Retirement Village Living: There is now totally new thinking when it comes to senior lifestyles in Australia. Silver Magazine was invited to spend a day with the team at The Verge at the Burleigh Golf Club. We wanted to see the most intriguing ideas for living well in your later years.
More than 4000 residents choose to call a RetireAustralia community home. There’s villages in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia. And there is a good reason why: this is the hottest lifestyle choice for the over 65s.
Gone are the days of old-school retirement homes. Retirees are fitter, healthier, happier, more active, and longer-lived than any generation of seniors in history. And they enjoy a higher standard of living than previous generations. So when they choose a home for their senior years, they are looking for a community with a high spec and with lifestyle connections so they can continue to live the good life as always. This is without the hassle of running a house with a lot of maintenance requirements.
Vertical Retirement
Are you thinking of moving to accommodation that is maintenance-free? Then the new thinking here is vertical living. High rise vertical retirement villages are at the cutting edge of the good life. Up high, residents of the Verge don’t have to worry about security issues. While they spend time away visiting grandkids, they don’t even have to think twice about their home security.
With vertical retirement living comes those spectacular views. At The Verge, they are to die for. This is authentic golf course living. And by authentic, it means the foot of the building is ON the vast Burleigh Golf Club. The views sweep down along beautiful greens and across to gum trees that hold all sorts of exquisite Australian wildlife. At eye level, the birdlife will serenade you as you go about your day.
Golf course retirement living at its finest
The Right Time
So why is it a good time to look at The Verge? Demand for this type of living is about to skyrocket. We live in an aging population in Australia, and this is especially true on the Gold Coast. Thanks to the last census, we know that the number of seniors is expanding like lightening in our city. Between the last two censuses, the number of pre-retirees (50 to 59) jumped by 8,621 people. Empty nesters and retirees (60 to 69) jumped by 8,570 people, and seniors (70 to 84) by 10,413 people.
As the Gold Coast is Australia’s fastest-growing city, these numbers are not expected to slow down any time soon. In fact, they are expected to keep expanding. Here’s another interesting nugget of information: More than 17,000 people aged over 65 are living within five kilometres of Burleigh Golf Club yet there are currently less than 300 retirement dwellings in the area. By 2031, the number of retirees on the Gold Coast is expected to double – accounting for over 20 per cent of the city’s population.
City Council
In response to the growing demand for retirement living, the Gold Coast City Council has already shifted gear. They are aligning with the needs of seniors, designing programs and projects to ensure they can enjoy everything on offer in the region. They are creating a strong community for over 65s. This will ensure support and care is available when needed most. And, ‘Active Ageing’ programmes are provided that will inspire retirees to live their best life.
While the retirement lifestyle reaches new heights, so too does the rise of vertical retirement villages. In this way, The Verge is at the forefront of retirement living. The new development will meet retiree expectations of a community-oriented, low maintenance and low-stress lifestyle.
Climate
Of course, anyone who lives at the Gold Coast knows why the city is exploding. We have the perfect climate. Warm all year round, it is a city big enough for all the good things in life, like amazing hospitals and transport infrastructure, but still without all the capital city hassles like massive traffic jams and pollution.
The boom in retirement living means that interest in The Verge is expected to be high demand. As we go to press, stage one of the development is on sale.
The Verge is only a few minutes walk from Burleigh Beach
Rightsizing and Care
So why The Verge? Because of the architectural concept it offers, which differentiates it out from other types of retirement villages. The way retirees are dealing with their property needs now is not so much “downsizing” than “rightsizing.” You don’t have to trade your castle for a tiny studio where you can’t even swing a mouse. “Rightsizing” is changing to a better plan. With rightsizing, you choose a property that will meet your specific wants and needs for the stage you are at.
Think about it. Do you use all the rooms in your house? And, do you have bedrooms you aren’t using? Do you ever actually eat in the dining room? And, do you need those multiple bathrooms? Are you still using your double garage, when you only need one space? Selling your home and buying one that suits your lifestyle better means that you could add a solid contribution to your retirement fund. Add to this a reduction in maintenance costs, and utility bills, it makes sense on many levels to rightsize.
Is it time to downsize your chores and upgrade your lifestyle? The grass is greener living on a golf course, and even better news is that it is regularly cut too. The added benefit of rightsizing to a retirement village like The Verge, is that down the track, you won’t have to change your accommodation should your needs change.
Phase One
Phase one of The Verge is selling now, and with this phase, care will be available through home care services. RetireAustralia is a registered home care provider – and will have a Care Manager to assist with the process of accessing a government-funded care package. Fee-for-service options are also available. RetireAustralia’s home care is a flexible alternative for residents or couples with different support needs, delivered in your independent living apartment.
All the help you need 24/7at The Verge
Whether you need help with the cleaning, laundry or assistance with meals, home care is there to help. The team can also provide help running errands, taking you to appointments or assisting with personal care.
Bill and Dawn are RetireAustralia residents. They say they looked at all their options and decided that a retirement village was the right choice. “It gave us financial certainty and the community feel we were looking for. Having staff on call was great for our peace of mind, we knew we’d feel safe and secure.”
You can enjoy the peace of mind that comes with having access to a care team to help you age positively. You can still live independently, and residents are free to come and go as they please, couples stay together, pets are welcome, and family can stay overnight.
Architectural Concept
The Verge has been created to meet the mindset of young-at-heart independent retirees of 2020. Living at The Verge ensures you are surrounded by plenty of blue sky and green horizons. This is an expanse of greenery that is always well maintained and cannot be built out.
The expansiveness of the golf course is matched by the sense of space you get from your apartment’s free-flowing floorplan. The views from your residence are a sight to be seen. Step out onto your balcony and you are instantly connected to the rolling lawns, tree-lined fairways, and local wildlife.
The stunning balcony life at The Verge
If your favourite hole is the 19th, your home is just a chip shot away from the Clubhouse, which offers a welcoming ambience for all who visit. The building sits next to the 10th hole of the Burleigh Golf Club. There are three options: One bedroom plus study, and two- and three-bedroom apartments.
