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Readers response: What have you had to cut out of your life to cope with cost of living pressures?

As the cost of living continues to rise, many people have had to cut things out of their day to day spending to cope with the financial struggles. We asked our readers what they have had to cut out of their budgets to cope with cost of living pressures, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Wendy Oliver - We don’t eat out often at all… I spend too much in the supermarket. Christine Brooks - I've cut out steak, good nutritional foods, TV streaming, entertainment, haircuts, new clothes, pets, pool cleaning, and more. Kerrie Dare - I limit steak meals. I've stopped my haircuts to every 4 months. Internet is getting chopped. I can only afford exercise classes twice a week. I don't eat as much fruit as I used too. I only buy groceries when on special. One bottle of wine per fortnight. One slice of sourdough in the morning, which means the loaf lasts a week. I turn on my washing machine around every 10 days & I have quick showers. No eating out or take away. Maybe one cup of coffee per week with a friend. Movies once every 6 weeks as a social group. No concerts or clubs. I drive only locally, so a tank of petrol lasts 1 month. No weekends away. Jane Dawes - No coffees, beauty treatments, hairdresser, eating out, takeouts etc. The trouble is not affording to spend on certain items has a flow on effect for businesses. Everyone is suffering. Lois E. Fisk - Going out to eat or see movies in the cinema or live plays or new clothes. I shop at the least expensive grocery stores as much as possible, and good cuts of meat rarely happen. Janice Stenning - Don't go to the hairdressers as often and don't buy as many clothes. Debra Dugar - Thinking about dropping my extras cover of my insurance. By the time I pay for it, I can't afford the gap you have to pay. Robyn Lee - Living in my own house. I now live with my family. Rhondda Hughes - Well, petrol is expensive so I have to really think if I can afford to visit anyone. I can’t eat meat much and even vegetables can be expensive. We have three chickens so they give us eggs but good quality eggs and healthy chickens require money too. Fortunately I live in Perth so, in comparison to other states, it isn’t as cold however the cost of heating is a significant consideration and therefore I just tend to go to bed. <div style="font-family: inherit;">Felicity Jill Murphy - Stopped going out to shopping centres. That's where I spend money unnecessarily.</div> <div style="font-family: inherit;">Image credits: Shutterstock </div> <div style="font-family: inherit;"> </div> <div class="x6s0dn4 x3nfvp2" style="font-family: inherit; align-items: center; display: inline-flex; min-width: 584px;"> <ul class="html-ul xe8uvvx xdj266r x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x1n0m28w x78zum5 x1wfe3co xat24cr xsgj6o6 x1o1nzlu xyqdw3p" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px -8px 0px 4px; padding: 3px 0px 0px; display: flex; min-height: 15px; line-height: 12px; caret-color: #1c1e21; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, '.SFNSText-Regular', sans-serif; font-size: 12.000001px;" aria-hidden="false"> <li class="html-li xdj266r xat24cr xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x1rg5ohu x1emribx x1i64zmx" style="display: inline-block; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 8px;"> </li> </ul> </div>

Money & Banking

Despair after four years of pressure: how do Olympians deal with disappointment?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-mesagno-1252903">Christopher Mesagno</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/victoria-university-1175">Victoria University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/courtney-c-walton-1236295">Courtney C Walton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> Australia’s soccer team entered Paris with high hopes of notching their first Olympic medal but those aspirations came crashing down with <a href="https://olympics.com/en/news/paris-2024-olympics-australia-vs-usa-football-women-group-match-3">defeat to the United States</a>. Even without star striker Sam Kerr, the Matildas – who enjoyed <a href="https://theconversation.com/connection-camaraderie-and-belonging-why-the-matildas-could-be-making-you-a-sports-fan-for-the-very-first-time-211526">a famous run</a> to finish fourth at the 2023 FIFA World Cup – were considered medal fancies but couldn’t progress past the group stage. It was a devastating loss – but how do these athletes (and others who don’t achieve their goals in Paris) rebound from the disappointment? <h2>The pressure of performing</h2> Every four years, <a href="https://olympics.com/ioc/news/olympic-games-tokyo-2020-watched-by-more-than-3-billion-people">billions of viewers</a> around the world unite in awe of the skill and perseverance of Olympians and Paralympians. The athletes fortunate enough to compete in Paris 2024 will have done their best to put years of dedicated preparation into their performances. Many will have performed well and some achieved their goal of claiming a medal. Others, though, will finish the games with the feeling they did not fully realise their potential when it counted most. This leaves many athletes finishing the games with crushing disappointment. Famously, legendary swimmer (and now retired) Cate Campbell experienced this after her results at the Rio Olympics, which led to awful abuse and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-31/olympian-cate-campbell-pens-letter-to-trolls-qld/10186576">harassment from a portion of the Australian public</a>. <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.685322/full">Research has shown</a> that many athletes report lower wellbeing after returning from the Olympics, including <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-you-get-home-its-really-lonely-new-research-shows-how-athletes-cope-with-post-olympic-life-163576">a sense of loneliness</a>, disappointment, and lack of direction. One of the reasons Olympic disappointment is so difficult is the deep ways in which an athlete’s identity gets wrapped up in their performance. That is, after years of being seen as “an athlete”, many begin to feel who they are as a person is dependent on how they perform. <h2>Athlete mental health and the role of self-criticism</h2> The mental health challenges faced by many athletes are now well recognised. <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-020-01266-z">Research here in Australia</a> has found elite athletes show rates of mental ill-health at similar, if not greater, numbers than the general public. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0b013e318287b870">Major performance disappointments</a> are well known contributors to this. Perhaps adding salt to the wound, one of the ways that elite athletes deal with disappointment is through self-criticism. This can include hostile ways of relating to oneself, which can lead to feelings of worthlessness and inferiority. Being self-critical is seen in many pursuits as the only way to get ahead, in an attempt to remove weakness and demand self-improvement. However, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032718312254">research repeatedly shows</a> that most forms of self-criticism are associated with symptoms of mental ill-health. Moreover, harsh forms of internal judgement are <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0146167211410246">far less effective</a> at motivating growth and development than we might think. Athletes, like the rest of us, need to find another way to handle the inevitable setbacks and disappointments as they arise. <h2>A role for compassion</h2> A growing body of research and practice has suggested self-compassion might fit the bill. <a href="https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjc.12043">Compassion can be defined</a> as the sensitivity to suffering in self and others, with a commitment to try to reduce or prevent the suffering. It can be directed to others, received from others, or directed internally (self-compassion). For an athlete experiencing post-Olympic distress, showing self-compassion involves turning towards that distress rather than avoiding, judging, or criticising, and then identifying what they need to address it. This is harder than it may seem. One of the reasons self-compassion is so difficult is because it goes against many of the ways in which we have learned to self-motivate. Indeed, many athletes will report a common worry: that being self-compassionate might lower their standards. That’s just not the case. <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0146167212445599">Research has shown</a> self-compassion can motivate self-improvement and athletes with higher levels of self-compassion show positive performance outcomes in sport. This is in contrast to self-criticism. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2022.2161064">Research has also shown</a> athletes who engage in more self-compassion tend to report a range of benefits including better mental health, and more helpful responses to disappointment. For this reason, there is a growing focus within clinical and sport psychology to help <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00050067.2022.2033952">develop self-compassion among athletes</a> as a resource for resilience. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wmMXGipifKA?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Two-time Olympian Laurence Halsted says self-compassion helped improve his performance.</figcaption></figure> <h2>Building self-compassion</h2> So, how can athletes (and the rest of us) build an ability to be self-compassionate? <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-be-kind-to-yourself-without-going-to-a-day-spa-223194">There are lots of ways</a>. A great start is using our inner wisdom to recognise how we would offer compassion to another person we care for, and then directing it inwards. Perhaps ask yourself: “how would I respond to a close friend in this situation?” Other strategies aim to trigger a soothing response in our bodies which can affect <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-017-0745-7">both our psychology and physiology</a>. For example we can actively change the tone of our inner thoughts <a href="https://soundcloud.com/jamesn-kirby/cft-posture-facial-expressions-and-voice-tone?si=89b19f29fc56462fad532c19bb44899b&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing">and outward facial expression</a> to be friendly rather than neutral or hostile. Additional practices involve mental imagery (or visualisation) to <a href="https://soundcloud.com/courtney-walton-449877725/sets/exercises-to-promote-self">develop our “compassionate self</a>”, which we can then learn to step into. These practices make up some of the key ingredients to compassionate mind training and compassion-focused therapy, which have been <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2024-33588-001.html">shown to reduce depression and self-criticism</a>. In this way, athletes can offer themselves the support they need to get through the difficulties of Olympic and Paralympic disappointment. <h2>More than self-compassion</h2> Just as important as an athlete’s self-compassion is the receiving of <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.586161">compassion</a> from others. After her Rio disappointment, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-31/olympian-cate-campbell-pens-letter-to-trolls-qld/10186576">Cate Campbell said</a> <blockquote> Australians love winners — I felt like the only way I could endear myself to the Australian public was to come back with one of those shiny gold medals. </blockquote> So during and after these Olympic and Paralympic Games, let’s come together and support our athletes, no matter their result. For more on this topic, check out <a href="https://omny.fm/shows/psychtalks/what-do-athletes-need-for-good-mental-health">episode one of PsychTalks</a>, a podcast by the University of Melbourne’s School of Psychological Sciences.<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/227904/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-mesagno-1252903">Christopher Mesagno</a>, Senior Lecturer - Sport and Exercise Psychology, Research Fellow - Institute for Health and Sport, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/victoria-university-1175">Victoria University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/courtney-c-walton-1236295">Courtney C Walton</a>, Academic Fellow & Psychologist, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</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/despair-after-four-years-of-pressure-how-do-olympians-deal-with-disappointment-227904">original article</a>. </div>

