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Readers Respond: What was normal when you were a kid, but you never see anymore?

We all love reminiscing about our past, and many of us have similar experiences growing up. Most of our readers shared the same sentiment: their love for being able to play outside without a care. Take a trip down memory lane through looking back on your shared childhood experiences, that you believe kids nowadays don’t do. Claude Courtier - Children playing from dawn to dusk in the street unsupervised. Sheila Eddy- Children having fun outside all day, came home to eat and out again. Alan Smith- Picking mushrooms from paddocks. Sheree Tayler - Going to the local deli with your 50c and choosing the lollies you want to fill up a paper lolly bag. The lollies would all be displayed in a glass cabinet and they were either 1c, 2c or 5c. Then you’d ride off happily on your Indi 500 bike with your friends to your local park to eat them. Eric Pasquill- Playing outside, making mud pies, sailing leaves and sticks down the gutters after rain Dora Chisari- Playing outside with kids that lived close by. Jill Smith- Kids out on their own exploring the world and making their own fun!! No parents and no money needed!! And we learnt self reliance! Kristine Di Cerchio - Playing for hours outside with kids until so exhausted, sweat mixed with dust dripped off our cheeks. Feeling earth and grass under bare feet as we ran through the summer of our lives. Joy Boots- Running around barefoot, a homemade swing tied to tree branches in the back yard, the toilet being way up at the back fence (not in the house), cooling down in summer with the hose tied to the clothes line. If you have any other childhood experiences that you think we missed, share them <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oversixtyNZ/posts/pfbid0ctXEt75bZEtU9zVLvkwqM1xoMqMbygYZ4BvAtyG4DYeyB1A15fGvwcUiqhznTGzJl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Image: Getty

Retirement Life

"He can't eat anymore": Rolf Harris gravely ill

Disgraced entertainer Rolf Harris is reportedly battling neck cancer and unable to eat or talk, as friends say he has declined since his release from prison. The 92-year-old, who was convicted on 12 counts of indecent assault against teenage girls, is being fed by a tube and lives with his wife of 64 years, Alwen Hughes, who has Alzheimer’s Disease. The couple are said to rarely leave their home in the village of Bray in Berkshire, about 50km outside of London. Neighbour Portia Wooderson told the Daily Telegraph: "Only carers and nurses, who care for him 24 hours, come and go. I'm told he can't eat anymore." William Merritt, a private investigator and author, told the Daily Mail that Harris was “gravely sick”. "[He's] battling a cancer of the neck, and gargles when he talks. It's difficult to understand him, but he is still the entertainer,” Mr Merritt said. "As soon as one of two people walk into the room, he turns into a big kid again. He's an artistic type, and he'll try to perform on cue, even when he's unwell." Harris was imprisoned in 2014 for five years and nine months but was released in 2017 on licence. Though he hasn’t spoken publicly since his release, the entertainer shared a statement in Rolf Harris: The Defence Team's Special Investigator Reveals the Truth Behind the Trials, a book recently released by Mr Merritt. "I understand we live in the post truth era and know few will want to know what really happened during the three criminal trials I faced – it's easier to condemn me and liken me to people like [Jimmy] Saville and [Gary] Glitter,” his statement read. "I was convicted of offences I did not commit in my first trial. That is not just my view but the view of the Court of Appeal who overturned one of my convictions. I had already served the prison sentence by the time of the appeal. "I changed my legal team after the first trial, and I was told that if the truth was out there, William [Merritt] would find it and he did. The evidence he found proved my innocence to two subsequent juries. "I'd be in prison serving a sentence for crimes I did not commit if it were not for William's investigation. It is difficult to put into words the injustice that I feel." Of the 12 convictions, one has since been overturned, though he was stripped of many of his honours in the wake of the charges, including his Order of Australia and British CBE. Image: Getty Images

News

9 warning signs your elderly parent shouldn’t be living alone anymore

Keep an eye out for these issues Ageing can be difficult, but it’s particularly challenging when the person who is ageing is a parent. Over time, life-long relationships can be upended and the parent – who has presumably spent a lifetime caring for a child – becomes the one who needs help. However, crossing that boundary is tricky and exposes all kinds of feelings and emotions for both the parent and adult child. Older people may want to stay in their home and maintain their independence, and that’s completely understandable. An adult child may not want to fight with a parent who’s determined to live on their own. But there may come a time when a living arrangement needs to change for a parent’s safety and welfare. Role reversal is difficult to navigate and it might be a challenge to know exactly when and how much help an elderly parent needs. Keep an eye out for these warning signs that an older parent or relative probably shouldn’t be living alone anymore. They’ve suddenly lost weight If you notice your parent is looking thinner than usual, it may be a sign that they’re not eating well, which could be a sign of the beginning of a cognitive illness. Lisa Gwyther, director of Duke University’s Family Support Program, explains that people suffering from memory impairment, such as Alzheimer’s disease, often either forget to eat certain meals or forget how to properly manage and cook their food, causing them to lose weight. If this is the case, you might want to discuss the possibility of having a home aide to make sure they receive adequate nutrition each day. You may also consider moving your loved one into your home, if that’s possible, or to an assisted living facility. Their home is stacked with unopened mail Towering heaps of unopened mail can be another clear indication of growing cognitive impairment. Gwyther says to keep a close eye out for unopened envelopes from creditors or charities your parents wouldn’t normally donate to. This can be a red flag that they’ve lost control of their judgement when it comes to smart spending, which can drive them into debt rapidly if it goes unnoticed. They’re ignoring their personal hygiene For someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s, remembering all of the cognitive steps involved with taking a shower every day can be challenging. It may be difficult for them to understand why they need to take a shower and how to do it, leaving them with an unhealthy hygiene routine. “‘You can tell them that it looks like they need a shower, but they just don’t see it,” Gwyther says. They get lost when going to familiar places Common destinations like the supermarket, the bank, or their place of worship should be familiar and easy to remember for your parent. If you find they can no longer find their way to these destinations, it’s a big red flag that something is wrong. Gwyther explains that if you can no longer trust your loved one’s ability to navigate their own town, it might be time to discuss moving or having live-in help for safety’s sake. You notice changes in their home A cluttered house isn’t necessarily a bad sign if your parent was always a bit messy, explains Peter Lichtenberg, PhD, director of the Institute of Gerontology and Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute. However, if they suddenly begin letting order slide after a lifetime of cleanliness, it might be a sign of an underlying cognitive issue. Additionally, watch out for items showing up in strange places around the home, like a litre of milk in the dishwasher instead of the refrigerator. According to Dr Lichtenberg, changes like these are often some of the clearest signs of dementia, and they could be a clue that your loved one is no longer in a position where it’s safe for them to be home alone. Their Internet habits have shifted For those with Internet-savvy parents, be on the lookout for any strange or unusual new online habits, as this could signal dementia or another similar illness. “People who are cognitively declining are at a real risk of ordering things they don’t need, taking on debt, and facing identity theft,” Gwyther says. “Even if they had been on the Internet and had been perfectly fine before, families need to be looking out for that.” You should also take a look at their Facebook or other social media accounts from time to time to make sure they aren’t accidentally befriending people who could be potentially dangerous. Gwyther explains that this is a common issue for people with cognitive disorders, as it’s hard for them to tell who’s a friend and who’s a foe. They’re always exhausted Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other chronic conditions can disrupt circadian rhythms, keeping your loved one up all night and drowsy all day. As Gwyther explains, sleep is absolutely vital for both cognitive and physical functioning, and missing out on much-needed z’s can make a person’s condition even more serious. (Or a health condition could be the reason they aren’t sleeping.) If it seems like your parent’s lack of sleep is putting a significant crimp in their wellbeing, you may consider more supervision or help. Your parent may also benefit from seeing a geriatric psychiatrist who can help manage sleep issues. They have a strange collection of new medications If your parent’s medicine cabinet is suddenly filled with unusual or possibly unnecessary medications, a cognitive impairment could be the explanation. Gwyther explains that many patients with diseases like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease often accidentally misuse over-the-counter medications, as they’re trying to treat something that isn’t really the problem. She also says to make sure your parent is taking the medications they do need, and that they’re taking them at the appropriate times. If month-old bottles of their daily medication are sitting around completely full, it might be because they no longer can remember to take them. They’re defensive With a disease like dementia, people can become combative or suspicious of those around them – including family – as they can’t distinguish who’s trying to help and who’s trying to hurt them. If they are acting aggressively or appear to be collecting weapons in the house, flag it as a sign that they should no longer be living alone. How do you start the conversation? Bringing up the possibility of having a home aide or moving your parent into a nursing home or assisted living facility can be difficult. Dr Lichtenberg says to approach the topic delicately by asking your parent how they’re feeling and what their goals are, and asking whether or not they’ve noticed any changes in their behaviour. From there, you can introduce the idea of getting help, explaining that it’s a smart first step to achieving those goals. People with declining cognition often can’t understand that something is wrong, so it’s important to take it slow and account for their perspective. Written by Abbey Schubert. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/true-stories-lifestyle/relationships/9-warning-signs-your-elderly-parent-shouldnt-be-living-alone-anymore" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> Image: Getty Images