Of course, there are the fabulous penthouses too! The apartments have been designed to Livable Housing Australia’s Gold Standard. With wider hallways and openings, step-free shower recesses, and reinforced walls to allow later installation of grab rails, the homes can adapt to the changing needs of residents. Age-friendly design ensures your home is optimised for ease of living.
The age-friendly modern bathrooms
The View
Each apartments’ lofty spaces and floor-to-ceiling windows provide sweeping outlooks from every angle, with interiors every bit as impressive as the view. Every residence is filled with natural light and high-quality inclusions. The independent living apartment’s free-flowing floorplan between the kitchen, dining and living areas make entertaining a breeze. And the stylish and functional interiors are every bit as welcoming.
The modern kitchens at The Verge
They are furnished with Smeg appliances and create a comforting sense of space. As we all know, staying connected and making new connections is good for our wellbeing. The Verge will have the luxury of 5G technology. If you are not technically minded, you’ll find plenty of resources and recommendations about various classes on the Gold Coast City council website. This will boost your confidence!
Social Life
The key to unlocking a long, happy life may be a riddle for the ages, but recent research suggests that modern retirement village living certainly helps. Exciting new vertical villages such as RetireAustralia’s The Verge at Burleigh Golf Club have been specially designed to allow retirees to live their lives to the full and discover a renewed sense of health and wellbeing – sometimes with dramatic results.
RetireAustralia CEO Brett Robinson said The Verge would redefine retirement living on the Gold Coast, creating a lifestyle second-to-none. “We know from our own research that people are looking to form friendships and socialise more when they move into retirement living, which can have a profound effect on their wellbeing and slowing the ageing clock. Indeed, international studies have found that socialising and maintaining meaningful engagement with the world around you generally contributes up to about 20 per cent of a person’s wellbeing.
“There are also plenty of examples within our villages to support the transformations in health and mobility people can make when they have easy access to tailored exercise programs, age-specific gyms and multi-purpose recreational areas. The very design and location of the building you live in are important too. A safe, secure community and a modern, light-filled home with views and access to everything you need at your doorstep can highlight the difference between living in a carefully designed retirement village and an ordinary apartment or house.’’
Take advantage of the refreshing tai-chi classes held at The Verge
The Residents
Lorelei Bache, the first future resident to register an expression of interest in a home at The Verge, said the village’s prime location and layout ticked all the boxes for her. She said it would also allow her to keep busy, forge new friendships, and take advantage of the myriad opportunities to pursue new hobbies and interests. “I’ve been to several meetings organised by RetireAustralia and the people I’ve met there have always been very nice. We all seem to be likeminded, and once the entire complex is developed, I think there will be lots of people who I will be able to mix with.
“The Verge provides the perfect indoor/outdoor lifestyle. The Gold Coast’s prime lifestyle location is between Broadbeach and Burleigh, and from my apartment I will also have a lovely view of the golf course. I think having a view like that connects you to the world – I can see people out and about, and it is just a hop, skip and jump to the Wellness Hub to mix with others.”
Lorelei Bache, the first resident of The Verge
The Wellness Hub has everything residents need to keep active, social and independent. The on-site gym’s equipment and group fitness classes promote a healthy lifestyle, while the salon will keep you looking fabulous.
Always look your best in the salon at The Verge
Then, when it’s time to wind down with your friends and family, you can entertain on the rooftop terrace barbeque area, or visit the friendly team at Tee House Café, they’ll have the perfect cuppa waiting for you.
Social Calendar
A busy calendar of social events will be on offer at The Verge, as well as a community bus offering regular social outings. All you have to do is turn up and enjoy connecting with like-minded neighbours. If you have family visiting, they are welcome to stay over.
The Verge is located just minutes from sandy beaches and all the conveniences the Gold Coast has to offer. It is 8 minutes’ walk to Miami Beach, and 12 minutes to Burleigh Beach, for those all-year-round swims at the best beaches in the world. And it is close to fantastic parks for when the grandkids need to run off some of their crazy energy.
It also has great connections for the Theme Parks that the Gold Coast is famous for. And let’s not forget that beautiful golf course. Tee off with new friends or old at Burleigh Golf Club, and afterwards, the most important part…is to hopefully end up at the golf club bar for an evening drink!
Go golfing with some friends at the Burleigh Golf ClubSneak a quick drink with a friend at The Verge’s bar
Testimonials
Barry and Maureen have chosen an apartment on the third level and will be moving in at the end of March. Barry has been in the area for 32 years.
“I have been a member of the golf club for 28 years. So we are really looking forward to having a lovely outlook. There is so much birdlife here. We chose this retirement village because location, location, location more than anything. We wanted to be on the Coast near Miami, Burleigh and Broadbeach. I have a lot of medical appointments, and so does my wife, so we aren’t far from doctors here. We’re also not far from our friends, and there is a bus that takes us to the shopping centres. We don’t have to worry about driving. If we want to, we can, but at The Verge we have both options.
“I can meet a friend at the putting green to hit a few balls, and then wander over to the club. We go to the club every Friday night with a few friends. They have a gym onsite and some outdoor activities like Tai Chi, which is wonderful. We love the meeting rooms, and the rooftop barbeque area. The Miami pool nearby has just been done up; the redevelopment is fantastic. We can access that via car or the village bus as well.
“The wonderful thing about The Verge is that you can have pets. We have a 17-year-old cat, she controls our house, she will be alright with the move. She is an inside cat, so she’ll take to the new place well.”
Financial
If you’re thinking of moving into a retirement village, there are lots of things to weigh up and money is living expert Rachel Lane, author of best-sellers Aged Care, Who Cares and Downsizing Made Simple says that when people are choosing a retirement village, they often don’t pay enough attention to the things that will affect them both while living in the village and when they leave.
“Retirement villages can be very different, and it is not as simple as comparing apples with apples. For a true cost comparison, you need to look beyond the upfront fees and factor in ingoing, ongoing and outgoing costs such as exit fees.”
The Verge offers a contract specifically designed to increase financial certainty for retirees. It gives retirees clarity, certainty, and confidence at every stage. The team at RetireAustralia, who own and operate the new vertical retirement village, say they understand that retirees need certainty about their financial future.