Mind

Undernourished, stressed and overworked: cost-of-living pressures are taking a toll on Australians’ health

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicole-black-103425">Nicole Black</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anthony-harris-7148">Anthony Harris</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/danusha-jayawardana-1406565">Danusha Jayawardana</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-johnston-1126643">David Johnston</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> For the past few years, it has been impossible to escape the impact of inflation. Meeting our most basic needs – such as food, housing and health care – now costs significantly more, and wage increases <a href="https://futurework.org.au/post/for-most-workers-wages-are-still-failing-to-keep-up-with-inflation/">haven’t kept up</a>. There are signs relief could be on the horizon. Inflation has fallen to its <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/consumer-price-index-australia/latest-release">lowest levels</a> since January 2022. But Australia now also finds itself in the midst of an <a href="https://theconversation.com/prepare-to-hear-about-an-official-recession-unofficially-weve-been-in-one-for-some-time-224963">economic downturn</a>, putting further pressure on households. Rising prices have an obvious negative impact on our financial health. But they can also have a profound effect on our physical and mental wellbeing, which is often overlooked. Australians may continue to feel the health effects of high inflation for quite some time. <h2>It’s costing more to live well</h2> Between March 2021 and March 2023, the price of goods and services <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/consumer-price-index-australia/jun-quarter-2023">rose substantially</a>, marking a period of high <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/education/resources/explainers/inflation-and-its-measurement.html">inflation</a>. <iframe id="5vFeh" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/5vFeh/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> Worryingly, the prices of basic needs that are important for staying healthy – nutritious food, health care, housing and utilities – rose between 11% and 36%. <h2>Who is affected the most?</h2> Higher prices on essentials are virtually impossible to dodge, but they impact certain groups of people more than others. Wealthier households have managed their higher expenses by <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/fsr/2023/oct/pdf/financial-stability-review-2023-10.pdf">cutting back on discretionary spending and dipping into savings</a>. However, lower income households spend <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/fsr/2023/oct/household-business-finances-in-australia.html#:%7E:text=Lower%20income%20households%2C%20including%20many,than%20households%20on%20higher%20incomes.">a much larger portion of their income</a> on housing and other essentials. Without a savings buffer, these households experience severe financial strain and poor health outcomes. <h2>Financial stress affects our health</h2> Our research shows that high inflation has <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/resources/resource-download/high-inflation-and-implications-for-health">a range of effects</a> on people’s health. These effects fall into three main groups: material hardship, psychosocial, and behavioural. 1. Material hardship People facing material hardship can’t meet their basic needs because they can’t afford to pay for them. Material hardship can present itself in a variety of ways: <ul> <li><a href="https://theconversation.com/how-many-australians-are-going-hungry-we-dont-know-for-sure-and-thats-a-big-part-of-the-problem-195360">food insecurity</a> – not getting adequate nutrition</li> <li><a href="https://theconversation.com/1-in-4-households-struggle-to-pay-power-bills-here-are-5-ways-to-tackle-hidden-energy-poverty-204672">energy poverty</a> – struggling to pay for electricity and gas</li> <li>deferred health care – putting off medical treatment</li> <li>housing insecurity – struggling to find a stable place to live.</li> </ul> Between August 2022 and February 2023, when inflation hit its highest levels in 33 years, over half (53%) of surveyed Australians reported <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/data/taking-the-pulse-of-the-nation-2022/2023/australians-face-challenging-budgetary-constraints">struggling to afford</a> their basic needs. Finding ourselves in this situation can have far-reaching implications for our health. For example, food insecurity is linked to <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/VH_High-Inflation-Paper_FINAL_1.pdf">an increased risk of poor nutrition, obesity and chronic illness</a>, as households facing cost-of-living pressures shift towards cheaper, lower-quality food options. Energy poverty is linked to <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/VH_High-Inflation-Paper_FINAL_1.pdf">physical and mental health problems</a> as people struggle to keep warm in wintertime, and cool in the summer. Delaying health care <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/VH_High-Inflation-Paper_FINAL_1.pdf">increases</a> the risk of facing severe health problems, staying in hospital for longer, and being admitted to the emergency department. This isn’t just worse for individuals, it’s also far more costly for our health care system. 2. Psychosocial effects Psychosocial effects are the ways in which cost-of-living pressures impact our mind and social relationships. Difficulties in meeting our basic needs are strongly associated with <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/VH_High-Inflation-Paper_FINAL_1.pdf">increased levels of psychological distress</a>, including symptoms of anxiety and depression. This impact can worsen over time if individuals experience sustained financial stress. By undermining our ability to work well, the psychosocial effects of prolonged financial stress can initiate a “vicious cycle”, leading to reduced productivity and lower earnings. Financial stress can also have a detrimental impact on spousal relationships, which can affect the mental health of other household members such as children. 3. Behavioural effects Cost-of-living pressures can also cause a number of changes in the way we behave. For many, these pressures have become a reason to work longer hours and gain additional income. Last year, Australians collectively worked 4.6% longer, an <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-australia/aug-2023">extra 86 million hours</a>. But working longer hours <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/VH_High-Inflation-Paper_FINAL_1.pdf">reduces people’s overall health</a>, especially among parents of young children facing greater time constraints. It also leaves less time for activities that help to keep people healthy, such as getting regular exercise and cooking healthy meals. <h2>How can policymakers respond?</h2> In theory, the Reserve Bank of Australia’s primary tool for combating inflation – raising interest rates – should help. By reducing aggregate spending in the economy, it is designed to put downward pressure on prices. But by bluntly increasing the cost of borrowing, it also puts significant short-term financial pressure on both lower-income mortgage holders and renters. Better acknowledgement of this fact, and of inflation’s broader impact on people’s physical and mental health, would be a great start. When formulating policy responses to high inflation, governments could factor health and wellbeing impacts into their assessment of the trade-offs between alternative policy responses. This could help minimise any policy’s long-term negative health consequences and its impact on the health care system. Policymakers could also focus on making sure affordable and timely access to health care, especially mental health support, is made available to those most vulnerable to cost-of-living pressures.<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/223625/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicole-black-103425">Nicole Black</a>, Associate Professor of Health Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anthony-harris-7148">Anthony Harris</a>, Professor of Health Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/danusha-jayawardana-1406565">Danusha Jayawardana</a>, Research Fellow in Health Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-johnston-1126643">David Johnston</a>, Professor of Health Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash 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/undernourished-stressed-and-overworked-cost-of-living-pressures-are-taking-a-toll-on-australians-health-223625">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

"You have to beg for help": how our welfare system pressures people to perform vulnerability

