologist, often called an ENT, is a doctor who specialises in diagnosing and treating diseases of the ear, nose, throat, and neck. They will try to find out why you’re having trouble hearing and offer treatment options and often work closely with an audiologist.
• An audiologist has specialised training in identifying and measuring hearing loss, determining where along the auditory pathway there may be a problem with hearing, and recommending certain hearing strategies and interventions.

How can my family and friends help me?
You and your family can work together to make living with hearing loss easier, such as:

• Tell your family about your hearing loss- explain which listening situations are hard for you.
• Ask your family to face you when they talk so that you can see their expressions and lip movements.
• Ask people to speak louder, but not shout – you may need to ask them to slow down when they speak, or to speak more clearly.
• Turn off or turn down the volume of background noise, such as the TV, when you’re trying to have a conversation.
• Be aware of background noise around you that can make hearing more difficult. When you go to a restaurant, for example, don’t sit near the kitchen or near a band playing music. Ask for seating in a quiet area. A booth can help soften or block noise.

Supporting people with hearing loss
Early detection is critical to allow timely intervention to support adults with acquired hearing loss and improve their hearing health outcomes before many of the more disabling impacts eventuate. In Australia, hearing services are subsidised for eligible adults (e.g. people with a Commonwealth Pensioner Concession Card) and most audiology clinics offer low-cost initial hearing tests. Some medical GPs provide screening and referral to hearing services, although you do not need to have a GP referral to see an audiologist.

Treatment will depend on the severity of your hearing loss, so some treatments or devices will work better than others. The most common ones are hearing aids, assistive listening devices such as telephone or mobile phone- amplifying devices.

While it is important to recognise that hearing aids are highly effective at improving the quality of life for clients regardless of age, they may not be suitable for everyone. Older adults should not be excluded from hearing services because of their age, capacity, or functional limitations.

References:
1. Deloitte Access Economics. The social and economic cost of hearing loss in Australia. Sydney: Hearing Care Industry Association; 2017 [cited 2021 Aug 9]. Available from: www.hcia.com.au/hcia-wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Social-and-Economic-Cost-of-Hearing-Health-in-Australia_June-2017.pdf
2. Kiely KM, Gopinath B, Mitchell P, Luszcz M, Anstey KJ. Cognitive, health, and sociodemographic predictors of longitudinal decline in hearing acuity among older adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2012;67(9):997–1003. CrossRef | PubMed
3. Gates GA, Mills JH. Presbycusis. Lancet. 2005;366(9491):1111–20. CrossRef | PubMed
4. Haile LM, Kamenov K, Briant PS, Orji AU, Steinmetz JD, Abdoli A, et al. Hearing loss prevalence and years lived with disability, 1990–2019; findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Lancet. 2021;397(10278):996–1009. CrossRef | PubMed
5. Kiely KM, Mitchell P, Gopinath B, Luszcz MA, Jagger C, Anstey KJ. Estimating the years lived with and without age-related sensory impairment. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2016;71(5):637–42. CrossRef | PubMed.

Article by: M. Cichello RN MAPS, LACVI Board of Directors

In August and September 2023, Council on the Ageing (COTA) and the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) embarked on an Australia-wide consultation process to hear older people’s views about the new Aged Care Act being developed by the Federal Government, and also a set of proposed funding principles for a sustainable aged care system being developed by the Aged Care Taskforce. COTA and OPAN are two peak bodies advocating for older Australians in health, aged care, diversity and human rights.

The LACVI Board strongly espouses our organisation’s active engagement with other stakeholders in the wellbeing and aged care sectors as our Members want to be informed of broad changes now happening in aged care and want their views heard about matters that impact them. I attended an online session Regional Consultation Forum, an in-person Full Day Forum in Melbourne, and finally, the online Report Back Session from the convenors in October 2023. I will endeavour to keep LAC Members informed of developments in the next 12 months.

The presenters were Pat Sparrow (COTA) and Craig Gear (OPAN). They guided attendees through the foundation of the new Act.