Caring

12 things you won’t see in hotels anymore

Travel and tourism were among the sectors hardest hit by the stay-at-home measures put in place in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 across the globe. By some estimates, the industry worldwide is projected to lose $1.2 trillion. With some countries and states relaxing guidelines about which businesses can open, hotels are looking forward to welcoming guests once again, though your next stay may look a bit different than the last time you checked in. “We are living in a new age, with COVID-19 front and centre for our guests and our associates,” Arne Sorenson, president and CEO of Marriott International, the parent company of Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, W Hotels, Sheraton, and more, said in a press release. Front desk check-ins The more people you come into contact with, the greater the potential for exchanging germs, so you can expect to see fewer points of contact in hotels. That includes the traditional check-ins at a front desk with a living and breathing hotel employee, where you’re handed a map of the property and other promotional materials. In its place, more and more hotels will be promoting mobile check-ins via smartphones. Mobile check-ins are already available at 3200 Marriott hotels around the world, as well as at select IHG and Hyatt properties. You can expect to see that number climb in the near future. If and when you do a check-in at the front desk, there may be a partition between you and the hotel representative, similar to the ones at banks. Key cards You won’t just be checking in with your phone – you’ll be able to use it as your key to open your door. These ‘smart keys’ are already in place at some Disney resorts, Marriotts, IHG hotels, and Hyatt properties via their respective apps. Sold out hotels Like restaurants in the post-coronavirus age, hotels will be limiting their capacity for quite some time. The Eden Roc at cap Cana in the Dominican Republic, for example, now caps off its guest occupancy rate at 30 per cent. Bulk-size shampoo and conditioner Once you get into your room, you may notice it looks a little different, too, like items that would normally be used by a guest who stays in the room after you will now be removed or replaced. For one, those bulk-size shampoos and conditioners that many hotels swapped over to in an effort to be eco-friendly may be phased out. In its place, you may see those mini shampoo bottles, an amenity that was slowly disappearing from hotels, make a resurgence. In-room coffee machines and minibars As hotels aim to reduce the number of ‘high-touch points,’ aka items that guests frequently touch, in-room coffee machines and minibars are likely to be removed from rooms, reports The Points Guy. Besides, minibars were already on their way out. Complimentary lobby coffee More bad news for those who need to be perked up before they wake up: that early morning complimentary self-serve coffee station in the lobby will likely no longer be commonplace. It creates an opportunity for too much touching of the same items by different people – the lever on the dispenser as you fill your cup and the handle of the carafe as you pour in the milk, to name a few. The same goes for coolers of water or lemonade where you fill your own cups. Free happy hours Kimpton Hotels, in particular, are famous for their nightly happy hours, where guests are encouraged to enjoy a free glass of wine or a cocktail and mingle in the lounge. In the age of social distancing, this type of congregating in hotels’ public spaces won’t be encouraged. Buffets Buffets with shared utensils guests use to self-serve are questionably clean on the best of days; now with COVID-19, they are verboten. What you may see instead is a masked and gloved server standing behind the buffet waiting to serve you those scrambled eggs and cut-up fruit. Crowded pools The good news is, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there’s no evidence COVID-19 can be spread to others in a pool that is properly maintained. The area around it is another story, which is why hotels may be limiting access to its pools or, as The Palms Turks and Caicos is doing, reducing the number of lounge chairs at its pools and spreading out umbrellas and chairs more on the beach. “I anticipate an increased desire in our pool cabanas, which offer privacy for families or small groups and will keep them guarded from others,” Karen Whitt, vice president of marketing for The Palms, tells Reader’s Digest. Paper bills at checkout As hotels aim to reduce interaction between employees and guests, you’ll likely be encouraged to self-checkout online or via the hotel’s app. And that means no more paper bills at checkout for you to review, though copies will be available online and via email. Will see: hospital-grade disinfectants While you won’t see the above items, you will see a few new things, including increased cleaning measures. Marriott, for one, reports, ‘In public spaces, the company has added to its already rigorous cleaning protocols, requiring that surfaces are thoroughly treated with hospital-grade disinfectants and that this cleaning is done with increased frequency.’ Those same hospital-grade disinfectants will be used to clean inside guest rooms, as well. Hyatt is working with the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) on an accreditation process to ensure its properties are clean and safe. Will see: high-tech cleaning measures You can expect to see more germ-zapping robots, like the one at The Westin Houston Medical Center, the first and only hotel in the US that currently has the technology, according to The Points Guy. The robots zap germs via UV light technology. Marriott is also experimenting with electrostatic spraying technology to rapidly clean guest rooms, lobbies, fitness centres, and more with CDC-recommended disinfectants. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/culture/12-things-you-wont-see-in-hotels-anymore?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Domestic Travel

Encanto, TikTok and the art of social storytelling: why music is not just for listening anymore

