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What’s the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest? One’s about plumbing, the other wiring

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-todorovic-1210507">Michael Todorovic</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-barton-1184088">Matthew Barton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> In July 2023, rising US basketball star Bronny James collapsed on the court during practice and was sent to hospital. The 18-year-old athlete, son of famous LA Lakers’ veteran LeBron James, had experienced a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/bronny-james-cardiac-arrest-3953eee8789e83f3cccfb6dd798bc54e">cardiac arrest</a>. Many media outlets incorrectly referred to the event as a “<a href="https://en.as.com/nba/lebron-james-son-bronny-plays-for-the-usc-trojans-for-the-first-time-since-suffering-a-heart-attack-n/">heart attack</a>” or used the terms interchangeably. A cardiac arrest and a heart attack are distinct yet overlapping concepts associated with the heart. With some background in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKrgEv7-rVM&t=16s">how the heart works</a>, we can see how they differ and how they’re related. <h2>Understanding the heart</h2> The heart is a muscle that contracts to work as a pump. When it contracts it pushes blood – containing oxygen and nutrients – to all the tissues of our body. For the heart muscle to work effectively as a pump, it needs to be fed its own blood supply, delivered by the coronary arteries. If these arteries are blocked, the heart muscle doesn’t get the blood it needs. This can cause the heart muscle to become injured or die, and results in the heart not pumping properly. <h2>Heart attack or cardiac arrest?</h2> Simply put, a heart attack, technically known as a myocardial infarction, describes injury to, or death of, the heart muscle. A cardiac arrest, sometimes called a sudden cardiac arrest, is when the heart stops beating, or put another way, stops working as an effective pump. In other words, both relate to the heart not working as it should, but for different reasons. As we’ll see later, one can lead to the other. <h2>Why do they happen? Who’s at risk?</h2> Heart attacks typically result from blockages in the coronary arteries. Sometimes this is called coronary artery disease, but in Australia, we tend to refer to it as ischaemic heart disease. The underlying cause in about <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507799/#:%7E:text=It%20has%20been%20reported%20that,increases%20beyond%20age%2050%20years.">75% of people</a> is a process called <a href="https://youtu.be/jwL4lkSlvSA?si=H2as7dQkhbIqWWkU">atherosclerosis</a>. This is where fatty and fibrous tissue build up in the walls of the coronary arteries, forming a plaque. The plaque can block the blood vessel or, in some instances, lead to the formation of a blood clot. Atherosclerosis is a long-term, stealthy process, with a number of risk factors that can sneak up on anyone. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diet, diabetes, stress, and your genes have all been implicated in this plaque-building process. Other causes of heart attacks include spasms of the coronary arteries (causing them to constrict), chest trauma, or anything else that reduces blood flow to the heart muscle. Regardless of the cause, blocking or reducing the flow of blood through these pipes can result in the heart muscle not receiving enough oxygen and nutrients. So cells in the heart muscle can be injured or die. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Heart attack vs cardiac arrest" /></a><figcaption>Here’s a simple way to remember the difference. Author provided</figcaption></figure> But a cardiac arrest is the result of heartbeat irregularities, making it harder for the heart to pump blood effectively around the body. These heartbeat irregularities are generally due to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_soKG-Tzh0&t=903s">electrical malfunctions</a> in the heart. There are four distinct types: <ul> <li> ventricular tachycardia: a rapid and abnormal heart rhythm in which the heartbeat is more than <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10541285/">100 beats per minute</a> (normal adult, resting heart rate is generally 60-90 beats per minute). This fast heart rate prevents the heart from filling with blood and thus pumping adequately </li> <li> ventricular fibrillation: instead of regular beats, the heart quivers or “fibrillates”, resembling a bag of worms, resulting in an irregular heartbeat greater than 300 beats per minute </li> <li> pulseless electrical activity: arises when the heart muscle fails to generate sufficient pumping force after electrical stimulation, resulting in no pulse </li> <li> asystole: the classic flat-line heart rhythm you see in movies, indicating no electrical activity in the heart. </li> </ul> Cardiac arrest can arise from numerous underlying conditions, both heart-related and not, such as drowning, trauma, asphyxia, electrical shock and drug overdose. James’ cardiac arrest was attributed to a <a href="https://www.espn.com.au/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/38260006/bronny-james-cardiac-arrest-caused-congenital-heart-defect">congenital heart defect</a>, a heart condition he was born with. But among the many causes of a cardiac arrest, ischaemic heart disease, such as a heart attack, stands out as the most common cause, accounting <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11898927/">for 70%</a> of all cases. So how can a heart attack cause a cardiac arrest? You’ll remember that during a heart attack, heart muscle can be damaged or parts of it may die. This damaged or dead tissue can disrupt the heart’s ability to conduct electrical signals, increasing the risk of developing arrhythmias, possibly causing a cardiac arrest. So while a heart attack is a common cause of cardiac arrest, a cardiac arrest generally does not cause a heart attack. <h2>What do they look like?</h2> Because a cardiac arrest results in the sudden loss of effective heart pumping, the most common signs and symptoms are a sudden loss of consciousness, absence of pulse or heartbeat, stopping of breathing, and pale or blue-tinged skin. But the common signs and symptoms of a heart attack include chest pain or discomfort, which can show up in other regions of the body such as the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach. Also frequent are shortness of breath, nausea, light-headedness, looking pale, and sweating. <h2>What’s the take-home message?</h2> While both heart attack and cardiac arrest are disorders related to the heart, they differ in their mechanisms and outcomes. A heart attack is like a blockage in the plumbing supplying water to a house. But a cardiac arrest is like an electrical malfunction in the house’s wiring. Despite their different nature both conditions can have severe consequences and require immediate medical attention.<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;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/229633/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-todorovic-1210507">Michael Todorovic</a>, Associate Professor of Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-barton-1184088">Matthew Barton</a>, Senior lecturer, School of Nursing and Midwifery, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/whats-the-difference-between-a-heart-attack-and-cardiac-arrest-ones-about-plumbing-the-other-wiring-229633">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Outrage after dog seen trapped in car cloaked in barbed wire