No Hidden Costs
“Moving into a retirement village is a big decision and retirees might feel concerned about affordability and hidden costs,” said RetireAustralia Chief Executive Officer, Dr Brett Robinson.
“It’s important to us that retirees and their family members have peace of mind from the very beginning. That is why our sales contract for The Verge offers a simplified financial process and a high level of financial clarity at every stage. We specify, upfront, what the costs are, and what they cover. So residents know exactly what they will need to pay for the duration of their stay at The Verge.
“From the day residents move in, they will know the outgoing payment they will receive. In uncertain times, many people find it comforting to know where they stand financially. For further peace of mind, monthly service fees will be charged on a cost-recovery basis and cannot be increased more than the Consumer Price Index without the approval of the retirement village residents. When most people sit down to do the comparison between living in a retirement village and staying in an ageing home, with ongoing maintenance and repairs, they find that retirement living is an attractive option financially.”
Location
This is one of the primary reasons that the Verge is so appealing. Gold Coast’s Domestic and International Airport at Coolangatta is just 20 minutes away from Burleigh. The Brisbane International Airport is just over an hour’s drive. In addition to The Verge’s own facilities, there are nine gyms, five health and fitness centres with facilities ranging from tennis to swimming, four massage services, six beauty and day spas, three GPs and three hospitals – all within 500 metres to approximately five kilometres away.
How the Verge is expected to look upon completion
Burleigh Golf Club
One of the best members’ courses on the Gold Coast, the Burleigh Golf Club is presented in superb condition for play all year round. Golfers of all standards find the 18-hole layout both exciting and challenging, with its meandering fairways and naturally landscaped greens.
Burleigh Beach
Burleigh has a spectacular stretch of clean, sandy beach that is home to the Gold Coast’s famous surf, excellent picnic spots and barbeque areas. The beach is patrolled by surf lifesavers and has flagged swimming areas.
Health Clubs
Keeping active with friends helps make exercising easier and enjoyable. The Verge is just minutes from the Gold Coast Seniors Tennis Club. The most exciting seniors’ tennis club in Queensland, it has 14 synthetic courts, one hard court and four hotshot courts.
Pizzey Park Sporting & Aquatic Centre
Only a short walk away is Pizzey Park which includes the Miami Aquatic Centre. The largest aquatic centre on the Gold Coast it features a 50m outdoor pool, indoor pool and group fitness classes.
Retail Therapy
The Verge’s local shopping experience will satisfy even the keenest shoppers. The neighbouring Miami One Shopping Centre includes a local supermarket and over 30 specialty stores. A few minutes down the road is the Pacific Fair Shopping Centre. An unmissable shopping and dining destination, it is home to iconic global brands and leading Australian labels.
Burleigh’s Best Bites
When it comes to eating out, there is no shortage of bustling cafés and restaurants at this retirement village. A highlight is the neighbouring Miami Marketta, a live music venue with a vibrant outdoor dining experience that serves food from around the globe. Only a short walk from The Verge, it’s the local hub for art, music, design and culture. When it comes to coffee, The Gold Coast is right up there with the best of them, and Burleigh is where you’ll find some of its finest café-culture experiences. Catch up with friends or sit and watch the world go by.
Rightsizing
Isn’t it time that you rightsized? You can download the brochure at https://thevergeburleigh.com.au/ or call 1800 955 070 for more information.
The view of The Verge from the golf course
Sustainable Design
With its commitment to clever, sustainable design, The Verge is the future of vertical retirement living. And to make it official, they are seeking the Green Star seal of approval for their extensive range of environmentally friendly features. For future residents of The Verge, the rating will offer peace of mind they are buying into a home that employs the best technology to create a healthy living environment as well as helping them reduce their cost of daily living.
From computer modelling of all apartments to maximise their thermal efficiency to good ventilation and air quality, The Verge is leading by example. They are currently seeking a Four-Star Green Star Design As-Built v1.2 rating, with independent assessment by the Green Star Building Council of Australia to ensure it meets a benchmark standard for local retirement village living.
In addition, they are constructing the apartments at The Verge to the Gold Standard of Livable Housing Design, meaning the homes can adapt to your changing needs. Set beside Burleigh Golf Club’s 10th tee, The Verge is designed for an active lifestyle. Residents also have access to a rooftop terrace, Wellness Centre, indoor and outdoor activity areas as well as an exceptional coastal lifestyle close to the beach and top dining, shopping and entertainment hubs.
Nature
The architect-designed, light-filled apartments will feature sweeping views over an expanse of greenery that can never be built out and is always well maintained. In this way, they accentuate a connection with the environment, so important for wellbeing. Green Star-rated homes are built to much higher standards, reducing power and water bills, along with maintenance costs.
Studies have found that Green Star buildings use two-thirds less electricity on average, produce two thirds fewer greenhouse gas emissions and consume half the water. Green Star buildings are also designed to maximise internal air quality, sunlight and a connection with the outdoors. Facilities for walking, exercising and active living are other hallmarks, making life healthier as well as more enjoyable.
The Verge has benefitted from the expertise of a Green Star advisor since its inception, with all apartments exceeding Queensland Development Code requirements for thermal efficiency in the design phase. Measures adopted also include water-efficient fittings and fixtures, solar panels and clever orientation of windows and balconies, paints and sealants with low toxicity, sustainably sourced building materials as well as a commitment to recycling construction waste.
Caravan Adventures: Feel a need for a break away to chase some trout? Then read on.
Silver Adventurers Jan and Peter (both 73) hit the road in their caravan to chase trout and to explore the most beautiful parts of Australia.
Trout season was on once again! So, what better way to indulge in caravan adventures than to dust off the trout rods, buy more trout flies, hitch up the caravan and head for the New England Tableland? It is in the New England region that you’ll find the Northern Tablelands highland area which forms part of the Great Dividing Range, from the Moonbi Range in the south to the border of Queensland in the north.
The Destination
The tableland region is 900 metres (3,000 ft) above sea-level, so it has distinctive cold climate vegetation. Winter frosts are common on the Northern Tablelands and winter snow is not unusual in this area.
