Kia ora and welcome to this edition of The Old Times. Wow, how quickly things can change! One minute we're cruising along celebrating our little bubble at the bottom of the world, the next, we're back to being extra vigilant and keeping our distances. During these tough times, it is important to remember that we're in this together. Let's be kind, supportive, caring and empathetic as we once again embrace the 'new normal' . Best wishes
Lucy Willard Membership and Events Coordinator
Ask Lynette and John Valk (of no fixed abode) what retirement is all about, and they’ll say “freedom”. As in free to live wherever they want, and free to move on whenever the urge takes them. And it could be just a hint of autumn on the breeze, or the news that the whitebait or salmon are running that sends them on their way. John, a truck driver, was made redundant a couple of years before they made the big decision in 2016 to sell their house in Blenheim, buy a $150,000 secondhand motorhome and hit the road. And Lynette, a mussel factory supervisor, was happy to take early retirement to “follow the dream”. They weren’t new to a life on the road, having owned a smaller, 7-metre, motorhome they used every weekend: “I think there were only three weekends in the whole year when we didn’t head out of town,” says Lynette. “But we would always get to Sunday, and we would be saying, ‘I don’t want to go home’.” Read more
SuperGold cardholders will get a free annual health and eye check-up as part of health spending that mostly goes to DHBs that are tackling huge treatment backlogs caused by the Covid-19 lockdown.
New funding has been earmarked to roll-out a promised free annual health check-up for the country's more than 750,000 SuperGold cardholders, including an eye check (policy that was included in the New Zealand First-Labour Coalition agreement).
That will cost nearly $13m in 2020/21, rising to an estimated $61.6m a year from 2021/22. No start date has been determined, and the checks may not be available until next year. Read more
Internet scams can affect anyone at any time so being aware of what to look for and knowing what to do is important to protect yourself and your family.
Common types of online scams include
These scams leverage the inexpensive and effective use of technology and social networking applications to extend their reach to a wider audience and increase their likelihood of prospective victims. This can be achieved via the following delivery methods of unsolicited email, social networking profile or post, text message, advertised on a related web site, cold call, Instant messaging (e.g. Facebook Messenger, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, Skype, Google Talk, WhatsApp, WeChat).
Romance scams involve deceiving someone by pretending to have romantic intentions towards them to gain their affection and trust. This scam can be quite effective due to the scammer’s targeting of unsuspecting people on a platform designed for the purpose of introducing each other. These specific trusted platforms can include dating websites, social networking sites, classified sites, and location-based social search mobile apps. The scam typically escalates quickly where the scammer acts as if they have fallen for the victim as this creates a sense of attachment on the victim's part so that the victim feels guilty refusing the scammer's requests which usually involves money.
Other possible circumstances from meeting someone online could also involve you in:
We have processes in place to protect you and your whānau while you vote.
Voting will open 2 days earlier than usual, and there will be more voting places to reduce queues. We encourage you to vote locally and bring your own pen if you can. We’ll provide hand sanitiser at voting places, and there’ll be space for physical distancing. If you need to stay home, you’ll have other ways of voting including voting by post.
Learn more about the safety measures we have in place
If so, we'd love to hear from you. This is a pilot collaborative project between Volunteering Waikato and Age Concern. It is an opportunity for you to have your story documented, and share something of value with your family/whanau and friends. We are recommending our 'story capturing' volunteers spend an hour a week over a 6 - 8 week period listening and recording your memories. Each week they will transcribe and share with you what they've penned to confirm accuracy. There is no cost for this service, just the binding of the finished product. If your interest has been piqued, please do let me know. My number is 07 838 0158 or lucy@ageconcern.gen.nz
These sweet treats are tasty and high in fibre. They make an ideal snack and are great to give as a gift - Recipe
Contact Age Concern Hamilton
Phone: 07 838 2266
Open Mon - Fri 8:30am - 3:00pm P. 07 838 2266 F. 07 838 2268
email: enquiries@ageconcern.gen.nz
Celebrating Age Centre 30 Victoria Street Hamilton 3204