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The revolutionary skincare company redefining ageing

<p dir="ltr">When it comes to skincare, the majority of brands are quick to pedal their anti-ageing lotions and potions that claim to rewind time, as if “ageing” is a dirty word.</p> <p dir="ltr">And while some of them may help to reverse some of the physical signs of ageing, it's no secret that people are left wondering why they can’t be left to age gracefully, as time intended. </p> <p dir="ltr">Enter: ManukaRx. </p> <p dir="ltr">This revolutionary skincare brand is redefining ageing, with their new sustainable “Pro-Ageing Collection” promoting a new kind of restorative skincare. </p> <p dir="ltr">The seven-product collection is scientifically and naturally curated by leading experts, harnessing the power house potency of East Cape mānuka oil. </p> <p dir="ltr">The mānuka oil produced by ManukaRx is exclusive to the East Cape rural region of New Zealand, the first place in the world to see the morning sun. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClPMZIyD1tP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClPMZIyD1tP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by ManukaRx | Restorative Skincare (@manukarx)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">While we have mānuka trees in Australia, ours do not contain the unique chemical identity called ‘triketone’ which studies have proven have the most profound restorative impact on skin and is scientifically proven to boost collagen and elasticity while minimising fine lines and wrinkles.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Pro-Ageing Collection features an exfoliant, a cream cleanser, a mist toner, a skin oil, an eye cream, a day cream, and a night cream to work while you sleep. </p> <p dir="ltr">All of these products feature ManukaRx’s signature East Cape mānuka oil, while also using the best natural ingredients such as rosehip oil and aloe vera. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CpqcTy4hS2t/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CpqcTy4hS2t/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by ManukaRx | Restorative Skincare (@manukarx)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">These products are designed to hydrate, soothe, and repair the skin, while gently but effectively working to strengthen skin elasticity, minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles to youthfully restore skin. </p> <p dir="ltr">ManukaRx are involved in every step of the creation process for their products, including helping to plant 5,000,000 mānuka trees. </p> <p dir="ltr">They are passionate about providing employment, fair land use and environmental regeneration through native mānuka planting that supports the health and soil for years to come.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CoY44zjpg9J/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CoY44zjpg9J/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by ManukaRx | Restorative Skincare (@manukarx)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The brand also respectfully pays their local indigenous community (Māori community called iwi) for rights to use their land and also provides them with a share in company profits.</p> <p dir="ltr">This eco-friendly, sustainable, scientific and natural line of skincare is at the forefront of revolutionising the way women think about the physical signs of ageing, while encouraging everyone to take care of their skin to look and feel the best they can. </p> <p dir="ltr">The entire ManukaRx line is available exclusively on their <a href="https://manukarx.co.nz/collections/all">website</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Michael K Williams and The Wire: how the show redefined television watching