We need to talk about Bruno. The theme song from Disney’s hit movie Encanto (We don’t talk about Bruno) has become the <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/we-dont-talk-about-bruno-encanto-number-one-hot-100-second-week-1235028035/">first song from an animated movie to top the US charts for multiple weeks</a>. How did this come about? The answer is, once again, TikTok. The short-video platform is <a href="https://mashable.com/article/encanto-bruno-tiktok-trend">again behind the creation of a hit song</a>. TikTok is changing the music industry, how hits are made and how the platform opens a new way to discover new artists and new music. At the heart of the phenomenon are viral challenges or trends, in which creators use short clips from a song that are re-used by thousands or millions of other users in their videos. While TikTok videos do not count towards the Billboard charts, activity on the platform directly drives music consumption on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. Over <a href="https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/year-on-tiktok-music-report-2021">175 songs that trended on TikTok in 2021 charted on the Billboard Hot 100</a>, twice as many the year before. But how do trends, challenges, and memes make hits? The answer lies in how music has become creative material for social storytelling on TikTok, and how storytelling works when videos are only a few seconds short. <h2>Social storytelling with music</h2> Tom van Laer, associate professor of narratology at The University of Sydney Business School, explains what makes for good storytelling, "For a good story, you need three things. A story has a plot and a character… That’s the minimum for a story. For a good story you need a third thing, which is a dramatic curve." And this is where the music comes into play. When a challenge or trend emerges on TikTok, it always features the same clip from a particular song, which serves as a common story element across all those videos. As van Laer explains, "What you then get is a certain cultural capital or cultural knowledge that is already there. So then every new iteration is just added to that. And if you’re on the inside, if you in the know, then that is still something you could easily follow because you see the one video of 15 seconds only as another event in the bigger story." Because the clip is instantly recognisable by the audience it ties together all the videos that make up a TikTok challenge or trend. It acts as the meta-narrative that allows each creator to contribute their own interpretation of the story. This can take the form of imitations, such as in the <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jamie32bsh/video/7058186727248235782">“Jamie Big” trend</a>, based on a original video that has been viewed more than 200 million times. It shows a man dancing to Nelly Furtado’s Say It Right in front of his bathroom mirror. Thousands of videos have <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@misskimnayoon/video/7069596684229102849">since imitated the original</a>, whereby a creator always films themselves in front of their bathroom mirror, switching to the original video on the beat change of the song. Other trends work by offering different interpretations of the same story line. A good example is the <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@scottyjames31/video/7061168649796717826">“Things that just make sense…” trend</a>, set to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9FMvfvkBro">Che la luna</a>, a version of a classic Sicilian folk song. In this video contributors film themselves showcasing the features of a particular location, each doing the same characteristic hand gestures. An example is Australian Olympian Scott James<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@scottyjames31/video/7061168649796717826"> filming his room</a>at the Olympic village in Beijing. Because the audience always recognises the characteristic song, they are instantly familiar with the story’s plot; they know what to expect and can thus simply enjoy each interpretation of the theme. The music provides the glue that holds together a social story, collectively told across many videos. A challenge or trend is thus a form of social storytelling, with the music acting like shorthand to provide the context for all the videos. We Don’t Talk About Bruno has provided material for a number of different trends, each driving its popularity. And besides the many Encanto fan edits featuring parts of the song, there is a <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@alex.berglund/video/7060618332025900334">particular clip </a>with a catchy hook that underpins a story-line in which creators try to do a task in the first take of the video and after the beat change reveal why the task is so difficult. This features dance moves from the Encanto movie. <h2>Music as creative material</h2> To understand what makes TikTok such a powerful platform for the music industry, we must “unlearn” music as something we just listen to. On digital platforms like TikTok music is rapidly becoming a material for creating, for self-expression, for storytelling. Virality is then a by-product of the use of music as creative material for collective storytelling - one that provides the canvas, or meta-narrative, for each creator’s interpretation of the emerging story-line. With the most popular songs sometimes exceeding <a href="https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/year-on-tiktok-music-report-2021">20 billion views on videos they soundtrack</a>, the scale of the phenomenon gives the platform its <a href="https://theconversation.com/love-it-or-hate-it-tiktok-is-changing-the-music-industry-171482">transformative role for the music industry</a>. Image credits: Disney This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/encanto-tiktok-and-the-art-of-social-storytelling-why-music-is-not-just-for-listening-anymore-178021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