This region has been occupied by Indigenous Australians for tens of thousands of years. In the west it was the territory of the Kamilaroi people. In the highlands, now-extinct languages included Anaiwan to the south of Guyra and Ngarbal to the north of Guyra. Rain runs down the eastern side of the into tributaries of the Clarence River, Hastings River and the Macleay River. The eastern rivers are short and swift. In many places they form deep gorges and waterfalls.
Magnificent sights from the top of the Wollumbi Gorge
There are many National Parks along the rugged eastern fringes of the highlands including Cathedral Rock National Park, which has the region’s highest peak, and Nymboida National Park. The western side of the plateau is somewhat less rugged, and rain runs into tributaries of the Severn River, the Gwydir River and the Namoi River. We wanted to explore all of it!
Jan and Peter in their van
Getting There
We headed south from the Gold Coast to Grafton. From there we made a detour onto Armidale Rd. Of course, the obligatory morning tea stop was activated! This was a stop in at the delightful Coutts Crossing general store. Then, we crossed the Nymboida River just past the village of the same name. Our caravan adventures took us on a stunning scenic drive up the range, which took us onto the Waterfall Way and Ebor.
Caravan Adventures: Ebor
The reason so many people turn up to Ebor is for trout fishing. The streams and rivers around the town are bursting with wild and stocked rainbow and brown trout, eels and Australian Bass.
Ebor Falls Hotel Motel, situated on the Guy Fawkes River, is a great place to put on your map when caravanning. It has different options for accommodation when staying on the beautiful Plateau. But the best one is that the hotel welcomes travellers to camp behind the hotel, with powered sites available.
It was here we spent the next few days. Ebor is handy to a few National Parks in the region and not far from Dorrigo, a popular tourist village. Ebor itself has a popular café and the pub is good for a meal and drinks with the locals. The spectacular two-tiered Ebor Falls are just a short walk from town and are topped by a pleasant picnic area.
The beautiful Ebor Falls waterfall in the New England Tablelands
Trout Fishing
Our first trout of the trip was caught in a pool just above the falls. A hotel patron supplied us with the contact details for a nearby cattle property and we gained permission to stalk along their pretty stream in search of another catch. It was a cool, clear day and we enjoyed the lovely countryside, the meandering stream, and the inquisitive cows.
Despite the fact we could see the fish and landed our flies precisely, our flies were not convincing. We needed to try something else. We followed the rough tracks in the town common and then we stalked along the Guy Fawkes River and made our second catch! Success!
Jan enjoying the river view while trout fishing
Caravan Adventures: Local Diversions
The next day was rainy, so we travelled to Armidale and purchased maps and gained wonderful local information from an employee in the sports store. A diversion on the drive back to Ebor on a narrow forest trail took us down to Wattle Flat. We forded a rather deep river crossing to a delightful campsite underneath the river oaks on the Styx River. The water tumbles over rocks and boulders into large pools. We earmarked this spot for a future visit.
Peter fishing for trout in Little Styx River
A visit to the Dutton trout hatchery on Point Lookout Road was very informative. It was well worth a visit to view the brown and rainbow trout and to witness the “stripping” of the females’ eggs as part of stages of the development program. These eggs are used to grow to reproduction size in the surrounding tanks. The large females are then tagged and released to undisclosed streams in the area. Once the fingerlings reach a mature size, they are used for restocking the rivers of the tablelands and other schemes in the state.
A New Camping Site
The exploring bug got us again! We shifted camp to a public reserve with a pit toilet on the border of the Cunnawarra and New England National Parks. We chose a grassy area amongst the trees on the pretty Little Styx River and spent five days there by ourselves. Late and early in the day we stalked and fished along meandering streams. Despite our failure to land the ‘big one’ – it was a pleasure to stroll in this picturesque countryside.
At other times of the day we ventured into the New England National Park where we experienced some spectacular and challenging hikes. Hiking Our three favourite hikes were Eagles Nest through to Weeping Rocks, Wrights Lookout and the Cascades. The Eagle’s Nest circuit is a grade four challenging loop. It took us under the cliff face down steep rocky steps and finally to where moss clung to the overhanging Weeping Rocks.
The Weeping Rock walk in the New England National Park
We climbed to the top of the range at Platypus Lookout with views to the valley below and returned to Point Lookout. Wrights Lookout travels through ferns and moss on an easy forest trail with a final scramble to the top up a steep rocky climb. The 3.4km, grade four hike was worth the effort for the view over the valley and ranges towards the ocean.
A Tough Climb
The Cascades walk, a diversion from the base of Wrights Lookout, took us down the valley to Five Day Creek. The trail then follows the wild cascading stream for a few hundred metres over a narrow, damp and challenging track before returning up the steep climb through the forest and returning to the start of the walk (only recommended for people with reasonable fitness and agility).
It was a beautiful forest hike. We saved the biggest challenge to our last day in this area. We drove 20km to the entrance of Cathedral Rock National Park. First, we enjoyed morning tea in the sub-wetlands picnic area where kangaroos grazed on the grass. With lunches in our backpacks we set off on a 6km loop walk through woodland to the summit turnoff Our challenges for the next 400 metres included rock hopping, scrambles around enormous boulders and straddling crevices.
Jan and Peter using a chain to climb Cathedral Rock
This climb was not for the faint-hearted and it pushed us to our limit. A chain assists in the final climb to the summit with its spectacular views. Going back down the chain was more of a challenge than the ascent. We completed the circuit through a valley of boulders and gum trees. Reluctantly we left this lovely area to head towards home.
The End of the Caravan Adventures
We camped in the showground at Dorrigo and enjoyed visiting the quaint shops and purchasing fresh fruit and vegetables. A visit to the World Heritage listed Gondwana Rain Forest at the National Parkes Centre was informative as was the popular skywalk suspended over the rainforest. Our circuit stroll through the rainforest took us to magnificent Crystal Shower Falls.
