Radio Cota

Music has been called the “Language of Love” as well as the “International Language”. In addition to that, music has been proven over time to have remarkable healing qualities, particularly for older people and for people living with dementia. Our special guest this week is Sally Cooper. Sally is a qualified Music Therapy practitioner with a Masters in Musical Therapy along with other related qualifications. Sally has been working for some time with our older folk around a number of Brisbane’s Aged Care Facilities, and firmly believes that music has a powerful effect on the people she works with, helping them to recall times, places and people that would have seemed to have been all but forgotten. Additionally, Sally is a professional musician and entertainer and has enjoyed success as a performer both in Australia and overseas. We’ll even be playing some of Sally’s original song, “Love Will Rise” during the podcast. We have an update on Queensland Seniors Week, exciting news about our new Radio COTA Feedb

Chronic Pain is truly one of the most urgent issues our society needs to address, and deal with. When the experts, (as they have), start calling it a phenomena of “epidemic proportions”, it’s a truly concerning reality ! Chronic pain management or treatment differs from person to person, and because pain is subjective, locating and diagnosing the pain relies on patients and healthcare professionals working together to identify the causes and to find ways to relieve the pain. The main goal of treatment of Chronic Pain is to reduce that ongoing pain as much as possible, and improve function in order for the person to be able to lead a happy and fulfilling life. This week, we look at what steps we can take so that we can look our Chronic Pain square in the eye and say, “ I’m not going to take this from you anymore. From now on, I’m in charge here !” If you are one of the 1 in 5, or 1 in 3 people over the age of 65 living with Chronic Pain, remember … You are NOT alone ... You are NEVER alone ! So, make y

This Episode, entitled “You Are Not Alone”, examines the prevalence, and life changing effects that Chronic Pain has on so many of us in our 21st century society, and focuses on the ways assistance and support can be easily found for those who suffer with this debilitating disorder. Chronic Pain is truly one of the biggest and most urgent issues we need to deal with. When the experts, (as they have), start calling it a phenomena of “epidemic proportions”, it’s the plain truth … expressing a truly concerning reality ! Broadening awareness of the many faces of Chronic Pain and having that conversation at every level possible is paramount to creating educated and meaningful understanding of the disease in its many forms, and in finding appropriate and timely interventions that can help to ease the suffering. On this week’s show, we welcome our Special Guest, Elizabeth Carrigan, the CEO of the Australian Pain Management Association. Elizabeth, a person who has herself a long-time lived experience with Chron

We begin a new series that explores the dramatic increase in the prevalence of Chronic Pain, and specifically how it affects the lives of as many as 1 in 3 people over the age of 65. In this week’s show, we explore some of the lesser known facts and statistics in “CHRONIC PAIN – (Part 1) THE PAINFUL TRUTH.” It’s very hard to apply a specific description to Chronic Pain as it affects people in a myriad of different ways, and can be diagnosed as a number of diseases, conditions and syndromes. Chronic pain is often defined as any pain lasting more than 12 weeks. It can have a variety of causes, ranging from an initial injury or an ongoing illness, but there may also be no clear cause. Because of this, chronic pain can be very hard to treat and can have negative impacts on a person’s lifestyle. A simpler definition for chronic or persistent pain is pain that continues when it should not. If pain has lasted beyond the time expected for healing following surgery, trauma or other condition, usually three months,

This week, Radio COTA Podcast Episode # 90 continues with Part 2 of our Feature on “INTERGENERATIONAL CARE ~ A WIN / WIN SITUATION” We look at the benefits of increased social inclusion, providing mechanisms for strengthening the connections for people who may have become, for whatever reason, isolated from their communities to some degree. Our special guest this week is Dr Lyn Phillipson from the University of Wollongong who has a strong background in researching Dementia and the implementation of Dementia Friendly Communities. Dr Phillipson shares her knowledge, experience and enthusiasm with connecting older people with youngsters through intergenerational playgroup programs, and explains why it’s really a WIN WIN WIN WIN situation for everyone with an involvement in these programs ! So, make yourself a cuppa, put your feet up, and enjoy all that Radio COTA brings to you .. Please send us your feedback and suggestions, we'd love to hear from you ... Email us at ... radiocota@cotaqld.org.au Your hos

