Did You Know

Seniors Card

Seniors Card is a completely FREE discount card providing members with access to NSW Government concessions and business discounts.

The NSW State Government introduced the Seniors Card scheme in 1992 to encourage older people to enjoy an active and healthy retirement. Ian Henderson, NSW Seniors Card Manager says, “Seniors Card members use the guide year round for discounts and good value on entertainment, travel and accommodation, automotive repairs, insurance, health and legal services, shopping, household needs and more.”

The scheme is free to join, is not assets-tested and you are not required to disclose your income. To qualify, you must be a New South Wales permanent resident, aged 60 or over and work no more than 20 hours a week in paid employment. A Seniors Card Application Form must be completed when applying for the Seniors Card. The form must be witnessed by a NSW Justice of the Peace to verify that you meet membership criteria. Please allow 21 days for delivery (from receipt of your application).

You can complete a form online or get a paper copy from one of the following locations:

* Legislative Assembly Members’ Electorate Offices

* DADHC Regional offices

* NSW local council offices

* NSW Government Access Centres

* Participating local council libraries

* Public Trustee Offices

* Seniors Card call centre. Phone 1300 364758 (9am to 5pm week days).

* Seniors Card Website www.seniorscard.nsw.gov.au.- Seniors Card Application Form (PDF, 456KB). You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software to view the document.

* Seniors Information Service.Phone 131 244.

Mail your completed application to:

Locked Mail Bag 16

Kingsgrove NSW 2208

Seniors Card members are eligible for discounts and special offers from thousands of bussinesses in NSW. Some additional discounts are also available in the Seniors Card programs operated by other states and territories around Australia.

NSW Seniors Card members also entitled to special concession rates on NSW government transport and half fare travel on many other government and private transport services. The Seniors Card is extremely easy to use. Simply present your Seniors Card to participating businesses and transport services to obtain discounts.

Save Your Back

In our last issue we showcased a new product called EZEE Trolleys created by a Wollongong entrepreneur called Derek Oppermann, a man determined to revolutionise shopping in Australia. With new research showing shopping trolleys are a leading cause of back pain and chronic back injury, especially among our aging population, the EZEE Trolley is beginning to look like the answer to a prayer. The EZEE Trolley is a new state-of-the-art ergonomically designed twin basket trolley. “It is a win-win for both shoppers and retailers alike” says Oppermann. “Retailers see sales increase (EZEE Retail has proven results that EZEE Trolleys increase sales by 5% to 20% in many cases) and customers’ shopping experience is just so much more pleasant. They can actually avoid straining themselves by avoiding having to carry heavy baskets and avoiding having to twist and bend negotiating with large shopping trolleys of which the basic design has not changed in around 70 years." EZEE Retail has many testimonials from independent retailers espousing the virtues of the concept. For more information please visit www.ezeeretail.com.au

The Senior & Retirement Expo

Australia’s latest event for seniors has been confirmed and will take place at the Brisbane Exhibition Centre in South Bank on September 22 and 23, 2004. This is the only expo tailored specifically for Australian seniors and will include workshops, seminars and performances, with over 80 companies showcasing products and services to inspire and educate seniors, with a focus on the positive aspects of aging. The Expo will launch just in time for the International Day of the Older Person 2004 and will provide a one-stop-shop for financial and investment advice, legal and governmental information, new health products and therapies, hobbies, holidays, sports and more.

For more information on the Brisbane Senior & Retirement Expo call (02) 9938 9938 or visit www.seniorexpos.com.au

Lifting the Age Barrier

In March of this year some of the world’s top medical brains converged on Sydney in search of a scientific Fountain of Youth at the inaugural International Conference of Longevity, an event backed by both the World Health Organisation and the Australian Medical Association. The 2nd International Conference on Longevity, to be held in Brisbane next March, will bring together medical consultants and practitioners, allied health professionals, scientists and policy makers for a global perspective on the issues confronting them in the areas of quality and length of life, and new research applicable to our ageing population. The Conference Programme is being developed by the International Research Centre for Healthy Ageing and Longevity Ltd. For more information and to read fascinating articles on the topic please visit www.longevity-international.com

The Friends of Rookwood

The Friends of Rookwood Inc now have a new web page and contact information. The new website address is http://home.iprimus.com.au/eckadoubledecka, the new email is friends_of_rookwood@hotmail.com and the postal address is PO Box 66, Lidcombe NSW 1825. For more information on the guided tours of Rookwood Cemetery offered by The Friends of Rookwood you can also call Robyn Hawes on (02) 9499 2415.

Glass Headstones

Acompany called Memoriam Glass is introducing a
new concept to Australians. A perfect example of the
‘new age’ options increasingly available in the funeral
industry, Frank Kos and Carole Pemberton of Memoriam
Glass are currently presenting the concept of glass headstones
to the Australian funeral industry and consumer.
Popular in Europe, the product developed for Australia
meets all the Australian standards and safety requirements
relating to headstones and their installation. Set to be an
attractive new addition to Memorial Parks throughout the
nation, the headstones will boast ‘Clear Shield’, a new
product that coats glass and repels dust and rain. For
more information please call (03) 9820 9688.

Pancake Day!
A National Day

On Shrove Tuesday, February 24th 2004, communities
across Australia will shake, flip and sell pancakes
to support UnitingCare.
UnitingCare is the largest non-government provider
of social services and represents the social, justice and
advocacy activities of the Uniting Church of Australia. Its
services are for all Australians of all creeds.
‘UnitingCare’ is, however, almost a secret! But mention
Wesley Mission, Exodus Foundation, Blue Cross, Frontier
Services and Burnside - which are all part of UnitingCare -
and recognition sets in!
‘Pancake Day’ addresses this ‘secret’ by increasing
awareness of UnitingCare within our communities and
so help strengthen its voice for those most in need; the
aged and children, families in crisis, children in trouble,
youth in despair, the disabled, those who can only trust
in the anonymity of a crisis line, the homeless, abused,
neglected and hungry.
Monies raised in a community stay in that community, an
important notion - especially in regional and rural areas. An
extraordinary number of Australians support social services
in the not-for-profit sector and without this groundswell of
generosity our society would be in a sorry state.
Pancake Day is an old Christian festival. In past times
there were many foods that Christians would not eat during
Lent, foods such as meat and fish, fats, eggs, and dairy
products. A feast before Ash Wednesday cleared the
home of such foods.

Funeral Finery

An innovative company called Funeral Finery offers a
range of shrouds and sashes specifically designed to
reflect the personality of the deceased. The garments are
used to drape the coffin or casket during the ceremony and
are then taken home to be used as a wall hanging, a throw
rug or simply to be kept as a treasured keepsake. For more
information visit www.funeralfinery.com or see page 48.