Retirement community choices: Aged-care expert Phil Usher of Odyssey Lifestyle Communities tells us what to look out for when choosing to right-size into a new home.
We all want to love where we live, at the end of the day, it is the place we will call home. When you start looking into a retirement community, whether this is for yourself or a senior loved one, it’s important to understand there are many factors to consider.
Think about when you moved into your first home. There were many aspects you weighed up, thought about and sought advice for that brought you to the decision of whether to purchase or keep looking. Relocating into a retirement or aged care community is similar, but the questions and considerations are a little different.
Retirement Community – WHAT TO CONSIDER
1. LOCATION
It doesn’t matter how old you are, location is still an incredibly important aspect when moving from one place to another. Most people want to remain in an area that offers familiar surroundings, places and faces. And of course, being near popular shopping hubs is a major draw card! It’s a misconception to think retiring in the outer suburbs is cheaper. And while this can be a factor, if affordable, most people want to be in the thick of it. Living near family and friends is another aspect as we all want to see our kids and grandchildren as we age.
2. LIFESTYLE
When looking at a retirement community, it’s important to see what kind of environment and social setting is offered. We all need real social interaction, especially as we age. Find out if the location has a varied calendar of events and outings to participate in or, if you or your parent are not social butterflies, check and see if there is a good library or areas to simply sit and enjoy watching the world while engrossed in a good book. Select a community that suits your needs and profile.
3. LONGEVITY
A great question to consider: can you stay at your chosen community for life or will you need to move again if you or your partner’s care needs change? This point needs special consideration, as many operators claim to have a true ageing in place model, where you can live life your way without moving again, but few actually deliver this.
Ask what level of care is available on-site and not coordinated via an outsourced group or person that sets it up. Also ask if there is real 24/7 care at the community that, if needed, can be ramped up until life’s end without having to move again.
4. KNOW THE COMMUNITY RULES
Even in your senior years, you’ve got to pay attention to the rules. Common rules to look out for are, can the grandchildren stay over? Can you entertain in your new home and utilise common areas? And, can friends join you for a meal? Can you bring your pets? Can you call the shots, always? All these things really add up to ensuring you retain your independence and that you can and should have the final say.
5. IT’S ALL ABOUT FOOD
Food is such an important part of our day as we age, so it needs to be delicious and nutritious! Check to see whether the community has a chef (Odyssey has three!). And, check what their qualifications are. Peruse the menu and enquire how often it changes and whether it is à la carte. The days where you are expected to accept what you are given are over. Mealtimes are great for socialising, so the atmosphere needs to be ‘restaurant’ rather than ‘dining room.’
6. CHAT WITH STAFF
Conversing with the staff is the perfect way to find out what a place is really like. Ask questions about all the above points and be certain they are genuine answers and not just lip service. Be confident and inquire about the employees, their training and their requirements for working there. Look into whether the care staff are qualified or whether they work for the community or for a subcontracting entity. Ask about how the community is run and what services are on offer or at hand. These are all fair questions to ask, especially when it comes to nursing qualifications.
7. WHAT ABOUT SECURITY
It doesn’t need to be Fort Knox, but you want to know the place you live offers a secure community. Check to see whether there are physical security gates that close at night, 24/7 staff in case of an emergency or if care is required, CCTV to monitor common areas and whether the community offers technology aids to assist with your security. Technology is becoming commonplace, even in the aged care sector. There could be an Artificial Intelligence system designed to assist in monitoring all manner of things. Check the communication system, particularly given the pandemic, and make sure you have access to video calls and telehealth. You want to know that all these things are in place and there for you in order to feel safe and secure.
8. RETIREMENT COMMUNITY: SPEND TIME THERE
To get a real sense of the place, you need to experience it beforehand. Make some enquiries to see if you can come along for morning tea and chat with the residents. This way, you’ll get the scoop on what life is really like in the community firsthand. Take a stroll around the grounds and make sure they are in good condition, that way you know your community is well kept by people who care.
9. RETIREMENT COMMUNITY CULTURE
This is a really important point – the community needs to ‘feel’ right for you. Does it give you a sense of home and can you see yourself there? Listen to your heart and make sure you tick this box, because it will make all the difference. Chatting with staff and residents will help you with this point and you can also jump online and read reviews.