One dog owner has become the subject of the internet’s ire when an image of their dog inside of a car lined with barbed wire circulated on social media. The German shepherd was spotted by someone walking by the carpark of Caves Beach’s southern end, who snapped a picture of the “disturbing” scene, and posted it to a local Facebook page for assistance. “A German Shepherd inside a car full of barbed wire,” they captioned the series of images. “Unfortunately the car left before authorities arrived.” As their friend informed Yahoo News Australia, the dog had seemed “visibly distressed” and that’s what had drawn the witness over, and that they’d only left the area in order to get reception to call for police aid. People were quick to speak up, condemning the owner and voicing their concern for the shepherd, with one declaring it to be “the most f***ed up thing I've seen”. “I would have smashed the car after taking the photos,” another said. “This is such strange behaviour and very distressing to see. To be done in the middle of the day in a public place where people will clearly see,” someone else wrote. “I really hope [the] police can still contact them and have a word.” “I am completely dumbfounded that someone thought that this was ok. That poor dog - god only knows the environment it is subjected to at 'home',” one added. And, as another put it, “this is so disturbing”. Some didn’t immediately assume the worst of the owner, however, suggesting that perhaps they were in a challenging living situation and left with few other choices, writing “I wonder if the owner is homeless and living out of their car. The wire could be some type of safety measure. Poor dog, though.” Those requesting to know more didn’t have to wait long, with updates soon coming in to inform everyone that NSW Police had confirmed officers had attended the scene, but that upon finding the car space empty, they were “making arrangements to speak to the registered owner”. The owner was eventually located by the police, with a spokesperson sharing that “they have checked the dog and confirmed there were no injuries and that [it] is being well cared for. “They have also been assured the wire has been permanently removed from the car.” They could not, however, reveal why the owner had lined the vehicle with the dangerous wire, or why the dog had been left in there. Nor could RSPCA NSW, who noted that the matter was under police investigation. Images: Facebook

Family & Pets

New technology to keep track of koalas during bushfire season

<h3 dir="ltr">Authorities were left to guess the death toll of adorable koalas and other threatened species after the Black Summer bushfires that tore through our east coast.</h3> The disaster exposed a lack of data about what was living where - a consequence of how expensive and time consuming it is to gather such information on a large scale. On World Environment Day, news emerged of a three-way collaboration using drones, artificial intelligence algorithms and dedicated volunteers, to help make a difference. Drones fitted with cameras and thermal sensors will be given to trained Landcare groups and will be regularly flown over local koala habitats. Footage will then be sent to the Queensland University of Technology to be scanned by the AI algorithm, which essentially allows computers to "see". Highly accurate data about the location and number of koalas is then returned to volunteers, who can use it to inform their conservation work. University ecologist Grant Hamilton developed the algorithm with colleague Simon Denman and says involving Landcare groups is the perfect way to scale up the use of the technology and start generating big data sets. "As the Black Summer bushfires showed, we simply don't know what's out there. The huge benefit of this is being able to cover a lot of ground quickly," he said. It also removes the challenge of scaling rugged terrain and offers more accurate information. The $1.5 million project has been funded by WIRES, Australia's largest wildlife rescue organisation and Landcare with in-kind support from the university. Landcare Australia CEO Shane Norrish says the project will start with five groups from Victoria’s north to Queensland but will soon expand into other areas. The same approach could be used to monitor threatened species other than the koala. WIRES CEO Leanne Taylor says better data should mean a better wildlife response when future disasters strike. More than 60,000 koalas were killed or injured in the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfire disaster, WWF Australia calculated. Nearly three billion animals - including mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs - were impacted. Meanwhile, the 2022 Queensland budget will allocate almost $40 million to help protect the state's native flora and fauna. Image: Getty

