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New research calls for later-in-life driving lessons

New research has shown that older drivers should be coming forward to test and update their driving skills to keep people safer on the road, and keep senior drivers behind the wheel for longer. A new website launched by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and neuroscience institute NeuRA aims to help drivers aged in their 50s and above stay safe when driving, while also helping to update their skills to keep them on the roads for longer. Cognitive aging expert and UNSW professor Kaarin Anstey told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-old-is-too-old-to-drive-in-australia-new-research-shows-ageing-motorists-should-have-driving-lessons/6a470fa9-f0c3-4571-a229-672e689f1e76" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a> later-in-life driving lessons were crucial as our population grows and ages. "We obviously want people to stay on the road as long as it's safe for them to do so. And that's the issue: they have to be safe on the road," Anstey explained. "That's the point of the website, to empower older drivers, family members and health professionals." "We've been working on this issue of older drivers for over 20 years because the second biggest cause of injury in older adults is motor vehicle accidents or crashes (after falls)." Anstey said her research in <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2024/11/should-age-determine-how-long-drive-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Better Drive Study</a> analysed how the driving habits of older motorists changed if they had a refresher course. "A lot of people got their licence in an era where the cars were different, the roads were different, the road rules were different," she said. "We just feel there's a certain amount of improvement that probably all of us, not just the older age group but lots of people, could benefit in refreshing their driving skills." Anstey's pilot study, that followed motorists aged over 65 over 12 months, found older people were more likely to develop bad habits such as not checking blind spots or not keeping up to date with key road rules. She said people who did the driving lessons had a "big improvement" in their safety on the road. Later-in-life lessons could also identify if a person should be looking at giving up their licence, as Anstey added, "Sometimes there's people who we find who are not very safe drivers, or who have an impairment that they may not have been aware of." When asked what they thought of the initiative, some older drivers told 9News, "I think it's a good idea, there are some older people who definitely need a refresher but there are some that are still quite good." "I'd rather not go through those grills but I guess for everyone's safety it's a very good thing," another added. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Readers response: What’s your favourite destination you’ve visited later in life and why?

When it comes to travelling, some destinations are better than others for different points in your life. We asked our readers what their favourite destination they've ever visited later in life is, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Robin Liersch - Africa! Not about the big cities but the animals, landscape and people are lovely. Nature at its best. Karen Ambrose - Sri Lanka. A fabulous tour. Sandra Way - Switzerland, such a beautiful country. Deb Moore - Scotland! The highlands. Because of my ancestry, now that I have been there I feel so very drawn back. Wendy Beckhouse - Cambodia, Angkor Wat is amazing. Beautiful people and great food. Patricia Monro - Singapore. A beautiful safe country with spectacular scenery everywhere. Our family lived there for a couple of years so our visits were perfect. Simply love Singapore. Christina Hutchings - Norway. Especially Geirangar. The people and places were fantastic. Would love to go back. Barbara Mules - Uzbekistan, not at all what I expected. So many beautiful old buildings, good food and lovely people. Elizabeth Jeffreys - Italy. Love the country, people and food. Helen Dickenson - Antarctica, the Parthenon and Machu Picchu because I never thought I could physically do it but I’m glad I managed it. Regina Johnson - South Island, New Zealand. Spectacular. Ian J Wilson - Japan, without a doubt. Val Goodwin - Croatia, wonderful place and people. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

Woman who died in office cubicle found four days later

The body of an employee at one of America's biggest banks was in her office cubicle four days after she passed away, according Arizona police officials. Denise Prudhomme, 60, had used her ID to scan into the building on August 16 at 7am, four days later her dead body was found slumped over in her cubicle at the bank's office in Tempe. “To hear she’s been sitting at the desk like that would make me feel sick,” an employee at Wells Fargo told local news outlet K12News. “And nobody did anything. That’s how she spent her last moments.” The employee told the outlet that several workers had complained of a foul smell when they came back to work after the weekend, but thought it was just bad plumbing. K12News reported that another employee found Prudhomme dead at her desk in a cubicle while walking around the building, and the security guards then alerted police. One employee said that the building's security guards should have found her body earlier. “That’s the scary part. That’s the uneasy part,” they said. “It’s negligence in some part.” Prudhomme’s cause of death has not yet been released, though officials have said that based on the preliminary investigation there was no sign of foul play. The investigation is ongoing. Wells Fargo shared a statement with several other news outlets saying that they were “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague” and will be providing counsellors to support office employees. They are also co-operating with police in their investigation. Image: Larry Zhou / Shutterstock.com

Legal

Pet cat lost in the outback ends in purr-fect reunion months later

A beloved pet cat who went missing in the South Australian outback while on a road trip with his owner has been miraculously returned to his family months later. In June, Murry Rantall was travelling from Warnambook Victoria to Darwin in a caravan when he made a pit stop on the Stuart Hwy so his Burmese cat Raj could use the litter box. Rantall went for a walk and came back assuming that his 14-year-old feline friend was still inside so he drove off. It wasn't until 200km later, when he went to check on Raj, that he realised the cat was missing. “I was just about bawling … I knew he was in trouble,” Rantall said. Rantall who had recently lost his wife said that Raj was the only loved one he had left at home. “We were sort of looking after each other more or less,” Rantall said. He turned back to search for Raj, and even had his daughter, Katrina drive from Victoria to South Australia to help find the cat, but they had no luck. The feline was lost but not fur-gotten as Rantall's children put up Facebook posts about Raj missing in the South Australian outback. Two months later, the outback cat-astrophe ended with the purr-fect homecoming when Raj was found in Port Augusta, about 50km from where he ran away. Raj was found in Milla Dey’s backyard on Thursday, August 8. “I just saw that he was there and covered in prickles. We got him some food and water and he spent probably 15 to 20 minutes just eating,” Dey said. He was taken to a local vet to scan his microchip, but the details were outdated. Locals managed to track down Rantall's family on social media after seeing the Facebook posts about Raj, and they were reunited over the weekend. Rantall said Raj had lost a lot of weight but was content to be back in his arms. “We’ll feed him up, he’ll be all right,” Rantall said. Port Augusta City Council animal control officer Kylie McKerlie said the reunion was thanks to the care and dedication of the local community. “It’s just a really good town and a really good feeling for everyone,” she said. Rantall also thanked everyone who helped saying, “it’s unbelievable, the help I’ve had.” Images: 7News

Family & Pets

"Meant to be": Magical moment mum finds lost ring 15 years later

Some stories are so unbelievable that it seems like divine intervention played a part in making them happen. Samantha was only eight or nine years old when she lost a ring that her parents gave her for Christmas, only to miraculously find it 15 years later. She recalled the remarkable story of her lost ring on Nova 96.9's Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie. "So when I was about eight or nine, it was Christmas time, and we were holidaying up at Umina Beach Caravan Park," Samantha began. "I was in the surf, and my mum and dad had bought me this beautiful little first diamond ring for Christmas, and I was sort of in the waves up to sort of my knees, and I thought, Oh, I better take my ring off and put it around my necklace, because if I get dumped or under the waves, I might lose it." Samantha recalled that she was in the middle of taking her ring off when a "freak wave" came and knocked her over, causing her to drop the ring in the ocean. "I'm crying... my mum's crying, we're all crying, and I lost the ring," she said. 15 years later she returned to the same beach with her own kids, when things took a turn for the better. "My daughter's collecting shells, and she picks up this big shell, and I said, 'Oh, that's beautiful. Like, that's a big one. We don't find them up this way'," she told the radio hosts. "And she said, 'Oh, hang on. I think there's like a creature or something in it'... So I said 'Put it down, put it down', and I picked it up and just make sure she wasn't going to get bitten or anything. "And I looked inside, and my ring was inside the shell." Samantha told the hosts that she remembered her mum giving her the ring and telling her "when you grow up and you have a daughter, you can give this to her." "When we found it, I think I cried for like, a week, it's a story that we still don't believe." Radio hosts Kate, Fitzy and Wippa were all in shock, with Kate telling the mum that the ring was "meant to be" with her. "Well, the funny thing is, my mum, actually, at the moment, is palative," Samantha shared. "She's very, very unwell, and out of everything that she does remember, she still remembers that story. "She'll still say to me, 'don't you ever get rid of that ring'. And I'm like, my daughter's got it in a box at home, and she's not even allowed to wear it." Image: Shutterstock