10. ASK ABOUT THE FINANCIAL OPTIONS
Another important aspect of retirement is understanding how the financials work. It’s best to compare apples with apples. Make sure you take into account what quality of life you want, as it has a value that should not be ignored. Make sure you compare what you want across all prospects and then determine what you are prepared to pay.
PHIL USHER – RETIREMENT COMMUNITY CARE EXPERT
Phil Usher has been part of the aged care sector for almost 20 years. He has a keen understanding of what seniors want when it comes to living out their twilight years on their own terms.
Phil’s Mum, who passed away from dementia-related complications, was the driving force behind why he’s created an alternative to traditional aged care. When considering aged care for her, Phil couldn’t find a place that offered her the kind of life she wanted. So he made improving aged care his odyssey. If it’s not good enough for the people Phil loves, it’s simply not good enough.
Phil’s determination to create the best alternative to aged-care led to a fresh, heart-centred approach known as a Lifestyle Care Community. At Odyssey the power is given back to residents. People are put first, they have their own home in a lifestyle-orientated community, couples stay together, pets are welcome, grandkids have sleepovers and most importantly – comfort, dignity and independence are the first priorities.
Lamington National Park: It is the perfect time to experience World Heritage Under Your Feet. The Silver team went to O’Reilly’s at Canungra, just on our doorstep. It’s hard to believe that this nature paradise is so close. Here are our favourite walks!
We have had numerous requests here at Silver to suggest the best bushwalks for the over 50s. So we went to investigate the utterly stunning O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat. It’s a tough job but we fell on the sword for you. You are welcome!
The Scenic Rim was just named in the top 10 regions to visit in 2022 for Lonely Planet. And with good reason, it’s achingly beautiful. So here we are!
Image by Katie Purling
Lamington National Park Location
For those of you who are new to the Gold Coast, O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat is only around 90 minutes from the Gold Coast, and it is just so beautiful it’s hard to put into words how lucky we are to have this just so close to us. You can stay in a lot of different types of accommodation at O’Reilly’s. You can also camp at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat. The campground just took out bronze in the Queensland Tourism Awards.
And, the Vineyard (which is a whole other 6-page story in itself) just took out the silver medal!
Located in the Lamington National Park, it is the most drop-dead gorgeous bushwalking destination in Queensland. It contains over 320 kms of walking tracks that lead to spectacular lookouts, waterfalls and some of Queensland’s most significant wilderness areas.
Lamington National Park is nearly 1000 metres above sea level which means that the temperature is 5-8 degrees cooler than Brisbane or the Gold Coast. Lamington National Park is made up of two sections: Green Mountains and Binna Burra. Green Mountains section is located on the western side of the Lamington Plateau, and wraps around O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat.
Below are self-guided walks, but there are more. Plus, you can actually book yourself or your group on a private guided walk. These are utterly fascinating, and the O’Reilly’s guides really know their stuff.
Lamington National Park: SHORT WALKS
The Tree Top Walk – Return Distance 800 metres The Booyong Walk is clearly signposted. It starts opposite the entrance to the O’Reilly’s Reception. This walk is an iconic part of O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat. It’s great for a daytrip for the active over 50s – it has 9 suspension bridges up to 16 metres above ground. You get a bird’s eye view from a deck in a fig tree over the walkway. The best time to see birdlife is early morning or late afternoon. The Tree Top Walk is free to experience at your own leisure, and it is open all day every day.
Mick’s Tower – Return Distance 1 km
This walk shares the same entrance as the Wishing Tree Track, except you turn right at the 330m mark. This rainforest observation tower is 18 metres high. Information signs on the various decks refer to the surrounding rainforest and in particular to a large Red Carabeen growing close by. This is an ideal spot to enjoy the tranquillity of a rainforest canopy with the birds for company.
Centenary Track – 1.8 km return
This universal access track leaves from the northern end of the Green Mountains carpark, 150 m from the national park information centre. The track passes by a tall hoop pine at the entrance and slowly descends through subtropical rainforest for 900m. It then joins the Python Rock and Morans Falls tracks. Bench seating spaced along the track offers excellent birdwatching opportunities. Watch for regent and satin bowerbirds darting through the branches, logrunners foraging on fallen tree trunks and Albert’s lyrebirds scratching in the leaf litter.
