Want to do something different with your free time? Then how about working your way around the world in exchange for food and board? Check this out.
We live in the era of peer-to-peer exchanges. The internet has allowed us to share our houses, our cars, our caravans, our car parking spaces…You name it, we can share it.
Masks in a Mexican Market
With this new peer-to-peer economy, now, you can travel almost for free, by swapping food and accommodation for work. One website that is well known is Workaway.info. But there are many others too. Every one of these sites allows you to organise an amazing adventure from your computer…and all on a shoestring budget! Most charge under $100 for a year’s membership.
Each site is slightly different. If you join Workaway.info, then generally you will be expected to help around 5 hours per day in exchange for food and accommodation. And there are opportunities in 170 different countries, so the amount of adventures to be had are potentially endless. Some Workaway seniors share their stories with us below.
SUE AND ADRIAN: TRAVEL THE WORLD
Our personal quote is: “Making a big life change is scary. But do you know what’s even scarier? Regret.” Our first placement was at a place called Huayacocotla in Mexico – we stayed there for just over three weeks. My work included sanding, varnishing a chest of drawers, altering some support legs for a raised vegetable garden, cleaning off the old paint and re-painting a 300-year-old chapel.
Cancun
I trimmed some of the topiary animals in the garden, a little bit of cooking in the house – I introduced the hosts to my egg muffins! Luckily, they really liked them!
We first heard about Workaway after reading a magazine article. It was written by a well-known presenter. She was asked how she spent the winter months…One of the things she wrote was that she often logged onto the Workaway website and dreamed of warmer countries, working with local people and learning more about their culture and customs. Intrigued, I had a look at the website.
Taking a gap year in your 50s
We knew we wanted to visit Mexico for three months, so this seemed an ideal scenario for us! We have visited Mexico for many years (we even married in Mexico City six years ago!) but wanted to have a closer look and better understanding of the Mexican way of life. It is fine travelling to a country, but to understand the people’s everyday lives should be an important factor too.
Work and Travel for almost free
We have visited many different parts of the world – Sri Lanka, India, South Africa, USA and many parts of Europe. Yes, you can meet local people…. On buses, restaurants, sitting in a city park but these are fleeting moments, hours – if you’re lucky like us, be invited into someone’s home for a meal. But these are still short-lived moments (by the way, we are still in touch with the Iranian family we met in Istanbul who invited us for a meal). With Workaway, you get time to build a new relationship in a natural and free manner as you get to know your hosts. If you are lucky, (as we were) your host will show you things in the local area that tourists/travellers will never see.
We did not miss anything back home…With the exception of missing our grandchildren occasionally (we missed our granddaughters first birthday – oops!) but that was alleviated by the use of FaceTime and Skype twice a week. Our hosts helped me enormously with my Spanish language – which raised my confidence as we continued to travel through Mexico. But it takes a while. One day at the beach, instead of asking for coconut ice-cream, I asked for cocaine.
Our advice would be to give the best of yourself (you are representing your country), and enjoy it. Many people “wish” to do this but don’t. If you are lucky enough to be trusted by a complete stranger in their home, don’t ruin it for others.
Also, be open and honest with your host – they are not mind readers! Get to know your host – it’s not a one-way exchange. They are interested in you, your country, your experiences! And if you’re lucky like us, your host may just become your newest friend for life. Last but not least, laugh and smile! We are currently travelling south through Mexico. A lot of places were suggested by our host but we also had an idea of where we wanted to go. Our timescales have changed frequently. If we enjoy a place, like, for example, Campeche, we lingered a little longer. Our only fixed date is the dreaded flight home – 9th June.
On this trip we have visited Mexico City, Monarch Butterfly reserve (Cerro Pelon), Huaya (as locals call it!) Papantla, El Tajin, Tecolutla, Xalapa, Villahermosa, Campeche (our recommendation here is to visit Edzná!). We stayed in Mérida for two weeks with our host’s daughter and family for a few days. We hope to go on to Chetumul, Tikal in Guatamala, Oaxaca, and Mexico City. And then home! Boo! We plan to do Workaway again in two years’ time when we go to India for four months.
GRAEME AND BRENDA: TRAVEL THE WORLD
It’s never too late to pursue your dreams of travelling the world. As of February 2017, we’ve visited 19 countries – we’ve been Workawayers in four. First in France, then we went to Greece, Bulgaria and Hungary. We mostly helped with gardening and garden maintenance, which can involve some heavy lifting and DIY tasks such as painting and putting shelves up. We also cleaned, fed horses and walked dogs.