Domestic Travel

The hidden risks of buy now, pay later: What shoppers need to know

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vivek-astvansh-1318943">Vivek Astvansh</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/mcgill-university-827">McGill University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/chandan-kumar-behera-1479139">Chandan Kumar Behera</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/indian-institute-of-management-lucknow-6023">Indian Institute of Management Lucknow</a> <iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/the-hidden-risks-of-buy-now-pay-later-what-shoppers-need-to-know" width="100%" height="400"></iframe> <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency/services/loans/buy-now-pay-later.html">Buy now, pay later</a> is a relatively new form of financial technology that allows consumers to purchase an item immediately and repay the balance at a later time in instalments. Unlike applying for a credit card, buy now, pay later <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4591446">doesn’t require a credit check</a>. Instead, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-11-2021-0923">these programs use algorithms</a> to perform <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/soft-inquiry.asp">“soft” credit checks</a> to determine <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-it-looks-like-debt-lets-treat-it-like-debt-buy-now-pay-later-schemes-need-firmer-regulation-in-nz-211820">a shopper’s eligibility</a>. This means buy now, pay later loans target <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/jan/27/buy-now-pay-later-schemes-entice-consumers-spend-more">low-income, tech-savvy</a> <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/27/gen-z-and-millennials-prefer-buy-now-pay-later-services.html">millennials and Gen Z shoppers</a> in an effort to <a href="https://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2023/09/who-uses-buy-now-pay-later/">supposedly improve financial inclusion</a> for these groups. However, the newness of buy now, pay later programs means existing <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/acfi.13100">consumer credit laws don’t cover it</a>. This lack of regulation puts shoppers at financial risk of accumulating higher levels of debt. <h2>Credit cards versus buy now, pay later</h2> There are three key differences between credit cards and buy now, pay later loans. First, while buy now, pay later loans are a line of credit like credit cards are, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/04/klarna-to-report-buy-now-pay-later-data-to-uk-credit-bureaus.html">they don’t impact credit reports</a>. Because of this, shoppers might be less cautious when using buy now, pay later services. Credit cards typically have annual interest rates ranging from <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/what-is-credit-card-apr/#credit-card-apr-vs-credit-card-interest">15 to 26 per cent</a>. While most buy now, pay later loans have no interest, longer term loans have <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/buy-now-pay-later-loans-interest-rate-fees-tips-what-to-know/">annual interest rates of about 37 per cent</a>. Shoppers are <a href="https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/buy-now-pay-later-how-retails-hot-feature-hurts-lower-income-shoppers">at risk of overusing buy now, pay later programs</a> and accumulating more debt than they can manage. In addition, formal lenders, such as banks, currently have no way of knowing what buy now, pay later debt a person is carrying. The lender, therefore, likely incurs more risk than they are aware of. Second, credit cards typically provide <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2022.2161830">an interest-free period</a>, after which <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/03128962211032448">borrowers must pay interest</a>. In contrast, buy now, pay later users typically don’t have interest fees, but can incur <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBM-07-2022-0324">late fees for missed or late payments</a>. Falling behind on payment terms <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andriacheng/2020/12/16/why-retailers-are-embracing-buy-now-pay-later-service-this-holiday-season/">can result in charges</a> that exceed <a href="https://stateline.org/2022/02/02/regulators-scrutinize-buy-now-pay-later-plans/">typical credit card interest rates</a>, causing more harm than interest payments. Low-income buy now, pay later users are <a href="https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/buy-now-pay-later-how-retails-hot-feature-hurts-lower-income-shoppers">particularly vulnerable</a> to <a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/research-reports/consumer-use-of-buy-now-pay-later-insights-from-the-cfpb-making-ends-meet-survey/">using overdrafts to cover their buy now, pay later payments</a>. Third, people typically have just a few credit cards, making it easier to keep track of payments. Buy now, pay later users, on the other hand, usually engage with multiple buy now, pay later lenders through retailers. As a result, it’s difficult for them to keep track of all the buy now, pay later lenders and retailers they made purchases from. <h2>What are the Canadian governments doing?</h2> Canada classifies buy now, pay later as an unsecured instalment loan, which means lenders are subject to laws at the federal and provincial levels. Under federal law, there is an <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1711291/000171129122000011/curo-20211231.htm">annual interest rate cap of 60 per cent</a>. Provincial laws require buy now, pay later lenders to disclose the cost of credit and extend consumer protection rights to buy now, pay later shoppers. At the provincial level, <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency/services/loans/buy-now-pay-later.html">specific laws come into play</a>. Manitoba, Alberta, Québec, and Ontario have passed laws that require lenders to be licensed before they offer these products and be subject to regulatory oversight. These laws regulate high-cost credit products that have annual rates of 32 per cent or higher. This means buy now, pay later services should fall under this category. However, I found no evidence of buy now, pay later lenders being licensed in Canada. This means either lenders are not aware they fall under these laws, or no one is enforcing them. This ambiguity over whether or not buy now, pay later lenders are subject to regulatory oversight could be a hindrance for banks like the <a href="https://financialpost.com/fp-finance/fintech/why-higher-interest-rates-threaten-the-buy-now-pay-later-bubble">Bank of Nova Scotia and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce</a>, as it deters them from entering the buy now, pay later market despite its profitability. <h2>Questions to ask before using buy now, pay later</h2> Before signing up for a buy now, pay later loan, shoppers should consider the following six questions. 1. Payment structure. How much of the invoice amount needs to be paid upfront? The norm is typically 25 per cent. What is the number of remaining instalments? The answer to this is usually four. Lastly, what is the frequency of instalments? The norm is biweekly. 2. Sensitive information. Does the lender require you to provide information about your chequing account? This is sensitive information to give away and puts you at risk of data breaches. Most buy now, pay later lenders withdraw instalment amounts from chequing accounts or debit cards, potentially exposing shoppers to greater risks than credit cards. 3. Interest charges Does the buy now, pay later lender charge interest on instalment payments? The norm is no. 4. Late fees How much is the late fee, when does it apply and what is the maximum amount of the late fee? Typically, late fees don’t exceed $8 or one-quarter of the invoice amount. Late fees usually kick in if your scheduled payment remains unpaid after 10 days. 5. Data responsibility. Who is responsible for your data? Whether it’s the retailer, the buy now, pay later lender or a company whose cloud storage the provider may be using, you should know. In general, the buy now, pay later lender holds this responsibility. 6. Licensing. Is the buy now, pay later lender licensed to sell the loan? Usually, the <a href="https://dfpi.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/337/2020/03/afterpay-settlement.pdf">answer to this question is no</a>. <h2>Buy now, pay later regulation</h2> Two sets of laws and regulations should be implemented to address some of these issues. The first set of regulations focuses on how buy now, pay later lenders interact with consumers. These lenders should clearly communicate <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4359956">all terms and conditions of their loans</a>, including late charges, interest charges and payment schedules, on their platforms to ensure shoppers are fully informed of their financial obligations. The Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom recently issued guidelines allowing buy now, pay later lenders to <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/ca428bc8-65c3-49ed-8ba6-0d6f206098aa">terminate, suspend or restrict access to shopper accounts</a> for any reason without notice. Effective September 2024, New Zealand will require buy now, pay later lenders to <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-it-looks-like-debt-lets-treat-it-like-debt-buy-now-pay-later-schemes-need-firmer-regulation-in-nz-211820">check a shopper’s credit</a> before providing them a buy now, pay later loan. The second set of regulations defines the scope and boundaries of buy now, pay later lenders. On Dec. 9, 2022, California became the first American state to <a href="https://dfpi.ca.gov/2022/12/09/buy-now-pay-later-protect-yourself-before-you-check-out/">classify buy now, pay later as a loan</a>. Such classifications allowed California regulators to <a href="https://stateline.org/2022/02/02/regulators-scrutinize-buy-now-pay-later-plans/">question lenders about their transparency in disclosing the terms of their offerings</a>. The hope is that these laws and regulations will facilitate microlending and not impede the existence of buy now, pay later services, but rather make it safer and more secure for both lenders and users.<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/215421/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vivek-astvansh-1318943">Vivek Astvansh</a>, Associate Professor of Quantitative Marketing and Analytics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/mcgill-university-827">McGill University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/chandan-kumar-behera-1479139">Chandan Kumar Behera</a>, PhD Student in Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/indian-institute-of-management-lucknow-6023">Indian Institute of Management Lucknow</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/the-hidden-risks-of-buy-now-pay-later-what-shoppers-need-to-know-215421">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Retirement reinvented: how to find fulfilment later in life