15 countries that existed 100 years ago but don’t anymore

Yugoslavia A hundred years ago, World War I wreaked all kinds of havoc on the borders of Europe. Yugoslavia, a southeastern European country created in 1918 as “the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes” and renamed Yugoslavia a decade later, united many culturally and ethnically diverse territories that were part of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. The new nation included the current states of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Macedonia. But Yugoslavia was headed for more strife in the 20th century: broken up and occupied during World War II, reunited under a communist leader post-war, followed later by fighting during the 1990s. Now that the country is officially no longer, much of the region is experiencing greater peace. Croatia’s coastal city of Dubrovnik doubles for the hit HBO series Game of Thrones’ King’s Landing, making it such a popular tourist destination that it had to limit the number of visitors. Tibet Although we associate Tibet with peaceful Buddhist monks and its spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, this region northwest of India has been fought over for centuries. Tibet was actually its own independent country only from 1912 to 1951, when it was made part of China. Efforts to ‘free Tibet’ are ongoing, and the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Dalai Lama, now retired, still resides in exile in India. The country is also a destination for adventure seekers and mountaineers because it contains the highest point on Earth, the nearly 8849 metre Mount Everest, which lies on the border of Nepal. Neutral Moresnet Never heard of Neutral Moresnet? You’re not the only one. This minuscule country of just over two-and-a-half square kilometres was carved out of an agreement between the Dutch and the Prussians (more on them later) in 1816, so both nations would have access to its zinc mine. Neutral Moresnet had its own flag and even made its own coins. Efforts were made to turn the tiny nation into a utopia with its own artificial ‘world language,’ Esperanto. But it fell victim to World War I, and then became part of Belgium. The present-day residents of the area, however, still celebrate the anniversary of Neutral Moresnet’s creation. Newfoundland You might think of the rugged island of Newfoundland as part of Canada, but that wasn’t always the case. The island off North America’s northeastern coast was also previously a British colony, but its isolation created a culture distinct from the surrounding region. Newfoundland became a self-governing independent nation, although still a British ‘dominion,’ from 1907 until 1934, when it voluntarily chose to go back to being a colony after the Great Depression hit hard. In 1949, Newfoundland became a Canadian province, now known as Newfoundland and Labrador (interestingly, both names of dog breeds as well!). Abyssinia This romantic-sounding name was actually the Arab and European moniker for Ethiopia a hundred years ago. In the ‘Scramble for Africa’ at the end of the 19th century, Italy had tried to snatch it up, but was unable to overthrow its monarchy. In fact, the country was never colonised and was one of the few independent states in Africa – until the Italians under Mussolini were able to briefly occupy it during the late 1930s. After World War II, Ethiopia became one of the founding countries of the United Nations. The country’s rich history also lays claim to the world’s oldest human fossil ever found, and allegedly the biblical Ark of the Covenant (you know, the one in Raiders of the Lost Ark). The surreal landscape of Ethiopia’s lava lake is one of the most remote places on earth. Czechoslovakia This eastern European country was another melding of different ethnic groups created in 1918 at the end of World War I. Part of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, Czechoslovakia was made up of the historical regions Moravia, Slovakia and Bohemia (yes, as in ‘bohemian’). The Nazi occupation of the area helped propel Europe into World War II; after being liberated by the Soviet Union it became an Eastern Bloc nation in the later half of the 20th century. Czechoslovakia eventually peacefully split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993. Ceylon You probably know of this large island south of India as Sri Lanka, but until 1972 it was called Ceylon. That’s the name the Europeans gave to it when the island was colonised centuries earlier. Under British control until 1948, it then became an independent nation and threw off its colonial moniker in 1972, when it became Sri Lanka. After some civil war in the early 21st century, the area is now stable. In 2011, the country decided to change the title of any state institutions still bearing the name Ceylon in an effort to remove any vestiges of colonialism. Basutoland Now called Lesotho since its independence from Britain in 1966, Basutoland was united as a nation in the 19th century under King Moshoeshoe I, who later applied to the British for help in warding off invaders. Only one of three countries in the world to be surrounded completely by another (along with the Vatican and San Marino, both enclaves within Italy), Basutoland was located inside what is today South Africa. Lesotho still has a royal family and is now a constitutional monarchy. Prince Harry, who’s very fond of the country, founded his charity for children in Africa, Sentebale, with Lesotho’s Prince Seeiso. Ottoman Empire Unlike the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, which still encompassed Turkey and some surrounding areas by 1920, survived World War I. But not for long – in 1923, after losing most of its other territories, it became the Turkish Republic. Prior to the Great War, though, the empire ruled for more than 600 years over lands that also included parts of eastern Europe, north Africa and the Middle East. Its influence is still seen today in the culture and architecture of Turkey. For an up-close look, visit Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, which has been wowing shoppers since 1455. Sikkim Have you heard of this tiny mountain region in the Himalayas? Sikkim was a sovereign monarchy from 1642 until it became an Indian protectorate in 1950, and then a state of India in 1975. Also bordering Bhutan, Tibet Autonomous Region of China, and Nepal today, Sikkim is dominated by snow-covered mountains, which the people revere as both a god itself and the home of gods. A footprint of the Yeti, aka the Abominable Snowman, was allegedly found in Sikkim in 1948. Persia The name of Persia conjures up an ancient Middle Eastern kingdom, one of the oldest civilisations in history. Since the height of its power in ancient times, the country was oft fought over but still retained its old moniker all the way until 1935, when it officially became Iran. Today, we mostly think of Persia when speaking of Persian rugs and Persian cats, but its culture is alive and well – unfortunately, continuing unstable international relations (not to mention a certain global pandemic) are keeping Westerners from visiting. Siam Anyone who’s seen the musical The King and I might wonder where on earth the king of Siam (the real-life King Mongkut, who ruled from 1851 to 1868) actually lived. The answer? Present-day Thailand, whose new name was adopted in 1939. Never colonised by Europeans, Siam was an absolute monarchy; after unrest in the 20th century, Thailand is now a constitutional monarchy. Thanks to its hundreds of islands, clear water and gorgeous coastlines, Thailand is a popular tourist destination today. Prussia You read right: not Russia, Prussia. This country, which encompassed land in central and eastern Europe including present-day Germany and Poland, existed in some form all the way until 1947. The kingdom of Prussia enjoyed much success in the 18th century but started to lose territory in the 19th, until the unification of the German empire placed the Prussian king at its head in 1871. Although it’s a little complicated where Prussia ends and Germany begins, the defeat of the empire and the abolishment of the Prussian monarchy after World War I extinguished its influence. But Prussia continued to exist as a German state until the land was divided up and the name formally dismissed after World War II, erasing it from the map forever. Interestingly, though, the descendants of the defunct monarchy continue to carry their titles – Prince Georg Friedrich Ferdinand of Prussia is the current head of the former ruling family. Zanzibar The islands of Zanzibar, an archipelago off Africa’s east coast, sound exotically alluring – the name probably makes you think of spices, explorers and adventure. And for good reason: the area was once an important trading locale, and was established as an independent sultanate in the 19th century. Although it became a British protectorate soon after, the sultan continued to rule until 1964. Having gained full independence the previous year, Zanzibar then merged with mainland Tanganyika to form present-day Tanzania. Today, see the highest point in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro, before heading for the tropical paradise of the islands’ beaches. Sarawak Now a state in Malaysia on the island of Borneo, Sarawak is a land full of natural beauty. Created as a kingdom by the adventurer James Brooke in the 1840s, Sarawak was ruled by his descendants until World War II, when it was occupied by Japan and later ceded to Britain. In 1963, Sarawak became part of the new country of Malaysia. Interestingly, although Brooke was English, he resisted British imperialism and is largely regarded positively in the country. Rudyard Kipling’s The Man Who Would Be King was likely based on Brooke, and he’s also the inspiration for the planned upcoming film White Rajah. The Brooke family is still active in Sarawak through The Brooke Trust. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/culture/15-countries-that-existed-100-years-ago-but-dont-anymore?pages=1" target="_blank">Reader's Digest</a>.

Travel Tips

Nanny drama details revealed: Why Meghan and Harry couldn’t take it anymore

Reports have revealed Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were “put off” hiring nannies after a bizarre “incident with a night nanny”. In the event after Archie’s birth, the couple hired help to aid in the toddler’s bedroom routine. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/meghan-markle-put-off-childcare-24175073" target="_blank">According to The Mirror,</a> author of Finding Freedom and rumoured friend of Meghan’s Omid Scobie told Channel 4, they had to fire the nanny just days into their employment. “Very few people know the real story behind it,” he revealed on the broadcaster’s documentary A Very Royal Baby: From Cradle to Crown. “After Archie’s arrival, Harry and Meghan wanted some help to establish a sleep pattern. They hired a night nanny. “Whilst I can’t go into someone else’s employment details for legal reasons, it was an incident on one of the first nights that put the couple off from having a night nurse.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841450/meghan-markle-archie-harry.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/82abcc9c358e471c93aaede7febe2e9d" /> Image: Instagram The incident reportedly scarred the couple and put them off of hiring permanent help. “Meghan and Harry were forced to let the nurse go in the middle of her second night for being unprofessional and irresponsible,” he explained. The royal pair then went on to hire another nanny but were reportedly so disturbed by their last experience that they the night nurse not too long after. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly then looked for someone in the day. “They moved onto number three. Which was a woman that worked for them for quite some time actually, until they moved to California,” Scobie said. “She helped them out on very much a 9-5 basis, and it was a great working relationship actually despite reports.” The royal family routinely uses nannies for day-to-day duties, and Prince William and Prince Harry are still very close to their childhood carer.

