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We have two big issues to discuss this month- ‘Golden Gurus’ and Dental Care for Boomers.

The Federal Government will launch their new program for retirees and semi-retires on Friday 4 at Sheraton Mirage at Southport on the Gold Coast.

Senator Stephens will announce that the ‘Golden Gurus’ program is underway in 2010 at the Gold Coast Volunteers Award function. The program will support volunteers to return to the community as mentors.

This is a great idea as the worst thing that can happen to you is have nothing worthwhile to do in retirement. You will be able to work with similar minded people and mentor the young or support the community. More details on our blog site if you want links.

Second issue is the need to provide funds for your Dental Care. I have recently lost a tooth with has left a major gap in my smile. It will cost me around $5000 to have it replaced properly or a few thousand less for substitutes of some nature.

A colleague at work had a poisoned tooth for 12 months which affected his general health enormously and once his face swelled then it was finally diagnosed as a rotten tooth. He lost five teeth in the subsequent operation and has an enormous bill to replace them.

This is not a ‘share your pain’ or ‘show me your operation scars’ session but I wish to highlight the need to plan for Dental Care in your retirement.

We all plan for travel, living, hobbies etc but few think about health.

My local GP told me it is a huge concern for him as many over 50s are coming to see him and have teeth problems that are causing ill-health.

He can send some to the Federal Government funded dental program for those whose lives are at risk due to bad teeth (talk to your GP about that one) but the rest have to go to their local dentist. That will cost you a lot of money.

Please add Dental Care to your financial retirement plan as five million Boomers will put a lot of strain on our dentists if you can afford it but there will be little assistance for the millions who can not afford it.

Keep going for regular check-ups and consider crowns as a long term plan for keeping your teeth as they will wear out. Crowns protect what’s left my dentist tells me so maybe one per year while you are still working.

Life churns on so make it a BONZA one!

NOTE:
BONZA advocates for:

1. Mature Age Leave for over 50s so they can have some quality time out from their workplace and freshen up doing interest things.
2. Over 50s need a separate government office, Maturelink, to highlight the importance of Mature Age looking to Move Forward in life not plan for retirement only in our older years. This is even more essential now we have to work to 67.
3. A need for incentives from government for families to build granny flats for the aged care of family members at home. A family approach to an Ageing Australia in line with European and Asian cultures.
4. A need for Community Health Clinics that the aged can attend and not clog the hospital system just as we had some priority at birth due to our numbers.
5. A strong community based program for aged to take an interest in the local community through supporting schools, group exercising, supporting welfare groups and strong social clubs for the aged.
6. Government incentives to allow us to retain/build assets so that we can support ourselves more as we age.
7. Developments of the Uni of the Third Age so that minds are kept active through study and research.
8. Break Centrelink up into a smaller office. Aged Pension to Retirement Offices, Familes to Medicare (completely), Disabled to revamped CRS offices, Youth to Youthlink (could be in Centrelink with Maturelink so mentor roles are easier) and Newstart to Job Network who could also pay them when there is compliance with job seeking.
9. Skills for the Bush project. A database of jobs available in Regional Australia set up through Local Govt so that over 50s can work their way around Australia. This would fit in well with the Mature Age Leave concept.
10. A Mature Age Policy for every workplace so employers can offer loyal staff some incentive to keep going. They will need their skills as the skill shortage approaches.
11. A referendum to decide whether euthanasia should be part of Australian life.

Lots to do folks so let’s get on with it and have a BONZA LIFE!
Brian Murphy
Editor

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