<p><em>This article contains spoilers for The Wire.</em></p> <p>Emmy-nominated actor Michael K Williams has died aged 54, reportedly of a <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/09/06/actor-michael-k-williams-found-dead-in-nyc-apartment/">suspected drug overdose</a>. Early last year the actor <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8CCmkpBb2g/?utm_medium=copy_link">mused on instagram</a> “How will I be remembered and what will be my legacy?”</p> <p>Undoubtedly the actor will be remembered for his breakthrough role as <a href="https://www.hbo.com/the-wire">The Wire</a>’s Omar Little. The homosexual, morally ambiguous outlaw who hunts Baltimore drug dealers for fun was somehow larger than life yet authentically believable.</p> <p>Armed with his signature sawed-off-shotgun, facial scar, duster jacket, and grin, Williams’s sheer presence played a key part in HBO’s 2002 series about <a href="https://drugpolicy.org/issues/brief-history-drug-war">America’s “war on drugs”</a>. This was the federal government’s zero-tolerance approach to illegal drug use that increased prison sentences for all drug-related incidents. Twenty years on, we can see how the programme redefined television and its impact in multiple ways.</p> <h2>1. Television as Greek tragedy</h2> <p>Unlike the then-popular <a href="https://theconversation.com/farewell-csi-the-show-that-made-forensics-fun-40857">CSI</a>-style investigative American cop show, The Wire embraces the cold-hearted nature of ancient <a href="https://muse.jhu.edu/article/447310">Greek tragedy</a>.</p> <p>Indifferent to individuals’ heroism and morality, the show demonstrates how the American dream remains unachievable for many. Internal politics within local government, an overworked police force and an underfunded education sector thwart individual talent and ambition. Characters are at the mercy of these institutions that stand in for traditional Greek gods.</p> <p>Omar may be the closest the show has to a heroic figure, but his attempts for redemption are rewarded by the barrel of a child’s gun as he is unceremoniously killed for a couple of dollars. He is the Achilles falling victim to Apollo’s eventual will, as envisioned by ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9qK-VGjMr8g?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <h2>2. The visual novel</h2> <p>The show’s creator, David Simon, coined the phrase “<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/10/22/stealing-life">visual novel</a>” to describe the programme’s distinctive and demanding viewing experience. Instead of each episode neatly concluding with a captured criminal, The Wire made it impossible to simply tune in at any point in the season.</p> <p>One investigation stretches over 13 hours of television, so you have room for all the regular idiosyncrasies and nuance of how people relate and how institutions work, much like a Dickens novel. Put simply, “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/video/2009/aug/29/david-simon-edinburgh-interview-full">Fuck the casual viewer</a>” as Simon once elucidated.</p> <h2>3. Streaming series</h2> <p>The Wire heralded the binge-watching revolution when DVD box sets made consuming 13 hours of television in one sitting possible and irresistible. Compared to HBO’s other quality television dramas from the period – including <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/the-sopranos">The Sopranos</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/mar/09/rewatching-deadwood-still-the-most-extraordinary-rootin-tootin-tv-ever">Deadwood</a> – The Wire’s exploration of America’s war on drugs proved that television audiences had the patience and intelligence to consume a narrative that could be consumed as if it were one very long film.</p> <h2>4. Good guys or bad guys?</h2> <p>It’s difficult to imagine a universe where <a href="https://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones">Game of Thrones</a> could have been commissioned had The Wire not blurred the previously clear division between hero and villain.</p> <p>Baltimore’s police department and Barksdale’s drug-dealing crew are presented as two social structures in a pragmatic conflict with one another. A parallel ensues between Baltimore’s criminal justice system and the laws of the street and the equal pressure they apply to individuals.</p> <p>For instance, drug kingpin Stringer Bell’s (Idris Elba) brutal murder of Omar’s lover Brandon for robbing his stash house is depicted as a logically justifiable action similar to that of the US justice system’s treatment of criminals. Without such iconic episodes, would we have been able to empathise with the callous actions of the bloodthirsty Lannisters in Game of Thrones?</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420027/original/file-20210908-27-rd3frm.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Man in suit." /> <span class="caption">Idris Elba as drug kingpin.</span> <span class="attribution"><a href="https://www.hbo.com/content/dam/hbodata/series/the-wire/character/the-street/russell-stringer-bell-1920.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1200.675.jpeg" class="source">HBO</a></span></p> <h2>5. Challenging the war on drugs</h2> <p>Perhaps Williams’ and the Wire’s greatest legacy will be the key role it has played in making the world increasingly sceptical of America’s war on drugs. Season four received the <a href="https://www.metacritic.com/tv/the-wire/season-4">strongest critical reception</a> for portraying how a host of school children could be forced into a life of drug abuse against their will.</p> <p>The series highlights underfunded social services, a lack of employment opportunities, “benevolent” drug dealers, and drug-addicted parents to compellingly reveal that not all addicts are addled layabouts through choice. Instead, these people have been worn down by a system and societal structure that was against them from the moment they were unlucky enough to be born black in the projects (the US’s social housing).</p> <p>A testament to just how much the show changed opinion, during his first presidential campaign <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&amp;v=w2F3eLZHmoA">Barack Obama said</a>, “Omar’s a great guy.” While Obama was keen to point out he was not endorsing the character’s lawbreaking, The Wire nevertheless helped instigate a global debate as to whether America’s war on drugs is worth its escalating cost in terms of human lives and taxpayer money.</p> <p>David Simon <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2011/06/wire-creator-david-simon-has-counter-offer-eric-holder/351634/">has since vowed he will write a sixth season</a> if drugs are legalised nationally in the US. From new Portuguese laws to Cleveland police’s <a href="https://www.cleveland.pcc.police.uk/how-can-we-help/community/heroin-assisted-treatment-hat/">heroin assisted treatment programme</a>, drug addiction is now starting to be treated as a health problem, as the obituaries for <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-58470253">Michael K Williams’ untimely death</a> attest. The Wire and Williams’ performance went a long way in showing that drug addiction is an illness that demands understanding and that those suffering from it need society’s help and support, not its condemnation.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/167480/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ben-lamb-453614">Ben Lamb</a>, Senior Lecturer in Media, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/teesside-university-1230">Teesside University</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/michael-k-williams-and-the-wire-how-the-show-redefined-television-watching-167480">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Moviestore Collection Ltd/Alamy</em></p>