Image by Tourism & Events Queensland
Lamington National Park: HALF DAY WALKS
Moonlight Crag – Return Distance 7km
For the more fit and feisty over 50s who would prefer to stay at O’Reilly’s rather than do a day trip (do it, it’s gorgeous) these are most vigorous walks and involve some hill climbing. On this walk, you can swing by Moran’s Falls and see Balancing Rock.
Elabana Falls – Return Distance 7.6 km
The Elabana Falls Track descends through a stand of Antarctic Beech and then past the largest Brush Box trees in the National Park. Turn right at the Box Forest turn-off for Picnic Rock, a favourite lunch spot, but be sure to continue to Elabana Falls 400 metres further on.
Pat’s Bluff – Return Distance 5.4km
Pat’s Bluff affords a view over the Albert and Logan River valleys to the Great Dividing Range. Pat O’Reilly’s log cabin is 70 metres in from this spot. Peregrine Falcons nest in caves in these cliffs and often rest in the dead trees above the cliff line.
Image by O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat
Lamington National Park: FULL DAY WALKS
Box Forest – Return Distance 10.9km
This circuit leads directly to Picnic Rock and Elabana Falls. It leads you through rainforest, past impressive stands of smooth, pink-barked brush box Lophostemon confertus, before reaching the falls. Similar brush box in other parts of the World Heritage area have been radiocarbon-dated at 1500 years, making these giants the oldest ever carbon-dated trees on Australia’s mainland. If you intend walking this entire circuit, walk in a clockwise direction and exit via Elabana Falls and Picnic Rock.
Yerralahla (Blue Pool) – Return Distance 10km This is for the feistiest over 50s. There is a 400m drop in elevation from O’Reilly’s to Blue Pool. The track winds down through outstanding sub- tropical rainforest. The track passes through stands of Red Cedar, booyong, Giant Stinging Trees and Hoop Pine, often supporting large staghorns. This walk lets you soak up the waterfalls and rainforest, and to negotiate the numerous creek crossings.
Border Track – 21.4km one way only
This is a really fun walk if you are fit and well. This track connects Binna Burra and O’Reilly’s, and there is a shuttle that takes you from O’Reilly’s to Binna Burra in the morning (check O’Reilly’s Discovery Program for days and times or speak to Reservations to book – cost is $33 per person), so you can walk back to O’Reilly’s and look forward to your swim and a wine at the end! The track passes through stunning rainforest and you’ll enjoy every step. The Border track is the backbone of this World Heritage-listed area and part of the longer Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk. On a clear day, lookouts provide spectacular views.
Image by O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat
DOWNLOAD YOUR OWN TRACK MAP
Lamington National Park walking track maps are available from O’Reilly’s gift shop or O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat. You can also download a map from the website www.oreillys.com.au
GUIDED FULL DAY WALK – STINSON WALK
Looking for a challenge? Recount Australian history and celebrate the life of Bernard O’Reilly, who heroically saved the lives of two plane crash survivors over 80 years ago. This all happened in World Heritage-listed Lamington National Park. Following in Bernard’s footsteps, you’ll traverse 37 kms in one day from O’Reilly’s to the historic Stinson crash site. The walk goes through stunning landscape surrounded by the incredibly diverse and wonderful flora and fauna of Lamington National Park. Register your interest for the next Stinson Walk on the website!
Python Rock – 3.4 km
The sealed track to Python Rock has even grades, suitable for older people and those confined to wheelchairs. The booyongs and figs near the West Cliff turn off are impressive. So are the large New England Blackbutt as you enter the open forest for the first time. The view from Python Rock overlooks Castle Crag to the Lost World with Mount Throakban on the left and Moran’s Falls. You can proceed up the hill from the lookout on a tough track and turn left for West Cliff.
To stay at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat Call: 1800 688 722 or log on to www.oreillys.com.au
Cancer danger years: The ages of 40 to 70 are the danger years for many life-threatening diseases, in particular cancer. So how can you reduce the risk to you and your loved ones? You could catch the disease before you even have symptoms by getting a regular whole-body MRI. Dr Zane Sherif explains why this service is so vital.