Family & Pets

"I couldn't feel my bump anymore": Woman in COVID coma wakes to newborn twins

A UK woman who was pregnant in a coronavirus coma woke up to a surprise as she had given birth. Perpetual Uke was six months pregnant when she fell ill with the virus in March, and feared she would be unable to safely deliver her children. She was put in an induced coma for almost a month. Doctors quickly decided that it would be safer to deliver her twins via a premature caesarean and brought the children into the world on April 10th, while Perpetual remained unconscious. When she woke from her coma 16 days later, she was convinced she had "lost" her pregnancy. "I was pregnant at 24 to 25 weeks, at that stage, and by the time I woke up, I was so disorientated," she told <a rel="noopener" href="https://news.sky.com/story/covid-hit-mother-wakes-up-from-coma-to-find-she-has-given-birth-to-twins-12135663" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">Sky News.</a> "I thought I'd lost my pregnancy because I couldn't see my bump any more. I was really worried and disorientated." Her twins Sochika Palmer and Osinachi Pasal were cared for in the neonatal intensive care unit for 116 days. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838880/baby-twins.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/9883a890880c4dd58b39e8541d6a9b65" /> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Uke's husband Matthew told the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-54986070" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">BBC</a>, "Every passing day I was hoping my wife was not among those who are dead." "We are a team, the idea she might not be there was really difficult to accept." Perpetual was "very emotional" when she met her twins for the first time. "I was happy that we were all alive, but obviously concerned about their severe prematurity which has its own risks," she said to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.expressandstar.com/news/health/coronavirus-covid19/2020/11/17/twins-delivered-by-caesarean-while-mother-in-covid-coma/" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">The Express and Star</a>. After the coma, she was "so confused" that the children were hers. "When they showed me the pictures, they were so tiny, they didn't look like human beings, I couldn't believe they were mine," she said. The happy family are "getting better" each day after an intense almost three months in the ICU. Photo credits: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-54986070" target="_blank">BBC</a> </div>

Family & Pets

12 things you won’t see in hotels anymore

Travel and tourism were among the sectors hardest hit by the stay-at-home measures put in place in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 across the globe. By some estimates, the industry worldwide is projected to lose $1.2 trillion. With some countries and states relaxing guidelines about which businesses can open, hotels are looking forward to welcoming guests once again, though your next stay may look a bit different than the last time you checked in. “We are living in a new age, with COVID-19 front and centre for our guests and our associates,” Arne Sorenson, president and CEO of Marriott International, the parent company of Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, W Hotels, Sheraton, and more, said in a press release. 1. Front desk check-ins The more people you come into contact with, the greater the potential for exchanging germs, so you can expect to see fewer points of contact in hotels. That includes the traditional check-ins at a front desk with a living and breathing hotel employee, where you’re handed a map of the property and other promotional materials. In its place, more and more hotels will be promoting mobile check-ins via smartphones. Mobile check-ins are already available at 3200 Marriott hotels around the world, as well as at select IHG and Hyatt properties. You can expect to see that number climb in the near future. If and when you do a check-in at the front desk, there may be a partition between you and the hotel representative, similar to the ones at banks. 2. Key cards You won’t just be checking in with your phone – you’ll be able to use it as your key to open your door. These ‘smart keys’ are already in place at some Disney resorts, Marriotts, IHG hotels, and Hyatt properties via their respective apps. 3. Sold out hotels Like restaurants in the post-coronavirus age, hotels will be limiting their capacity for quite some time. The Eden Roc at cap Cana in the Dominican Republic, for example, now caps off its guest occupancy rate at 30 per cent. 4. Bulk-size shampoo and conditioner Once you get into your room, you may notice it looks a little different, too, like items that would normally be used by a guest who stays in the room after you will now be removed or replaced. For one, those bulk-size shampoos and conditioners that many hotels swapped over to in an effort to be eco-friendly may be phased out. In its place, you may see those mini shampoo bottles, an amenity that was slowly disappearing from hotels, make a resurgence. 5. In-room coffee machines and minibars As hotels aim to reduce the number of ‘high-touch points,’ aka items that guests frequently touch, in-room coffee machines and minibars are likely to be removed from rooms, reports The Points Guy. Besides, minibars were already on their way out. 6. Complimentary lobby coffee More bad news for those who need to be perked up before they wake up: that early morning complimentary self-serve coffee station in the lobby will likely no longer be commonplace. It creates an opportunity for too much touching of the same items by different people – the lever on the dispenser as you fill your cup and the handle of the carafe as you pour in the milk, to name a few. The same goes for coolers of water or lemonade where you fill your own cups. 7. Free happy hours Kimpton Hotels, in particular, are famous for their nightly happy hours, where guests are encouraged to enjoy a free glass of wine or a cocktail and mingle in the lounge. In the age of social distancing, this type of congregating in hotels’ public spaces won’t be encouraged. 8. Buffets Buffets with shared utensils guests use to self-serve are questionably clean on the best of days; now with COVID-19, they are verboten. What you may see instead is a masked and gloved server standing behind the buffet waiting to serve you those scrambled eggs and cut-up fruit. 9. Crowded pools The good news is, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there’s no evidence COVID-19 can be spread to others in a pool that is properly maintained. The area around it is another story, which is why hotels may be limiting access to its pools or, as The Palms Turks and Caicos is doing, reducing the number of lounge chairs at its pools and spreading out umbrellas and chairs more on the beach. “I anticipate an increased desire in our pool cabanas, which offer privacy for families or small groups and will keep them guarded from others,” Karen Whitt, vice president of marketing for The Palms, tells Reader’s Digest. 10. Paper bills at checkout As hotels aim to reduce interaction between employees and guests, you’ll likely be encouraged to self-checkout online or via the hotel’s app. And that means no more paper bills at checkout for you to review, though copies will be available online and via email. 11. Will see: hospital-grade disinfectants While you won’t see the above items, you will see a few new things, including increased cleaning measures. Marriott, for one, reports, ‘In public spaces, the company has added to its already rigorous cleaning protocols, requiring that surfaces are thoroughly treated with hospital-grade disinfectants and that this cleaning is done with increased frequency.’ Those same hospital-grade disinfectants will be used to clean inside guest rooms, as well. Hyatt is working with the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) on an accreditation process to ensure its properties are clean and safe. 12. Will see: high-tech cleaning measures You can expect to see more germ-zapping robots, like the one at The Westin Houston Medical Center, the first and only hotel in the US that currently has the technology, according to The Points Guy. The robots zap germs via UV light technology. Marriott is also experimenting with electrostatic spraying technology to rapidly clean guest rooms, lobbies, fitness centres, and more with CDC-recommended disinfectants. Source: <a href="https://www.rd.com/advice/travel/things-you-wont-see-in-hotels-anymore/">RD.com</a> Written by Anne L. Fritz. This article first appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/culture/12-things-you-wont-see-in-hotels-anymore" target="_blank">Reader’s Digest</a>. <img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" />