TV

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Is it time to redefine what it means to be “old”?

<p>When do you become a senior citizen?</p> <p>That's an increasingly important question in Japan, the world's oldest nation, where the challenge is to keep people healthy and productive as they live longer.</p> <p>The answer should be 75, ten years older than many people think now, according two groups of medical experts who specialise in ageing.</p> <p>People aged 65-74 ought to be thought of as "pre-old," the Japan Gerontological Society and the Japan Geriatrics Society said in a report last month.</p> <p>"Old" would be better defined as 75-89, and a special label of "super-old" could be adopted for people 90 and above, they said.</p> <p>While these experts approached the subject chiefly from a medical viewpoint, applying theses definitions to the labour force could have profound economic implications for the nation, boosting the number of potential workers by more than 10 million.</p> <p>Thanks to better nutrition, health care and sanitation, today's senior citizens are much fitter than past generations, and labelling them as retirees is a waste, said Yasuyoshi Ouchi, one of the architects of the report.</p> <p>"There are many people who are older than 65 and are healthy and energetic," said Ouchi, who himself is spry at 68. "They are willing to contribute to the society by working, whether paid or unpaid."</p> <p>A government survey of nearly 4000 people age 60 and over found that 51 per cent didn't consider themselves senior citizens. Most said that the label should be for people 70 and older.</p> <p>Faced with a shrinking labour force and rising welfare costs, Japan's government is gradually raising the starting age for receiving pension payments from 60 to 65.</p> <p>Ouchi, a medical doctor who is president of Toranomon Hospital in Tokyo, said it wasn't his intention to provide political cover for delaying pensions.</p> <p>The aim of working longer is to stay active and healthy, and to contain soaring medical costs while lightening the burden on younger generations, he said.</p> <p>Do you agree? Or are there more pressing issues?</p> <p><em>Written Yoshiaki Nohara. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>. </em></p>

Legal

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Seniorpreneurs: Studying is the key to redefining the future for over-60s

<p>Given Australia’s ageing population and the fact that the retirement age is set to increase to 70 by 2035, we know that the stream of over-50s seeking work in the coming years will start to increase. Could, however, we be seeing the effects of this sooner than first thought?</p><p>With seniorpreneurs the fastest growing segment of entrepreneurship, and considered by experts and researchers as the next boom, the rise of seniorpreneurs is timely. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the number of people aged 65 or over is expected to more than double from 3.2 million in 2012 to 6.8 million by 2040.</p><p>In case you’re not familiar with the term, senior entrepreneurship is the process whereby people aged 50-plus participate in business start-ups. The deputy chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has said, “The concept of seniorpreneurship, or ‘grey’ entrepreneurship, is much bigger than most people realise.”</p><p>As our working population ages, flexible working arrangements, varied workloads and retraining options are all becoming more important for workers and employers. As well as hearing more and more stories of seniors either going back to study or retraining to renter the workforce after retirement, the number of institutions that are endeavouring to become more engaged with over-50s is also on the rise.</p><p>Alex Maritz, an associate professor of entrepreneurship at Swinburne University of Technology, has written an important whitepaper on the topic –&nbsp;Senior Entrepreneurship in Australia: Active Ageing and Extending Workforce Lives. In his paper Mr Maritz calls on the government to foster a culture of seniorpreneurship by making several preliminary recommendations on policy interventions, one of which is: “Creating positive awareness of entrepreneurship as a late-career option with the aim of educating and training senior entrepreneurs, as well as different stakeholder groups, to remove negative age or gender bias as a potential barrier to senior entrepreneurship.</p><p>Mr Maritz also brings to light how “Developing entrepreneurship education and training specific to the needs of senior entrepreneurs,” is vital for a number of reasons including and not limited to, easing economic strain, ensuring the prospect of a longer and healthier life and for creating jobs, not just for seniors, but by seniors hiring others for their business ventures.</p><p>Then there are institutions, like Open Universities Australia (OUA), that make it more accessible for seniors who want to learn. Rosie Hill, the student engagement coordinator at OUA tells Over60 “The Connect Library Program has assisted older mature-aged students (50-plus years old) in face-to-face sessions with dedicated library staff navigating online databases and gaining basic IT skills towards their studies in an overwhelmingly new and complex online environment.”</p><p>Open Universities Australia describes the initiative as a voluntary collaboration with public libraries. “The program provides a community space where OUA students can network with each other,” Rosie says. “While utilising resources and student support relevant to their academic studies within their local library.”</p><p>The NSW government’s Ageing Strategy has also started to address the needs of seniors who want to upskill by introducing a Tech Savvy Seniors program to help&nbsp; people become more comfortable with technology. The NSW Minister for Ageing, John Ajaka, tells Over60 “The Tech Savvy Seniors program has been hugely successful in the short while it has been up and running, training more than 12,000 seniors in NSW in the past 18 months.”</p>