People who rely on welfare payments to survive are often required to repeatedly tell stories of their personal hardships. In a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jun/07/job-seekers-could-have-welfare-stopped-under-onerous-new-points-based-system-advocates-warn">conditional welfare system</a>, many must regularly attend compulsory appointments, job search training courses, and self-development and treatment programs simply to receive their payments. People in extreme hardship often tell their stories even more frequently as they seek extra relief from non-government charities and community providers. Those on income support payments below the relative poverty line feel the crunch of <a href="https://www.ncoss.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/NCOSS_CostOfLiving22_FINAL_DESIGNED.pdf">inflation and rising living costs</a> most severely. This means many will require extra support from welfare services to meet their basic needs. Integral to this system is the idea of “performing vulnerability”. “Performing vulnerability” – a term I borrow from UK-based researcher <a href="https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/vulnerability-and-young-people">Kate Brown</a> to update Australian academic <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/lowest-rung/FA159318C2D046EDD3C9347C8B8E4F2E">Mark Peel’s</a> idea of “performing poverty” – is not just about repeatedly describing personal hardship. It points to the expectation to describe hardship in particular ways that are recognisable – and hence believable – to support providers. My book, <a href="https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/making-a-life-on-mean-welfare">Making a Life on Mean Welfare: Voices from Multicultural Sydney </a>shows how the expectation to perform vulnerability to access support shapes experiences on both sides of the welfare frontline. It can compound the cycle of disadvantage associated with receiving welfare in the long term. It does so by <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0038026119876775">fostering mistrust</a> between welfare users and providers, as well as tainting how people in need of support see themselves and their situation. <h2>‘Tell me your story’</h2> For my doctoral research, I spent 18 months speaking to welfare users and workers in culturally and linguistically diverse southwest Sydney. I also observed different aspects of service delivery while volunteering at a community welfare organisation. I interviewed 25 welfare users and 11 community welfare practitioners. As a researcher of everyday experiences of welfare and poverty, I know all too well what it is like to ask people to tell their stories of hardship yet again. I also grew up in an impoverished family reliant on welfare to get by. I know firsthand what the impact of retelling stories of hardship can be, particularly when the audience is, as Peel <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/lowest-rung/FA159318C2D046EDD3C9347C8B8E4F2E">puts</a> it, “someone who has the power to give or deny them something they need”. One of the community welfare practitioners I interviewed summed it up by saying: "They’re coming again feeling ashamed. They’ve knocked on someone’s door, to tell yet again how shitty their situation is." Her response was to chat and put them at ease before saying, “Can you tell me your story?” She would follow up by saying, “You’ve given me some insight, let’s formalise your story a little bit.” Some welfare workers showed more scepticism, particularly when it came to giving out emergency relief. When someone refused to share more than the minimum information required to be eligible for extra assistance, one welfare worker commented: "That person doesn’t want to take responsibility." Another practitioner told me, “That woman dramatised her situation,” but quickly added, “That doesn’t mean she wasn’t genuine.” The willingness of people seeking assistance to disclose personal hardships and do so convincingly impacts on how deserving they may come across to those delivering support. The pressure to perform can overshadow encounters between welfare users and workers even when it doesn’t determine the outcome. <h2>‘It’s your dignity’</h2> Among the most marginal welfare recipients I spoke to, “performing vulnerability” was another toll of poverty. Those experiencing the worst hardship frequently told me about having to explain “the ins and outs” and feeling “embarrassed”, “intimidated” or “uncomfortable” when they had to present to welfare agencies. Two young people (whom I have given fictional names) powerfully conveyed the cost of telling all about their struggles: <blockquote> Kane: Often if you go to them sorts of people (welfare agencies) you’ve gotta put it all out there, that you’re homeless, that you got nothing, you got no friends, no family – and then they’re gonna go boom “alright” (you get the help you came for)… Nessa: Yeah, that’s what I had to do to get a house and it’s embarrassing (talking over each other) I think it’s embarrassing. Kane: You gotta go down to those levels you know – it’s wrong. Nessa: When you gotta expose everything and don’t want to, it’s, like, your dignity. Kane: Yeah, it’s everything. </blockquote> <h2>Performing is not pretending</h2> The most marginal welfare users get a great deal of practice performing their hardship. But knowing how to tell their story a certain way is not the same as pretending. Not only do people at the sharp end of the welfare system have to endure the hardships of poverty, but they must then recite it in a way that registers as genuine, pressing and beyond reprieve. As a woman living on the disability support pension put it:"You don’t have the flexibility that a rich person has to respond to crisis, so you have to beg for help. That takes time! And you know you’ll be judged like it’s your fault." A welfare system that demands disclosure of personal hardships – even when geared towards being <a href="https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/doi/full/10.1111/1468-4446.12740">supportive</a> rather than suspicious – can undermine dignity and hold back those unwilling or unable to tell their story convincingly or in enough detail. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/you-have-to-beg-for-help-how-our-welfare-system-pressures-people-to-perform-vulnerability-180975" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Retirement Income

Block winners under pressure to explain their relationship with mystery bidder

The Block winners Omar Slaimankhel and Ozman ‘Oz’ Abu Malik are facing pressure to explain their mysterious relationship to the bidder who drove up the price of their multi-million dollar home. <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> In Sunday's finale episode, the Sydney mates are seen high-fiving millionaire bidder Adrian Portelli, before the auction had even begun. Omar and Oz then emerged as the winners of The Block’s ‘Treechange’ season, earning by far the biggest win in the show’s near-20-year history with a profit of $1,686,666.66 for their luxe home in Gisborne, country Victoria. The victory came after serial Block bidder Danny Wallis, who ended up buying the three homes that actually sold at auction, became locked in a battle with two other bidders, among them Portelli. With the battle driving the price up, Portelli, who arrived in a Lamborghini and greeted Omar and Oz with a hug, was eventually outbid by Danny Wallis. With Portelli left empty handed, he promptly left the auction site and expressed no interest in any of the other properties, despite beginning Omar and Oz's auction way above the reserve price. These behaviours have since raised questions about how well Portelli knew the Block winners, given they were on good enough terms to share a pre-auction high-five. “Oz and I got together with our agents a fair bit and they mentioned we had to reach out to all our networking and see who would potentially be able to come to the house and have a look at it,” Omar told <a title="www.dailymail.co.uk" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11397325/The-Blocks-Omar-Oz-reveal-truth-relationship-Mr-Lambo.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a>. “We reached out to a mutual friend (Portelli) who said he might be keen. He’s watched the show. He’s seen our house and he absolutely loved it when he did come and see it a few weeks ago.” He added that he was “disappointed” people felt Portelli may have been a ‘dummy bidder’ designed to push the price of the home up. “He also saw another couple of houses and unfortunately for the them he wasn’t interested. I’m pretty sure he went to house three or four on auction days,” Omar added. Image credits: The Block </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="media image" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; width: 705.203px; margin-bottom: 24px; color: #000000; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"> </div>

Real Estate

Evidence that human evolution driven by major environmental pressures discovered

The genes of ancient humans might have changed substantially due to environmental pressures and change, say an international team of researchers. A widely held belief related to human evolution is that our ancient ancestors’ ability to fashion tools, shelter, and use advanced communication skills may have helped to shield them from large environmental impacts such as changing climate, disease and exposure to other events affecting mortality. But research led out of Australian Centre for Ancient DNA at the University of Adelaide suggests that beneficial genes may have played a more important role in preserving our ancestors. Until now, the sudden increase in frequency of these genes in human groups was masked by the exchange of DNA between people during reproduction. Now, analyses of more than one thousand ancient genomes dating as far back as 45,000 years ago have found historic signals showing genetic adaptation was more common than previously thought. The study of evolutionary events, says the study’s co-lead author Dr Yassine Souilmi, has increased substantially in recent years, as these are the points where human genetics take historic turns. “Evolutionary events [are] exactly what shape our genetic diversity today,” Souilmi tells Cosmos. “That’s what makes us vulnerable to certain diseases [and] resistant to others. “Having a good understanding of evolution, we can have a better understanding of who we are.” Previous research by the Centre has uncovered a range of evolutionary trends, from historic climate change causing the demise of ancestral lions and bears, to the first interactions between humans and coronaviruses 20,000 years ago. And the broader field of research into ancient DNA has shed light on important moments in human history. Only recently did analyses of ancient genes uncover locations on the human genome associated with surviving Yersinia pestis – the bacterium that causes the bubonic plague. <h2>Single events probably triggered selection</h2> This study, published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, has similarly found environmental events might have been more influential on evolution among Eurasian groups. Such events might lead to a point of natural selection. Take, for instance, the emergence of a pathogen. If such a disease could kill people, those who managed to survive and continue reproducing would pass down favourable traits to subsequent generations. “Natural selection acts in two different mechanisms,” says Souilmi. “It only cares about whether you’re procreating successfully… when it acts, it’s either killing a lot of people, [preventing] some people from reproducing successfully, or some people are just not finding mates because they have some sort of ailment that’s not allowing them to mate successfully, or might make them undesirable. “What we’re finding is that the signal of natural selection we detected in this [research] was likely a single event, because the signal is clustered in time in a very early migration out of Africa. “Not all of the [events] we detected occurred at the same time, but the bulk of them did.” <h2>A mirror to the present</h2> This ‘agnostic’ study did not seek to identify the external pressures leading to the selection events indicated in these ancient genes, but future research by the team will seek to uncover that information. Studies like this, or those into specific pressures like the influence of the Black Death or coronaviruses on humans, show the impact of environmental change on our genetics. Souilmi says this is both insightful and cautionary, as environmental change in the present could be studied by humans in the future. He speculates that changes in the Earth’s climate, or the emergence of new pathogens, likely imposed selection pressures on ancient groups, whether through forcing shortages or changes to food supply or imposing physiological stressors. “Very likely, it’s the environment, the temperature, the weather patterns, that would have somewhat impacted the dietary regime of our ancestors out of Africa, and pathogens would have driven this [genetic] adaptation, which has shaped our genetic diversity now,” Souilmi says. “The direct lesson, socially, now, is that if we’re ever faced with events that are similar to that, we are not as immune to extreme episodes of adaptation where a lot of people might die, or be unable to reproduce. “Unless we do something to counteract the environmental changes, or viruses, bacterial or other pandemics, it could be a bad thing.” This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/human-evolution-driven-by-environment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Matthew Agius. Image: Shutterstock