Firstly, why a new Aged Care Act?
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (the Commission) recommended that one new rights-based Act be developed to replace the existing Aged Care Act 1997 (ACA) and multiple pieces of legislation that currently govern aged care in Australia. The new Act is planned to commence from 1 July 2024.  This short article will present the highlights of the discussions but I encourage all our LAClubs and individual members to click on the links below to read the Department of Health & Ageing (DoHA) Fact Sheets for details.   
www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/resources-on-the-new-aged-care-act

What will the new Act cover?
The big problem identified by the Commission was that current ACA is structured around aged care providers and their funding- rather than about people accessing the aged care system and what services they need.  The new ACA will focus on the older person’s needs and the obligations of care providers to protect the rights of older Australians to receive safe quality care.
www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/the-new-aged-care-act-fact-sheets?language=en

The presenters walked us through the following topics:

• structure, purpose and constitutional basis
• Statement of Rights  
• Statement of Principles
• definition of high quality care
• new duty of care and compensation pathways
• whistle-blower protections
• supported decision-making arrangement, and
• eligibility for Government funded aged care services

I found the sessions fully subscribed, with participants coming from non-profit, health care provider, community club, disability, veteran, multicultural, consumer, family advocate, Guardianship, elder rights, carer and service client groups,

In October 2023, Pat and Craig ran an online Feedback Session for all participants and reported feedback from four regional forums and twelve face-to-face sessions in capital cities. Of the 4,000 participants, 29% of attendees were older people, 25% community, 24% family/ carers, and identified as working in aged care. They shared the views of attendees nationwide and what older people want changed in the COTA/ OPAN submissions to government.

Note: If you want to learn more about what older Australians think the future aged care system should be, please contact Deb at office@life.org.au for a follow up article in the next issue!

Article by: M Cichello, LACVI Board of Directors

LACVI always enjoys holding a stall at the Seniors Festival. With only one day to celebrate this year, our Board and Club volunteers brought their happy faces and welcomed being part of the festivities at Federation Square.

This years theme was Learn. Love. Live. All the things that our members enjoy doing. Participating, sharing and passing on knowledge with others who have a similar zest for life.

Our positive and outgoing crew spoke to many people through the day who showed great interest in the variety of activities on offer and flexibility of their involvement.

We were entertained by the roving performers and even though the wind was quite strong, there were many people out and about taking in the attractions and stalls.

As an organisation we are always proud to represent our Clubs at these festivals and make people aware of the positive impact they can have on their lives.

Combat loneliness and isolation and get involved in activities where you can make new friends and enjoy different experiences, because Life’s better together.TM

1st October 2023. About 45 people joined us for the Seniors Festival yearly laneways walk. Thanks to our guides this year Robert Peters from Moonee Valley, Rebecca Luxford from Yarraville, John Smith and Margot Johnson from Inner Melbourne and myself.

The walk started with Degraves Street a bustling laneway full of people enjoying such a beautiful day in the eateries. We meandered through Central Place/Way to the famous Block Arcade home to the Hopetoun Tea Rooms and Haighs Chocolates and turned right into Block Place where more visitors to the city were enjoying a relaxing lunch. Next we made our way to the very 1st arcade in Melbourne, the Royal Arcade where the famous Gog & Magog were looking down on us.

Next stop was a surprise to most, the old GPO Postal Lane next to Myers connecting Bourke St to Little Bourke St, a wonderful place for coffee, a wine or a pizza. Then up to Tattersalls Lane named after the nearby hotel of the same name, crossing back to the old Target Centre to Bourke Street. Next to another secret, Russell Place the site of the 1882 Victoria Electricity Company generating station. Melbourne was one of the first places in the world to have a public electricity supply. The sub-station was rebuilt in 1929 and still supplies electricity to the CBD. While it covers half a city block, it is hidden.

Next we made our way through Alfred Place to George Parade connecting Flinders Lane to Collins Street where factories and warehouses once stood, to now be the home of top class restaurants.