Mind

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Meet the photographer whose images are redefining beauty standards

<p>This is the image that won photographer Natalie Grono the prestigious 2015 People’s Choice Prize in Australia’s National Photographic Portrait competition. The photo, aptly titled, “Feather in the Goddess Pool” depicts Feather, a regular at New South Wales Byron Bay beaches, swimming at what’s become known as the goddess pool.</p> <p>Grono was drawn to 78-year-old Feather’s unwavering confidence and courage in her own skin, despite the societal pressure that only a certain age and body type is appropriate for baring skin at the beach.</p> <p>Grono told HelloGiggles: “I think the image resonates with people because it invites them to examine a confident elderly woman who is proud of her body. She is not afraid to show the lines that inscribe her life story. It confronts the viewer’s impressions of beauty, as opposed to a culture where we are saturated with imagery of young models wearing bikinis.”</p> <p>This photo is just one of many that make up Grono's body of work that explores womanhood. She's particularly interested in photographing strong, remarkable and creative woman living in the alternative hot spot of Byron Bay.</p> <p>We just love the boldness in Feather’s stance and the defiant facial expression that just dares you to judge her.  </p> <p><em><a href="http://www.nataliegrono.com/" target="_blank">Find more of Natalie Grono's work here.</a></em></p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/07/three-grandmas-skip-rope/">Watch three grandmas skip rope</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/06/four-seniors-at-bonnaroo/">What happens when a group of 70-something-year-olds go to a music festival?</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/06/music-causes-car-accidents/">Listening to music while driving linked to car accidents</a></strong></em></span></p>

News

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“Protirement” – the new trend redefining what retirement is about