Whilst not necessarily a new thing, the concept of bringing older people together with the very young under the one roof to share their time, experiences and stories, could well revolutionise how we look after our most vulnerable. Clearly, there are many very real benefits for both the young and the old within this model of care and learning, and research into this care model has particularly shown profound benefits for those living with dementia through this kind of social interaction. In Part 1 this week, we chat with special guest, Dr Xanthe Golenko about the great work being done within the Griffith University Gold Coast Campus around their Intergenerational Care Project. We hear about the findings of the research, the two main models of delivery, and the perceived benefits from psychological, health and economic aspects. So, make yourself a cuppa, put your feet up, and enjoy all that Radio COTA brings to you .. Please send us your feedback and suggestions, we'd love to hear from you ... Email us at

For many of us, taking the decision to give up working altogether and go head long into retirement is similar to ending a long and valued relationship. Saying goodbye to something that’s been a major part of our lives for the greater part of our lives is a truly momentous and life-changing decision and commitment. For some, it’s a commitment that we might not be quite ready to make. It’s a decision that each individual only can make. There’s no right or wrong decision, just what is right for you, taking into account your own unique circumstances, needs and desires. We look at what it’s like for an older person re-joining the ranks of “job-seeker”, how one can best approach it, and the things we need to consider when moving forward in the search for employment. So, make yourself a cuppa, put your feet up, and enjoy all that Radio COTA brings to you .. Please send us your feedback and suggestions, we'd love to hear from you ... Email us at ... radiocota@cotaqld.org.au Your host, Andy Neil

In this, Radio COTA Podcast Episode # 87, we visit the concept of ‘Phased Retirement’. We continue to explore the reality that planning for retirement doesn’t have to be a painful and scary experience and for many, the idea of ‘easing into it’ is both appealing and logical. For many as they approach retirement, continuing to do some kind of work past retirement age can be either a financial necessity or, for an ever-increasing group of people, a choice based on their desire to continue being constructive in a working sense. It might be because they feel they still have experience and skills to offer an employer and really ENJOY their work, or it could be because they just love the social experience of working in a team and they’re not quite ready to give that all away. We’re joined by our Guest, David Kennedy, author of the book, “End of the Retirement Age: Embracing the Pursuit of Meaning, Purpose and Prosperity”, who is also one of a growing number of Professional Retirement Coaches. So, make yourself a

Welcome back everyone to our very first Radio COTA Podcast for 2018, we’ve called it, “Resolving The New Year”. Every time a New Year rolls around, many of us think about making a New Years’ Resolution or two, (or more). We usually dust off the same old standards that we wheel out every year, vowing to do the things we should be doing, promising to stop doing the things we shouldn’t be doing .. you know how it goes .. But for many, the New Year prompts us to think about Retirement. After all, it’s another year closer for those of us yet to transition into this important life-stage, and another year further into it for those of us who already have. In this weeks’ Radio COTA episode, we have a good hard look at what we need to be doing in preparation for what can be, quite frankly, more than a third of our lives ! We examine some of the practical and financial implications of retirement in all areas of our life, from being able to happily age in place, to affording that holiday we’ve always wanted, plus a wh

We conclude our Vision and Eye-Health Feature, “THE EYES HAVE IT” as we chat with Karen Knight, the Queensland General Manager of Vision Australia, about the wonderful services offered by VA for the vision impaired in our community. We look into the sad reality that, for many older Queenslanders, this time of year can be a lonely experience, and how organisations like the Red Cross reach out to people in this situation. The truth is we can ALL help to make a difference by giving some of our time to reach out to relatives, neighbours and even complete strangers, bringing some joy and ‘belonging’ to those in our community who might be lonely, socially isolated or unwell. We chat with COTA Queensland’s Lisa Hodgekinson about Emergency Respite during the holiday period, and also discuss how a small change in your shopping habits can help those in need ! It’s been fantastic having the pleasure of your company throughout this year, Thank You for your support and encouragement ! … Radio COTA will be back with ou