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tania-wiseman-1183187">Tania Wiseman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swansea-university-2638">Swansea University</a> Retirement can feel like a strange time for many people. Gone is the routine of work, your time is your own – in theory. How to stop chores from taking over can become a tricky balance. Some people retreat and return to work. Often, those that persevere find they are as busy as ever – but not always with the fun leisurely activities they were looking forward to. It’s strange that this is so often the case because retirement is something many of us look forward to for most of our working lives. Indeed, it’s the one time in life when you can really devote yourself to hobbies and interests, leisure and pleasure. This uncertain picture means that approaching retirement can be a time of fear – <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidkudla/2020/03/13/6-ways-to-ease-your-retirement-anxiety/">retirement anxiety</a> is a real thing. So too are the <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/mens-health/retirement-stress-taking-it-too-easy-can-be-bad-for-you">retirement blues</a>. When you add in potential health concerns and financial worries, it’s maybe not surprising that a recent survey found that more than half of <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/money/more-than-half-of-over40s-feel-anxious-about-retiring-survey-suggests-b2146484.html">over-40s feel anxious about retiring</a>. One retirement challenge is how to replace the <a href="https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/ger-2020-0109/html#:%7E:text=We%20find%20that%20retirement%20changes,effect%20on%20the%20network's%20size.">friendships</a> you make through work. Indeed, it seems the people who fare best in retirement find ways to cultivate connections. The longest-running <a href="https://www.adultdevelopmentstudy.org/">study on human happiness</a> found the thing that makes us most happy in life is our relationships and positive social connections – they also help us to live longer too. Indeed, this 85-year-old Harvard study shows that maintaining quality relationships has a huge benefit for our physical and mental health and wellbeing. Similarly, the charity The Centre for Better Ageing has found that <a href="https://ageing-better.org.uk/resources/later-life-2015-executive-summary">social connections</a> are just as important as money and health to a good later life. <h2>Beyond routine</h2> When it comes to retirement anxiety, <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-71672-1_2">my research</a> with retirees shows that most people who have been retired for several years learn to manage their concerns and develop <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-71672-1_5">satisfying and interesting lives</a>. As with a lot of us, most of their time was taken up with home-based chores, self-care, looking after friends and relatives and serving the community – along with working really hard to keep fit, so as to “age well”. But my research also found that negative notions of ageing can <a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-71672-1">become internalised</a> and prevent people from having fun and making new connections. In my study, people said they were conscious that others might judge the <a href="https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/bfm:978-3-030-71672-1/1?pdf=chapter%20toc">suitability of their leisure choices</a>. While some rebels could only really enjoy a pastime if they knew their children would disapprove (think daytime drinking, gambling, watching TV, cycling on busy roads in a rainstorm and flirting with strangers), most were limited in their leisure choices by this concern. Several did not have any pastimes they enjoyed. <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-71672-1_6">Those who found a balance</a> had rich and varied leisure lives, but they preferred people from their own age group and a similar background, where they were less likely to be told how amazing they are, for their age. <h2>From anxiety to adventure</h2> While mixing with people from similar backgrounds and age groups can feel safe and comfortable. It can also mean you miss out on new and interesting experiences or having your worldviews challenged or expanded by spending time with different people Retirement is the ideal opportunity to mix things up and gently expand your leisure repertoire. It’s a time to embrace the convivial in the presence of others, not just the usual people you see. If you are happy with your leisure life, great. But if there is a little something missing, a little fun that could enhance it, consider adding in something new. Think outside the box of what’s “<a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-71672-1_5">suitable for your age group</a>”, (what does that even mean?). Indeed, age should not be a barrier to anything, age discrimination is illegal. So if you’re interested then it’s suitable. If you have limited resources learn a language with <a href="https://www.duolingo.com/">Duolingo</a> in five minutes a day. Then when you’re ready, find a language conversation group and join them for a social event. Learn a song, you can do it yourself using YouTube tutorials. If you enjoy that, you could join a community choir, or drag your friends and family to a karaoke night. You could even pick up an instrument and see how it feels to add percussion. Alternatively, perfect a dance at home and if you like it try a dance class – <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe4xqYSoiUo">pole dancing</a> has become very popular. If you have a bit more time to spare, explore taking an interest to the next level. There are local groups for many activities, including rowing, climbing, circus skills, martial arts and horse riding – what takes your fancy? Not an “organised group” person? Try Frisbee, a boomerang, kite flying, bike rides, skateboarding or roller skating. You don’t have to be with people, just being around them is interesting. For more sedate options consider a cinema club, jazz club, poetry group, or start a quiz team. If you like the TV show <a href="https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-great-pottery-throw-down">The Great Pottery Throw Down</a> join a ceramic studio and unlock your inner creativity. If you have a free afternoon or evening, look at <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/">Eventbright</a> and try something random, because we don’t really know what we love until we find it. Nothing has to be a lifelong commitment. If you like it, carry on, if not, then move on to something else. Anything you try will make a good story to tell the younger people in your life – they need to know that later life is an adventure worth working towards. So defy expectations, knock down those mental barriers and try something different. Start today and see where it takes you.<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/201358/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tania-wiseman-1183187">Tania Wiseman</a>, Associate Professor, Head of Therapies , Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swansea-university-2638">Swansea University</a> Image credits: Getty Images 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/retirement-reinvented-how-to-find-fulfilment-later-in-life-201358">original article</a>.

Retirement Life

"A night in hospital and a trip to the burns unit later”: Concerned mum's warning against popular fruit

Warning: This article contains images that some readers may find distressing. A mother has taken to the internet and shared photos of her son’s severe burns that came as a result of him playing with a popular fruit. “A night in hospital and a trip to the burns unit later.” She began in her Facebook post. Her son Otis was playing happily outside with a lime in the sunshine, but the next day horror ensued. “It wasn’t until the next day that we noticed a rash appeared.” The mother said. The parents had assumed the rash must’ve been an allergic reaction to the lime juice, however, the rash quickly developed into a “horrific burn,” she added. The parents took Otis to the hospital where they were informed their son was suffering from a condition called phytophotodermatitis. <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/Cku5QH2thxE/?utm_source=ig_embed&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/Cku5QH2thxE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Tiny Hearts (@tinyheartseducation)</a> </div> </blockquote> Phytophotodermatitis, more commonly known as margarita burn, is a little-known condition which causes burns to the skin when a chemical called furocoumarin reacts to sunlight. The chemical is found in limes, citrus fruit and some plants. “The small lime he had been innocently playing with - had now burnt his skin horrifically!“ The mum said. “If our story can help raise awareness into phytophotodermatitis at least something good has come out of our horrific experience!” The woman has urged parents to be on the lookout for this little-known skin condition. To minimise the risks of phytophotodermatitis, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Healthline</a> suggests washing hands and other exposed parts of the skin immediately after being outdoors, wearing gloves when gardening, putting on sunscreen before going outdoors and wearing long-sleeved tops and pants in wooded areas. Photo credit: Getty