It is never too late to fulfill your dreams
The best thing about travelling this way is definitely the host families we’ve met. And, the places that we would never have even visited if it hadn’t been for Workaway. Spending time in local communities and being involved in the day-to[1]day lives of some amazing people was far more rewarding for us than just visiting the obvious tourist places. We’ve stayed in tiny villages with people trying to live a simple self-sustainable lifestyle. We’ve also stayed at a 500-year-old chateau in France, plus everything in between.
We feel we had a lot to offer to potential hosts. Having owned our own houses, we’ve gained a lot of experience renovating and maintaining homes over the years. Other than that, we’ve mainly stayed in hostels. We never felt left out, even though we usually were the oldest there. We’ve spent some great evenings having a beer or two in the common rooms with people of different nationalities and age groups.
Most of the hosts we’ve stayed with were our age or a bit younger. Half of the hosts that we stayed with invited us, so it was probably our age and experience they were looking for. We’ve had to turn down at least 10 offers in Europe just because of time limitations.
Enjoying by the Stairs of a Beautiful Pagoda
It’s not always the things in life that you do that you sometimes regret, it’s the things that you don’t do. If there’s something that you really want to do, just take a chance! You can always go home if it doesn’t work out. It was a bit scary thinking about it and we talked about travelling for about a year before we realised that the only thing stopping us, was us. We’re planning on staying on the road for another 6 months or so and then see where life takes us.
We decided not to plan more than 2 or 3 weeks in advance to give us the freedom to go where we felt like going at any particular time. We always have a rough idea where we’ll be going next, but we decided not to fix any dates, so we can just go with the flow and never feel pressured to leave or stay. Workaway allows us to keep the trip going, because when we’re staying with hosts, the two major outlays — food and board — are pretty much covered. We still do go sightseeing and explore local towns and villages when we are staying with hosts families, though!
SINGLE TRAVELLER DANIEL
After 52 years of employment and family life, I decided to sell my house, my car and all my possessions. I wanted to fulfill my dream of travelling the world. Nowadays my sole possessions are in my backpack.
Daniel in the desert
I hadn’t originally planned on going to Africa, but then I came across so many other travellers who had such positive experiences there. Quite often, I was intrigued to find out for myself and it has been fantastic so far. Even though I have always wanted to travel, but in my 20s I was busy starting a family and career. Once you embark on that path, it is hard to get off. Not travelling is one thing I had always regretted.
I don’t plan very much at all when I travel. Sometimes I have a vague idea of places that I want to go to, but sometimes I don’t decide until 24 hours before! I go wherever the wind takes me. I love being free. My relationship with time has totally changed, and yet it is hard to get used to having that freedom too. My attitude towards consuming, possessions and money in general is now totally different. I used to earn a decent amount and saw myself as a big spender. I was caught up with the importance of having stuff, a nice house and car. That became a focus, but now I see that I don’t need any of that to be happy. Now everything I own is in my backpack, I can’t buy more stuff because it just won’t fit, not even an extra book!
My attitude towards other people has changed too. I am more open and trusting, I used to be more reserved especially when meeting new people. I have developed more faith in humanity.
Daniel in Kenya
When I retired I saw it as a unique opportunity. If I didn’t head off now when would I do it? I have seen people of my generation and older who had accumulated wealth and possessions. But when they retired, they didn’t know how to be happy with what they had. They had no plans, no projects, just a bank account. I saw some of them age and become ill. With my children and grandchildren settled, my partner and I made the decision to live our dream and travel the world. The plan to travel with my partner didn’t work out. We separated, and that’s when I came across Workaway.
Being a Workawayer is a totally different experience, a different way to travel. You enter other people’s lives, share their world – exchange knowledge and ideas. I would never go back to tourism, I would get bored after 2 days.
I have been travelling and workawaying for 2 years and I never get bored. Workawaying gives you the initial contact with someone who lives locally, and this often leads to other opportunities. I have had offers of lifts to new destinations and even invited to be interviewed by a local newspaper. My life now unfolds in this way and it is truly fantastic. I think Workaway is such a great initiative.
Without a doubt, this is my way of life now and I’m going to continue as long as I can, another 10 years, 20 years, even to 100. I would if I could that’s for sure!