Body

Big study shows that lowering blood pressure lowers risk of dementia

A study across 20 countries has strengthened a link between lowering blood pressure, and reducing the risk of dementia. The meta-analysis, published in the European Heart Journal, draws on clinical trial data from 28,008 participants, to show the strongest link to date between medication that lowers blood pressure, and reduced dementia risk. “We know that high blood pressure is a risk factor for dementia – especially high blood pressure in midlife, so say 40 to 65 years of age,” says lead author Dr Ruth Peters, an associate professor at the University of New South Wales and program lead for dementia in the George Institute’s Global Brain Health Initiative. “But there has been some uncertainty about whether lowering blood pressure, especially in older adults, would reduce risk of dementia. “What we’ve done is take five really high-quality clinical trials and combine them into one dataset, which gave us the ability to really look at this question and look at the relationship between blood pressure-lowering tablets – antihypertensives – and dementia.” The five studies were all double-blind, randomised clinical trials – the ‘gold standard’ in medical research – with participants hailing from 20 different countries. The average age of the participants was 69, and participants were followed up an average of four years after doing the trial. Participants who took antihypertensives had a significantly lower chance of being diagnosed with dementia than those who took placebos. Dementia affects 50 million people worldwide: a number projected to triple by 2050. According to The Lancet’s 2020 Commission on dementia, treatment for hypertension (high blood pressure) is “the only known effective preventive medication for dementia,” all other methods of reducing your risk come from lifestyle and environment. “The strength of this study is the use of individual patient data in a meta-analysis of data drawn from randomised controlled trials of blood pressure medication. This is the first time such data has been meta-analysed,” says Professor Kaarin Anstey, a senior principal research scientist at Neuroscience Research Australia and the UNSW. “This is important for informing clinical practice,” adds Anstey, who was not involved with the study. Professor Nicolas Cherbuin, head of the Australian National University’s Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, says that the study is “well-designed”, and reflects research by his team showing that higher blood pressure is linked to lower brain volumes and poorer brain health. “The diagnostic procedure and criteria used are well-established, the sample size is large, those with dementia at baseline were excluded,” says Cherbuin. But he points out that the study didn’t find an effect of blood pressure medication on cognitive decline, and nor did it include participants with mild cognitive impairment, who would be “more likely to convert”. Anstey points out that “inevitably” the participants in the cohort are now quite old, and thus may be different to populations developing dementia now. “Clinical trials involve highly selected samples and often exclude diverse ethnic groups,” she adds. “I hope that this reinforces the importance of blood pressure control for brain health,” says Peters. But she emphasises that, while this is useful news for preventing dementia in mid-life, people of all ages can improve their brain health by other means. “It’s not just blood pressure lowering – it has to be taken in the context of a healthy lifestyle.” This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/dementia-blood-pressure-meta/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Ellen Phiddian. Image: Shutterstock

Body

Grace under pressure: Princess Kate heckled in Ireland

Princess Kate was the subject of a heckler in Northern Ireland, where she was greeting crowds after visiting a suicide prevention charity. Footage has emerged of the Princess of Wales shaking hands with the heckler, who filmed herself telling the royal that “Ireland belongs to the Irish”. “Nice to meet you but it would be better if it was when you were in your own country,” the woman said. The princess laughed off the comments before letting go of the woman’s hand and continuing to greet other members of the crowd. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> This woman reefing the arm off Kate Middleton and telling her 'Ireland belongs to the Irish'.... <a href="https://t.co/KK2gAqZ0Kv">pic.twitter.com/KK2gAqZ0Kv</a> — Caolán Mc Aree (@Caolanmcaree) <a href="https://twitter.com/Caolanmcaree/status/1578095529233641472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2022</a></blockquote> Northern Ireland has been a hotly contested region since 1922, when the southern part of the country become gained independence and became the Republic of Ireland while Northern Island remained in the United Kingdom. Despite the tense interaction, Princess Kate’s time in Belfast seemed quite successful, as she and her husband Prince William visited several cross-community support organisations. Earlier in the day, the royal was spotted making and enjoying a cheeky drink with her husband after the couple travelled to the city centre to view the new outdoor street food and retail market. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/kate-belfast.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Kate Middleton was spotted trying her hand at cocktail making during her visit to Belfast, Northern Island. Image: Getty Images The market, which opened in July, was designed as a place for the community to come together to enjoy artisanal food and local products. The pair also met with workers from PIPS, a suicide prevention charity, and spoke to them about their work helping people at risk of suicide and self-harm. During their visit, the charity arranged for William and Kate to take part in an art therapy session, which saw them paint pumpkins with children whom PIPS has supported. Images: The Sun, Getty Images

Travel Trouble

How often should I check my blood pressure?

A new study investigating the role of hypertension in a person’s risk of severe COVID-19 symptoms suggests that the condition may worsen symptoms due to its association with one particular factor. Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, affects 1 in 3 Australian adults and 1 in 5 New Zealanders, according to the<a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-greg-hunt-mp/media/taking-the-pressure-off-high-blood-pressure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Australian Institute of Health and Welfare</a> and <a href="https://www.southerncross.co.nz/group/medical-library/high-blood-pressure-hypertension#:~:text=Known%20medically%20as%20hypertension%2C%20high,attack%20have%20high%20blood%20pressure." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Southern Cross NZ</a>, with men being more likely to have the condition. The study, published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s40292-022-00506-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PubMed</a>, concluded that hypertension doesn’t play an independent role in the severity of Covid symptoms from current evidence, but that systolic blood pressure, one the measurements used to determine blood pressure, could be a contributing factor. In light of these findings, the theme for this year’s World Hypertension Day, held on May 17, is Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer in a bid to raise awareness of the condition, which can have no immediate symptoms. Andria Aird, a hypertension expert and Blooms the Chemist pharmacist, tells OverSixty that this absence of symptoms - except for headaches in severe cases - is why raising awareness is crucial, and why Blooms the Chemist is promoting free blood pressure checks this month. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/05/andria-aird.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Andria Aird says getting our blood pressure checked is key to detecting high blood pressure. Image: Supplied “Current surveys estimate that 32 percent of men and 27 percent of women in Australia have hypertension,” she says. “Left untreated, hypertension can increase your risk of life-threatening conditions like diabetes, heart attack and stroke.” This condition is particularly common among older adults, which Aird says is to do with the changes that occur in our blood vessels. “The walls of our arteries become stiffer and we are more at risk of high blood pressure,” she explains. “More mature people are also more at risk of other health conditions which often go hand in hand with hypertension.” Could I have hypertension and not know it? With no obvious symptoms, we can have hypertension without realising - and getting a blood pressure check is one of the ways to determine if we do. “Sometimes people come into our pharmacy to have their blood pressure tested and shown a systolic reading of up to 200 mmHg without even knowing it.” According to <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410#:~:text=High%20blood%20pressure%20(hypertension)%20is,problems%2C%20such%20as%20heart%20disease." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mayo Clinic</a>, high blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow (or width) in your arteries. Blood pressure readings, given in millimetres of mercury (mmHg), consist of two numbers: systolic pressure (the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats) and diastolic pressure (the pressure in your arteries in-between beats). A healthy reading is considered to be a systolic pressure of 140 mmHg or less, and a diastolic pressure of less than 90 mmHg, according to the <a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/high-blood-pressure-and-older-adults#:~:text=Normal%20blood%20pressure%20for%20most,pressure%20of%20less%20than%2080" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Institute of Ageing</a>. As for how often we should be getting checked, Aird suggests over -50s rolling up their sleeves every 3-6 months. “At Blooms the Chemist we recommend all Australian adults have their blood pressure checked,” she says. “The Heart Foundation recommends at least every two years from 18 years, although my conservative recommendation for people over 50 would be at least 3 – 6 monthly. “Hypertension is not only a disease of the elderly, however those over 60 are at a higher risk.” But you don’t always have to go to the GP or chemist to get checked. “Reliable home blood pressure monitors are relatively affordable and easy to use. At Blooms The Chemist we can offer advice to recommend a monitor to suit your needs,” Aird says. As well as getting checked, Aird says there are some things we can do in our day-to-day lives to reduce our chances of developing hypertension. “Fortunately, there are lifestyle options we can take to reduce our risk of high blood pressure, even if there is a family history of the condition,” she says. “It is vital to quit if you are a smoker. A healthy diet, weight control and regular exercise all substantially reduce your risk. Other tips include reducing salt in your diet, managing stress and reducing alcohol intake.” Image: Getty Images