Body

Pizza chain's delightfully devilish scheme lets you pay when you die

A delightfully devilish pizza chain is taking the 'buy now, pay later' scheme to the next level, giving customers the chance to pay for their pizza when they die. HELL Pizza is inviting pizza fans to apply for the trial scheme, which involves amending their wills to have their total cost included. The chain has one store in Brisbane, with the rest of its stores located around New Zealand, with customers from both countries able to apply for the scheme, which involves no late fees or penalties. The restaurant will select 666 applicants from each country, who will be invited to sign a real amendment to their wills allowing the cost of their pizza to be collected upon death. According to HELL Pizza CEO Ben Cumming, pizza is one of the simple joys of life, and AfterLife Pay means diners can get their fix without having to dip into the bank account immediately. The scheme emerged after the business was approached by popular 'buy now, pay later' providers who wanted HELL Pizza to offer the service to its customers. The pizza chain's unique AfterLife Pay came as a direct response to this proposal, as a statement against “schemes trapping a growing number of Aussies in spirals of debt”, Cumming said. “We’re seeing a growing number of people using the schemes to buy essential items like food, and we think it’s taking it a step too far when you’ve got quick service restaurants like ours being asked to offer BNPL for what is considered a treat,” he said. “Especially when you consider people are falling behind in their payments and 10.5 percent of loans are in arrears." “AfterLife Pay is a light-hearted campaign that reinforces HELL’s stance on BNPL schemes - you can have your pizza and eat it too without any pesky late fees or penalties.” Applicants can apply for the scheme <a href="https://afterlife.hellpizza.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online</a>, with the chain's restaurant assuring that you will you won't pay anything for your order until "you're resting six feet under". Image credits: HELL Pizza

Food & Wine

Am I too old to build muscle? What science says about sarcopenia and building strength later in life

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-scott-1258511">David Scott</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robin-m-daly-19560">Robin M. Daly</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Sarcopenia is the progressive and accelerated loss of muscle mass and strength as we age. The term was coined in the 1980s, and the condition has been recognised as a disease for less <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.5694/mja2.50432">than a decade</a>, but the concept is as old as time: use it or lose it. But what if you’re in your 60s, 70s, 80s or 90s? Is it “too late” to build muscle and fight sarcopenia? Here’s what the research says. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/525756/original/file-20230511-19-34yuj7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/525756/original/file-20230511-19-34yuj7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&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/525756/original/file-20230511-19-34yuj7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525756/original/file-20230511-19-34yuj7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525756/original/file-20230511-19-34yuj7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525756/original/file-20230511-19-34yuj7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525756/original/file-20230511-19-34yuj7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525756/original/file-20230511-19-34yuj7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Exercise training during weight loss can also prevent bone loss. Shutterstock</figcaption></figure> <h2>Sarcopenia isn’t just unfortunate. It’s dangerous</h2> All of us will start to gradually lose muscle from our mid-30s, but this loss accelerates in later years. For up to 30% of adults aged over 60, the declines are substantial enough to meet the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcsm.12783">definition for sarcopenia</a>. Sarcopenia increases your risk of falls, fractures, hospitalisation, loss of independence and many other chronic diseases. However, people who are active in early life and maintain this as they age can delay or prevent the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcsm.13218">onset of sarcopenia</a>. The good news is it’s never too late to make a start, even if you are already experiencing the debilitating effects of sarcopenia. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/525520/original/file-20230511-29-5201jv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/525520/original/file-20230511-29-5201jv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&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/525520/original/file-20230511-29-5201jv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=392&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525520/original/file-20230511-29-5201jv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=392&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525520/original/file-20230511-29-5201jv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=392&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525520/original/file-20230511-29-5201jv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=492&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525520/original/file-20230511-29-5201jv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=492&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525520/original/file-20230511-29-5201jv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=492&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>It’s never too late to make a start. Shutterstock</figcaption></figure> <h2>What the science says</h2> Resistance training is the most effective way to build and strengthen muscle at all ages. That means things like: <ul> <li> lifting free weights like dumbbells </li> <li> using machine weights, like you find in a gym </li> <li> using resistance bands </li> <li> bodyweight exercises such as push-ups, squats, wall-sits or tricep dips. </li> </ul> It’s OK to start with even very light weights, or do modified, easier versions of bodyweight exercises (for example, you might do a shallow squat rather than a deep one, or a push-up against a wall or windowsill instead of on the floor). Something is always better than nothing. Aim to make the exercise harder over time. Lift progressively heavier weights or do increasingly harder versions of bodyweight or resistance band exercises. This is called progressive resistance training. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/525565/original/file-20230511-27-1sxqpo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/525565/original/file-20230511-27-1sxqpo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&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/525565/original/file-20230511-27-1sxqpo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525565/original/file-20230511-27-1sxqpo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525565/original/file-20230511-27-1sxqpo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525565/original/file-20230511-27-1sxqpo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525565/original/file-20230511-27-1sxqpo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525565/original/file-20230511-27-1sxqpo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Aim to make the exercise harder over time. Shutterstock</figcaption></figure> <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-020-01331-7?fbclid=IwAR06PPIz8cf2xZExNvrnlueQp0-7SWQwT1x0bUdnZrgTOqcyiAdTrpufTjU">Clinical trials</a> have consistently shown all adults – even very frail people over the age of 75 – can make significant gains in muscle mass and strength by doing progressive resistance training at least twice a week. The improvements can be seen in as little as eight weeks. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2342214/">One seminal study</a> included ten frail, institutionalised 86–96 year olds who did a high-intensity progressive resistance training program. After just eight weeks, the average mid-thigh muscle area had increased by almost 10% (which is equivalent to the amount of muscle typically lost over a decade) and leg strength increased by about 180%. In other words, these older people were almost three times stronger at the end of the short training program than before. It really can be done. British-Swiss man <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGgoCm1hofM">Charles Eugster</a> (1919–2017), for example, took up progressive resistance training in his late 80s after noticing a decline in his muscle mass. He went on to become a <a href="https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/lessons-from-a-95-year-old-bodybuilder.html">bodybuilder</a>, and in 2012 gave a TEDx <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGgoCm1hofM">talk</a> titled “Why bodybuilding at age 93 is a great idea”. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/525755/original/file-20230511-23-xwcq71.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6689%2C4466&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/525755/original/file-20230511-23-xwcq71.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6689%2C4466&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/525755/original/file-20230511-23-xwcq71.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525755/original/file-20230511-23-xwcq71.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525755/original/file-20230511-23-xwcq71.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525755/original/file-20230511-23-xwcq71.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525755/original/file-20230511-23-xwcq71.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525755/original/file-20230511-23-xwcq71.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Resistance training is the most effective way to build and strengthen muscle at all ages. Shutterstock</figcaption></figure> <h2>What if my doctor has told me to lose weight?</h2> Many older adults have obesity, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. They’re often told to lose weight, but any dieting (or other strategy aimed at weight loss) also usually causes muscle loss. Losing muscle mass in older age could increase the risk for many common chronic conditions. For example, muscle is crucial to keeping blood sugar levels under control, so excessive muscle loss could blunt the benefits of weight loss for people with type 2 diabetes. If you’re losing weight, it’s important to try to minimise muscle mass loss at the same time. How? Progressive resistance training. By combining progressive resistance training with weight loss, one study found the resulting muscle loss is <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29596307/">negligible</a>. (It’s also important that if you are dieting, you are still eating <a href="https://www.clinicalnutritionjournal.com/article/S0261-5614(14)00111-3/fulltext">enough protein</a>, so your body has the ingredients it needs to build new muscle). Exercise training during weight loss can also prevent <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254621000491">bone loss</a>, which reduces fracture risk in older people. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520175/original/file-20230411-26-v63lvh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C19%2C4368%2C2877&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520175/original/file-20230411-26-v63lvh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C19%2C4368%2C2877&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/520175/original/file-20230411-26-v63lvh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520175/original/file-20230411-26-v63lvh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520175/original/file-20230411-26-v63lvh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520175/original/file-20230411-26-v63lvh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520175/original/file-20230411-26-v63lvh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520175/original/file-20230411-26-v63lvh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>An accredited exercise professional can help design a program that suits you. Shutterstock</figcaption></figure> <h2>Aim for at least twice a week – more if you can</h2> Whether or not you’re trying to lose weight, and regardless of whether you think you have sarcopenia, all older adults can benefit from strengthening their muscles. Even if getting to a gym or clinic is hard, there are plenty of resistance exercises you can do at home or outdoors that will help build strength. <figure class="align-right zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/525783/original/file-20230512-35478-3o1th8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/525783/original/file-20230512-35478-3o1th8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/525783/original/file-20230512-35478-3o1th8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525783/original/file-20230512-35478-3o1th8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525783/original/file-20230512-35478-3o1th8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525783/original/file-20230512-35478-3o1th8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525783/original/file-20230512-35478-3o1th8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525783/original/file-20230512-35478-3o1th8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" width="498" height="747" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure> Talk to a health professional before starting a moderate to high intensity progressive resistance training program. An accredited exercise professional can help design a program that suits you. Generally, we should aim to do progressive resistance training at least <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12603-021-1665-8">twice a week</a>. Try to target 8–10 muscle groups, and start out at about 30–40% of your maximum effort before progressing over time to 70–80% of your maximum. As the name suggests, it is key to progressively increase the effort or challenge of your program so you can feel the improvements and achieve your goals. It’s never too late to start training for your fight against sarcopenia and loss of independence in older age. The health benefits will be worth it. As Socrates <a href="https://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/plato/theaetet.htm">said</a> in the 4th Century BC: <blockquote> is not the bodily habit spoiled by rest and idleness, but preserved for a long time by motion and exercise?<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/203562/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> </blockquote> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-scott-1258511">David Scott</a>, Associate Professor (Research) and NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robin-m-daly-19560">Robin M. Daly</a>, Professor of Exercise and Ageing, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin 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/am-i-too-old-to-build-muscle-what-science-says-about-sarcopenia-and-building-strength-later-in-life-203562">original article</a>.