We then headed back to Federation Square via Hosier Lane, famous for its vibrant graffiti and street art.

The Atrium at Federation Square was inspired by Melbourne’s hidden laneways and classic arcades and is a creative focal point for designers, artists and community groups.

Article by: Sue Van Gerrevink, LACVI secretary

4th October 2023. This walk was inspired by my walking through the Carlton Gardens past the Royal Exhibition Building and looking into the distance and seeing the still-under-construction Shangri-La Hotel zooming over the horizon and I said wow “look at the old and the new” so close together and they work.

The walk started at Parliament Station and we walked down Spring Street past the old Scotch College site and now the home of government offices at Casselden Place. Next door is the new Australian Unity Building built behind the façade of the old Elms Hotel who called last drinks in 2016 after operating for 160 years. The new building has a set-back thanks to neighbours standing firm.

We crossed over Victoria Street to the Royal Exhibition Building, a world heritage listed building, built in 1879-1880 as part of the international exhibition movement which presented over 50 exhibitions between 1851 and 1915 around the globe. Behind the Royal Exhibition Building is the Melbourne Museum, opened in 2000 [after a huge amount of objections and protests]. But we agreed at the successful synergy of the two buildings.
We look at the relatively new Garden House over the road from a 25 years plus old Panorama, one of the first towers in Carlton, then look up at the 5 star Shangri-La which includes some 500 guest rooms with three levels of amenities. The two tower development has a sky bridge separating the business/apartment buildings, due to open in 2024.

Nearby is The Conservatory - an elegant glasshouse building with apartments bathed in natural light throughout, with the use of glass panels between the spaces; walking past the Royal Society of Victoria building built in 1854; The Emily McPherson Building, a spreading low level 1920s building now home to the RMIT Graduate School of Business; and the Old Melbourne Gaol.

Walking past Concept Blue, an art deco tower at 336 Russell Street formerly known as the Russell Street Police Headquarters. Over the road we see the Melbourne City Library, with over 170 years of history. Further down Russell Street is Queen Victoria Village, formerly the site of the old hospital of the same name. Moving along we walk past the new 2023 Australian Federal Police Building to the Wesley Church built in 1858. A new tower has been built on the site of the old Princess Mary Club which opened in 1926 to provide a safe haven for working class young women.

Heading back to the start we passed an excavation site where archaeologists have been working for over a year protecting and collecting artefacts, the Leitrim Hotel site, built in 1888, Trunk Restaurant, originally a 19th century synagogue and lastly Madame Brussels Lane famously named after a brothel owner.

This walk was led by John Smith from Inner Melbourne, Colleen O’Brien a friend of mine and myself. A great big thank you to all from Ballarat who came down for the day. I think we all agreed “the old and the new can and do work together”.

Article by: Sue Van Gerrevink, LACVI secretary

Warrnambool local and Parkinson’s champion Andrew Suggett OAM has won the prestigious Victorian Senior of the Year award for his efforts leading the local Parkinson’s Support Group for more than a decade.

Mr Suggett and 18 other recipients were recognised for their community work by Minister for Ageing Ingrid Stitt and Governor of Victoria, Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC, at a ceremony at Government House.

And COTA Senior Achiever Awardees are:

Read more about the awardees
www.seniorsonline.vic.gov.au/2023-victorian-senior-year-award-recipients

WARNING: wildly impressive seniors feature in this video
youtu.be/oxmsgoq3Ywk

Japan in June

My wife and I decided to travel to Japan last June for six days. Our focus was to immerse ourselves with the culture, the place, the people and the food. We landed at Narita Airport and stayed in Tokyo. Our taxi driver arrived on time, very polite and gave us a sense of relief as we were complete “strangers” to the place.

We stayed in the Ginza district as it was a short walking distance to the Tokyo Main Railway Station, shops, and food districts. We immediately booked our Japan Rail Pass, which is very essential if you are planning to travel on the Japan Railways, including the Shinkansen (or Bullet Trains).