Family & Pets

Rare albino echidna given a second chance at life

An extremely rare albino echidna – affectionally named Mr Spike by his rescuers – has been found, saved and re-released back into the wild after being hit by a car. After sustaining minor injuries to his spikes, the unique monotreme was placed into WIRES Wildlife Rescue care before being whisked to Albion Park Veterinary Hospital in NSW for treatment. It was here that Dr Cindy Jarrett named the special white guy Mr Spike before clearing him to be placed back into bushland after several days of gentle rehab. A lack of melanin makes this adorable little creature albino and particularly rare, with only a handful of the mammals ever sighted in the country. Echidnas have been around for about 50 million years but are considered quite mysterious by researchers and scientists, often burrowing into the ground or moving at a hasty speed of 2.3 kilometres per hour. Local and overseas travellers alike know just how special it is to spot an echidna in the wild – so imagine how amazing it must have been to stumble across Mr White, and then be able to help him safely return to his home. Image: WIRES

Family & Pets

WIRES to launch new Koala rescue course

A new koala rescue course has been launched nationwide by WIRES for registered wildlife carers. The course, which launches this month, is part of a WIRES plan to increase rescue and rehabilitation capacity and improve emergency rescue response for koalas. It will explore the best practice for rescuing and transporting injured, sick or orphaned koalas and will be delivered online. In February 2022 koalas in Queensland, NSW and the ACT were officially classified as an endangered species and WIRES chief operating officer Kyla Shelley said the sheer number of koala rescues in NSW painted a clear picture of the increased need to build volunteer capacity and capability. "We have seen almost a doubling of koala rescues in the last two years," she said. "These are usually complex situations and require specific skills to assist this unique species." The WIRES koala rescue course will cover: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Work health and safety risks involved in rescuing and transporting koalas </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Koala biology, behaviour, distribution, and threats </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Appropriate capture, handling, and transport methods </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Rescue scenarios and how to approach koalas </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Koala observational assessment and reporting processes post-rescue </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Common injuries and diseases. </li> </ul> The course is based on the standards and guidelines outlined in the NSW environment department code of practice for injured, sick and orphaned koalas and the official guidelines for initial treatment and care of rescued koalas. Image: Getty

Family & Pets

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

This article contains spoilers for The Wire. 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?” 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. 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. <h2>1. Television as Greek tragedy</h2> 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>. 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. 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. <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9qK-VGjMr8g?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <h2>2. The visual novel</h2> 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. 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. <h2>3. Streaming series</h2> 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. <h2>4. Good guys or bad guys?</h2> 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. 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. 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? <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420027/original/file-20210908-27-rd3frm.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Man in suit." /> Idris Elba as drug kingpin. <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> <h2>5. Challenging the war on drugs</h2> 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. 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). A testament to just how much the show changed opinion, during his first presidential campaign <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&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. 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.<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" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ben-lamb-453614">Ben Lamb</a>, Senior Lecturer in Media, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/teesside-university-1230">Teesside University</a> 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>. Image: Moviestore Collection Ltd/Alamy