Myself and my wife Dr Kirralee Sherif (PhD) founded Mermaid Beach Radiology so patients have the power to be proactive about their health, rather than reactive. Getting a whole-body MRI at the right time can mean the difference between life and death. We just had a male patient who was otherwise well, who came in to see us for a general health and wellbeing scan. Himself and his wife just wanted to get checked out, just to stay on top of their health. They said to me, “We service our cars once a year, why wouldn’t we service ourselves?”
FULL BODY SCAN
They had a full-body MRI scan. No abnormal pathology was found on his wife. But unfortunately, the chap had lung cancer. While this sounds like a total disaster, the disease was caught in its very early stages. He felt great and he was completely asymptomatic. The chap wasn’t coughing. He didn’t have any weight loss. This situation is what we call ‘pre-clinical.’ And this is exactly what a general check with a whole-body MRI is designed for. If he left this health situation until he was symptomatic, he could have had an entirely different outcome. A lot of the time, when you’ve got cancer, you don’t get diagnosed until symptoms like weight loss and other problems become obvious. Often at that point, it can be too late.
CANCER PROGNOSIS
Back to our lung cancer patient. Luckily, the cancer was in the very early stages, and was sitting in the middle of his lungs. If he’d left it a few more months, then the tentacles of that cancer could have wrapped themselves around critical vessels, and then it would be inoperable. But, because he chose to be proactive with his health and get our whole-body MRI scan, it was caught very early. From this point, he has many options to treat the cancer. Three months or six months down the track, he may not have had those options. Imagine hearing the words “I’m sorry, sir, it’s inoperable. Chemotherapy might extend your life for six months. ”But if we catch the disease this early on, you may have plenty of options, which could be curative ones at that.
Now, his prognosis is excellent. He’s going to survive this, and likely be cured from it. It was an isolated lung cancer. And again, it was in the middle of his lung, so it wasn’t touching any vessels, and could easily be removed by surgery.
When he was in hospital, he had a PET scan (an imaging test that allows your doctor to check for diseases in your body. The scan uses a special dye containing radioactive tracers.) His oncologist was unfamiliar with our full-body MRI screening.
When we did his whole-body MRI, we saw that there was no cancer anywhere else. His specialist sent him on for a PET scan. The PET scan came back and showed exactly what the full body MRI scan did – there was a solitary lesion with no metastasis, great correlation.
GET A SECOND OPINION
It’s always great to get a second opinion. We are the people to see if you want a second opinion! So, from our point of view, it was good that he got a PET scan. However, it didn’t offer any additional information and he has paid a bit of a radiation cost for that. Whereas the whole- body MRI does not use radiation. It uses magnets to create an image.
Our patient was a smoker. He says he smoked about five a day. Not anymore! He is in his seventies. So the cumulative effect of smoking, even small amounts of cigarettes does creep up on you! This is the perfect person to have a full-body MRI. But there are other people who live very healthy lives, and they still get afflictions like cancer, so regular non-radiation-based scanning is a great option to help get an early diagnosis.
WHY QUALITY MATTERS
We designed Mermaid Beach Radiology to be small and fabulous. We want to offer the most personalised service on the best imaging equipment science has to offer. Our fleet includes Australia’s only Spectral CT scanner in private practice and the extraordinary research grade Philips Elition X 3T MRI scanner.
A full-body MRI scan using equipment on the very cutting-edge of technology is a great tool to help stay ahead of many catastrophic health issues such as cancer. If you’re relatively well, as in you have no real symptoms, but there’s a strong family history of “badness” in your family, then get that scan. It gives a level of peace of mind. And, it can detect cancer in its early stages and deep pockets of infection. It can show a lot of other things as well, but its primary utility is cancer screening. It’s very accurate.
FULL BODY SCREENING
Full body MRI screening is common in the US. They have many private clinics where you can just turn up and get a yearly scan. We need to start doing that here in Australia. In Europe, Japan and the US, MRI is used to validate with PET and real time imaging during chemotherapy to determine if drugs are working without imposing the radiation that these other scans do.
Even if you are well, it is still a good idea to get the full-body MRI scan. If you already have a disease process going on, we can look at the burden of disease. We can monitor that burden as it gets better, or if it gets worse, or if it’s responding to treatment, or if it’s not. Adjustments in that treatment can follow.
CANCER: BEING PROACTIVE
I am a strong believer in proactive health checks. No one will mourn the loss of your motor vehicle.