The spectacular view behind the Crystal Shower Falls
The next day, a short trip to the north took us to Dangar Falls where we enjoyed a picnic lunch. Heading home we drove back along Armidale Road. This really is a magnificent part of Australia, and within easy reach of the Gold Coast. We will be back to explore the extra corners of this area that we didn’t get time to do the first time around!
Have you gone on a great adventure lately?
If you enjoyed reading about these caravan adventures… you will definitely love this one too!
Erectile dysfunction isn’t something you have to live with. Men’s Health Clinic have tried and tested treatment methods to fix erectile dysfunction. Treatment may reverse years of suffering. Read on to get your sexual confidence restored and personal relationships re-ignited.
The Erectile Dysfunction Clinic
Men’s Health Clinic has helped thousands of Australian men eliminate symptoms of erectile dysfunction (ED) and restore the confidence they were lacking.
One in three men suffer from sexual dysfunction. Thousands of men are unnecessarily suffering in silence. Having a problem is nothing to be ashamed of. Not doing anything about it is. But here’s the amazing news. You can now get treatment from the comfort of your own home, customised by Licenced Australian Doctors. You can call, email or Facebook chat to book an initial free consultation in the privacy of your own home via www.mhc.com.au, at any time.
Best of all, if you need medication, it arrives at your door in discrete packaging.
How Erectile dysfunction May Impact Relationships
Men are under much pressure to maintain an image of sturdiness and dominance – for others and themselves. Erectile Dysfunction can have a detrimental impact on a man’s confidence in the bedroom, which may lead to intimacy issues with your partner and in the long term, could contribute to a breakdown in the relationship. Intimate connection is one of the important aspects to keeping a relationship strong and healthy. Don’t let ED impact your relationship, get help today. Research shows that ignoring the problem may lead to a man becoming impotent.
What Are The Symptoms And Causes of Erectile Dysfunction?
Let’s dive a little deeper into the expert’s definition of ED. ED is generally the inability of a man to get an erection and maintain it till the ‘act’ is complete. The occasional inability to get it up does not mean that you have erectile dysfunction.
The symptoms to look out for include difficulty getting an erection, a hard time maintaining an erection during intercourse, and markedly reduced desire to partake in sexual activity. When these symptoms are persistent, it is advisable to get in touch with a doctor that’s an ED expert so that they can diagnose the condition.
Erectile Dysfunction Can Be Graded As Follows:
Grade A: men who can achieve and maintain a normal erection throughout intercourse every single time
2. Grade B: men who can more often than not achieve and maintain an erection throughout intercourse
3. Grade C: men who can sometimes achieve and maintain an erection throughout intercourse
4. Grade D: men who cannot achieve and maintain an erection at all When it comes to the symptoms, they must occur regularly for a period of more than 3 to 6 months for it to be classified as erectile dysfunction.
Erectile Dysfunction Causes
The causes can be either organic or psychogenic.
The organic causes of ED include:
Spinal cord injury
High blood pressure
Arterial insufficiency
Hypogonadism – a condition where the testes don’t secrete enough hormones
Penile fracture, when the tissue of your penis breaks
Medication and drugs
Diabetes mellitus
Disorders of the thyroid gland
Liver failure
Kidney failure
Psychogenic causes of ED These are the causes of erectile dysfunction that are mental or psychological. These include:
Depression
Anxiety
Social pressures
Problems in the relationship with your partner
Mental health problems
Although the causes of ED can be either psychogenic or organic, it doesn’t mean that the two categories are mutually exclusive. Sometimes, the sexually debilitating condition can be brought about by a combination of organic and psychogenic factors. For example, age is one of the risk factors of ED. As a man grows older, he is more likely to lead a sedentary lifestyle and develop physical and mental health problems.
Where To Go For Treatment – Men’s Health Clinic Australia
Men’s Health Clinic is Australia’s leading provider of completely customised and managed solutions for the treatment of men’s sexual health. You can schedule an appointment at Men’s Health Clinic by phone, email or online on their website. Your free initial consultation will be with a Patient Coordinator to discuss your symptoms and screen your medical history to see if you qualify for their treatments. From there you will speak with a Licenced Australian doctor via phone call, who will then develop a customised formula to suit your individual needs. Their tailored approach has improved the lives of over 5000 men across 10 years, earning them five-star Google reviews. They also treat premature ejaculation and low testosterone. You’ll get monthly treatment performance assessments, healthy eating and exercise advice, discreet courier delivery Australia wide, and regular and satisfied patients across the globe.
Things To Know
ED can be treated, although each man differs and as such so does the required solution. ED may be reversed with a variety of very effective and affordable treatments, but many men are reluctant to seek help because of the embarrassment and stigma attached.
Treatment is extremely affordable. Every man’s needs are different. The severity of your condition and the likely causes are different to the next man’s. As such you require a customised and managed treatment program.
Every patient has a unique treatment plan for their premature ejaculation or erectile dysfunction. Lifestyle changes such as weight-loss, quitting smoking and diet will also be encouraged. Think of MHC as your partners in improving your overall wellness and sexual confidence.
Men’s Health Clinic does not lock you in any contracts.
Due to the nature of the condition a physical examination is not necessary and as such Men’s Health Clinic doctors consult via the phone. Most men prefer this anonymity.
You won’t need a face-to-face consult with the doctors. Men’s Health Clinic will do the assessment over the phone then if they see that you are qualified for the treatment, they will refer you to their doctors.
What Is The Next Step?
You can take action against ED today – contact MHC for your free, discreet consultation. Men’s Health Clinic have helped thousands of men globally overcome this complex challenge with affordable and customised medical treatments. Having challenges in your sexual health is nothing to be ashamed of. Some men will never seek treatment and will suffer in silence. Get control of your sexual health and take the next step now.
Go to www.mhc.com.au/silvermagazine for your free diet and exercise guide Call 1300 928 226
Treatment may reverse years of suffering. Read on to get your sexual confidence restored and personal relationships re-ignited.
Penthouse, anyone? This two-storey “skyhome” sits on the top of a brand-new beachfront boutique building at 3533 Main Beach Parade. Nicole Buckler checks it out.