Body

Toxic positivity: societal pressure to feel good could have the opposite effect

<div> <div class="copy"> <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-04262-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A multi-national study</a> of 40 countries has found that the societal pressure to feel good is linked to poorer wellbeing in individuals. In almost all countries, experiencing pressure to be happy and not sad was related to more and stronger negative feelings, and stronger symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Interestingly, this relationship was almost twice as strong in countries with higher national happiness, compared to those with lower national happiness – suggesting it may have downsides for some members of society. “The level of happiness individuals feel pressured to achieve may be unattainable and reveal differences between an individual’s emotional life and the emotions society approves of,” says lead author Dr Egon Dejonckheere from the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at KU Leuven, Belgium, and assistant professor in the Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology at Tilburg University in the Netherlands. “This discrepancy between an individual and society may create a perceived failure that can trigger negative emotions,” he explains. “In countries where all citizens appear to be happy, deviations from the expected norm are likely more apparent, which makes it more distressing.” The international team of scientists, including Australian researchers from the University of Melbourne, investigated how the perceived societal pressure to be happy predicts emotional, cognitive, and clinical indicators of wellbeing in a survey of nearly 7,500 people. Published in Springer Nature, the study then went a step further to evaluate the role of the nations’ global happiness levels on the relationship between societal pressure and wellbeing, using their World Happiness Index (WHI) scores. This score is taken from the <a href="https://worldhappiness.report/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Happiness Report</a> and is a measure of the average self-reported life satisfaction displayed by inhabitants of a particular country. Countries included in the study that were rated as having higher happiness in the World Happiness Index included The Netherlands and Canada, while countries rated with lower happiness included Uganda and Senegal. As a <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-cross-sectional-study-2794978#:~:text=A%20cross%2Dsectional%20study%20involves,one%20specific%20point%20in%20time.&text=This%20method%20is%20often%20used,support%20further%20research%20and%20experimentation." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cross-sectional study</a>, the researchers acknowledge that while these findings can highlight a correlation between these factors, it cannot prove causality. Nonetheless, they do suggest that changing societal discourse from promoting a one-sided embrace of emotions to one where people learn to appreciate the full scope of their emotional lives (both positive and negative), could have beneficial effects for people’s psychological well-being in the long run. Image credits: Getty Images  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=182523&title=Toxic+positivity%3A+societal+pressure+to+feel+good+could+have+the+opposite+effect" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /> </div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/body-and-mind/toxic-positivity-societal-pressure-to-feel-good-could-have-the-opposite-effect/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Imma Perfetto. </div> </div>

Mind

Peer pressure driving sustainable diets

Image: Getty <div> <div class="copy"> People find it notoriously difficult to change eating habits to improve their own health, let alone the planet’s. Now European researchers who explored factors that might motivate shifts to more sustainable diets are suggesting that social norms and self-efficacy are the most important. The work by Sibel Eker and Michael Obersteiner, from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Austria, and Gerhard Reese, from Germany’s University of Koblenz-Landau, supports evidence that peer group values are more powerful than scientific facts in shaping people’s beliefs and actions about climate change. Their findings are presented in a paper in the journal Nature Sustainability. The study was motivated by increasing calls for people to adopt plant-based diets as part of radical shifts needed to address the destructive impact of current farming practices on the environment. A key target is red meat, which vastly exceeds other food sources in terms of its land use, irrigation and greenhouse gas emissions, and is unsustainable in the face of population growth and climate change. Red meat also has been associated with chronic health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. On this front alone, calculations suggest that if, on average, the world adopted a flexitarian diet (one portion of red meat per week), it could potentially prevent more than 10 million deaths each year. Eker wondered if such “ambitious scenarios” were attainable. “I was observing my social network and society,” she says, “like more and more people being meat-reducers, new vegetarian restaurants in urban areas, and it made me curious about where these dynamics could lead.” Although many people are reducing their meat intake in several countries, widespread resistance means that global levels needed to translate into environmental gains are still beyond reach. To explore how pervasive behavioural changes in meat consumption might be achieved, Eker and colleagues used an integrated assessment model to simulate population dynamics. Based on prominent psychological theories on environmental action, combined with models from management science, it includes income, social norms, climate risk perception, health risk perception, self-efficacy and response efficacy (belief that one’s actions can make a difference), as well as age, gender and education level. They simulated the model 10,000 times to find the optimal outcome. “This was an exploratory modelling study,” explains Eker, “meaning that we used the model as a platform to experiment with different scenarios to find the most important drivers of diet shifts.” Although she expected concern about health risks to be more important, Eker was not surprised that social norms – unwritten rules of behaviour considered acceptable in a group or society – were a leading motivator of diet change, because they create a strong, positive feedback loop, she says. Put differently, “As there are more vegetarians around, visibility of the phenomenon increases, therefore adoption increases”. The other key driver was self-efficacy, particularly in females, referring to perceived control over one’s behaviour and ability to change. Results showed that this model would yield the most rapid behaviour changes for people aged 15 to 44 years, even when their adoption of vegetarian diets is low. But even if 40% of the population became vegetarian, the model predicted that the environmental benefits may not be fully realised if everyone else continues their current meat consumption, suggesting that change requires a population-wide shift in eating patterns. The researchers conclude that their findings demonstrate the importance of factoring human behaviour into climate change mitigation efforts and suggest that future research also account for variations in cultural attitudes and world views. “We can use models to explore the social and behavioural aspects of climate change and sustainability problems in the same way as we explore the economic and environmental dimensions of our world,” says Eker. This could provide a better understanding of how to motivate the lifestyle changes that are essential to address the predicaments facing the planet. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p26085-o1" class="wpcf7">  </div> </div>  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=26085&title=Peer+pressure+driving+sustainable+diets" alt="" width="1" height="1" /> </div> <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/nutrition/peer-pressure-could-nudge-people-towards-sustainable-diets/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/natalie-parletta">Natalie Parletta</a>. </div> </div>

Food & Wine

Confusion, financial pressure, discomfort: older people can struggle with sustainable living, despite its obvious benefits