Body

The power of purpose in later life

Dr Kate Gregorevic is a geriatrician with a research interest in health and lifestyle factors that are associated with healthy ageing and recovery from illness. Having purpose in life is essential to wellbeing. We all want to live a life that has meaning and importance. As we age, our life circumstances change. A job that was once engaging and rewarding looses its’ charm and it’s time to retire. A dependent child grows into an independent adult. These are life events to be celebrated, but they can leave a gap to be filled. As these life events happen, the roles we have used to define ourselves change, which creates a risk of loss of purpose. This can have negative health effects, but it can also be a wonderful opportunity to find new fulfilment. Living a life with purpose feels good. Amazingly it is also liked with better health and longevity. In a study of a large group of older adults, those with a higher sense of purpose maintained a higher walking speed. This is important as maintaining the ability to walk fast is an excellent indicator of general health and physical reserve to cope with illness. People with purpose have higher levels of physical function, which is so important for independence. A higher level of purpose even decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease. Even for those who already have cognitive impairment, a higher sense of purpose can slow any cognitive decline. There are many reasons purpose has such strong health benefits. People with a sense of purpose do tend to undertake healthier behaviours, including good nutrition and exercise. This group also tend to be proactive in self-care. Even more than this there is also a direct biological effect. People who have a higher purpose have decreased levels of inflammation. Inflammation can be a functional protective response to infection or injury, as an example if you cut your hand, there will be increased blood flow as well as white blood cells to fight infection and cellular transmitters to stimulate healing. The inflammatory response then quickly turns off when it is no longer needed. Inflammation becomes problematic when it is chronically turned on at a low level, which can be a result of stress. Over a long period of time, inflammation can result in frailty, or a decreased reserve to recover from illness and an increased risk of functional decline. People with a higher level of purpose have lower levels of inflammatory markers. This is even true in those who have chronic medical conditions. Purpose in life is a central component of well-being, it reflects the extent to which people see meaning in their life. It is also something we can all work to develop. Living a life rich with purpose is rewarding in its own right. If you feel lost with life changes, it is within your power to define a new role for yourself. We all have our own skills and talents. If you have had many years of life, you will have a huge number of individual resources. Purpose doesn’t have to be showy, like a high-status job. Caring for grandchildren, or volunteering at a nursing home can make a huge difference to other people’s lives and is emotionally enriching. Creating your own goals like a fitness challenge or writing a blog every month are other achievable ways to create purpose. Two thousand years ago, Aristotle wrote that the highest claim of human goods is not happiness, but striving for the best that is within us. We all have our own talents and skills. It is just a matter of applying these as our life circumstances change to get the health benefits of purpose. Please note, this article contains general education and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. If this article raises any health or other concerns, please consult your own medical practitioner. Images: Getty

Retirement Life

Why you should beware spending rewards and BNPL programs

Malware is software designed to disrupt and destroy, and there are plenty of ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ financial programs doing just that to people’s financial futures. Some that come to mind are programs (yes, they’re called ‘programs’) that make it easier to spend and / or reward and incentivise spending, and harder to make good financial decisions. When you get tricked into spending, or spending more than you otherwise would, you transfer your wealth to someone else. The more wealth you consume, the less you have for later on. Let’s consider two marketing malware culprits to avoid wherever possible. Rewards Programs Beware programs that trick you into thinking that spending is good. Consider Flybuys for example. It is a rewards program where you generally receive one Flybuys point for every dollar spend. Therefore, to earn 1 000 000 Flybuys points, you need to spend $1 000 000. What if I told you that the cash value of one Flybuys point is 0.5 cents? That would mean to earn 1 000 000 Flybuys points you’d have to spend $1 000 000, yet that $1 000 000 is really only ‘worth’ $5000. They’ve actually created a system where you think you’re being rewarded on a one-for-one basis (i.e. one dollar spent equals one point) when really you’re being rewarded at the rate of half of one cent for every dollar spent. Additionally, when it comes time to redeem your points, the products you can ‘purchase’ are valued at top dollar, rather than at any discounted price you might be able to find if you shopped around. Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Back in the day, department stores offered something called lay-by. This was where you could grab a product off the shelf, take it to the store’s lay-by counter and enter an arrangement with them to pay it off over two or three instalments. Once you’d made the final payment, the product was yours to own and take home. Lay-by was a great option for people who couldn’t access or didn’t want to use credit cards. There were no upfront fees associated with lay-by, and there was certainly no interest charged. Lay-by has been reborn and rebadged as BNPL; you pay by instalments, and you can take the product with you immediately. You won’t pay any fees provided you make the required instalments in full and on time. If you don’t, then you’ll be slugged with establishment fees, late fees, account-keeping fees and payment processing fees. The danger is that BNPL is easier to access than traditional debt options such as credit cards because BNPL is not technically credit since providers don’t charge interest. But BNPL is consumer debt with instant gratification, and that makes it credit in my book. Afterpay is one of the biggest BNPL providers on the planet. It advertises that it is a ‘free service’, provided you pay on time. If you don’t, their late fee is $10 per missed payment, plus an additional $7 if the payment is still outstanding after a week. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but if you had bought something that only cost $20 and forgot to make a $5 instalment, then the $10 fee is 200 per cent of the missed payment. Ouch! Don’t forget that the fee is per missed payment. If there were other purchases made, then the fee would compound. Late fees, however small, can quickly cascade into a significant sum of money, potentially many times more than the instalment due or even the price of the item purchased. Plus, there are other consequences of missed payments—black marks on credit records, difficulties borrowing for other debt such as a home loan, and the possibility of additional fees as debts are passed over to debt collectors. BNPL organisations profit from users who fail to meet their repayment obligations, and so part and parcel of running a successful business and growing profits would involve them doing well when their customers do poorly. You can’t expect corporate behemoths to do the right thing by you if it’s the wrong thing by them. The best you can do is gain the skills and awareness you need to know when you’re being played. Marketing malware disrupts your ability to accumulate wealth by tricking you into believing you are getting a better deal than is the case. Ideally, you’d avoid using it at all, but if it’s too late for that, then you need to clean up your code as soon as you can. Being rewarded for spending money you haven’t yet earned is a toxic combination that will poison your efforts to attract and keep a fortune that counts. Make sure you are a good shepherd of your financial flock by being vigilant in keeping an eye out for marketing malware wolves, and not falling for their enticing yet financially disempowering charms. Edited extract from Steve McKnight’s Money Magnet: How to Attract and Keep a Fortune that Counts (Wiley $32.95), now available at all leading retailers. Visit www.moneymagnet.au Image: Getty Images