The Gold Coast is the most beautiful place to live in the world. And, a penthouse is one of the nicest ways to be hoisted above it. But, you can buy a hell of a lot of house for $8.95 million, so why would you decide a penthouse is a superior choice? Maybe you are one of those people who like other humans enough that having neighbours seems like a really pleasant idea. Your lift ride is the longest, so small talk must just be your thing.
Maybe you like the feeling that no one can rob you up this high, and take your Ken Done artworks from 1982 off the wall. You can lock the door behind you knowing that no one is going to scale the building to steal the crown jewels that everyone thinks you have (remember: you sold them to buy this place). Perhaps you just like being the King of the Hill, residing in the crown of a building. And there it is – the sense of “arrival.” It is the main selling point here.
There’s no feeling like being in an elevator and pressing the PH button. It’s all part of that penthouse feeling. This penthouse does have its own private lift though, so you don’t get to show off with your button-pressing. On the plus side, you don’t have to consort with the help. Phew. Small talk is awful.
This place is really going for the “arrival” allure. Designed by acclaimed architect, Bayden Goddard, it has flawless marble, limestone, travertine, timber and stone finishes throughout. In this exquisite masterpiece, no expense has been spared.
Life in this penthouse is set against the backdrop of uninterrupted Pacific Ocean views. They stretch endlessly along this famous coastline. The 8th-floor wraparound terrace is all yours. You can float in your gorgeous top-floor pool and take it in all.
If you have some mooching friends, then this place will be their new crash pad – the property has 4 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, plus a temperature-controlled wine cellar, so they can drink all your fancy wines too.
The gourmet kitchen has a scullery, top-of-the-line Gaggenau appliances, integrated fridge and dishwasher, plus built-in wine fridges and a deluxe marble island bench – for when you never cook but your manservant surely does.
Oversized glass windows frame the light-filled living and dining areas. This is to showcase the spectacular vistas. It is a haven for soaking up sunrises and sunsets. You can look forward to visits from people who will pretend to like you so they can hang out there.
You’ll also be able to extend the party out to the travertine-tiled terrace, which fuses effortlessly with the indoors and offers picture-perfect coastal panoramas. There’s no getting away from it. This is the sexiest place to get drunk on the Gold Coast.
The upscale elegance continues with the bedrooms, where you can wake to the sounds of the waves rolling in. The master suite occupies the top floor, along with an open-plan study. It is here that you can study your Bitcoin wallet and work out what other prestige properties you can buy to do more nudie runs in.
For couples, you will each have your own dressing rooms. Plus, there are his-and-hers marble and limestone ensuites. Yes, your place to VIPoo is your very own. Of course, the bathroom has a sumptuous freestanding bath. And, let’s not forget the heated towel rails, for those three nights a year that the temperature goes below 1000 degrees Celsius on the Gold Coast.
The remaining bedrooms reside on the lower level, with two of them offering walk-through robes and all fitted with stylish ensuites, accented by Crema Marfil marble and Limra Limestone. They all have ocean and hinterland views. When you wake up you can hi-five passengers on the Scoot flights that roar down the coastline to the Gold Coast Airport.
The oak herringbone floors are amazing. They have acoustic underlay in the living areas and master bedroom. So the people downstairs won’t hear you making your home pornos upstairs.
The location is second to none – close to Marina Mirage and Tedder Avenue café and restaurant precinct. So when your manservant runs away for a better life, you won’t go hungry or thirsty. Remember, in this place, it’s all about you.
Penthouse living does have incredible advantages. You don’t have upstairs neighbours to keep you awake with stilettos clacking in the middle of the night. You are away from the noise of the street (mainly made up of people like me complaining about my shoes hurting me at 3am). And you have magnificent, unobstructed views. And what better place for said views than the Gold Coast. You have security that you don’t get with a house at ground level. However, in the event of a fire or earthquake, just remember that you will be the last out. So don’t forget your escape helicopter, just in case. Surely, there’s enough room to park it at the top – I mean, look at all this space. You could swing 27 cats in here.
Yes, this is the life. When your ship comes in, this is definitely where you should park it.
Update: This place sold a few weeks ago. The monthly mortgage repayments were a mere $30,528, according to the loan calculator on the page. Eye watering stuff.
The World can offer you an alternative to life on land. Consider buying an apartment on a residential ship that continuously circles the globe.
By Nicole Buckler
The World is the largest privately-owned residential yacht on earth. It has 165 private residences, which occasionally change hands like normal residential real estate.
Balcony of the 3-bed apartment.
Imagine the ultimate lifestyle that comes from combining a private yacht and a luxury holiday home. A home that takes you all around the globe, allowing you to wake up to new scenery outside your private veranda every few days.
On marina days, residents can enjoy sailing and kayaking from the marina platform, which lowers from the stern of the ship.
The World – the Route
The residents who live on the 644-foot luxury ship experience different cultures and beautiful destinations, all from the comfort of their own home. Want to check it out? The vessel docks in Australia every few years. So stay tuned to their website for updates.
In 2020, the vessel will undertake an expedition to the Kimberley Islands, before setting sail for Southeast Asia. And then onwards to Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka, and then the Red Sea. The Middle East is after that. After gliding through the waters of the Mediterranean in June, it is onto Northern Europe, Russia, and the United Kingdom before crossing the Atlantic to spend autumn on North America’s eastern coast. After visiting Montreal, next is the heat of Havana, before turning towards the Panama Canal and onward to the Pacific. Peru, Chile, and Argentina are next. Then, Antarctica for New Year’s Eve. Sound good? Well, read on, because this is a lifestyle rather than a holiday. If you buy an apartment on the ship, you can live this lifestyle forever.
The journey planned for 2020.
The World – a Small Town
The World is a floating city, or perhaps we could call it a small town. On board are six restaurants, golf facilities with putting greens and a state-of-the-art golf simulator, a full-size tennis court, swimming pools, a spa, a fitness centre, expert destination lecturers, a library, and a cinema. Also on board is an art gallery, arts and crafts, billiards, a florist, a gourmet deli, housekeeping services, a laundry, medical centre, nightclub, nondenominational chapel, a boutique, a concierge, video and board games, and youth program. The ship also has staff who do things for you. They can cook for you in a restaurant, or in your apartment. They have an onboard supermarket, getting produce from local ports.