Whereas there are plenty of people who will mourn the loss of your life if you stop existing. Your kids, your family, your friends, your business partners. Your health is your most valuable asset. You are no good to anyone, impaired, impaled, or dead. So, it’s really about prolonging your life and this is your responsibility, especially if you have kids or other people you look after. Your life is really only partly yours – and mostly your family’s life. I exist pretty much at this stage for my kids. So, my health is of paramount importance to me, because I can’t help anyone if I’m not around. So, why would you get a full-body MRI on a regular basis? You would get it done because you value your health above all else.
WHAT IS THE DOWNSIDE?
There is no major downside to looking after yourself in this way. There’s no radiation. The only downside to this is an hour and a half to two hours of your time and a little bit of money. But from as little as $1500 now, you could save tens of thousands of dollars in treatment down the track for something that could have been caught earlier and more importantly saved you a tonne of misery. It is money well spent.
The reason why people come to us at Mermaid Beach Radiology is not just that we use a three- tesla (3T) research grade scanner, but because the sequences we run are custom written, research enhanced and not commercially available. In America, they often do this scan on a 1.5 T MRI. So we are well ahead of the game here. But also, we have Ben Kennedy on staff. He’s our MRI and Clinical Research Director. He has a master’s degree in MRI from the University of Queensland and he is coding the machines here to do stuff that no one else in the world is doing right now. We have plenty of world-firsts at this clinic because of the machines we use, and the work Ben is doing with them. And, you can’t get this coding anywhere else. This is all highly customised, and it’s all research enhanced.
CANCER: WHY YOU, WHY NOW
After age 40 is the right time to start getting regular full-body MRI scans done. Other than childhood cancers, the cancer frequency for people age 20 to 40 is much less than older people. This is because a lot of cancers are from a lifelong toxin exposure. It’s not just one thing that usually causes cancer. It’s a multitude of things. But by the time you’re 40, you’ve had enough exposure to all of this to create the perfect storm. One cigarette doesn’t kill you. But it’s a lifelong exposure to cigarette smoke, to general pollution, chemicals in food, and in the air we breathe. The body is pretty tough and robust, but the peak of cancer starts to show its head by about the age of 40. Of course, there are younger ones, but they tend to be rarer.
There are other things we look for, outside of cancer. Recently a person came in for a full-body MRI scan. We didn’t find any cancer. But we found a large hiatus hernia on her (when your stomach bulges up into your chest through an opening in your diaphragm). So, there’s frequently other incidental pathology that we’ll find. She then said that she wondered why she had a problem with belching and bad breath! Now she knows!
Medicare – as wonderful as it is – has its limitations. If you want to be at the forefront of diagnosis, it is sometimes a user-pays model. But the beauty of this and with MRI in general, is that because you’re paying for it, you don’t need a referral, which is empowering. You can be ahead of the health curve by spending a little bit of money.
If you ever feel like you’re being blocked or not heard, you can say right, stuff it, I’m going to go and get a full-body MRI scan. And then I’ll come back to you with what the MRI finds. Very empowering stuff.
CANCER: TRUST YOURSELF
Keep in mind that no one knows your body better than you. You are hardwired to every part of your body. So, when you go to a doctor and you say, ‘this is how I am feeling’ and they say, ‘oh, it’s probably nothing’ – you don’t have to be satisfied with that answer. You can take matters into your own hands. You can drive your own health. The only cost to you is time and money. There’s no radiation or biological cost.
INVESTMENT
The cost we charge covers a large body of work. It takes about 90 to 120 minutes to acquire the data. It is another 90 minutes to put it all together. And it takes me about the guts of an hour to report it. There’s a tonne of data to sift through. So, it’s a massive body of work. Plus these machines cost millions of dollars, and you are getting access to them and the cutting-edge of diagnostics. So if you look at it as a value proposition, you are getting a great deal.
You don’t have to do much to prepare for these scans. You just have to turn up. Because you are going to be on the scanner for 90 minutes, we would just discourage lots of drinking of water or caffeine. You don’t want to fight the urge to go to the bathroom in the middle of the scan!
All you need to know is that you have to put your health first – nothing is more important.
The View Cafe: As Silver writers were exploring Hinze Dam, we came across the View Café. It’s tough work finding these hidden gems and eating a luxurious breakfast, but someone has to do it!