A gradual deterioration in our vision s just one of the many changes that can creep up on us as we age. We might find ourselves holding the book further away for the words to focus nicely for us, or we may start saying with more frequency, “Honey, have you seen my glasses?” The World Health Organisation estimates that there are approximately 285 million people worldwide with some level of vision impairment. It’s common for vision problems and eye disease to go largely unnoticed as we all are aware that changes in our vision are a natural part of the ageing process. Because it usually comes on gradually, it’s often not until we start feeling discomfort or it becomes a nuisance that we finally do something about it. We look into the issue of eye and vision health, and have a chat with Vickie Anderson, Orientation & Mobility Specialist and Team Leader for Guide Dogs Queensland … We also find out what the Queensland Governments Spectacle Supply Scheme has to offer to older Queenslanders … All this plus thi

Recently released research revealed that three quarters of Australians aged over 50 feel at least 10 years younger than their actual age ! Renowned Health & Ageing Expert, Professor John McCallum, joins us to share the research findings. The results show that Australia needs to have a bit of a rethink, and should consider redefining “middle-age” up to age 75. Governments and the broader community also need to give older people permission to feel and behave younger, rather than being ageist and seeing older Australians as a cost burden. A persons perception of their own age plays a huge part in their overall wellbeing. Older people benefit from having a sense of real purpose as this helps them to feel younger It’s great to be able to share all this with you, plus the added bonus of having the lovely Ange Jarrett re-join us for a one-off News Read this week ! So, make yourself a cuppa, put your feet up, and enjoy all that Radio COTA brings to you .. Please send us your feedback and suggestions, we'd love

On Radio COTA this week, we focus on the issues surrounding Oral Health in Seniors, particularly those living in Aged Care facilities. Welcome to the Radio COTA Podcast “Smiling for Life” Special ! Associate Professor Doctor Janet Wallace from the University of Newcastle drops by to chat with us about “SENIOR SMILES”, a program led by Dr Wallace that is working toward the ultimate goal of placing Specialist Oral Health Practitioners in EVERY residential Aged Care facility in Australia. These practitioners will provide oral health risk assessments, oral health care plans, oral health education, and develop referral pathways for residents who required more complex dental care. The SENIOR SMILES” research and subsequent pilot programs are already achieving great things, and are forever changing the paradigm of oral health care in this environment. All this, plus our regular news updates … So, make yourself a cuppa, put your feet up, and enjoy all that Radio COTA brings to you .. Please send us your fe

This week, Radio COTA continues with Part 2 of our series focusing on “Homelessness and Older Queenslanders” We continue our interview with the CEO of Mission Australia, Catherine Yeomans, talking about the changes that need to be made, and the ways we can go about addressing the effects and consequences of homelessness on older people. Catherine shares with us recommendations about finding affordable and suitable housing, looking at the financial pressures on older people and finding ways to help them gain financial stability. She also notes that our population is ageing, and that we are already facing housing pressure. If we don’t address the social infrastructure investment that’s required now, then we are going to see more and more older people at risk of homelessness in the future. We need to find ways of helping older people to age in place where they already have their social connections, as this can really affect their outlook on life, and feelings of social inclusion. All this, plus our regular

In this week’s episode, Radio COTA kicks off Part 1 of our series focusing on “Homelessness and Older Queenslanders” Homelessness is a very sad consequence of what can happen when the housing needs of older people are not being met as they should be. It’s a very real and tragic issue for older folk who, for whatever reason, find themselves in the situation of being homeless. We delve deep into the facts, and some of the fallacies, of senior homelessness as we are joined in conversation by our very special guest, the CEO of Mission Australia, Catherine Yeomans. All this, plus our regular news updates … So, make yourself a cuppa, put your feet up, and enjoy all that Radio COTA brings to you .. Please send us your feedback and suggestions, we'd love to hear from you ... Email us at ... radiocota@cotaqld.org.au Enjoy the show ! Your host, Andy