Improving the sustainability of Australia’s housing stock is <a href="https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=building+sector+australia+emissions+the+conversation&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8">crucial</a> to meeting national emissions reduction goals. But for older adults, such changes can bring both benefits and challenges. My <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132321007344">recent research</a> examined the literature on environmental sustainability measures at residences for older adults. These included private homes, retirement villages and nursing homes. I found that while sustainability measures can bring multiple benefits to older people, they also bring challenges. For example, people living in sustainable dwellings may use less energy and water which leads to lower bills. But older people may suffer cognitive decline and struggle to use sustainable technology devices. The full effects of environmentally sustainable features must be better understood if we’re to provide seniors with high-quality residential environments. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/441440/original/file-20220119-15-60lcsc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Older man walks down corridor" /> Sustainability measures can bring benefits and challenges to older people. Shutterstock <h2>Sustainability and ageing: a complex mix</h2> Forecasts suggest that by 2056, <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-data/population-groups/older-people/overview">22% of Australians</a> – or 8.7 million people – will be aged 65 or older. High-quality residential environments are important to maintaining the welfare of these people as they age. Environmental sustainability is playing an ever greater role in residential development across the board, including retirement villages. And <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jar/2014/919054/">previous research</a> suggests most retirement village residents want to lead more sustainable lifestyles. As climate change worsens, the dwellings of older adults should allow them to adapt to these changing conditions. The reduced ability of elderly people to regulate their body temperature means global warming is a profound threat to this group. Improving the sustainability of a residential environment may include: <ul> <li>reducing waste</li> <li>using low carbon or recycled building materials</li> <li>solar passive design</li> <li>efficient heating and cooling</li> <li>using renewable energy such as rooftop solar.</li> </ul> <a href="https://new.gbca.org.au/case-studies/building/stockland-takes-sustainability-retirement-living/">Some residential projects</a> for the elderly already include environmental sustainability. A <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/F-08-2011-0060/full/html">case study</a> of a not-for-profit retirement village in South Australia revealed practices such as innovative floor plans, thermally efficient building materials, good window orientation and a water harvesting system. And my previous research <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652619341605">found</a> a range of sustainability features at eight private and not-for-profit retirement villages in Queensland. However, while many retirement village developers prioritise “social sustainability” features such as care provision and social interaction, environmental sustainability is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652617313963">largely ignored</a>. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/441450/original/file-20220119-25-1qtv5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="elderly woman holds hands of carer" /> Forecasts suggest that by 2056, 22% of Australians will be aged 65 or older. Shutterstock <h2>On the plus side</h2> The benefits of environmentally sustainable features in in older adults’ residential environment include: - reduced resource consumption: sustainable dwellings usually require less water and energy use, which lowers living costs. This is especially important for older adults who often have reduced financial capacity after retirement. Older people also use energy <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421597000402">more intensively</a> than other groups because they have fewer household members, greater heating requirements and spend more time at home. - reduced health risks: environmentally sustainable measures can lead to healthier indoor environments. For example, good ventilation and high-quality air conditioning often lead to improved indoor air quality and more comfortable ambient temperatures. - alleviated environmental challenges: many older people want their homes to be more environmentally friendly. Doing their bit to alleviate global problems such as greenhouse gas emissions can provide them with peace of mind. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/441438/original/file-20220119-15-124namg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="elderly person's hands on heater" /> Sustainable dwellings usually require less water and energy use, Shutterstock <h2>The potential downsides</h2> The challenges of environmentally sustainable home features for older adults include: - financial pressure: the income of many older adults is substantially reduced after retirement. This <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421511005222">can conflict</a> with the high initial investment of developing an sustainable housing and the cost of replacing existing systems with sustainable ones. - reducing energy consumption: in some cases, sustainability measures can involve tolerating slightly higher or cooler temperatures. For example, moving from a gas-heating system to a more sustainable type may <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421515001172">delay</a> the arrival of heat in a room and leave older people uncomfortable for a short time. This may conflict with older people’s <a href="https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/enepol/v84y2015icp250-256.html">increased sensitivity</a> to ambient temperatures. - confusion and complexity: Older adults can have <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bmb/article/92/1/135/332828">reduced cognitive capabilities</a> affecting memory and information processing speed. As a result they may struggle to use sustainable technologies such as smart thermostats. Research has <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421514006259">suggested</a> ways of overcoming this, such as better recognising the diversity of older adults to achieve a better “person-technology fit”. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/441437/original/file-20220119-25-fkfanl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Four older women shelter from the sun under umbrella" /> Older people may have increased sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures. Paul Miller/AAP <h2>Next steps</h2> Older adults have unique needs which their homes <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132321007344">must satisfy</a>, even when sustainability features are being adopted. Ageing should be seen as a dynamic process with physical, psychological and social dimensions. And the complex interrelationships of ageing, environmental sustainability and the residential environment also need to be recognised. Best practices and lessons learned in creating sustainable living environments for older adults should be <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652618325241">shared</a>. Finally, developers making sustainability decisions should consult other stakeholders. These include contractors, occupational therapists, researchers and most importantly, older adults themselves.<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/174535/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/xin-hu-685656">Xin Hu</a>, Lecturer, School of Architecture and Built Environment, <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/confusion-financial-pressure-discomfort-older-people-can-struggle-with-sustainable-living-despite-its-obvious-benefits-174535">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Retirement Income

"Poise under pressure": Woman snaps selfie as car sinks in ice

Image: Twitter A woman In Canada has been criticised for appearing to take a selfie from the roof of her submerged car as it sunk in a frozen lake. The woman’s car became submerged after breaking through ice on the Rideau River in Ottawa on Sunday afternoon, requiring her to be rescued. Ottawa Police tweeted that local residents had come to her aid using “a kayak and quick thinking”. Video obtained by 580 CFRA shows people rushing towards the woman with a kayak as she stands on top of her yellow car. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> NEW: Neighbours use kayaks to rescue driver after car crashes through ice in Manotick <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ottnews?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ottnews</a> <a href="https://t.co/dhANorovWK">https://t.co/dhANorovWK</a> — CTV Ottawa (@ctvottawa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ctvottawa/status/1482873513782525952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2022</a></blockquote> Resident Zachary King told CTV News Ottawa he and his neighbour Rob Crober were the ones who rescued the woman. "It’s like everything worked out perfectly,” he told the station. “Got her on the kayak, pulled her in. And as soon as we pulled her in, the car went under. Fully." Video shot by resident Sacha Gera appears to show the woman driving on the ice at speed ahead of the rescue. It was reported that nobody was injured. Police said it served as an example that people should not drive across ice even when it looks safe. It seems the woman spent her time waiting to be rescued snapping a selfie while on the roof of her car. “She captured the moment with a selfie while people hurried and worried to help her,” Lynda Douglas tweeted, along with a photo. “Any time you are in a dangerous situation, you should not be taking selfies or doing anything distracting. You should be 100 per cent focused on being safe,” another man tweeted. However, others were far less critical. “She's waiting to be rescued. What the hell else is she supposed to do?” one man tweeted. “I appreciate her poise under pressure.” Regardless, the drive on the ice has proven costly for the woman, with her car being written off. Police have also charged her with an offence.

Travel Trouble

"More pressure": Natt Barr reveals how she felt taking over from Sam Armytage

Current Sunrise co-host Natalie Barr has revealed that she would have happily stayed at her job as Sunrise's newsreader had Sam Armytage not left. The "big boss" called to offer her the co-hosting gig and she felt like she couldn't say no. "My husband said to me, 'You can't sit there and watch someone else do that job. You'll regret it. Don't do that," she told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nowtolove.com.au/celebrity/tv/natalie-barr-sunrise-67722" target="_blank">Now To Love</a>. "When it was announced Sam was going, she texted and said, 'I really hope they give you this job,'" Barr says. "It was really nice. She's really generous." <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CN3bfW5sqnJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CN3bfW5sqnJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Sunrise (@sunriseon7)</a> </div> </blockquote> Barr is still struggling with the new responsibility. "Before, it was all care and no responsibility, Barr, 53, tells TV WEEK. "Now, it's all responsibility. It's [the job] mine now and, to be honest, it's taken me quite a few weeks to get used to the fact that I'm it. There's more pressure, more feedback. I thought I was relaxed weeks ago, but now I don't think I was." Barr has also explained she's ready for the intense public scrutiny on her private life that just comes with the job. "I think I'm ready for it," she says. "I think people get sick of people who work in TV complaining about the attention," she says. "I've turned off all these notifications on my Twitter feed. "I can block people in my DMs [direct messages]. Or I report them, as everyone does that in the modern world. I think you've got to take that attitude."I'm sure people will write stuff I won't like, or that's incorrect. But people have worse lives. When they do [write things], I promise you I won't complain." "I get hate mail, I get death threats," she says. "I've worked in newsrooms for over 30 years. I defy you to offend me."

After Disney closed one of its major studios, animation is under pressure in pandemic Hollywood

Last year’s computer-animated feature Trolls World Tour served as an early test case for movie releases during the pandemic. The film appeared on video-on-demand streaming services the same day as its limited theatrical run in April 2020. And the industry was keen to know whether audiences would be eager to stump up rental fees to watch new releases online when they couldn’t get out to the cinema. As it turned out, the movie quickly made over US$200 million (£142 million) in rentals. Its distributors Universal began doing deals with cinema chains for more films to be released online just weeks after their theatrical launches. The success of Trolls World Tour coincided with a supposed revolution in “remote” animation production, brought on by the pandemic. As on-location casts and crews continue to adjust to navigating new safety precautions and guidelines, feature-length cartoons by comparison appear well suited to remote working. Initially, there was even talk of an upsurge in the production of animated media that appeared somewhat pandemic-proof. Fast forward 12 months, however, and the situation looks a little more tricky. Economic pressures mean that the animated movie industry might just be starting to shrink even if they’re more viable to produce in a pandemic landscape. A case in point is the Walt Disney Company’s recent announcement of plans to shut its computer animation division Blue Sky Studios. Its sudden demise after 34 years will undoubtedly rob popular cinema of one of its most creative and imaginative studios. Blue Sky has made significant contributions to the shape and direction of US animation. Amid the late-1990s tussle for power between Pixar Animation Studios and its rival DreamWorks, Blue Sky came onto the scene somewhat under the radar compared with its larger competitors. Formed in February 1987 by animator Chris Wedge, the studio started out in software design and animated adverts before later shifting focus towards visual effects and character animation, providing CGI for a number of blockbusters like Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) and Fight Club (1999). Meanwhile, Wedge’s computer-animated short film Bunny (1998) won the Academy Award for best animated short film. This was quickly followed by Blue Sky’s debut digital feature Ice Age (2002), which led to a highly successful franchise spanning two decades. In the years that followed, Blue Sky produced 13 feature films and a host of short cartoons, spin-offs and television specials, balancing original franchises with imaginative re-tellings of a number of popular media products. The future of animation While many animation studios have come and gone, the unforeseen closure of a such a leading player as Blue Sky will lead to hundreds of layoffs and the cancellation of its animated films already in production. Warnings about Blue Sky’s future were immediately sounded once it was acquired by the Walt Disney Company as part of its broader acquisition of previous owners 20th Century Fox in 2019. This meant Disney now owned two of the three major players in US animated production, following its earlier US$7.4 billion acquisition of Pixar back in 2006. Disney’s growing monopoly of the entertainment industry over the last two decades has certainly caused widespread alarm. Don’t forget, the Mouse House also bought Marvel for US$4 billion in August 2009. In the face of the success of animation during the pandemic, the demise of Blue Sky might appear part of a broader Disney corporate strategy to gain market advantage by purchasing and then closing competitors. The loss of a major animation studio in such circumstances could hardly be seen as good news for the sector. But Blue Sky’s sudden closure could also be interpreted as a signal that Hollywood animation more generally is under real pressure for the first time since Toy Story started a new era. Indeed Disney itself cited the “current economic realities” as the reason for Blue Sky’s termination. Blockbuster releases from Disney and Pixar are still to come this summer, of course, but these animated films started life years ago. We’ve yet to see how the pipeline of newly green-lit films will be affected. Meanwhile Universal’s Paris-based Illumination Mac Guff studio (creators of the Despicable Me franchise) temporarily closed down last year over coronavirus, leading to knock-on effects for its animated feature films. Release dates at all the major Hollywood cartoon studios have also seen shifts. In some cases theatrical releases have been skipped entirely (as was the case with Pixar’s Soul) because of slow production, tight delivery schedules and the pressures of domestic animation. Questions also remain over how sustainable remote working is for the industry, especially as Hollywood studios often outsource work to off-site facilities around the world, and consistently strong and stable global internet connections can’t be guaranteed. Whichever way you look at it, Blue Sky’s high-profile demise is momentous. Even if Disney decides to maintain some of the studio’s output – more Ice Age films for example – the unexpected end of Blue Sky ultimately points to the instability post-pandemic Hollywood is facing. It would be safe to assume that there are going to be several further cracks in the ice before too long. Written by Christopher Holliday. This article first appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/after-disney-closed-one-of-its-major-studios-animation-is-under-pressure-in-pandemic-hollywood-155164">The Conversation</a>.