But will it be crawling with people? Nope. The average occupancy at one time is 150 – 200 residents and guests. This isn’t anything like a usual cruise ship experience.
The World dropping anchor
Itinerary
This ‘community at sea’ first set sail in 2002 and has visited over 900 ports in over 140 countries. With a continuous worldwide itinerary that enables the vessel to span the globe every two to three years, the ship is a complete floating city. The ship is privately owned by residents of The World – 142 families from 19 countries – North America (49%), various European countries (36%), and Asia, Australia, and South Africa (15%).
The pool at night
On average, residents spend around three to six months on board every year. And here’s the good news. The ship doesn’t just go around in the same circles every year. Itineraries are determined by a community vote.
Continuous worldwide journeys, with a focus on extended stays of an average of three days in port, ensure that residents have sufficient time to explore their favourite destinations. Unlike most vessels, The World spends nearly twice as many days at ports than it does at sea. In 2015, the ship visited more than 120 ports, in approximately 40 countries.
The World has two two pools
History
Knut U. Kloster Jr., the visionary behind The World, grew up in a family that was passionate about life at sea. After many years of working on the world’s best yachts and cruise ships, Kloster had a dream to create a way in which travellers never had to disembark. They could sail for as long as they wished from the comfort of their own private residence. As such, in 1997 he gathered together a team of experienced professionals and began working on the first vessel where people could travel the globe without leaving home. Construction of the vessel began in May 2000 in Rissa, Norway and in March 2002 Kloster’s dream was realised when The World set sail from Oslo with its inaugural residents on board. Her maiden voyage departed from Lisbon, Portugal in 2002. By June 2006, the original inventory of residences was sold out.
Living room of the 3-bed apartment
The World is the first ship of its size burning marine diesel oil rather than heavy bunker fuel, making for a much more environmentally friendly ship and allowing The World to call in areas where ships burning heavy fuel are banned.
The World – the largest private residential ship in the world.
Real Estate
If you want to buy real estate on the ship, you have a choice ranging from studios to expansive three-bedroom apartments. And of course, there is a palatial six-bedroom penthouse suite, which can sleep 12 people. So, the golden question is, how much do apartments cost? There are 165 apartments on The World and prices vary based on size, décor, location and market conditions. Current prices are rumoured to be hovering around $1.5m for studio flats, and the top suites up to $15 million. But considering that you spend your time travelling, and you can sell the apartment at any time, it does seem compelling.
The World property – this is the bedroom of the 3-bed apartment
There are other costs however, like annual ownership costs, based on the square footage of the apartments. These fees include a resident’s share of ship preservation, operations, crew compensation, and food and beverage onboard. If you can’t afford to buy an apartment, then you can go on board as a guest. To be a guest you have to be invited onboard by a resident. So perhaps you might want to start sucking up and stalking people onboard.
The average age of residents is 58 with 35% under 50. Residents are very active, entrepreneurial and philanthropic, and they have a thirst for knowledge, adventure and travel. There are some residents who live on the ship year-round, with the majority continuing to be active in their professional lives.
The World is the only boat that has a regulation-size tennis court.
Work and Play
If you work from home, and don’t have to participate in a string of face-to-face meetings, then living onboard is a compelling idea. Every residence is wired for internet and has its own public IP address. Residents choose from a variety of internet bandwidth offerings depending on their needs. Residents can host a conference call, check email or conduct web-based research from virtually anywhere on the planet in their “office away from home.”
The World leisure – Play billiards on a self-levelling pool table!
Imagine operating your company from the privacy and convenience of your home office while gazing out of your living room window at Borneo’s exotic coastline or the breath-taking cliffs of Norway. Sounds pretty good, right? I think we have found the future of travel. ■
Caravan travel in Australia has rocketed in popularity. Calling themselves Grey Nomads, adventurous retirees from all over the world are setting a rather fun example by caravanning around the Australian heartland. Jan and her husband Peter joined them. Here is their story.
Taking a caravan with you means you don’t have to find a hotel!
When I retired after decades working in education, I wanted to do something significant to celebrate this transition in my life. My husband, Peter, who was retiring at the same time, was of the same persuasion. After much consideration, we decided to spend a year travelling by caravan around Australia. Our home country is a vast, incredibly diverse country with lots to see.
Advantages
There are many advantages to touring Australia this way. The most important being that in the pristine wilderness areas, there is no accommodation. With a caravan, we had the freedom to plant ourselves wherever we wanted. We left the Gold Coast in no rush: Because we had retired, we had unlimited time to explore. And in Australia you need unlimited time, considering the huge distances that need to be crossed.
There was no boss to contend with, no timetables, and my husband and I were together all the time. It was great for our relationship, seeing as we were living in close quarters … although some relationships wouldn’t survive this kind of 24/7 exposure!
Jan and Peter in the best seat in the house!
The travelling life took some getting used to. It took me a couple of months not to leap out of bed and say, “What are we doing today?” Once I had seen enough beautiful bays and stunning gorges I wanted to move on. Peter was prepared to stop and relax. The compromise? I slowed down and Peter sped up.
Grey Nomads
We found travelling in our little caravan very safe. And we weren’t alone. The tracks were very much populated by other Grey Nomads from all over the world. The choice of accommodation ranged from tiny tents to massive luxury recreational vehicles with every mod con. They were all armed with silver hair. And, of course, they made great travelling companions and sunset drinking partners! British, Irish, Swiss and especially Germans. Most were travelling in hired, well-equipped motor homes; they tended to cluster together in picnic grounds or roadside parks for a feeling of security.
A Lifestyle
There were many Australians who liked the lifestyle so much that they made their vans their permanent homes. They travelled like migratory birds and seeking out the warmer weather. Friendships were made along the way as people gathered in flocks at sunset to enjoy a drink together. We enjoyed many delightful evenings socialising with such like-minded travellers.