Totally, I am learning all the time, from everyone I meet, regardless of their age. Last week I spent time at a school in Kenya. The kids ranging from 10-14 years old taught me that the secret to being happy does not depend on what you have, as they have so little. What they do have is a sense of community and shared experiences.
I earned quite a lot during my working life…but I have spent it all! However, I have my pension. It is not a large amount, but it’s an income which allows me to keep travelling extensively, as does Workaway. I tend to choose destinations which have a lower cost of living, so that I can get by. Workaway is also useful for visiting places which would be outside my budget, as I can save on accommodation costs.
My motto is…“Happiness is NOW!”
SINGLE TRAVELLER GISELA
At the moment I am based just north of Medellín, Colombia. I am loving it. The weather’s just absolutely gorgeous. It’s just like eternal spring – blue sky and sunshine every day. It rains at night and in the morning, so it is so fresh and crisp. I have been based at this current place for two weeks. I am house sitting at the moment, looking after a gorgeous place with five dogs.
from the Caribbean
to Colombia meet the Workaway traveller travelling through her taste
I choose all my Workaway experiences with things that really interest me. I go for something that I specifically want to learn. A highlight was in the Caribbean on the little island of Grenada on a cocoa farm. During my three-month stay, I learned every single step of the chocolate production. This is from growing the cocoa beans to harvesting to fermenting to roasting them. Everything! They called it tree-to-bar. It was totally amazing!
They were all masters in their field which I loved. I have been working with chocolate for quite a few years in my career as a vegan chef. So I really wanted to learn how to grow it. The most amazing part was that when I arrived, the owner of the farm said, “While you are here, you can eat as much chocolate as you want.”
It was really good quality dark chocolate, so you only needed a little. You wouldn’t eat a whole bar, but I ate a piece every day and fresh cocoa beans as well. Another highlight with Workaway was an assistant to a travel guide who was leading a crew from Europe. I would help with translating at the borders etc. This was such an amazing experience as well.
Gisela Traveling the World through Workaway
I also choose places where I can learn something about either food, medicine or herbs. There are so many possibilities, I could just go on and on for years!
Next on my wish list is to learn how to build a tiny home. There is actually a host on the Workaway website that offers that. He is in New Zealand, but unfortunately, New Zealand is off-limits at the moment.
I entered Colombia in mid-February, and then in mid-March, the lockdown started. It’s been months, but I have stayed at Workaway places the entire time, so I was lucky as I was out in the middle of nowhere in nature. I was not locked into an apartment or a big city like Bogota.
Travelling as a single female has been fine. What I always do if I go to a new country is to ask the locals. They always tell you what you’re not supposed to do – and then I just don’t do it!
To start this kind of lifestyle, pick something that you really like and maybe don’t commit for that long. Just do a couple of weeks to see how it goes. It’s not for everybody, but if you open up, there’s just so much to be learned – all around the world! There are so many amazing places and amazing people doing amazing work. The possibilities are never ending.
CONNECTING
If you think this might appeal to you, log onto the workaway.info website for further reading. There are other peer-to-peer sharing platforms. You can try Helpx.net, WWOOFing (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) at TRAVEL THE WORLD FOR FREE (ALMOST!). There’s also WorldPackers.com. If you go on an adventure, be sure to let us know, we want to hear about it! ■
Southport Sharks is a leading entertainment, sports and leisure precinct. Featuring two restaurants, a café, six bars, kids’ club, gaming facilities and free entertainment, it is the most happening venue on the north end of the Coast. And, they have some amazing new deals that you need to know about!
Here’s the scoop for our readers – in 2021 membership is only $5. Plus joining as a member comes with heaps of benefits including $20 of food and drink credit on the month of your birthday. You’ll have plenty of time to use up those credits – Southport Sharks is open every day of the week, for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
EATING AND DRINKING: SOUTHPORT SHARKS
Let’s start with everyone’s favourite subject. Food! Here, seniors are in luck. Southport Sharks have a seniors’ discount if you are a member. Simply present your Sharks membership card and seniors’ card to get $2 off the dining menu, seven days a week.
Frenzy’s Restaurant is a favourite of Gold Coasters. Both members and guests can eat here. Between 11.30am and 2.00pm you can enjoy a delicious lunch from just $13. Our pick is the beer[1]battered flat head fish and chips. You can also order something from the premium range starting at $16 which includes Roast of the Day with roast potato, pumpkin, greens and rich pan gravy.