This week, Radio COTA continues with Part 2 of our Featured Special, AGEISM UNMASKED. We're once again thrilled to be joined by our special guest, Emeritus Professor Rhonda Nay from LaTrobe University. Professor Nay shares further with us her views on how ageism is a societal issue, the language and terminology used when referring to older people, how neither age nor illness/disability defines WHO we are, how older people need to be allowed to take risks, how we need to value our older folk more and a whole lot more. If you're concerned, as we all should be, about the prevalence of ageism, be sure to catch both this weeks’ (and last weeks’) not-to-be-missed AGEISM UNMASKED episodes on Radio COTA ! All this, plus our regular news updates … So, make yourself a cuppa, put your feet up, and enjoy all that Radio COTA brings to you .. Please send us your feedback and suggestions, we'd love to hear from you ... Email us at ... radiocota@cotaqld.org.au Enjoy the show ! Your host, Andy

This week, Radio COTA kicks off Part 1 of a topic that's very close to the hearts of ALL Seniors, that is AGEISM. We're honoured to be joined by our special guest, Emeritus Professor Rhonda Nay from LaTrobe University who states emphatically that society fails to TRULY embrace it's Seniors. Professor Nay shares with us her views on what ageism is, how she became so focused on this issue, the responsibilities of Governments and indeed ALL of us to reduce the incidence of ageism, and a whole lot more. If you're concerned, (as we all are), about the prevalence of ageism, be sure to tune into Radio COTA over the next two weeks for these not-to-be missed Special Episodes ! All this, plus our regular news updates … So, make yourself a cuppa, put your feet up, and enjoy all that Radio COTA brings to you .. Please send us your feedback and suggestions, we'd love to hear from you ... Email us at ... radiocota@cotaqld.org.au Enjoy the show ! Your host, Andy Neil

This week on Radio COTA Podcast # 77, we bring you Part 3 and the final instalment of our “The Funny Side of Growing Older” special feature .. Continuing with our aim to bring you only the best interviews, this week we’re absolutely delighted to be chatting at length with the Aussie TV, Radio, and Comedy Icon, BRIAN NANKERVIS He originally forced his way into our homes (and hearts) as the hilarious beat-poet Raymond J Bartholomuez on Hey Hey it’s Saturday’s, Red Faces … Over the years he’s appeared on multiple comedy shows both as a featured performer and also as the “warm-up audience-wrangler” of choice … Most recently, he’s best known as the creative genius, producer, and co-host (along with Julie Zemaro) of Australia’s favourite music quiz show … RockWiz All this, plus our regular news updates … So, make yourself a cuppa, put your feet up, and enjoy all that Radio COTA brings to you .. Please send us your feedback and suggestions, we'd love to hear from you ... Email us at ... radiocota@cotaqld.org.a

This week on Radio COTA Podcast # 76, we continue the laughs as we further investigate “The Funny Side of Growing Older” with Part Two of this special feature .. Double whammy in value this week, as we conclude our interview with our Super Special Guest and the Queen of Aussie Comedy the wonderful Jean Kittson ! Our news section is devoted to information regarding Queensland Grandparents Day, which is coming up on October the 29th, 2017 So, make yourself a cuppa, put your feet up, and enjoy all that Radio COTA brings to you .. Please send us your feedback and suggestions, we'd love to hear from you ... Email us at ... radiocota@cotaqld.org.au Enjoy the show ! Your host, Andy Neil

This week on Radio COTA Podcast # 75, we let our hair down, lighten up a little and investigate “The Funny Side of Growing Older” with Part One of this special feature .. We share with you a bunch of funny stories, and welcome to the Radio COTA microphone not one, but two very special Guests .. Radio COTA’s # 1 Fan and Loyal listener, Arthur O’Reilly, shares with us his humorous thoughts on Ageing …and our Super Special Guest is none other than Australian Comedy Icon, the wonderful Jean Kittson ! Jean offers her observations on not only her own ageing experiences, but those of her parents as well, and all in that so very distinctive and hilarious style that is what has made her the darling of the Oz Comedy Scene for such a long time ! So, make yourself a cuppa, put your feet up, and enjoy all that Radio COTA brings to you .. Please send us your feedback and suggestions, we'd love to hear from you ... Email us at ... radiocota@cotaqld.org.au Enjoy the show ! Your host, Andy Neil