Movies

Do I really need this crown? Dentists admit feeling pressured to offer unnecessary treatments

If your dentist recommends a crown, your wisdom teeth extracted, or some other common treatment, you may wonder whether it’s really necessary. We don’t know how common such over-servicing is. However, our research, which includes interviews with Australian dentists in private practice, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cdoe.12592">published today</a>, shows it is an issue. Not only is this a problem for patients, some dentists say they feel pressured to recommend unnecessary treatments. And the way dentists are paid for their services actually encourages it. What is over-servicing in dentistry? Over-servicing <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/350/bmj.h869">can occur</a> in many types of health care, with various definitions. But in dentistry, our research defines over-servicing as when dental treatments are provided over and above what’s clinically justified, or where there is no justification for that care at all. Over-servicing in dentistry is reported <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/05/the-trouble-with-dentistry/586039/">internationally</a> and <a href="https://www.cdhjournal.org/issues/36-3-september-2019/986-dentistry-and-oral-health-in-online-media-sources-a-discourse-analysis">discussed online</a>. And we’ve known about it in Australia for some time. In 2012, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/1-7m-fine-for-cheating-dentist-patient-had-75-000-of-unnecessary-work-20120725-22q04.html">a Sydney dentist</a> went to court and was fined more than A$1.7 million for performing almost $75,000 worth of treatment on one patient, knowing it was unnecessary and would be ineffective. In 2013, another Sydney dentist was <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/andrew-istephan-escapes-jail-over-unnecessary-dental-work-on-nursing-home-patients-20131129-2yg62.html#ixzz2m09GwDUz">found guilty</a> of over-servicing elderly nursing home patients, some of whom had dementia. He filed down their teeth to fit them for crowns they did not need, without anaesthesia. However, over-servicing can be less extreme than revealed in these landmark court cases. Dentists we interviewed said they often felt pressured to over-service as part of their day-to-day practice. What we found We analysed interviews with, and diary entries from, 20 Australian dentists working in private practice, the first study of its kind to include their perspectives on over-servicing. Most dentists we interviewed had felt pressure to provide unnecessary care. Pressure came from practice owners, or their own need to meet financial commitments. They spoke about a culture in some practices of “finding treatment” to do, rather than simply treating the issues patients had: I quit my first job because they were overly commercial and I figured that out about two weeks in because there it was very much a matter of, “how many crowns are you doing per week? We expect our clinicians to be doing at least a crown a day” and there was no real care factor towards, what does the patient actually need? It was very much a matter of, “Okay, you’re seeing a new patient, see if you can get this much revenue out of that one”. Why does this happen? Most private dentists in Australia earn their wage linked to how much treatment they provide. So this fee-for-service model provides <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cdoe.12267">an incentive</a> for them to provide more treatment, rather than less. However, over-servicing isn’t inevitable. Some participants said their professional identities as dentists helped them place patients before profit: Look, I’d always put my professionalism first. There’s been a couple of times when I’ve recommended a crown and I sort of thought “OK, am I doing this because the crown is a high-end item or because I really believe it’s the best thing for the patient?”, and I always go with what I believe is the best thing for the patient. The dentists we spoke to also said they spent a lot of time considering how they managed patient care in a system inherently skewed to promote over-servicing. So what happens when you shift away from purely a fee-for-service model? This might include a monthly fee for having a patient registered with a practice or service, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cdoe.12544">as trialled in the United Kingdom</a>. The amount of clinical treatment <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cdoe.12544">reduced</a>, with patients noting little change in the service they received. How do we tackle this? We could address the culture of over-servicing by changing the way dentists are paid, away from a pure fee-for-service model. Payments could be linked to measurable improvements in oral health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/two-million-aussies-delay-or-dont-go-to-the-dentist-heres-how-we-can-fix-that-113376">rather than purely just how much dentists do</a>. However, with fee-for-service being so entrenched in Australian dentistry, we admit this would be a difficult task, despite the increased awareness of the topic that research like ours brings. What if I’m not sure I need a recommended treatment? If you’re not sure why your dentist is recommending a certain treatment, ask. You can also ask about the pros and cons of other options, including doing nothing for now and keeping an eye on things. If you’re not satisfied with the answer, you can ask for a second opinion. One thing to consider is that you’ll need to ask your dentist for a copy of your clinical records and x-rays (to avoid these needing to be taken again). And if visiting another dentist, you probably will need to pay for another consultation. If you’re unhappy with your care, the best place to complain to first is your treating clinician; dentists really value receiving feedback and the opportunity to put things right. Written by <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alexander-holden-305567">Alexander Holden</a>, University of Sydney. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-i-really-need-this-crown-dentists-admit-feeling-pressured-to-offer-unnecessary-treatments-148638">The Conversation.</a>

Caring

Daniel Andrews faces increasing pressure to resign after COVID-19 spike

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> Melbourne Premier Daniel Andrews has blamed "complacency" on Melbourne citizens for the second wave around coronavirus. Critics say the true blame rests with the Victorian Premier himself and are asking for his resignation. There is an "unsustainable" spike in new cases of coronavirus and prompted the stage three lockdown of Melbourne for the next six weeks. “I think a sense of complacency has crept into us as we let our frustrations get the better of us,” Mr Andrews said. “I think that each of us know someone who has not been following the rules as well as they should have.” The beginning of this second wave of infections has been linked to a failure in Victoria's mandatory hotel quarantine procedures, which the Victorian government was responsible for. Liberal Opposition leader Michael O’Brien said yesterday the lockdown of Melbourne is the “catastrophic failure of Daniel Andrews’ failure on hotel quarantine”. Mr Andrews was asked directly at a press conference today if he felt "community anger" towards his government undermined his credibility. “I am accountable – there’s never been a doubt about that,” he said. “I am accountable for what happens across our state. That’s what being the leader of the state is all about. At the same time, that job requires me to make not just the popular calls, but the really difficult, hard calls.” Dr Margaret Heffernan OAM said that the government's conduct contributed to "message and compassion fatigue", especially as Victorians were allowed to protest for Black Lives Matter during the lockdown. “In Victoria … a lack of resilience among sectors of the population (was) compounded by contradictory messages from government – ‘constrain social behaviours, but it is OK to mass protest’ – and led to confusion and lack of trust in our mandated leaders,” Dr Heffernan said. There is a clear sense of anger after yesterday's announcement as talkback radio was flooded with upset calls. Many were annoyed that they had been blamed for the return of COVID-19 cases by Mr Andrews. “Well, I made a number of comments yesterday and I think that’s an accurate description of the way some people are behaving,” he said, adding: “That’s not every Victorian.” When asked by a reporter, the Premier said he wasn’t considering resigning. “What I’m not just considering, but delivering, is the response to this pandemic and seeing this through. That’s what’s most important and it’s what I’m going to get done.” </div> </div> </div>