Travelling on the Shinkansen, we went to various cities such as Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Sendai. We also visited the famous Shibuya Crossing which is Japan’s busiest pedestrian crossing. Although English is not commonly spoken, Japanese people do try and converse with you, and found the Google Translator to be our “best friend”.

We both had an incredible food experience tasting authentic ramen, Izikaya cooking, sushi, tempura cooking, and wagyu meat. Would we go back? Yes! Planning for a three week holiday soon.

Article by: Alex Sy, LACVI President

Terrific Turkey

Turkey is an amazing country, so full of history, and due to it’s geographical position, it has been a target of many conquerors over many centuries, the Romans, the Byzantines and the Ottomans, to name a few.

Istanbul was originally called Byzantium, then Constantinople before becoming Istanbul last century. Religion has always been very important here and there are many Christian churches, as many of the Biblical disciples visited. During the 6th century, Hagia Sofia was the biggest church in Christendom until it was converted into a mosque 1453.

My recent tour with Two’s a Crowd started in Istanbul and went on to: Canakkale (Gallipoli), Ephesus, Pamukkale, Fethiye, Antalya, then the wonderful Cappadocia region which was highlighted by a hot air balloon ride, and finally a quick flight back to Istanbul.

September was a perfect time of year, beautiful weather and not too crowded. The Turkish people were delightful.

Article by: Kath Frowen, LACVI Board

Kimberley and the Top End

Northern Territory & Western Australia

In July I finally got to go on my Outback Spirit Northern Territory and Western Australia adventure which had been postponed three times due to the pandemic. It felt like a free holiday since I had paid for the tour and airfares several years ago!

Although there was a lot of driving, in a comfortable 4-wheel drive, the destinations were spectacular. I got to take two helicopter joy flights – over the Bungle Bungles and over Mitchell Falls; and two light aircraft flights – an unscheduled one from Kununurra to Mitchell Plateau and another to the Horizontal Falls in a sea plane.

The sunsets were lovely, the ancient rock art fascinating, the wildlife magic, the variation of the millions of termite mounds truly baffling, the Boab trees were stunning and all so different from each other, and my traveling companions were a delight! The weather was also beautiful, as Melbourne coped with winter cold, we had dry sunny days of 28oc.

Article by: Kath Frowen, LACVI Board

Giants of Mandurah

Western Australia

In July 2023, my daughter Michelle and I spent 16 wonderful days in Western Australia. Starting by staying with friends in Perth and then hiring a car to drive down all the way to Albany, seeing the Karri trees and the expansive forests WA famous for. We went whale watching in Albany and were not disappointed, whales everywhere putting on performances for all of us in the boat.

On our return to Perth again my friend Shirley took us to the famous GIANTS OF MANDURAH. Mandurah is a wetland of International Importance, it is part of the Peel-Yalgorup wetland system.

Thomas Dambo is considered the world’s leading recycle artist, from Norway, he celebrates the diversity, beauty and importance of the natural world, with larger-than-life sculptures handmade using recycled and locally sourced materials. Thomas’ vision is to create art that inspires people to go explore, have adventures in nature, and to demonstrate that trash can be turned into something beautiful. This is the first time that any of his Giants have been seen in Australia.

In Mandurah you can find Santi Ikto, Seba’s Song, Yaburgurt Winjan Cirkelstone and Little Lui. Theses giants are strategically placed overlooking water, requiring a walk in nature and stand
regally claiming their place in our world.

For more details visit giantsofmandurah.com.au

Article by: Sue Van Gerrevink, LACVI Secretary

Heather Paech - Wodonga

Heather is the Webmaster and LAMP representative for the Wodonga Life Activities Club. Her primary responsibilities revolve around ensuring  a seamless online experience for our members.

Among other activities Heather provides advice on accessing and navigating our website and activity booking process for members. She sorts out real and perceived problems on all sorts of devices for members and greatly assists the committee members especially the activities co-ordinator. Heather also trouble shoots web based glitches with LACVI. While frequently insisting she does very little, Heather is one of our busiest committee members and we would be lost without her.