Dinner at Carmodys
More Food
If you are an early riser, then check this out. Breakfast menu delights include the Brekky Burrito – toasted tortilla with scrambled egg, baby spinach, Mexican cheddar, chipotle, chorizo, guacamole and tomato salsa Yum! They also serve traditional breakfasts too.
There is an à la carte menu available for lunch or dinner which includes crowd favourites such as chicken schnitzel and roast of the day, along with newcomers like creamy chicken and chorizo linguini. This dish is crafted with Portuguese style chicken breast, chorizo, semi-dried tomatoes, baby spinach, caramelised leek, egg pasta and shaved pecorino.
Carmody’s Bar and Restaurant is an award[1]winning, stylish restaurant offering modern Australian Cuisine. It is open for lunch on Friday from 12pm-2pm, and dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings from 5.30pm. It is THE place to end your week in style. You will adore the exemplary service and the exceptional dining experience. After your meal, you can stay longer to enjoy the elegance and sophistication of Carmody’s Bar. Make sure you sample the selection of premium spirits, fine wines and delicious cocktails.
You can book online for Carmody’s or Frenzy’s via OpenTable.com.au or call 07 5532 1155.
FITNESS CENTRE: SOUTHPORT SHARKS
Southport Sharks’ super-modern Health and Fitness Centre has a wide selection of Les Mills classes, and a team of experienced personal trainers. From cycling to yoga, this is where you can go to hit your workout goals.
Fitness center at Southport Sharks
Entry of the Southport Sharks
STAY A WHILE
If you don’t want the great night to end, you can stay at the on-site hotel. Mantra at Sharks has 120 rooms so the good times can roll on. At the top of the hotel sits the stunning Aviary Rooftop Bar. The hotel also has light-filled meeting spaces ideal for gatherings or conferences. To book, call 07 5603 3200.
PARKING
There are over 500 free car parks for Southport Sharks members and guests. Nice! We will see you there. ■
SOUTHPORT SHARKS
Corner of Olsen Avenue and Musgrave Avenue, Southport
If you don’t want to shop, cook, or clean up, then here is an idea for you!
corned beef
GOURMET MEALS is a Gold-Coast based, Australian-owned and operated business. They deliver healthy, nutritious, and great-tasting frozen meals to your door. You can eat healthier and stay living independent in your own home for longer.
NDIS Delivery Guy
History of the Gourmet Meals
The company is an approved NDIS provider of home delivered meals. This means that home delivery of these meals is part-funded under the NDIS. If you are eligible, some of the cost will be covered.
Brilliant Company Offering Delicious Meals
The company has an old-fashioned personalised service. You can actually speak to a “real person” over the phone and can opt for a friendly delivery driver to assist you with packing your meals away. Every suburb is serviced once a week.
If you want to try just a couple of meals first, then the meals are also available in the gluten-free freezer section of selected IGAs, Foodworks and independent stores. You can look up your nearest retailer on gourmetmeals.com.au. Or, you can pick up meals directly from the factory at 46/215 Brisbane Road, Biggera Waters, between 9:00am and 4:30pm Monday to Friday.
Delicious Dishes
Gourmet Meals are very competitively priced and taste like good old-fashioned home cooking. They are wholesome, nutritious, and well balanced.
Soup
Options include gluten free, dairy free, reduced‑salt and reduced-fat options, plus there’s portion-controlled and calorie-controlled meals too. The meals are snap frozen for freshness, so they don’t add preservatives.
Cottage cheese lasagna
There are no contracts, orders can be made on a casual basis, and all that is required is a minimum order of $49 and a delivery fee of $7.50. They have a full menu online at www.gourmetmeals.com.au
website picture
To ask for more information, or to order your meals, call Gourmet Meals on 1300 112 112 or 07 5529 3000 or buy online at gourmetmeals.com.au
Logo of Gourmet Meals
Want to know more info about the latest restaurants, click here.
Don’t let your age stop the party…there are many new aids that will keep you at the top of your game. Here are some of our favourites for the kitchen!
CAN / TIN OPENER MUTI USE WITH RING PULL
This gadget is quick to clean, lightweight and easy to use. It is ideal for users with limited dexterity, weakened grip or arthritis. It can be used to open a large variety of jars, bottles and cans, even those with a ring pull opening!