News

Channel 9 under pressure to sack Sam Newman after comments on George Floyd

Sam Newman has been pushing the limits – and largely getting away with it – for 40 years as a radio and TV personality. But this time, he may have taken it too far. Anger is brewing after the 74-year-old former AFL star made a few comments about George Floyd, an American man who died while being held by police in Minnesota. While describing Floyd’s death as “disgraceful”, Newman suggested the pedestal he was being put up on as the face of the Black Lives Matter movement was wrong because of his history. “George Floyd … is piece of shit,” Newman said on his podcast You Cannot Be Serious. “He has been in jail five times, he held up a pregnant black woman with a knife, he’s a drug addict, he’s a crackhead and he’s a pornstar.” “He’s dead because of the police brutality and it never should have happened. But I am telling you who George Floyd is, now they’ve made a monument about him and he’s a piece of shit”. The comments have caused severe backlash against the host, with Channel 9 – which recently brought Newman on for a weekly segment on its Sunday Footy Show program – under pressure to sack him. Jim Malo, a property writer with Nine-owned Domain, tweeted: “Genuinely ashamed this clown is employed by the same company as me.” Mike Carlton added: “How much longer will Nine put up with this vulgar, ranting, knuckle-dragging f***wit?” Rosie Thomas, the co-founder of Project Rockit, a youth-driven movement against bullying, hate and prejudice, tweeted to Channel 9 saying “it’s time to #StandDownSam hate is not commentary and it’s definitely not footy”. She linked to an online petition calling for Newman’s long association with the broadcaster to end. “Channel 9 has given one of Australia’s most prominent racists an unrivalled, paid platform to broadcast his hateful, racist views,” the petition read. “In pursuit of ratings and profit during a shortened footy season, Channel 9 is banking on racism to make back their advertising bucks. And by doing so, Channel 9 has made itself complicit in fuelling hatred and violence. “Newman’s hate speech normalises bigotry and emboldens those who seek to do harm to Black people, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Muslim people, and others. “We need your help to show Channel 9 this is the wrong decision. It needs to take responsibility for its role in the spread of hatred, violence, and bigotry.” Newman infamously wore blackface on an episode of The Footy Show in 1999 and was forced to apologise to the indigenous community.

News

The perils of perfectionism during lockdown

Trying to find ways to make the most of time in lockdown has motivated many people to learn new skills, polish up old ones, and tackle old to-do lists. Social media and the news present an abundance of stories about the amazing things people are accomplishing during lockdown. There are tips on how to be the perfect parent, have the perfect at-home workout routine, and even bake the <a href="https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/6-steps-making-perfect-loaf-10035234">perfect loaf of bread</a>. It’s easy to think that this would help people’s mental health by giving them a sense of purpose and distraction. But for those prone to perfectionism, this information can fuel feelings of insecurity and self-doubt. Striving to measure up to the examples on social media can take a further <a href="https://guilfordjournals.com/doi/abs/10.1521/jscp.2018.37.7.514">toll on mental health</a> when projects fail because you don’t have the resources needed. Perfectionism can make you more vulnerable <a href="https://www.springer.com/gb/book/9783319185811">to poor wellbeing</a> during lockdown. Unrealistic standards and self-criticism Perfectionism isn’t simply about <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1745691618797940">striving to do your best</a>. Instead it involves a tendency to have frequent thoughts about achieving ideal standards coupled with relentless striving to reach goals that are unrealistic. Personality science has revealed that perfectionism comes in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2027080">two main forms</a>. One is characterised by overly critical and negative views of your own behaviour, and an excessive preoccupation with other people’s expectations of your performance. These self-critical perfectionists get little satisfaction even when they do bake a lovely loaf of sourdough bread. To them, it will never be as good as the loaf their friend baked. The other form of perfectionism is more similar to the common idea of a perfectionist – someone who strives to meet very high standards. But there’s a catch. Although these striving perfectionists tend to set their own standards and care less about what others think, they too have difficulty savouring successes and tend to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886913002432">take on too much.</a> Chances are that if you are secretly wishing that the lockdown goes on longer so that you can get through your to-do list or achieve all your self-improvement goals, you’re probably this type of perfectionist. Social comparisons It’s natural for people to compare themselves to others to get direction when they experience uncertainty. These <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/social-comparison-theory">social comparisons</a> help us evaluate our performance and motivate self-improvement. But for self-critical perfectionists, checking social media and the news for how others are dealing with lockdown can be a reminder that they are not accomplishing enough, not being the best parent, and falling short of what is expected. This can lead to <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/dont-delay/201004/the-pernicious-perils-perfectionism">worry and repetitive negative thoughts</a> about not being perfect, which can increase <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10608-007-9173-7">risk for depression and distress</a>. Feelings of not being perfect in the eyes of others provide another reason why perfectionists are at <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-39651-011">risk for poor mental health</a> during lockdown. Reaching out for help means admitting you’re not perfect. This is one reason why perfectionists are more prone to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886908001682">social disconnection</a> and loneliness. Health With regular exercise routines disrupted, people are turning to online fitness classes and videos to stay fit during lockdown. You might expect that perfectionism would give an advantage when it comes to staying healthy. But exposure to the “perfect” exercise routine promoted by ultra-fit exercise gurus can trigger feelings of inadequacy. Self-critical perfectionists may respond by simply abandoning any attempt to stay fit. My research has shown that this form of perfectionism is linked to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/per.2098">procrastination</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092656616302173">poorer health</a>. Striving perfectionists, on the other hand, can go <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886910000929?casa_token=BIVlMTNK3yUAAAAA:7-xuaXmqHXRPGPy9xj9dRp22eknr3JvFRgQ6SXbyD9jpV9qemR711tMdzrp-n_lKY1hbVITI0JQ">into exercise overdrive</a> to try to become as ultra-fit as the online instructors, pushing themselves too much and increasing risk for exhaustion and injury. Neither extreme is healthy. Embrace imperfections So how can perfectionists manage their wellbeing during lockdown? Learning to accept personal limitations and imperfections is crucial, but may be easier said than done. Once a perfectionist is reminded that they are not perfect, it is difficult for them to respond with <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15298868.2019.1669695?casa_token=cMuF6hfZGDYAAAAA%3AcJ7PiM7Q9nu2-RHCs7wT9-uo-d0EOFfyNIQal5DKzvBgkaAv5giralYxYmGXZ2pD0VeTUDQ3Gaxi4w">acceptance and compassion</a> towards their shortcomings – self-criticism is the default response. This is why it’s important to limit exposure to social media that promotes perfectionism. Keeping things in perspective can also help. For example, is it really the end of the world if your sourdough starter failed? More importantly, reminding ourselves that we are all imperfect and that we all struggle with failures and shortcomings is essential for practicing self-compassion. Showing ourselves the same kindness and acceptance that we would for a close friend who is struggling during lockdown is one way to <a href="https://self-compassion.org/category/exercises/#exercises">cultivate this self-compassion</a>. Implying that people are lazy or unmotivated if they aren't knocking out masterpieces daily isn't inspiration, it's a form of shaming. If endless distraction cured depression, no rich person or workaholic would ever have killed themselves. Sadness and anxiety aren't weaknesses /1 As she aptly noted, learning to accept our feelings and distress is “a better route back to good mental health than beating ourselves up for not being superhuman”. Embracing our imperfections can help us be more aware of our mental health and feel more connected to others during lockdown. This is an important first step towards reaching out and getting help when we need it. Written by Fuschia Sirois. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-perils-of-perfectionism-during-lockdown-135748">The Conversation.</a>

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Duchesses Meghan and Kate under pressure to “save the Royal Family”

The pressure is mounting on Duchess Kate and Duchess Meghan to “save the Royal Family” according to royal commentator Katie Nicholl. With Her Majesty turning 95 in 18 months – the same age at which her husband Prince Philip stepped back from his public duties – there are rumours circulating that she may use the milestone to hand over her day-to-day control of the monarchy to Charles. Katie has suggested the Queen’s move towards retirement will “force” the Duchess of Sussex, 38, and the Duchess of Cambridge, 37, to work closely with each other. “I think after a festive break, both Kate and Meghan will know that joint ventures to support the Queen are not only part of their duty, but also good for the public image,” said Katie, speaking to Closer magazine. “[Kate] knows the pressure is on her and Meghan to save the royal family, to an extent.” With Prince Andrew being forced to step down from his royal duties, the commentator believed that his charities may be passed on to other members of the family, which could result in the Cambridge’s and Sussex’s to put on a “united front.” “The Queen turns 94 this year and there’s a plan in place to relieve her of her pressures, which is why she’s calling on the four to step up,” explained Katie. “Although the Cambridges and Sussexes have their own charities, I think the Queen’s move towards retirement will force them to work closely with each other.”

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