Hastings shopping centre - a snapshot of the way the world SHOULD work.

Mum and dad moved (finally!) from their house Dromana to a retirement community in Hastings in early 2012. They agreed very soon after the move that they should have done it about 5 years earlier - but better late than never.

There's no doubt that they couldn't have lived in the old house had they both been as ill as they became, so the move was timely. Mum is there on her own now and I can visit a couple of times a week, comfortable in the knowledge that she has a secure and safe home, surrounded by caring - but not interfering - neighbours. My cousin Elaine lives 10 minutes away - an extra safety-net.

Hasting could well be described as "God's Waiting Room". Go for a walk any weekday through the shopping centre and you won;t have to look our for Hoons On Skateboards - it's Seniors On Scooters you'll see weaving in and out of the pedestrians on Main Street.

Every shop or business we visit recognises this demographic bias in the area and makes sure that they are alert and empathetic to their customer base.

Cafe staff hold the door when they see mum coming (she's an a 4 wheel walker, not an electric scooter) and make sure they find her a table where she has access. They escort her through the back doorway to the WC and make sure she's OK getting back inside on her own.

Banks staff, post office personnel, the wonderful staff at the local pharmacy - all of them go out of their way to help the aging members of the local community. The average age of those in Mum's doctor's waiting room would be 70+ - and that's allowing for kids with their parents all bringing the mean average down.

It stands out to me because I see the opposite when I go to busy shopping areas, whether it be Chadstone or Prahran or the Melbourne CBD. That's why I think Hastings is, sadly, the exception and other locations, where older people receive little or no special consideration are the norm.

So hats off to Hastings!

Back (again!)

Over a year ago, back on May 2013, my last post was an "I'm back" post, recounting how 2012 and early 2013 had gone very pear-shaped for me. I then went on to post a 'Thank God for the Salvos' message.

Then the tap turned off.

From late May, Dad got very sick very quickly and passed away in August. Johnny and I accelerated our plans to move to Melbourne (back to Melbourne for me) and I left me job with Fairfax, after 34 years in the industry.

We moved in early October 2013 and Johnny found work within 2 weeks of beginning his search (after we had a short break after the move, etc).

I set up Trevor Weeding Media sales, got me an ABN and set about building my own business.

Then mum had a fall and was in hospital for 2 weeks, then rehab from November until early February. Each round trip to her home (for clean clothing, mail, check security etc) and the rehab was nearly 200klm and it was happening up to 4 days a week.  So, the business took a back-seat and that's where it's stayed, pretty much.

What's GOOD about all of this, you ask??

In the past 14 months I've had to cope with:

• the illness and death of my dad
• the stress of an interstate move
• the uncertainty of leaving a GREAT job and having no secure income at all (my total earning for the past 12 months are about 1/5th of my old salary)
• dragging my partner away from his job and family in Sydney (Thankfully, he LOVES Melbourne. Phew!)
• had to dip into my retirement savings to get by finacially
• my mum getting sicker and having a serious health issue and recovery - 

all of this plus the usual day-to-day issues everyone gets in their lives..................... and my blood pressure has come down and my medication has been reduced.

Go figure!  Just goes to shows that even a job I loved was clearly not doing my health much good, huh?

So - Post #1 for the renewed "Stuff that's good in the world" ends with the story of my hypertension:)