As we approached Hinze Dam, we saw the fabulous The Hinze Dam Visitor Centre. It is owned by Seqwater, and has educational displays and informative talks. These talks will resume once Covid goes back to the hell from whence it came. But as we discovered, this building also has a café and function centre in it! So off we went inside for a good reconnaissance mission.
The first thing you notice is the stunning view and exceptional architecture of the place. The vistas from the View Café across Hinze Dam make this destination one of the Hinterland’s most rewarding visits. This is the kind of place where bushwalker-types do proposals.
The food looks fit for an Instagram extravaganza. There’s muffins, coffee, omelettes, pancakes. There’s a kid-friendly menu, and a group buffet menu which looks absolutely delicious. The salads range from salt and pepper calamari through to Caesar salad and warm Thai chicken salad, with beer battered chips or sweet potato fries on the side. You can have all that with a chilled glass of wine or beer.
You have the choice to relax inside in aircon to the gorgeous dining room that juts out over the water (still with those views!). Or you can sit outside on the terrace overlooking the stunning scenery of the Nerang River. The captivating views stretch from the Numinbah Valley to the Pindari Hills.
THE VIEW CAFE: HISTORY
Twenty-three million years ago the area in front of the View Café was part of a massive volcano. In its prime, the crater rim stood two kilometres tall with lava flows sprawled across more than 7000 square kilometres. The ridge of rock is viewable from The View Café – a constant reminder of the region’s volcanic past. In the more distant view from the cafe lies the Lamington Plateau and Pages Pinnacle. Waterside Park is built on part of the quarry at Pelican Point which supplied the greywacke rock for the Hinze Dam wall. You can view the quarry to the right of the cafe.
From the cafe you can explore on wide safe paths. They are very accessible for people with disabilities, wheelchairs, walkers, plus they are a dream for parents with prams. These paths wind to the dam’s edge along manicured gardens. From the café, you can also take a scenic stroll along the peak of the dam wall. All this is a very easy walk, with amazing views.
TONY’S STORY
We cornered Tony, the owner of the café, who is 75, to get the info. He adores the spot. “We took control of the business in 2014 we thought it was the most beautiful location and that is something that would never change. It will always be beautiful. We did change one thing – the menu. We made it Australian and better suited to the area.
“My 56-year-old wife manages the front-of- house – she’s been doing that for many years and she’s very good at it! She Austrian, so she speaks four languages – French, German, Spanish and English! I look after the administration side of things. We love it and have no plans to retire! We have a wide range of customers, they come from everywhere, including the local area, of course. But they also come from Brisbane, the Gold Coast and from the Tweed area. People come from all around because it’s such a beautiful day trip. The weekends are super busy! During the week we get a lot of people who are in the stage of their life where they’re semi-retired or retired. They have a lot of time for fun! They come here to enjoy a beautiful day out and do the walk around the dam.
Car Clubs
We also have car clubs and motorcycle clubs, which make this their stop of the day. And we get older groups who are coming for a day trip, and we can cater for them in our function room. It’s the perfect place for them because of the wonderful access the flat pathways afford them. It’s really easy to get around here at the cafe, and in the visitor centre grounds and around the dam. There are no steps, and you can park right adjacent to the building. We have disabled toilets, so it is accessible for everyone. A lot of older people are very active however, and stop here for breakfast on the way to the wonderful walks in the Springbrook area, like Twin falls, Natural Bridge and Purling Brook Falls. They stop for breakfast, or they can grab some picnic items from here on their way.”
THE VIEW CAFE: MAKE A DAY OF IT
The View Cafe has a 4-star Trip Advisor rating and was awarded the Travellers’ Choice Award in 2020. They are rated #1 for Quick Bite in Advance Town. So grab your friends, or tell your events organiser to hire the bus! This day out is not to be missed.
Thursday Island Rescue Mission: Recently, the Animal Welfare League Queensland and Vets Beyond Borders got together with the Thursday Island Animal Support Group. As a team, they completed a successful desexing pilot program on the Island.
As the champions for animals in need, AWLQ is committed to creating lasting changes for animals in society. In addition to the shelter work, AWLQ provides community-based support programs with a focus on prevention. The Thursday Island Pet Support Program falls into this remit.