International Travel

Etiquette rules even experts don’t follow anymore

According to etiquette expert Peggy Post, times change, but manners, which she defines as a “sensitive awareness of the feelings of others,” remain constant. “If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter which fork you use.” The rules of etiquette are there to help smooth social interactions, but they aren’t intended to take the place of ‘manners’. That’s why etiquette rules that cease serving smooth social interactions eventually cease to exist. A man should stand to greet a woman <div class="tg-container categorySection detailSection"> <div id="primary" class="contentAreaLeft"> <div id="page2" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> It wasn’t all that long ago that it was proper etiquette for a man to stand when greeting a woman entering the room. But today, standing up is correct etiquette whenever anyone greets another person. The body language of standing sends a signal to the person you’re greeting that you’re eager to greet that person, etiquette expert, Maralee McKee explains. Consider it ‘rising to the occasion,’ whatever your gender. Ladies are served first </div> </div> </div> <div id="page3" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> Traditional etiquette holds that at a seated meal, women are served first, going clockwise around the table. The men are then served, also going clockwise. But as you may or may not have noticed, the restaurant industry is quietly redefining the etiquette surrounding who gets served first to a more gender-neutral and overall efficient model, reports Eater, and that will likely affect the order of service in private homes as well as in restaurants. Don't shake a woman's hand unless she offers </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="tg-container categorySection detailSection"> <div id="primary" class="contentAreaLeft"> <div id="page4" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> It used to be that ‘a man has no right to take a lady’s hand until it is offered,’ as was noted in one Victorian-age guide to etiquette. And it wasn’t all that long ago that people still followed this rule. In fact as recently as 2000, in GQ’s guide to handshake etiquette, the rule is clearly stated, ‘What’s proper is for the woman to offer her hand first.’ This is no longer the case. “Today, a man does not need to wait for a woman to offer her hand before he extends his. Whether you are a man or a woman, always remember to shake hands,” advises Emily Post. It’s a simple gesture that can make a big impact. Wedding gifts should be based on the host's price per head </div> </div> </div> <div id="page5" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-image">At one time, many people were under the impression that wedding gifts should match the host’s cost per plate at the reception. If this was ever actually proper (which wedding planning site, The Knot, calls into question), it no longer applies. As The Knot points out, using the cost per plate as a guide requires guests to ask nosy questions of the host. A current and more sensible rule of thumb is: give a gift in the price range that makes sense for your budget as gift-giver.</div> <div class="slide-image"></div> <div class="slide-image">You have a year to send a wedding gift</div> </div> </div> <div id="page6" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> It used to be that the rules of etiquette permitted you to wait a full year after attending a wedding to send a wedding gift to the ‘newlyweds.’ And why that was isn’t even clear to etiquette experts, who might wonder whether the idea was to wait to see if the couple made it through the first year of marriage. Nowadays, it’s proper to send a wedding gift within a month (or sooner!) after the wedding. <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/culture/etiquette-rules-even-experts-dont-follow-anymore">The man pays for the meal</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="tg-container categorySection detailSection"> <div id="primary" class="contentAreaLeft"> <div id="page7" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-image"></div> <div class="slide-image">Gone are the days of men being obligated to pay for the meals of the women with whom they dine. Going ‘Dutch’ is entirely appropriate, particularly when two equals mutually make a plan. Otherwise, the rule is that whoever does the inviting pays for the meal, according to the Emily Post Institute.</div> <div class="slide-image"></div> <div class="slide-image">A man must hold the door for a woman</div> </div> </div> <div id="page8" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> It’s not that chivalry is dead, explains McKee. It’s that these days chivalry, like everything else, has moved into a gender-neutral territory. And so now it is no longer customary for a woman to move aside so that a man can open the door, especially if he’s a stranger. Rather, the first person at the door should open it and then hold it open for the next person. And when you do hold the door, be sure to stand in a way that allows for maximum room for others to pass. No elbows on the table </div> </div> </div> <div id="page9" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> The ‘no-elbows-on-the-table’ rule made a lot of sense in the days when tables were makeshift trestles covered with cloth because a misplaced elbow might mean the collapse of the table. But those days are long gone. In fact, these days, leaning in towards someone who is speaking, which might include resting on one’s elbow, is a sign of interest and attention. So, you can stop following the ‘no-elbows’ rule… except when you have a plate of food in front of you, according to McKee. Because that’s just inviting a mess. <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/culture/etiquette-rules-even-experts-dont-follow-anymore">The man should walk on the left side of a woman</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="tg-container categorySection detailSection"> <div id="primary" class="contentAreaLeft"> <div id="page10" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> The fact that this etiquette rule even requires a mention in today’s world is astonishing when you consider it stems from the Middle Ages, when knights wore their swords on the left side of their bodies, making it uncomfortable and potentially unsafe for a ‘lady’ to walk beside him on the left. It’s no longer the rule. In fact, there really is no rule about the ‘sides’ that men and women should walk on vis a vis one another. ‘Dear sir or madam’ <div id="page1" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> It seems a common theme among all these etiquette rules that are no longer followed is that they make presumptions about gender that can no longer be made. Here is another one. At one time, ‘Dear sir,’ was the default greeting when corresponding with a stranger. Nowadays, it’s almost nonsensical, and adding ‘or madam’ doesn’t help (considering the many possible ways in which people identify). If you don’t have or can’t find a name, use the title of the position (eg. human resource manager) or ‘To Whom It May Concern,’ Grammarly suggests. Adults addressing other adults as Mr or Ms </div> </div> </div> <div id="page2" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> “We no longer need to call other adults who are approximately our same age by Mr or Ms and their last name until they ask us to call them by their first name,” McKee assures anyone who is still in doubt. “Unless it’s your corporate culture to do otherwise, as an adult you’re safe to call someone you’ve just met by their first name. Offering toasts requires drinking alcohol </div> </div> </div> <div id="page3" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> No. Just no. The silly etiquette rule requiring those not drinking alcohol to refrain from raising their glasses in a toast came entirely from superstition, dating back to the Ancient Greeks (involving a river of water symbolizing death). Etiquette experts such as Letitia Baldridge disagree with any such rule, advising, “If you are avoiding alcohol for any reason at all, feel free to hoist your glass of soft drink, water, or juice. You can also hold it to your lips without sipping, or raise your hand as though holding a glass.” Written by Lauren Cahn. This article first appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/culture/etiquette-rules-even-experts-dont-follow-anymore" target="_blank">Reader’s Digest</a>. </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" />

Relationships

Jane Fonda on more plastic surgery: “I’m not going to cut myself up anymore”

Jane Fonda, 82, has decided to fully embrace her age and has urged her fans she has sworn off cosmetic procedures. “I can’t pretend that I’m not vain, but there isn’t going to be any more plastic surgery - I’m not going to cut myself up anymore,” she admitted to <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ellecanada.com/culture/celebrity/jane-fonda-elle-canada" target="_blank">Elle Canada</a>. The star debuted a stunning new white hairdo at the 2020 Academy Awards, and later said she has had to “work everyday to be self-accepting; it doesn’t come easy to me. “I try to make it very clear that it has been a long and continuing struggle for me. I post pictures of me looking haggard - and once with my tooth out! The Grace & Frankie Netflix star went on to show one of her incisors to the magazine and told them: “This is a fake tooth. It came out in a restaurant in Portugal, and I posted it.” <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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8mEt3iFnhp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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/B8mEt3iFnhp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by EQUIPMENT (@equipmentfr)</a> on Feb 15, 2020 at 8:52am PST </div> </blockquote> Fonda took to the stage at the Oscars this year to present best picture, where she debuted her new silver icy blonde hue that blew away fans. Her hair colorist Jack Martin shared that “her goal color was a silver icy blonde to surprise everyone at the 2020 Oscars presenting the final award winner for the movie of the year." Choosing to embrace her skin and age is not new to the actress, who told <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/may/21/jane-fonda-youth-plastic-surgery-sex-cannes" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> in 2015 she believed she “brought myself a decade with plastic surgery,” but ultimately walked away from cosmetic procedures altogether. <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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8X9ldhAkos/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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/B8X9ldhAkos/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Jane Fonda (@janefonda)</a> on Feb 9, 2020 at 9:20pm PST </div> </blockquote> In her new HBO documentary Jane Fonda In Five Acts, the title film star expressed some regret at having turned to plastic surgery for her face. “I love older faces. I love lived-in faces. I love Vanessa Redgrave's face. I wish I was braver,” she said.