To retire or re-wire? How to reframe your retirement

<a href="http://www.megangiles.com/" target="_blank">Megan Giles</a>, Retirement Transition Consultant, supports those approaching retirement to successfully transition and create a retirement they will love to live! Retirement is a gloomy word. It is derived from the French words ‘re’ and ‘tirer’, meaning to draw back and suggests that the best part of our lives is over once we are no longer working. It insinuates that retirement is simply a time to sit back and wait for the inevitable. But what if we framed it differently? I recently put the call out to my readers, thinking that surely there must be a better (and more inspiring) word than retirement to describe the life stage post-career. I figured who better to ask than those who are currently living this reality? I received a number of insightful suggestions but the one that really struck me was the notion to ‘rewire’ as shared by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/retiringnotshy/?ref=br_rs" target="_blank">Jan Wild</a> of <a href="https://www.retirement-planning.info/" target="_blank">Retiring Not Shy</a>. I love this as it evokes a sense of renewal, reinvigoration and the opportunity to challenge assumptions. What would you rather do – retire or rewire? Growing research in the field of neuroplasticity demonstrates that the brain is not static. It continues to evolve and adapt, i.e. rewire, as we age. Scientists have demonstrated that the brain is sufficiently plastic (i.e. able to reorganise its neural pathways) to transform and change at any age, even in adulthood. Significant learning is not confined to childhood and adolescence as previously thought. If your brain can rewire, what shouldn’t you? Do you want to challenge the stereotype that older persons are unable to learn new things – or that the best of your life has passed once you step into retirement? Here are three science-based facts to inspire you to rewire and grasp life with both hands as you step into retirement. Use it or lose it It’s only when you stop doing things that you forget how to do them. There is a tendency for people to limit themselves as they age by doing only the things that feel comfortable, i.e. undertaking only familiar and repetitive activities. What this means, however, is that this familiarity enables the brain to become a little lazy (Guglielman 2017). Provided you keep challenging yourself, there is no reason that you can’t get out there and learn a new language or take up stand-up paddle boarding. Your brain will adapt and allow you to learn new skills. Tip: Keep using your brain and your body in new and exciting ways. Fire up your network of friends, family and community (and those long held dreams!) and try new adventures and activities. Keep pushing yourself. Don’t allow old age to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Perhaps you’re a little nervous about driving and so you start to accept lifts from friends or catch the bus into town. You put mechanisms in place to ensure you can still get ‘out and about’ but without the stress of driving. This means, however, that your brain will stop receiving the stimuli that driving creates and instead focus its efforts on other functions. As a result you no longer have the competence (or confidence) to drive. This is known as negative learning (Merzenich, 2005). Tip: Don’t assume that because you are older, there are things you ‘shouldn’t’ be doing. Provided your health will allow it, avoid ‘work-arounds’ and keep challenging yourself with complex (and perhaps exciting!) tasks. Avoid getting caught up in ‘seniors moments’ A lapse in memory can be inconvenient and even embarrassing. It can even be time-consuming, such as forgetting where you left the keys. But before you start researching the symptoms of Alzheimers and self-diagnosing, recognise we all have forgetful moments. Regardless of age, people tend experience significant drop offs in retention after 60 minutes and after 24 hours because out brains ‘bump out’ older information to make way for new information (Waddington 2009). Further to that, forgetfulness can be caused by a number of things such as stress, fatigue or medication. Tip: Avoid identifying with the stereotype. Acknowledge that you will forget things from time to time and get on with living a full and opportunity-filled retirement! The ability of the humble brain to change and adapt as we age is quite astounding. Be inspired by its capability and keep stretching, striving, flexing and challenging in all aspects of life. Forge your own path and create a retirement you will love to live!

Retirement Life

An interesting look at how the electricity system works

Our homes are a long way from power-generating plants but by understanding the electricity system, you can better understand your electricity bill. How does the power get to your house? There are three businesses involved in getting the power to your house. Generators Generators produce electricity from sources like coal and natural gas (and others such as sun or wind). They are responsible for electricity power stations and sell electricity at wholesale prices to retailers. Distributors Distributors or networks own the poles and wires that deliver electricity to your home. They are responsible for fixing faults like blackouts and damaged electricity lines. Retailers Retailers buy electricity from generators and then sell it to you. Who pays for the costs of generators, poles and wire? Your electricity bill is allocated towards the costs of generators, distributor’s network and retailers. A breakdown of a typical bill would be around 24 per cent for generators, 55 per cent for the distributors and 21 per cent retail costs. Who sets the price for electricity? The price you pay for your energy service includes the tariff and any other fees and charges that may apply under your contract. According to the government’s Australian Energy Regulator, some retailers have offers or tariffs that are “regulated,” which means the price is set by government. In Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT and Tasmania, you can ask for a contract with a regulated electricity price. Regulated prices for gas are only available in New South Wales. In Victoria and South Australia, there are no regulated offers or tariffs (for electricity or gas), which means that energy retailers set all of their own prices. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/energy/2015/05/cheap-ways-to-keep-house-warm/">Top 5 energy efficient ways to keep your house warm this winter</a> <a href="/lifestyle/energy/2015/05/save-money-on-energy-bills/">4 ways to save money on your energy bills</a> <a href="/lifestyle/energy/2015/09/energy-saving-gadgets/">Smart gadgets that will help you save on energy</a>

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An interesting look at how the electricity system works

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