This innovative product makes the task of tearing off paper towels much easier, especially using just one hand. The design incorporates an upright tearing blade which makes tearing easier. It has a heavyweight, non-slip base which provides added stability and excellent resistance when each sheet is pulled.
HELIX GARLIC PRESS
Most garlic presses require strong hands to operate. With the Helix garlic press, however, its unique, twisting mechanism multiplies the force used, which means you get more squeezing power from less effort.
TWIZOFF ONE TOUCH AUTOMATIC BOTTLE OPENER: ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT
This handy tool opens bottles with one touch! You can count on it to break the seals on all types of bottles. It is easy to clean and is a compact size, so it is easy to store.
2021_02_19_14_56_46_HELIX_CITRUS_PRESS_Gold_Coast
*Battery operated
HELIX CITRUS PRESS
These citrus presses have a unique twisting mechanism. Most hand-held juicers require strong hands to operate and their vertical squeezing action can often be awkward to use. With the Helix juicer, however, the squeezing force is applied horizontally. Because, it is much easier and utilises the power of the shoulders.
REFLEX SLICING KNIFE
The Reflex Slicing Knife has a long narrow blade made from high-quality stainless steel. The scalloped edge makes it ideal for slicing bread, meat and vegetables. It has a contoured grip closed handle that is set at an angle to reduce the need for wrist movement. Additionally, the handle has also been designed to counterbalance the weight of the utensil, which makes the knife easier to use.
Welcome to the whole bag of crazy that is the Shitbox Rally. It’s a super-fun way to raise money for charity. This year, the event finishes up at the Gold Coast. And then, it starts from the Gold Coast again just a few days later!
Cars participating in the Shitbox Rally
This is not a race. It is a challenge to drive cars worth just less than $1,000 across Australia via some of the Outback’s most formidable roads. This is all in the name of raising money for cancer research.
Sea of Cars Participating in the Shitbox Rally
The founder of the Shitbox Rally, James Freeman, started the event after losing both his parents to cancer within 12 months of each other. His amazing idea has now turned into a wildly expanding spectacle. Says Freeman, “In every rally, we drive to – and through – the Outback. But for Shitbox Rally Autumn 2021 we are starting there! This unusual route has us starting in the centre of Australia, travelling North initially to Karumba on the Gulf of Carpentaria before heading South East for the long drive to the Gold Coast.
Cars participating in the Shitbox Rally
Fifty per cent of the route is unsealed with plenty of river crossings to keep the teams challenged. Even the sealed road sections will be interesting and incredibly varied – from the red earth of Central Australia, to the Devil’s Marbles, to National Parks and to the mountainous terrain of the Great Dividing Range. There are plenty of challenges, plenty to see, and a huge amount to experience in just under 4,000 kilometres and seven days.”
SHITBOX RALLY
The route in 2021 will cover over 3962 kilometres. In both the out and back legs, there will be 250 teams of 2, driving their wildly-decorated shitboxes. There will also be around 50 support personnel, who each pay their own way to make the rally a reality. All will traverse some of Australia’s dustiest, most iconic outback roads for seven days of fun, dust, and sweat. They will also be dressing up in some outrageous costumes – not just at night, but all day! Participants spend the entire day in costume. That’s breakfast, driving, repairing, and, if there’s a pub at the end, they are in costume for that as well!
Area where Shitbox Rally starts
This event is officially endorsed and supported by Cancer Council. Fundraising records continue to be broken year after year by the rally, with more than $20 million donated to Cancer Council since the event began in 2009.
NOT FOR EVERYONE
Interesting in applying? If you don’t like to get your hands dirty, or spend any time away from civilisation, this rally is not for you. This is a challenge for those who want to get their teeth into something meaningful and crave something different. Remember, you could be in the middle of Australia, miles from anywhere, trying to fix a split radiator hose with duct tape, string and pliers. You will be dirty, dusty, and maybe muddy…but you’ll still have a smile on your face, and you won’t be alone. There will be no motels, few showers, and you’ll be camping at every night. So you’ll need to bring plenty of wet wipes as well as your own tent, sleeping bag and mattress or swag. It’s an adventure in the true sense of the word.