<p>What does your retirement look like? Is it a time to finally slow down for a quieter, simpler life or is time to explore the world, renew old passions and do the things you like the most? While slowing down might be a goal in the far future, for an increasing number of over60s retirement is about finally having the time to explore life to its fullest. This isn’t retirement – it’s protirement.</p><p>Coined in the early 90s by Fredric Hudson, the term “protirement” defines the desire to retire with the positive idea of pursuing meaningful and fulfilling activities. Instead of traditional retirement pursuits, it’s about looking at this new chapter in life as an opportunity to do what matters most to you.</p><p>For Judi Bradshaw, 64, from Parmelia, Western Australia, the term retirement suggests “a withdrawal from mainstream work.” It’s not something Judi wants to do anytime soon though. She has tried to retire three times already but has found it difficult to do.</p><p>“People keeping offering me jobs, usually something I’ve never done before and I just think I can do that.”</p><p>“I do love a challenge in life and like to keep my mind active. I do love to work and I think I still have a lot to offer in the workforce,” She explains.</p><p>Even if Judi wasn’t working part-time at a newsagency she would find other ways to stay active. “If I didn't work I would volunteer in some way for organisations that mean a great deal to me,” she says.</p><p>In days gone by, retirement was seen as a stage of life for slowing down. But now those in their 60s, 70s, and beyond are speeding up – they are exploring passions, travelling, going back to study and continuing to make contributions to society. Taking it easy isn’t even a consideration, instead the life of a protiree means life is about to get busier.</p><p>Just take Carolyn Le-Grand, 64, from Wangi Wangi, NSW who’s finding her first year of retirement is much more eventful than expected. “I worked up until the age of 64 and often think that perhaps it was because I did work that I had to fill my retirement days with variety of things.”</p><p>“I am about to take off on yet another trip. This time we are having a quick cruise. Life is never dull at our house and I really wonder how on earth I ever had the time to work.”</p><p>This increasing trend for over 60s to protire rather than to retire is largely due to our increased life expectancy. With around 30 years added to our lifespan, by the time we retire, it’s the middle, not the end of our life. And it’s not just about living longer, we want to live those years well.</p><p>So what are over60s doing in their protirement? Well, that’s the point of protirement, it looks different for everybody.</p><p>For Judi, protirement is a time to conquer fears and try new activities.</p><p>“I see and hear about so many things I still want to do in my life: skydiving, abseiling, cage diving with sharks, these things do terrify me but it's about facing ones fears,” says Judi, before adding with a smile, “I am scared of heights so two years ago I climbed Sydney Harbour Bridge. I am still scared of heights but loved doing the climb.”</p><p><span>Her next goal: to do the skywalk at the Grand Canyon as well as do a Harley ride across the Grand Canyon and travel Route 66.&nbsp;<span>And it’s all possible for Judi and the many others who are finding retirement is the time to do the things you enjoy the most.</span></span></p><p><span>Since Carolyn’s joined Probus (a club for active retirees) there has never been a dull moment in her retired life.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>“There are theatre outings, trips away, car runs and the list goes on. You definitely don’t have to sit around feeling sorry for yourself,” she says with a laugh. “The local lawn bowls club invited me to try my hand at bowls which I thought I would never do, but would you believe it, I love it and intend to get into it on a regular basis.”</span></p><p><span>For others, protirement might mean going back to study to learn new subjects or to reskill, it might mean some consulting work or volunteering or it could mean cruises in exotic parts of the world or caravanning around Australia. It is all about having the time, resources and worldly knowledge to tick those things off your bucket list. And for many it is becoming one of the most fulfilling periods of their life. While retirement was once seen as the end of something, where life was about to slow down, this new trend of protirement is all about starting a new phase that’s just about to get more exciting.&nbsp;</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p>

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Seniorpreneurs: Studying is the key to redefining the future for over-60s

<p>Given Australia’s ageing population and the fact that the retirement age is set to increase to 70 by 2035, we know that the stream of over-50s seeking work in the coming years will start to increase. Could, however, we be seeing the effects of this sooner than first thought?</p><p>With seniorpreneurs the fastest growing segment of entrepreneurship, and considered by experts and researchers as the next boom, the rise of seniorpreneurs is timely. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the number of people aged 65 or over is expected to more than double from 3.2 million in 2012 to 6.8 million by 2040.</p><p>In case you’re not familiar with the term, senior entrepreneurship is the process whereby people aged 50-plus participate in business start-ups. The deputy chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has said, “The concept of seniorpreneurship, or ‘grey’ entrepreneurship, is much bigger than most people realise.”</p><p>As our working population ages, flexible working arrangements, varied workloads and retraining options are all becoming more important for workers and employers. As well as hearing more and more stories of seniors either going back to study or retraining to renter the workforce after retirement, the number of institutions that are endeavouring to become more engaged with over-50s is also on the rise.</p><p>Alex Maritz, an associate professor of entrepreneurship at Swinburne University of Technology, has written an important whitepaper on the topic –&nbsp;Senior Entrepreneurship in Australia: Active Ageing and Extending Workforce Lives. In his paper Mr Maritz calls on the government to foster a culture of seniorpreneurship by making several preliminary recommendations on policy interventions, one of which is: “Creating positive awareness of entrepreneurship as a late-career option with the aim of educating and training senior entrepreneurs, as well as different stakeholder groups, to remove negative age or gender bias as a potential barrier to senior entrepreneurship.</p><p>Mr Maritz also brings to light how “Developing entrepreneurship education and training specific to the needs of senior entrepreneurs,” is vital for a number of reasons including and not limited to, easing economic strain, ensuring the prospect of a longer and healthier life and for creating jobs, not just for seniors, but by seniors hiring others for their business ventures.</p><p>Then there are institutions, like Open Universities Australia (OUA), that make it more accessible for seniors who want to learn. Rosie Hill, the student engagement coordinator at OUA tells Over60 “The Connect Library Program has assisted older mature-aged students (50-plus years old) in face-to-face sessions with dedicated library staff navigating online databases and gaining basic IT skills towards their studies in an overwhelmingly new and complex online environment.”</p><p>Open Universities Australia describes the initiative as a voluntary collaboration with public libraries. “The program provides a community space where OUA students can network with each other,” Rosie says. “While utilising resources and student support relevant to their academic studies within their local library.”</p><p>The NSW government’s Ageing Strategy has also started to address the needs of seniors who want to upskill by introducing a Tech Savvy Seniors program to help&nbsp; people become more comfortable with technology. The NSW Minister for Ageing, John Ajaka, tells Over60 “The Tech Savvy Seniors program has been hugely successful in the short while it has been up and running, training more than 12,000 seniors in NSW in the past 18 months.”</p>

