As with financial years and sports games, life itself can be divided into quarters. If so, I’ve just entered the last quarter of mine when last week I turned 63. There’s no trepidation or fear. It’s just a number, but given the Beatles song "When I’m Sixty-four" and the pension age now north of 65, the mid-sixties might just prove to be significant. I looked up my life expectancy on an AB... Read more

Could older workers be under threat? Spokesman for the FiftyUp Club, Christopher Zinn, explains why they're worried! pic.twitter.com/bU9EVF9eNz— Studio 10 (@Studio10au) February 22, 2021 Getting older is one thing but being denied access to work because of your birthdate is quite another, and illegal to boot if it amounts to discrimination. But how aged does an older worker need to be, i... Read more

When I penned a piece last month suggesting this decade could be the over fifties own 'Roaring Twenties' your keyboards lit up like a 1920's prohibition bootlegger's blazing Tommy gun. There was burst after burst of members' great ideas. You can still see in full after the original blog here or check out my summary below. They range from issues we face with new technology, access to work ... Read more

One of the most winning and straightforward offers I ever enjoyed was installing solar panels on my roof from my energy company. It was a small array by today’s terms, but they did all the work and, apart from a bung inverter which later needed replacing, it’s delivered non-stop savings to my power bill. These used to be very substantial thanks to the once-generous government-backed Feed-... Read more

News this week that one-quarter of the users of the brightest financial technology services on the block are aged over 45* helps dispel ingrained stereotypes about age. Older people own a wide range of devices, wearables, apps etc. more confidently than is popularly thought. But there’s a problem. Their confidence can wane with using them because there’s rarely any input from elders into ... Read more

The campsite on the coastal headland has a vivid scene of canvas architectural wonders. But something this year, apart from the bushfires' shadow, changed. For many years every summer I'd marvel at the pitched awnings, sturdy guy ropes and weatherproofed coverings which would put an old-time circus to shame. These were not just tents; they were temporary egalitarian palaces erected by fam... Read more

Now our century has formally come of age, at least by hitting the once-sacred 21 years old milestone, it’s worth asking if older Australians represent a bona fide social movement. The ageing population are a demographic phenomenon largely thanks to their sheer numbers triggered long ago by many parents’ post-WW2 procreation. Consider also that anyone aged 50 and over is labelled as a matu... Read more

Rather than New Year’s Resolutions, which are bound for failure, here are a few nudges to help 2021 and beyond be more fun, fruitful and fulfilling. They’re entirely idiosyncratic, in no particular order and shamelessly drawn from others’ experience and wisdom. They also work and are mostly achievable. Above all, they are simple and short in number and shouldn’t be too challenging to star... Read more

If you fear some of the intricacies of navigating private health insurance, like being stung financially, here's a straightforward fix which could save you hundreds. When the doctor or specialist's office sends you a letter with the operation's item numbers, so you can check with your fund that you are covered, try just one thing. Don't be shy, don't wait to be asked and don't hesitate: m... Read more

It may be hard to believe, but the banks stand accused of not only making it difficult to compare home loans but also ensuring switching to cheaper mortgages is trickier than it could be. Incredible, isn’t it?  Perhaps not, given their track record of erecting hurdles in front of those of us merely seeking a better deal for what can be our most costly outlay. What is incredible is despite... Read more