Money & Banking

The financial risks of finding love later in life

Well, they do say all is fair in love and war. For many people who have gone through a divorce or lost a partner and found themselves lonely at an advanced age, the wonder of finding love again can be an amazing experience. Unfortunately though, this joyful experience can sometimes be followed by potentially nasty financial implications that, if you’re not aware of, can leave you considerably out of pocket. One key difference between new couple of a younger age and new couples who are in their later years is that the latter group doesn’t have as much time to build their wealth together, and tend to spend it all immediately. Another cause of conflict is if a partner moves in and starts contributing to a mortgage, which may entitle them to some claim over the house even if it isn’t specifically spelt out in a will. Also, as Dianne Charman of Jade Financial notes, “The sad fact is that gold-diggers do exist. Even in the absence of gold-diggers, there are inheritance issues.” The good news is that while there are risks that come with finding love later in life, there are also ways to ensure that the financial future of you and your partner will be sound. Before moving in together, make a record of every the pair of you own and put in place a binding financial agreement with the help of a lawyer to detail how the finances will be split if the relationship breaks down. It’s recommended that individuals who are looking to formalise their relationship in later years be open about their finances and the level of financial and other support they want to give their children or elderly parents, and when they may be looking to retire. Generally speaking though, the biggest cause of conflict comes when one partner passes away and will are contested, so make sure you spend the time and money to ensure that your specific will is as watertight as possible. A good will can enable you to allow your partner to live in the shared house until their death, but for the home to then be transferred to your beneficiaries. There are many financial implications to finding love at a later stage in life that you need to be aware of, but they needn’t be considered a deterrent. By planning ahead and being honest you can ensure that money will never be a cause of conflict for you and your new partner. Image: Getty

Legal

Serena Williams: why more athletes are retiring later

Serena Williams has announced she’s retiring. The tennis star has had a long and decorated career, winning 23 grand slams and establishing herself as one of the most well-known professional athletes in the world. Williams, who is 40, joins a host of other professional athletes who have continued to compete well beyond the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7764278/pdf/ijerph-17-09265.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">typical retirement age</a> for athletes – which is between 28-32 years of age. Other notable athletes still competing at the highest level of their sport after 40 include English cricketer James Anderson (who is 40) and American surfer Kelly Slater (who is 50). There are many reasons an athlete may choose to retire from sport, such as injury, illness, fitness or family. But a combination of better training, nutrition and recovery techniques may help explain why a growing number of athletes are competing past what was once considered their “prime”. <h2>Training</h2> Athletes have a wealth of support systems to help them in their training – including their coach, who helps them reach their peak for certain performances and recover between games or competitions. The “old school” approach to training consisted of high-intensity exercise to failure or fatigue – essentially pushing an athlete until they couldn’t do any more during that training session. The main benefit of this approach is that it’s <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2988497/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">time-efficient</a>, as the more intense the exercise, the less time is needed to achieve the benefits of training. But a more structured approach is now favoured by many athletes and coaches. The reason for this shift in training styles is thanks in large part to research over the past 20 years showing burnout and injuries are more common as a result of overtraining caused by high-intensity exercise. To avoid this, most athletes now use <a href="https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2015/12000/Current_Scientific_Evidence_for_a_Polarized.34.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">polarised training</a>, which favours moderate-intensity training. Polarised training still improves performance, but with less likelihood of injury or burnout. Athletes may also use concurrent training, which combines both strength and endurance training in the same session. This kind of training is especially useful, considering most types of sports <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6315763/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">combine both strength and endurance</a>. Sports scientists and coaches now also understand a lot more about the demands of a sport, so they try to tailor training to target specific weaknesses or strengths in an athlete’s performance. All of this leads to less <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2653871/pdf/381.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">overtraining</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8650470/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">illness and injury</a> – which can help extend an athlete’s playing life. <h2>Recovery</h2> We also now know more about the best ways to help an athlete recover. For example, sleep is now known to be extremely important for an athlete’s performance. This is because sleep releases human growth hormone, which is important for <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-198704020-00004" target="_blank" rel="noopener">muscle growth</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7844366/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">maintaining muscle mass</a>. This not only allows an athlete to perform at their best, it also helps them be ready for their next training session or competition. Since the body <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1096637400800118?via%3Dihub">secretes less human growth hormone</a> as a person ages, ensuring an athlete gets a good night’s sleep can be one strategy for helping them avoid this and maintain their athletic performance. Research also continues to reveal the best approaches for recovery after competition or training. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9012715/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ice baths</a> are extremely popular now, as these reduce muscle soreness and can help athletes <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-021-04683-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recover more quickly</a> when needed. In recent years, more athletes are adopting post-exercise recovery – such as ice baths or compression garments. However, the research on how useful these techniques are is still mixed. Athletes may also <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/16/6/article-p787.xml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">use wearables</a> to track how long it takes their body to recover, which may better guide their training. Better recovery means athletes are less likely to suffer from fatigue or injuries, which may help them compete longer. <h2>Nutrition</h2> Different diets and supplements can be used to enhance performance and recovery. For example, probiotics (live microorganisms often found in fermented foods, such as yoghurt or kimchi) have been shown to help <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6925426/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">improve the absorption of key nutrients</a> associated with immune system and bone health. This could help an athlete recover faster between competitions. Good nutrition is also key for a long career. It’s well known that as we age we need to maintain our muscle mass differently. This may require adjustments to protein intake depending on the changing demands of exercise. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8619485/pdf/nutrients-13-03771.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Personalised diets</a> are also being adopted by athletes which may take into account their genetics, immune function and digestive system to ensure they’re eating the best diet for their body and to enhance recovery. Personalising diets and changing them throughout their career can allow athletes to maintain their health and performance. <h2>Mental health</h2> An athlete’s mental health is a big reason many decide to retire from competition. Research shows that athletes are more likely to experience mental health problems (such as anxiety) during their <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-016-0492-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">peak age of performance</a>. But having the <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/55/22/1243" target="_blank" rel="noopener">right psychological support</a> can prevent mental health problems in athletes, and also give them the right coping mechanisms to deal with the stresses of high level competition. Research even shows <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(21)00397-7/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener">making mental health a priority</a> during training and competition is key to continued success. As we learn more about training, ageing, nutrition and supporting athletes, there’s no doubt we will only continue to see more athletes extending their careers. If they continue to enjoy the sport, adapt to change and maximise their health along the way, it seems logical to continue. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/serena-williams-why-more-athletes-are-retiring-later-189097" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Getty

