Back to Blog

The hidden cost of retirement

The common question when it comes to retirement is ‘how much is enough?’.   If only the answer was simple! But the fact is that the answer varies due to a range of factors, including your lifestyle aspirations, personal health and family commitments. But regardless of how much you have put aside, there’s a significant potential cost in retirement that is often not considered, and if ignored, it can undermine our plans - aged care....

Why now is a good time to plan for frailty years

Planning for the future – and all challenges it may bring – can help achieve quality of lifestyle as well as quality of care. A new year is underway, and while we are unsure what challenges COVID will send our way, we hope the future looks bright. One thing we do know is that aged care reforms and funding issues will continue to be an important topic, making awareness and planning ahead increasingly more important. And we are here to help....

Is it a scam?

Naturally, people aspire to get the most out of their investments, especially if a great opportunity is presented by a ‘trusted’ organisation. However, investment scams occur more often than you may think, highlighting the risk both self-directed investors and SMSF trustees may potentially face when seeking new investment opportunities. New data released from Scamwatch Australia has reinforced the sophistication and rapidly growing number of scams each year in Australia – which has caused ...

Jump hoops to make aged care affordable

Aged care seems expensive, and comes at a time when your finances may be dwindling. This might make you worry about whether you can afford to pay for care. In Australia, we are lucky that government subsidies can help with the costs, but you will have to jump through hoops to be approved. And you may have long waiting times before the government money becomes available (particularly home care). This article takes a quick look at the three steps for approval. ...

The festive season brings together families and important decisions

As we approach the end of another year, many people will be looking forward to the festive season and the chance to slow down and catch up with family, particular older parents.  Busy lives and distant homes can make it easy to feel out of touch.  But this may be a time when adult children notice changes in their ageing parents and can also be a time for parents to take control over their future with advice and family discussions....

Support for a person living with dementia

Living with dementia can be unsettling and frustrating, but independence and quality of life can still be achieved with the right support and a few changes....

No-one too wealthy for home care subsidies

Did you think you would not qualify for the government subsidies on home care? Take another look - you might be surprised. ...

Decision-making using a power of attorney

The time may come when you need to make financial decisions on behalf of a parent as the Enduring Power of Attorney (EPoA). Is this an honour or a burden? It can be both, so the person taking on the role needs to understand both the legal obligations as well as family responsibilities....

What is an Enduring Power of Guardianship?

In the last article we discussed the Enduring Power of Attorney which dealt with appointing a person to make decisions about your property and finances if you were mentally incapacitated.  This article  looks at appointing a person (or persons) to make decisions relating to your medical treatment, personal and lifestyle if you were unable.  With any estate planning you need to consider who would make these decisions and whether you...

What is an Enduring Power of Attorney?

An enduring power of attorney is a legal document that appoints someone of your choosing to make personal, financial, legal and property decisions on your behalf. They will do this if you lose capacity to make decisions yourself because of illness or injury. An enduring power of attorney is a formal document that appoints a trusted person such as a family member or friend (referred to as ‘the attorney’) to make financial, legal and property decisions on your behalf if you lose the mental cap...

Planning for future decision-making

Throughout our lives we make decisions about how we live based on our personal preferences, beliefs and values. If anything happened to you that prevented you from making your own decisions you might want to have some control over how these were made. Planning for the future will enable you to choose how decisions are made in the future and/or who will make personal, lifestyle, financial and treatment decisions on your behalf, if you are ever unable to do so.  You will also have the opportu...

Is your home aged-friendly?

Home modifications may help an elderly person to stay in their home for longer by making the home safer and more accessible.  In some cases, this may be the difference between accessing care in your own home and needing to move into residential care.Take a look around your home and think about how well it meets your needs now, and into the future.  Are there areas that you are finding harder to access or use? What if your physical abilities started to decline?An Australian research stu...

Help for the sandwich generation

We all lead busy lives so juggling family, work and personal responsibilities can be complicated - particularly when people we love need increasing levels of care and support.  This article takes a look at what to consider and where to start when you have older parents. Encouraging older parents to accept help can be difficult.  But when help is accepted, as a member of the "sandwich generation" you may find yourself sandwiched between obligations to help with care of older parents and...

Signs an ageing parent needs help

Nobody wants to admit to themselves that their parents have grown old and frail. It’s a stark reminder that time marches on and life is not forever. But there are certain realities that must be faced if we are to keep our loved ones safe.Here are some signs to watch out for which, if they are occurring more frequently, may point to mum or dad needing some extra help:Missed appointmentsAppliances left onUnclean house/laundry piling upUnexplained new dents in the carEmpty fridge/spoile...

Granny Flats and Aged Care

Thinking about having your parent(s) live with you rather than having them move into residential aged care?  Social isolation and safety of your ageing parents can be a concern.  As an alternative to living alone your parent(s) could live under the same roof or in a purpose-built accommodation in the backyard.  Family care can be an efficient way to provide support and companionship across multiple generations.  Types of granny flat arrangements  Ther...

Retirement village or aged care?

Throughout our lives we make choices about where to live, largely driven by lifestyle, work or family. However, as we get older our health or increasing levels of frailty may have a greater impact on these choices. Homes come in a variety of shapes, styles and legal structures. Planning ahead and researching options can help you to make a well-informed decision when you think you need to move. Where we live in our older years is not just a decision about physical location but how we can access c...

Access help to stay at home

As you age, bringing support into your home can help you to remain independent for longer and improve your quality of life. But understanding how to access services can be hard to navigate, and the wait for government subsidies can be long. So, what’s important to know now? ...

Navigating your aged care options

Is aged care confusing and do you (or your loved ones) have the following questions: What are my aged care options? What costs are involved when entering residential care? Do I need an ACAT assessment? Should I move into a retirement village? Can I afford to move into aged care? I don’t have many assets or much income – do I need aged care financial advice?How can I access Centrelink/DVA benefits?Will my Centrelink/DVA benefits change when entering aged care?What is the effect on my Centreli...

When to start the aged care conversation?

No-one likes to talk about getting old. But at what age should you start thinking about your aged care needs? The answer is simple - any age is a good time. This is regardless of whether you are in your early retirement years or well into retirement. If you are lucky enough to still have your parents, starting the conversation with them while they are still healthy is also sensible. They might not be thrilled that you’re raising the subject but it gives your parents an opportunity to think abo...