Coppin Gap near Marble Bar
All this travelling bliss didn’t come without lots of preparation and hard work. Peter and I had planned to quit work and start travelling at age 50, but our goal wasn’t reached until we were both 55. During that five-year period, we attended camping and caravan expos. We studied travel brochures and pored over maps. Our love of the wilderness caused us to shop for a sturdy, compact and manoeuvrable off-road van.
The Caravan
An Australian company was willing to build a van to our specifications. They put us on a six-month waiting list before the commencement of its construction. On top of the basic cost, further investment was made. It went on extras that included six rooftop solar panels, three deep-cycle batteries and specially-adapted 12-volt electrical appliances. This included a fridge/freezer, television (which only worked close to towns), radio, ceiling fans, cooking range hood, and pressure pumps on taps. A gas stove and oven were powered by two nine-kilo gas bottles. Under the floor we fitted three water tanks to hold 220 litres (this is Australia, remember — a land of vast, beautiful deserts). These could be filled with bore water, river water or even dam water for showers and washing dishes and clothes.
Caravan travel has rocketed in popularity.
Water
A 60-litre tank was separated to provide good-quality drinking water. We installed a tap and a power point on the towbar to operate a twelve-volt camping shower. Overall it worked well. A porta-loo was installed in the caravan, so we had all the luxuries of home. Filling our water tanks was the main problem when travelling in outback Western Australia, Northern Territory and especially South Australia. For this reason, we overnighted in a caravan park approximately once a fortnight. Here, we topped up water, bought diesel (we carried extra jerry cans of fuel), washed our clothes and shopped for fresh groceries. Another source for water was petrol stations. We asked the attendants if we could fill our water tanks before buying the fuel. Some council parks and information centres had available taps, too.
Water was very much the topic of conversation with other passing Grey Nomads. Their opening lines invariably included the questions: Where did you get water? There were other questions. Where was the cheapest diesel? And where are the best camping spots? In major cities, especially if there was a large supermarket, we stocked up on tinned and packaged goods. We carried long-life milk and baked our own bread. Caravanners have to be careful with shopping. Anything purchased away from large towns was extremely expensive. And the extra weight we were loading into the storage locker was always a concern. The packaging had to be kept until a suitable rubbish bin was found.
Traversing a river in the Kimberleys
Food
Mostly, our food wasn’t too different from our meals at home. Seafood was the exception. We caught salmon in Coffin Bay National Park and velvet-backed crabs at Tractor Beach near Streaky Day in South Australia. Happily we feasted on sand crabs scooped up in nets near Mandurah. And we collected oysters in a squatter’s village at Quobba Beach. We ate mangrove jack fish that we speared in the sea at Barn Hill Station neat Broome, Western Australia. The wine tasting in the superb vineyards of Margaret River south of Perth, was a treat.
We joined the Australian Radio Network and purchased a second-hand HF radio (which we sold on our return). We logged in our location during our scheduled time each evening and our progress was mapped. An emergency messaging facility was offered by this organisation. We could also listen to other members of the radio network. This was interesting and we often joined the conversation to gain knowledge of an area ahead of us. A UHF radio was installed for closer communications and we had many pleasurable conversations with other Grey Nomads crossing our path.
You can ditch the caravan and drive through places like The Pinnacles
Western Australia
Our initial journey took us straight across to the cooler South Australian coast in the summer heat of December. It took us nine months to explore Western Australia – the largest state with the most remote areas. It is not advisable to pass north of the Tropic of Capricorn in Western Australia before May. The national parks are closed until after the wet season and the heat is oppressive.
An annual National Parks Pass is an economical way of visiting the numerous attractions. During June and July, the caravanning Grey Nomads stream towards the warmer north. We stayed two-thirds of our nights in free wilderness areas. The rest of our time was spent in national parks, on council reserves and at caravan parks. The cost did not necessarily represent the quality of the facilities provided.
Arriving at Coffin Bay was a great break from the dry deserts of the interior.
Nullabor
A memorable night was spent during our crossing of the Nullarbor Plain along the bottom of Australia. We drove ten kilometres from the highway along a rough track to the mouth of Cocklebiddy Cave. After exploring (with strong torches) a massive underground cavern and river, we emerged just at dusk to eat our dinner under a starry sky that touched the horizon in every direction on the treeless plain. There was no sign of other human life.
Two weeks were spent camped on the remote Ningaloo Station with its kilometres of beachfront. For a small fee we were free to choose any spot we liked. We snorkelled over the coral and saw abundant sea creatures. The tourist resort of Monkey Mia was a welcome oasis after a couple of weeks in the dry, red interior. We encountered dugongs, turtles, large rays and lots of dolphins. Karijini National Park was the highlight of our year. The deep gorges, red cliffs and white gum trees were stunning. We pushed ourselves to our limit climbing up and down ladders and ropes, and swam through gorges that narrowed to a metre in width. The waterfalls and pools were in extreme contrast to the surrounding arid countryside.
Most conversation between passing caravanners starts with Where did you get water
The Kimberleys
We spent a month travelling the remote and rough Gibb River Road, delighting in all the interesting diversions. The whole of the Kimberley area was spectacular. The gorges and waterfalls were a delight to behold. To explore the Mitchell Plateau, Kalumburu in the extreme North West, and the Bungle Bungles, we parked our caravan and ravelled the narrow rough roads in the 4WD with just our little tent. The Tanami Track led us into Alice Springs from the West.
Anywhere is a good lunch spot alongside a straight highway in the outback of Australia
The Return
Our trip back into Queensland was across the middle of Australia. The highlights were Uluru, the Olgas and Kings Canyon, then down the Oodnadatta Track, following the history of the old telegraph line. We marvelled at the salt of Lake Eyre and the opals in the underground mining town of Coober Pedy. After a year on the road, I was looking forward to living in a house once again and to catching up with our family. My husband would have happily continued on!
Ningaloo Reef, where you can swim in the pristine waters alongside the gentle whale shark
So why take a caravan across Australia? It’s a fabulously diverse country, and caravanning is an economical way to travel. In all, we drove approximately 30,000km. It was a life-changing experience, and our relationship flourished. In future years, we hope to explore different tracks we have not yet travelled.
If caravanning isn’t your thing, perhaps sailing is. Check this out.