Retirement Life

Tips for studying later in life

Studying when you’re 60 and beyond is beneficial for many reasons, not only for improving the skills needed in today’s workplace. Learning in your older years keeps your brain active and is an effective way to tackle isolation, loneliness and depression, which can accompany old age. By making the decision to study during this stage in life is a positive thing in itself and is something that you should be proud of. Rather than putting too much pressure on yourself to be the top of your class, just have fun! Here are some tips and things to consider if you’ve decided to keep your mind active with study. Make a commitment As it is with any major life decision or change, deciding to study requires an investment of your time, energy and resources. Sit down and have a think about your priorities, weekly schedule and how studying will fit into your life. Work out what you can and cannot manage and set yourself a new schedule including your study commitments. This way you will know from the outset what is achievable within your current lifestyle so you’ll be better able to make a commitment to study. Time management Just as you would with food shopping, exercise and any childcare responsibilities you have looking after your grandchildren, you'll need to schedule class time and study time. Be firm with yourself and others in your life about making sure you don’t get distracted. Get social Studying later in life might be a daunting experience for some, especially if this is your first time doing any form of tertiary education. Seeking support is always a good idea. Many institutions have both online and virtual spaces where you can interact with other students. Otherwise there is always Facebook, online forums or meet up groups in your local area. Seek out like-minded people in similar situations and see if they want to be study partners or even just catch up for coffee once in a while to swap study stories. Tech savvy There’s no doubt technology has come a long in recent times with a number of new tools and clever devices now available. Find out what’s required in terms of technology skills and tools for any study you wish to undertake. If you are a little technology shy, consider brushing up on your skills. Some local councils or state governments offer free technology courses for seniors. For example, the New South Wales government runs the very popular Tech Savvy Seniors program. Stay positive Don’t get discouraged if you feel a little shy or out of your depth when returning to study. This is a sentiment mirrored by many students of all ages. Just focus on the fact that keeping your mind active is so good for you and anything after that is a bonus. Have fun Don’t pressure yourself to achieve a long list of goals. Take each day as it comes, enjoy the experience and just have fun with it. Image: Getty

Caring

JLo and Ben Affleck finally tie the knot 20 years later

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have (finally) tied the knot! The Hollywood couple have been engaged for three months for a second time and said their vows in an intimate ceremony in Vegas. Affleck first proposed to Lopez, now known as Mrs Jennifer Lynn Affleck, 20 years ago. Mrs Affleck confirmed to her beloved fans the news in her personal newsletter, On The JLo, and shared beautiful stories from the event. “WE DID IT!” she began. “We did it. Love is beautiful. Love is kind. And it turns out love is patient. Twenty years patient. “Exactly what we wanted. Last night we flew to Vegas, stood in line for a license with four other couples, all making the same journey to the wedding capital of the world.” Mrs Affleck said there were different couples around them who were “wanting the same thing” as they waited patiently for their turn. “We barely made it to the little white wedding chapel by midnight. They graciously stayed open late a few minutes, let us take pictures in a pink Cadillac convertible, evidently once used by the king himself (but if we wanted Elvis himself to show, that cost extra and he was in bed),” she joked. “So with the best witnesses you could ever imagine, a dress from an old movie and a jacket from Ben’s closet, we read our own vows in the little chapel and gave one another the rings we’ll wear for the rest of our lives. “They even had Bluetooth for a (short) march down the aisle. But in the end it was the best possible wedding we could have imagined. “One we dreamed of long ago and one made real (in the eyes of the state, Las Vegas, a pink convertible and one another) at very, very long last. “When love is real, the only thing that matters in marriage is one another and the promise we make to love, care, understand, be patient, loving and good to one another. “We had that. And so much more. Best night of our lives. Thank you to the Little White Wedding chapel for letting me use the break room to change while Ben changed in the men’s room. “They were right when they said, ‘all you need is love’. We are so grateful to have that in abundance, a new wonderful family of five amazing children and a life that we have never had more reason to look forward to. “Stick around long enough and maybe you’ll find the best moment of your life in a drive through in Las Vegas at twelve thirty in the morning in the tunnel of love drive through, with your kids and the one you’ll spend forever with. “Love is a great thing, maybe the best of things-and worth waiting for. “With love, Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Affleck.” Images: Supplied

Relationships

Buy now, pay later: Apple will now lend you money to keep you spending and expand its empire

Apple has joined the thriving “buy now, pay later” industry, with a customised service called <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2022/06/06/apple-announces-buy-now-pay-later-program-called-apple-pay-later.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple Pay Later</a>. The service was announced earlier this week at the 2022 Worldwide Developers Conference, and will initially be launched in the United States later <a href="https://www.macrumors.com/2022/06/07/apple-pay-later-purchases-installment-plan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this year</a>. Pay Later will be built into the Apple Wallet and eligible for use on any purchase made through Apple Pay. Customers will be able to split the cost of a purchase into four equal payments, with zero interest and fees, spread over a period of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/jun/06/apple-redesigns-the-iphone-lock-screen-in-ios-16-at-wwdc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">four months</a>. To qualify, however, Apple will first do a <a href="https://www.zdnet.com/finance/banking/wwdc-2022-buy-now-pay-later-with-apples-new-wallet-feature/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">soft credit check</a> on users wanting to use the service. The technology behemoth <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/06/apple-unveils-new-ways-to-share-and-communicate-in-ios-16/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claims</a> it has designed the feature with “users’ financial health in mind”. It’s likely Apple is trying to consolidate its foothold in the world of consumer finance, and increase its profitability. And consumers should be aware of the risks of using such a service. Apple: the consumer darling With the launch of Pay Later, Apple will be competing with many other similar fin-tech companies including PayPal, Block, Klarna and AfterPay – some of which saw their share prices <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-13/apple-goldman-plan-buy-now-pay-later-service-to-rival-paypal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fall</a> following Apple’s announcement. Apple will benefit from its huge market and brand power, with the capability to attract millions to its products and services. And with an acute focus on customer experience, Apple has managed to foster a community of evangelists. There’s no doubt the company is a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinemoorman/2018/01/12/why-apple-is-still-a-great-marketer-and-what-you-can-learn/?sh=55e3c32c15bd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">consumer darling</a>. Moreover, Apple has established an ever-growing ecosystem in which users are encouraged to tap into Apple products and services as much, and as often, as possible – such as by making payments through their iPhone instead of a bank card. The tech giant provides ways to integrate once-separate computing capabilities into a phone or wristwatch – while keeping the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinemoorman/2018/01/12/why-apple-is-still-a-great-marketer-and-what-you-can-learn/?sh=7c61018615bd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">consumer’s experience</a> in focus. Pay Later enhances this customer-centric experience further. It’s one more way users can integrate the tools they need within a single ecosystem. What’s in it for Apple? Apple stands to make financial gains through Pay Later, thereby adding to its bottom line. Currently its reach in the retail world is evident, with iPhone-based payment services <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-13/apple-goldman-plan-buy-now-pay-later-service-to-rival-paypal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accepted by 85% of US retailers</a>. One 2021 survey found that about 26% of <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1275393/australia-share-of-consumers-using-bnpl-by-purchase-category/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">regular online shoppers</a> in Australia used buy now, pay later services. As Apple’s customers increasingly start to use the Pay Later service, it will gain from merchant fees. These are fees which retailers pay Apple in exchange for being able to offer customers Apple Pay. In addition, Apple will also gain valuable insight into consumers’ purchase behaviours, which will allow the company to predict future consumption and spending behaviour. To deliver the buy now, pay later service, Apple has <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-13/apple-goldman-plan-buy-now-pay-later-service-to-rival-paypal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joined forces with Goldman Sachs</a>, who will finance the loans. This relationship has been in place since 2019, with Goldman Sachs also acting as a partner for the Apple credit card (although Pay Later is not tied to the Apple credit card). This strategic partnership has helped Apple gain strong footing in the world of consumer finance. Challenges for consumers The reality is that the world of <a href="https://www.holmanwebb.com.au/blog/655/buy-now-pay-later-bnpl-update-how-to-seek-and-keep-code-compliance-accreditation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unregulated finance</a>, which includes buy now, pay later, does not bode well <a href="https://ndh.org.au/debt-problems/buy-now-pay-later/risks-of-using-buy-now-pay-later/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">for all customers</a>. Younger <a href="https://www.emarketer.com/content/almost-75-of-bnpl-users-us-gen-z-millennials" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demographics</a> (such as Gen Z and Millenials) and low-income <a href="https://thefintechtimes.com/one-in-four-bnpl-users-are-financially-vulnerable/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">households</a> can be <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/07/why-millennials-and-gen-zs-are-jumping-on-the-buy-now-pay-later-trend.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more vulnerable</a> to the risks associated with using these services – and can rack up debt as a result. Purchases through buy now, pay later schemes may also be driven by a desire to own the latest <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/16/chinas-buy-now-pay-later-market-to-grow-challenges-ahead-experts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gadgets and luxury goods</a> – a message pushed onto consumers through slick marketing. They can condition consumers to make purchases without feeling the pain of parting with cold, hard cash. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467674/original/file-20220608-24-ict1mh.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467674/original/file-20220608-24-ict1mh.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&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/467674/original/file-20220608-24-ict1mh.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467674/original/file-20220608-24-ict1mh.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467674/original/file-20220608-24-ict1mh.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467674/original/file-20220608-24-ict1mh.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467674/original/file-20220608-24-ict1mh.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467674/original/file-20220608-24-ict1mh.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="An indoor shopping arcade is lined with luxury stores on either side" /></a><figcaption>Buy now, pay later schemes can give consumers the satisfaction of buying expensive products – without feeling like they’re splitting from cold, hard cash. Shutterstock</figcaption></figure> From a consumer psychology perspective, these services encourages immediate gratification and put younger people on the consumption treadmill. In other words, they may continually spend more money on purchases than they can actually afford. Missing payments on Pay Later would negatively impact an individual’s <a href="https://www.zdnet.com/finance/banking/wwdc-2022-buy-now-pay-later-with-apples-new-wallet-feature/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">credit rating</a>, which can then have adverse outcomes such as <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/select/side-effects-of-bad-credit/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not qualifying</a> for traditional loans or credit cards. A focus on consumerist behaviour can also trigger an “<a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/the-psychology-deciding/202201/if-i-own-it-it-must-be-good-what-is-the-ownership-effect" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ownership effect</a>”. This is when people become attached to their purchases and are unlikely to return them, even if they can’t afford them. Apple’s technology-driven and consumer-centric marketing gives it an edge over other buy now, pay later schemes. It claims the service is designed with consumers’ financial health in mind. But as is the case with any of these services, consumers ought to be aware of the risks and manage them carefully. <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/184550/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rajat-roy-1227884" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rajat Roy</a>, Associate Professor, Bond Business School, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bond University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/buy-now-pay-later-apple-will-now-lend-you-money-to-keep-you-spending-and-expand-its-empire-184550" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Technology

