Taking The Stress Out Of Ageing: Strategies for Healthy Ageing (2012)
Positive Ageing Forum: 14 November 2012
Older Persons' Mental Health Service
Eastern Suburbs Mental Health Services
From left to right: Dr Murray Wright, Director of Mental Health Services, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District,
Bettina Arndt, sex therapist, clinical psychologist and journalist and
Professor Henry Brodaty, Aged Care Psychiatry Service, Eastern Suburbs Mental Health Service at Prince of Wales Hospital.
Ageing in itself is not stressful. For many people it is a golden time of life - the mortgage is paid, the children have long left home, it's a time for retirement and to finally do those activities that they never had the time for. However when age associated difficulties emerge, stresses compound: illness, disability, loss of role, financial difficulties and loss of loved ones.
On Wednesday, 14 November 2012, over 200 members of the local community, their families, friends and carers attended a free public forum - Taking the Stress Out of Ageing: Strategies for Healthy Ageing Forum, to hear from experts and guest speakers on how to age well and as stress free as possible.
The Forum was arranged by members of the Consumer Consultative Committee of the Aged Care Psychiatry Service, Eastern Suburbs Mental Health Service, part of the Eastern Suburbs (Northern Sector) Mental Health Service at Prince of Wales Hospital, and was held at South Sydney Junior Leagues Club.
Dr Murray Wright, Director of Mental Health Services, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District and Professor Henry Brodaty, welcomed attendees to the Forum, followed by SESLHD Board Member, Janet McDonald AO , opened the Forum. Dr Adrienne Withall, lecturer, School of Community Health, UNSW, presented on how to live stress free in older age; and Janice Oliver, Carers Program Manager, SESLHD, focused on how to avoid stress when caring for an older person or being a carer when elderly.
Bettina Arndt, sex therapist, clinical psychologist and journalist spoke on taking the stress out of sex, how sexual abilities and proclivities change with age and the steps people can take to avoid sex becoming stressful in older age. Other speakers included Robyn Slater from the National Centre for Retirement Investors who discussed taking the stress out of finances, Shona Seaton from Kingsford Legal Centre who talked about how to take the stress out of legal issues and Ian Day from COTA NSW who outlined ways to avoid stressful situations with regards to accommodation.
The Forum was enlivened by Di '"Bubbles" Fisher talking about her personal methods of coping with stress and ageing, and a Zumba dance by Zumbalicious from the Little Bay Coast Centre for Seniors.
To view the presentations, please click on the titles below
Opening presentation
Janet McDonald AO
SESLHD Board Member
Personal Story
Diana "Bubbles" Fisher OAM
TV Personality, Australia Day Ambassador 2010
Taking the Stress out of Stress
Dr Adrienne Withall
Lecturer, School of Community Health, UNSW
Taking the Stress out of Caring
Janice Oliver
SESLHD Carer Program Manager
Taking the Stress out of Accommodation
Ian Day
CEO, COTA New South Wales
Taking the Stress out of Finances
Robyn Slater
Education Officer, National Centre for Retirement Investors (NICRI)
Staff and members of the Consumer Consultative Committee of the Aged Care Psychiatry Service
Professor Henry Brodaty, Doreen Costello, Linda McAuley, Justine Finlay