Mind

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Seniorpreneurs: Studying is the key to redefining the future for over-60s

<p>Given Australia’s ageing population and the fact that the retirement age is set to increase to 70 by 2035, we know that the stream of over-50s seeking work in the coming years will start to increase. Could, however, we be seeing the effects of this sooner than first thought?</p><p>With seniorpreneurs the fastest growing segment of entrepreneurship, and considered by experts and researchers as the next boom, the rise of seniorpreneurs is timely. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the number of people aged 65 or over is expected to more than double from 3.2 million in 2012 to 6.8 million by 2040.</p><p>In case you’re not familiar with the term, senior entrepreneurship is the process whereby people aged 50-plus participate in business start-ups. The deputy chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has said, “The concept of seniorpreneurship, or ‘grey’ entrepreneurship, is much bigger than most people realise.”</p><p>As our working population ages, flexible working arrangements, varied workloads and retraining options are all becoming more important for workers and employers. As well as hearing more and more stories of seniors either going back to study or retraining to renter the workforce after retirement, the number of institutions that are endeavouring to become more engaged with over-50s is also on the rise.</p><p>Alex Maritz, an associate professor of entrepreneurship at Swinburne University of Technology, has written an important whitepaper on the topic –&nbsp;Senior Entrepreneurship in Australia: Active Ageing and Extending Workforce Lives. In his paper Mr Maritz calls on the government to foster a culture of seniorpreneurship by making several preliminary recommendations on policy interventions, one of which is: “Creating positive awareness of entrepreneurship as a late-career option with the aim of educating and training senior entrepreneurs, as well as different stakeholder groups, to remove negative age or gender bias as a potential barrier to senior entrepreneurship.</p><p>Mr Maritz also brings to light how “Developing entrepreneurship education and training specific to the needs of senior entrepreneurs,” is vital for a number of reasons including and not limited to, easing economic strain, ensuring the prospect of a longer and healthier life and for creating jobs, not just for seniors, but by seniors hiring others for their business ventures.</p><p>Then there are institutions, like Open Universities Australia (OUA), that make it more accessible for seniors who want to learn. Rosie Hill, the student engagement coordinator at OUA tells Over60 “The Connect Library Program has assisted older mature-aged students (50-plus years old) in face-to-face sessions with dedicated library staff navigating online databases and gaining basic IT skills towards their studies in an overwhelmingly new and complex online environment.”</p><p>Open Universities Australia describes the initiative as a voluntary collaboration with public libraries. “The program provides a community space where OUA students can network with each other,” Rosie says. “While utilising resources and student support relevant to their academic studies within their local library.”</p><p>The NSW government’s Ageing Strategy has also started to address the needs of seniors who want to upskill by introducing a Tech Savvy Seniors program to help&nbsp; people become more comfortable with technology. The NSW Minister for Ageing, John Ajaka, tells Over60 “The Tech Savvy Seniors program has been hugely successful in the short while it has been up and running, training more than 12,000 seniors in NSW in the past 18 months.”</p>

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