Trouble in Paradise
Each team is made up of a car with two drivers. Back seats are kept clear so they can carry passengers when other shitboxes don’t manage the entire journey. That said though, the support crews will do absolutely everything within their power to get as many cars as possible to the finish line. The cars are an asset, donated by all the teams, and sold at a public auction the day after the rally ends.
END GOAL FOR SHITBOX RALLY
The Shitbox Rally is not a race; however awards are given at the end of the rally. There are awards decided in the early stages – such as the coveted “least likely to finish” trophy.
Vibrant and youthful participants
There’s an award given for the team (or individual) who is deemed to have gone the furthest above and beyond what would normally be expected the “Spirit of the Rally.” And there are awards for the highest fundraisers. For more information Jump onto shitboxrally.com.au. While you’re there, check out some amazing videos of past rallies. If you’re into social media, you can follow the action on Facebook and Instagram with the tag @shitboxrally. ■
Phil Usher has been part of the aged-care sector for almost 20 years. Here, he gives us an insight into this opportunity to simplify your life and free yourself in your later years.
A Brand New Adventure: Don’t Doubt Downsizing
So, you’re downsizing. You’ve reached that inevitable next phase in life to simplify, de-clutter and take stock of what’s really important to you. But don’t fret, downsizing can also mean that a whole new adventure is on the cards!
To some, the prospect of downsizing can evoke uncertainty or fear. This big change in life can be more akin to pulling teeth, or getting cornered into a gruelling timeshare presentation. But downsizing doesn’t have to dampen your spirits or create unnecessary worries – in fact, it should be the exact opposite!
First and foremost, you need to change your mindset and see downsizing as an opportunity for a new beginning, because that is exactly what it is. It should be viewed as a new era; one we should encourage ourselves and our loved ones to approach with zest and excitement.
Odyssey Residents: Don’t Doubt Downsizing
The people we see at Odyssey often feel a little daunted and overwhelmed with the idea of moving from a large home into a smaller setting. And of course, it is difficult when you or a loved one has been in the same house for many years and then it’s time for the next stage. But it’s also important to feel comfortable with the process.
Downsize and lead a comfortable retired life
Life is full of stuff and most of us spend a significant amount of time accumulating bits and bobs over the years to remind us where we’ve been, what we’ve seen and who we love. But as we age, clutter can become an issue, creating trip hazards, and making it difficult to find things.
Downsizing can be beautiful if done correctly
When you start to declutter, don’t view this as a painful departing process, but instead see it as a way to empower either ourselves or our loved ones with choice and control. It’s often thought that our children or grandchildren will want to hold onto various items, but sadly and unfortunately, this is not always the case.
Don’t Doubt Downsizing, Pick Out Items Close to Your Heart
Hold onto the things that have meaning, whether it’s family pictures, a favourite reading chair or a few items that hold special memories. Everything else is mostly just ‘things’. A general rule to follow is, if it hasn’t been used in six months, it’s probably not needed.
One of the best things about downsizing is the ease of living in a low-maintenance environment. While it can be challenging to adjust to a new schedule and a whole new lifestyle, it’s always a pleasant surprise to have more freedom and time to do the things you love.
Whether it be spending more quality time with family and friends or engaging in new social activities, downsizing is a chapter of life that should not cause angst. It truly is a time for you to live your best life, and perhaps take up a new hobby that you didn’t have the time for before. Downsizing can bring out a whole new era of self-discovery for you that maximises the most essential elements of life – having fun and being happy and healthy.
When considering your new space, identify the things that are important to you. Things like access to quality care, remaining independent, maintaining a sense of control, living in a pet[1]friendly setting, and being able to bond with those you love.
Choosing the Correct Location
Choose somewhere that aligns with your values, what you want, and what kind of lifestyle you want to maintain. You want to be able to focus on continuing life as normal as possible in a great atmosphere – while feeling safe and secure about where you live. My whole goal is to ensure that Odyssey Lifestyle Care Communities combine the best of retirement resort community living with first-class care built in.
Remember, the moral to the story is to change the way we see downsizing. Don’t doubt downsizing. It’s a new beginning and something you can take on with a smile and excitement. It’s about decluttering, but also about experiencing something new – a space where you’re comfortable, safe and happy. ■
For more of Phil’s insights, and the opportunity to ask questions, check out odysseycommunities.com.au.
Picture of Phil
Phil Usher
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.
Click here, to know more about the lifestyle of silver citizens.