The amazing volunteers helping animals and their humans on Thursday Island
THURSDAY ISLAND: THE PROBLEM
Sonja Einersen is from the Thursday Island Animal Support Group:
On Thursday Island, we don’t get vet visits very often, and there isn’t a resident vet on the island. We used to have a vet that flew in, but recently, she retired. Sometimes a vet from Cairns comes up, but by the time they get up to the island, the cost is prohibitive. So, we have quite a large problem with dogs and cats on the island.
The Thursday Island Animal Support Group started talking to AWLQ about the possibility of a vet service on the island. Could pet owners get some low-cost or free surgery procedures done?
All of us in the support group are volunteers. We were excited when the collaboration went ahead. At the moment, a vet only visits the island 3 times a year due to Covid restrictions. And, it costs $600 to have a dog desexed. This is out of the reach of a lot of people. In fact, we haven’t had any surgical services on the island for quite some time. If animals got sick they would be euthanised or would just die due to a lack of services.
PROGRESS
Since our organisation got up and running, we’ve helped quite a number of dogs. From bee or wasp stings right through to being hit by cars or stray dog attacks. We try our best to fix them. We have stapled up a few dogs, and we hold antibiotics that we can give out under the supervision of the vet. But there are a lot of stray dogs on the island. The council does collect these, however if they weren’t able to re-home them, then they are euthanised.
Sometimes people end up with a dog that they don’t really want. And then it ends up having litter after litter. They try to get rid of puppies. So, we end up with lots of stray dogs. The council work with us and give us a lot of dogs that they find or that have been surrendered. A lot of people who come to Thursday Island just for a couple of years, end up rescuing a stray off the street, and end up bringing dogs back to the mainland with them. That’s quite a common story. To stop the cycle, we need large-scale desexing to happen. That’s where Vets Beyond Borders come in. Sylvana, a project manager with AWLQ, is the person that put us all in contact. She talked with Vets Beyond Borders and got them on board.
THURSDAY ISLAND: Looking Ahead
There’s still a lot to do. We’re hoping if we can continue, we’ll start to get numbers of strays and unwanted animals under control. There are still certain areas on the island with pretty big problems. We also need to educate the local population. There’s a lot of misinformation about having your dogs desexed. People don’t believe in desexing male dogs, and they think that the females should have one litter before they get desexed. But we urgently need to desex the animals here on Thursday Island in significant numbers.
The cat problem is probably worse than the dog problem. We also need to desex the cats. The feral cat population is a huge problem on the island, but we have been rehoming cats and kittens successfully in the last few months as well. They’re a little bit different to dogs, because they’re not as visible. They go off into the bush and look after themselves. This is terrible for the local wildlife.
I think the more we can get out there, the more we will lessen the issue. We just need to put a dent in getting existing animals desexed so it’s not a continued cycle.
Thursday Island in the Torres Strait. Credit – Feral Arts
SYLVANA WENDERHOLD – PROJECT MANAGER
Sylvana Wenderhold is a Project Manager for AWLQ: The first time we did the desexing program was in September, and I was the coordinator. AWLQ did all the organizing and then Vets Beyond Borders supplied the team of vets and the vet nurse. I coordinated with the Thursday Island Animal Support Group to get the location and they put out the word. We flew to Thursday Island and set up a clinic in a “shed” and we desexed for four days.
I am a big believer in the desexing programs – I started the National Desexing Network. My current role is rural and regional programs manager. What I’m trying to do is to help areas that don’t currently have any desexing programs. With Thursday Island, the problem is just the sheer number of animals and no veterinary service. Next year we hope to go four or five times to get the population under control. There are just so many puppies born, and we haven’t really even started tapping into the cats.
I’m actually on my way now to the airport to pick up two dogs from Thursday Island! One is a four- month-old puppy, and the other one is a bit older. It was one of only ones that didn’t heartworm – all the other ones had it. It’s very hard for us to rehome them when they have heartworm.
Donating AWLQ helps because obviously it costs us money to go there and set this all up. We pay for all the pharmaceuticals and the flights. We do ask the owners on the island for a donation, which almost all of them give us. They’re all very thankful that we are there helping.
The volunteers working hard on Thursday Island
To find out more about the work of the AWLQ, click here.