Beauty & Style

The controversial Royal British documentary that you can’t watch anymore

In 1969, the Queen made an oddly rare decision – she allowed cameras inside her home to film the royal family for several months. It what was meant to be a documentary to introduce Prince Charles, Britain’s future king, to the public. At the time, he was a polite young man attending Cambridge University. The film, Royal Family, aired to television and was viewers by around 30 million people. However, the movie has never been seen in its entirety since the palace ordered its removal from public view. Despite how much information manages to make its way into the media sphere for the consumption of the public, the Royal Family prefer to live an extremely private life inside their palace walls. So what happens behind closed doors is typically left in the hands of former and current employees, friends of the royals, speculation, tabloids and plain old gossip. After Royal Family was aired to television on June 21, 1969, it received mixed reviews from the newspapers. The palace quickly relegated the film to the royal archives after its initial release. Royal archiving films, propaganda, images and other forms of media means anything inside the vault, including Royal Family could only ever be seen again under the permission of the Queen. For more than 50 years, the film has been kept from the eyes of the public, however nothing ever really disappears – even in the 60’s – as short clips and stills from the documentary remain on the internet to be found. Scroll through the gallery to see the Royal Family from the only documentary they let cameras inside palace walls for.

Family & Pets

Is it adultery if my spouse doesn't know who I am anymore?

In Zoomer magazine’s September 2017 issue, there was an <a href="https://www.pressreader.com/canada/zoomer-magazine/20170904/281552290980041">enlightening article</a> written by <a href="http://siloamunitedchurch.org/meet-our-staff/">Rev. Dr. Sheila Macgregor</a> addressing contemporary issues that have emerged as a result of what’s become known as the longevity revolution. Advancements in health care and technology have resulted in longer lifespans. Milestone events now include encore careers, second and even third marriages, and birthday celebrations for 100-year-olds. In fact, in 2016, <a href="http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/as-sa/98-200-x/2016004/98-200-x2016004-eng.cfm">there were more than 8,000 100-year-olds alive in Canada,</a> according to the most recent Census data. While there is much to be celebrated, it’s also a good time to pause and re-examine old traditions in light of new realities. That was part of Rev. Macgregor’s powerful message. Macgregor draws upon the work of <a href="http://jewishsacredaging.com/about-us-2/rabbi-richard-f-address-d-min/">Rabbi Richard Address</a>, the director of <a href="http://jewishsacredaging.com/">Jewish Sacred Aging</a>, a forum that enables the Jewish community to discuss modern-day issues relating to the aging Baby Boomer generation. For instance, Address asks, is it still adultery if you enter into a new relationship when your spouse doesn’t know who you are anymore? That’s an important question in an age in which <a href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs362/en/">47 million people</a> worldwide are living with dementia. But the figures don’t include family members who are directly affected by the disease. Rabbi Address’s question necessitates that we examine the day-to-day realities of those caring for spouses with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Spouses care for most people with dementia Research from the United States indicates that approximately <a href="https://www.alz.org/documents_custom/public-health/2009-2010-combined-caregiving.pdf">70 per cent of people suffering from Alzheimer’s</a> are cared for by their spouses. And while many report <a href="http://www.apa.org/pi/about/publications/caregivers/faq/positive-aspects.aspx">benefits</a> associated with the experience, such as greater meaning and purpose in life, and a closer bond and attachment with the cared for individual, this population also faces negative psycho-social consequences that include loneliness and isolation. And as Dr. <a href="http://www.johncacioppo.com/">John Cacioppo</a>, one of the world’s most eminent authorities on the topic, explains, humans do not fare well when they live solitary lives. In fact, <a href="https://theconversation.com/loneliness-could-kill-you-87217">loneliness can kill you</a>. The demands and responsibilities imposed by the caregiver role leave little time, if any at all, for social interaction. And the constant care and concern for one’s beloved can occupy prime real estate in the mind of the caregiver. The <a href="https://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-006-x/2013001/article/11858-eng.htm">negative cognitive and physical consequences</a> are plentiful and include illness, injury, depression, anxiety, financial difficulties and disruptions in employment. Moreover, as cognitive and physical abilities diminish, the demands on the caregiver increase. Imagine for a moment that while a caregiver is attending to the needs of her loved one during a hospital visit, doctor’s office, or pharmacy run, she meets another person who is experiencing similar challenges. The two start to develop a relationship. When time permits, they share brief phone calls, text messages and an occasional meal. Their friendship provides refuge in a chaotic, isolating and lonely world. Their encounters, no matter how short, are reminiscent of a time when her husband recognized her, conversations were reciprocal and they enjoyed leisurely pursuits and pastimes together. Mitigate loneliness Extramarital affairs that begin during a partner’s debilitating illness or terminal disease are referred to as <a href="https://www.caring.com/blogs/fyi-daily/are-well-spouse-affairs-different-from-others">“well spouse affairs.”</a> Relational expert <a href="http://www.michaelbatshaw.com/index.html">Dr. Michael Batshaw</a> believes that such affairs can mitigate the loneliness and isolation associated with caregiving, and thus prevent caregiver burnout. Batshaw explains that people who normally would not engage in infidelity may do so while a caregiver, because often what prevents us from being unfaithful is the hope that our relationship will change and improve. Under these circumstances, however, the caregivers know their relationships will never get better, and realize that their needs can no longer be fulfilled by their spouse. But such affairs are not without their costs. Infidelity by its very nature is replete with guilt, as is caregiving. Taking time off to exercise or see friends often ignites feelings of guilt for being away from a loved one. Add infidelity to the mix, and you’re likely to spend much of your time engaged in hellish emotional turmoil. Although you want to be the devoted and faithful spouse, motivated by obligation, love or societal norms, you are also physically and emotionally exhausted, feeling lonely and isolated and want out. Would a spouse really want his beloved to live such an existence? And what exactly does “until death do us part” mean? Is it when we physically take our last breath, or when we no longer exist as we have for decades in our marriages, recognize our partners or actively participate in our relationships? These questions are incredibly personal and, for some, deeply religious. However, it’s incumbent upon us to move beyond the ethical considerations of the issue and focus on the human struggles associated with the realities of living longer lives. I suspect that’s why Rabbi Address recommends that couples discuss this issue long before debilitating diseases strike. Such conversations are difficult, but they may in fact be the final act of love and kindness that you can bestow upon your loved one.<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/87441/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Written by Gillian Leithman, Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Aging, Retirement, and Knowledge Management Researcher, Concordia University. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-it-adultery-if-my-spouse-doesnt-know-who-i-am-anymore-87441">The Conversation</a>.