Why you should never give up hope of finding love later in life

A lot of people think they may be either too young or too old for love. Love is love and it happens at the right time, right? Helen Fisher, senior research fellow at the Kinsey Institute in Indiana, as well as a biological anthropologist and self-help author, says that love later on in life should be celebrated. She explains that the brain pathways connected to intense romantic love are exactly the same “whether you are two-and-a-half or 92-and-a-half”, but that one of the great advantages of finding love later in life is that more mature people have a better sense of what they want and need – and how best to ask for it. Using herself as an example, Fisher – who is in her 70s and is organising her first wedding – says there is “beauty” in how she and her partner came to an agreement. The lovers had an agreed living situation in separate homes in New York City and would agree on spending time together. She explained that this agreement had brought them closer together and she would not change it even after saying “I do”. "The beauty of older people is that they can build the kind of partnerships that they want,” she told <a href="https://www.aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-2020/later-life-relationships.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP</a>. “It's not this cookie-cutter thing.” On the other hand, it is expected to be challenging and even difficult bringing someone new into your life. Psychoanalyst Polly Young-Eisendrath explains that the difficulty arises because each person already has their own life. “Be aware that you need to cultivate this relationship freshly,” she says. “Show up with each other's tribe; get to know each other's history and children." Image: Shutterstock

Relationships

British’s woman’s wedding dress saved from dumpster 84 years later

A British woman’s wedding gown <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-60124679" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has been saved</a> from a dumpster in Perth, over 14,000 kilometres away from where she tied the knot 84 years agoAfter Gertrude Bloye married Fred McDonald in Plymouth in 1938, she boxed up her gown in a cardboard box from local department store Dingles.As the couple didn’t have any children, their wedding treasures were passed down the family before being sent to a relative in Australia.After all those years, it was discovered and rescued from a dumpster by a woman from Perth.She then listed the box containing the gown and Gertude’s treasured heirlooms for sale online, for it to be quickly snapped up by Melbourne bride-to-be Claire Ransome.Ms Ransome said she was looking for a vintage wedding dress when she came across the box for sale online, finding it contained the gown, flowers, and decorations from Gertrude and Fred’s wedding.“It was like a vintage wedding showbag,” Ms Ransome said. “The gloves that her husband wore, dried roses, waxed buds from the wedding cake and then from the very bottom out came this beautiful wedding dress, like liquid silk.”She then turned to Josephine Cafagna, a connoisseur of vintage clothes, for help.After realising the value of the dress and the collection of treasures, Ms Cafagna decided to share it.“What I normally do is restore them and sell them on to people who love vintage, but in this case, while people wanted to buy the wedding dress, I really didn’t want to separate these pieces,” she told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-16/melbourne-bride-vintage-wedding-dress-1930s/100736700" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a>.“If they’ve been together for nearly a century, who am I to tear them apart and sell them off.“It’s of historical value. It needs to go to a museum.”So Ms Cafagna reached out to Peter Bottomley, who runs a cafe that also hosts his extensive collection of vintage wedding dresses in Castlemaine, Victoria.“This lady preserved it for all those years,” Mr Bottomley said. “Seeing it back out of the dumpster and looking beautiful is a great end to the story.”Image: BBC

Caring

Overhaul of payments system to cover digital wallets, buy now pay later, cryptocurrency

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will announce on Wednesday a comprehensive reform of regulations governing the payments system, to bring it up to date with innovations such as digital wallets and cryptocurrency. The government says without the changes – the biggest in 25 years – Australians businesses and consumers could increasingly be making transactions in spaces beyond the full reach of Australian law, where rules were determined by foreign governments and multinationals. It points out that in three decades payment methods have gone from cash to cheques, cheques to credit cards, credit cards to debit cards and now to “tap and go” via digital wallets on phones or watches. Around a decade ago, cryptocurrency was a concept. Currently, there are more than 220 million participants in the worldwide crypto market, including many in Australia. The planned reforms will centralise oversight of the payment system by ensuring government plays a greater leadership role. The treasurer will be given more power to intervene in certain circumstances. Consumer protection will be strengthened, and more competition and innovation will be promoted. The reform program will be in two phases. There will be consultations in the first half of next year on those that are most urgent and easy to implement. Consultations on the rest will be done by the end of the year. The government says the present one-size-fits-all licensing framework for payment service providers will be replaced graduated, risk-based regulatory requirements. There will be consideration of the feasibility of a retail central bank digital currency, and an examination of “de-banking” (where a bank declines to offer a service to a business or individual). Frydenberg says the comprehensive payments and crypto asset reform program would “firmly place Australia among a handful of lead countries in the world. "It is how we will capitalise on the opportunity for Australia to lead the world in this emerging and fast-growing area which has almost endless potential applications across the economy,” he says. “For businesses, these reforms will address the ambiguity that can exist about the regulatory and tax treatment of crypto assets and new payment methods. "In doing so, it will drive even more consumer interest, facilitate even more new entrants and enable even more innovation to take place. "For consumers, these changes will establish a regulatory framework to underpin their growing use of crypto assets and clarify the treatment of new payment methods.”<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/173331/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-grattan-20316">Michelle Grattan</a>, Professorial Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canberra-865">University of Canberra</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/overhaul-of-payments-system-to-cover-digital-wallets-buy-now-pay-later-cryptocurrency-173331">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

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