Relationships

Jane Fonda reveals why she’s not having sex anymore

Actress Jane Fonda has openly discussed her sex life in the past. At the age of 74, she famously broke age stereotypes by saying that she had “never had such a fulfilling sex life”. Now, at the age of 80, Fonda has announced that she has “closed up shop down there”. "I'm 80," Fonda told entertainment news show Extra at the LA premiere of Book Club – her new movie also starring Diane Keaton, Mary Steenburgen and Candice Bergen. "It's about very important things: friendship and sex," Fonda described about the movie which follows the story of older women reading Fifty Shades of Grey in their book club. "And that it's OK for older women to have both." But she added: "I'm not dating anymore, but I did up until a couple of years ago. I’m 80. I’ve closed up shop down there.” Last year, data collected from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, found that men and women over 80 reported more shared sexual compatibility and emotional closeness than those in their 50s, 60s and 70s. Co-author of the report, Dr David Lee, told The Guardian that sex was not defined by penetration. “We saw quite a lot of adaptation in the older people, saying they no longer had penetrative sexual intercourse and were more content with kissing and cuddling and general intimacy. We kept a very broad definition of sex. We saw what appeared to be adaptive behaviour in the older members of our sample." However, Dr Lee also found that only 10 per cent of women aged 85 or older, and less than 25 per cent of men aged over 80, had a sex life. "They're a minority, clearly, but they're an interesting minority," said Dr Lee. "Among those who were [sexually active], it was quite interesting that they seemed happy with their sexual lives." A survey released from the University of Michigan a few days ago found that 84 per cent of men and 69 per cent of women believe sex is important to a relationship at any age. Over half of men and just under a third of women said they were sexually active in some way. "I think it's important for everyone to know that people in their 70s can be sexually attractive and sexually active. They don't have to be ... and lots of people have opted out of that, but they can be,” Jane Fonda said.

Movies

10 classic kids’ books no one reads these days

Kids these days may have iPads and laptops and smartphones, but despite what you may have heard, they do indeed <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/books/2017/05/kids-prefer-to-read-books-on-paper-not-screens/" target="_blank">still love a good book</a>. What has changed, however, are the types of books they’re reading – after all, there are so many amazing picture books out there these days. While classics like Winnie-the-Pooh and The Very Hungry Caterpillar remain as popular as ever, some of our favourite reads from when we were little seem to have fallen out of favour with today’s young ones. So, we think it’s time to bring them back! This Christmas, introduce your grandkids to some of your childhood favourites. Scroll through the gallery above to see them and tell us in the comments, have the littlies in your life read any of these?

Books

The simple household jobs people don’t know how to do anymore

Question: How many Millennials does it take to change a light bulb? Answer: None – that’s what outsourcing is for. OK, so that’s a gross generalisation, but if statistics are to be believed, the joke is not that far from the truth. A recent survey, by the British company YouGov, found that one in nine young Britons don’t know how to change a light bulb, and 35 per cent don’t know how to sew on a button. It gets worse – the Good Housekeeping Institute (GHI) recently published a guide on how to – wait for it – properly wash the dishes. But its introduction reveals its first mistake, to wit: “Whether you’ve got a dishwasher or not, sometimes there’s no escaping the washing up.” “Oh, no? Watch me!” cried a chorus of 10,000 men, aged 18-24. Yes, it seems that what mothers have long suspected is true: boys are the worst at this. Indeed, 18 per cent of men are so afraid of the washing machine, they’re wearing their underpants twice or more before washing them. Twice or more. Sorry. I just think such a gaping lack of hygiene and personal respect bears repeating. And bless the British newspaper, The Guardian, because it has written its own guide to doing basic household tasks, including “how to make a bed”, little realising that it’s not ignorance stopping young people from learning about these household tasks, but rather the will to care. “Australians in rental accommodation are less likely to be spending on renovations and repairs (generally the landlord’s responsibility), or even redecorating,” is how Michele Levine, chief executive of Roy Morgan Research puts it. “When they do, the timing and decision-making process are very different, with longer-term tenants being more inclined to make home improvements. No doubt, feeling secure in their lease and established in their rental residence would play a role in this.” And that’s just it. You need to actually own a house before you can be house proud. If young people aren’t galavanting about eating their avocado sandwiches, they’re usually renting or living at home, so the incentive is simply not there. This still does not explain why so many kids these days don’t know how to, you know, do stuff. Wait, that’s probably too harsh. Let me confess that there was a time when I did call a handyman to change two lightbulbs in my flat. It’s not that I didn’t know how, it’s that the ceilings were too high for me. Well, that and I couldn’t be bothered. We are living in a fast-paced society, OK? And Georgie Walker, the marketing manager at Hire a Hubby, agrees with me. “The type of customer [we see] has changed along with the general population,” she says of the Handyman franchise, which began in 1996. “These days more families and couples need to work full-time, so often the customer is time poor.” We’re outsourcing everything from grocery shopping to baby sleeping, because we just don’t have the time, so why would we spend four hours working out whether we need to buy a bayonet or a screw-in style of bulb, going back and forth to Bunnings, when a quick email to an expert will ensure the job is done and done properly? “Life has changed,” Trisha Schofield, director of the GHI told The Guardian. “But it’s sad that we’re losing all those skills. They can save us money, are often quicker to do than farming it out, more satisfying and relaxing.” If she thinks changing a light bulb is relaxing she’s obviously never gone on a Netflix binge. There’s also this. In the late 1980s, when my father was doing all the handy jobs in our house, from fixing the toilet to rewiring the TV antenna, he was letting fly a stream of expletives so colourful I can’t even hint at them here and I’m sure I’m not alone. So, “satisfying” and “relaxing” are not how many people would describe handy work. Also, men no longer feel pressured to prove their masculinity through handy work and shouldn’t that be celebrated? The downside of this, of course, is that women are doing more of the groundwork. “You’d be surprised how often I hear that women have waited and waited for their partner to fix something, and he hasn’t, so they call me,” says one handyman, who wishes to remain anonymous. “Or the guy’s had a crack at it, and he’s made it worse.” But before we go on blaming the youth and the men, we should remember that there’s one demographic that actually needs to outsource. “Many repairs seem simple on the surface,” Walker says. “But changing a globe or smoke alarm batteries is a classic case where, for the elderly, this can be a difficult job.” A recent survey from <a href="https://www.oneflare.com.au/" target="_blank">Oneflare</a> – an Australian online marketplace that connects customers and businesses – found that the most popular household service that Australian’s outsource was cleaning, followed by landscaping and carpentry/handiwork. The online marketplace, partially owned by Domain Group, also found that the majority of those surveyed didn’t feel compelled to supervise the job and were happy to leave it to the professionals. Written by Natalie Reilly. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.domain.com.au" target="_blank">Domain.com.au</a>.

Retirement Life

Do you need a TV anymore?

With most people owning multiple devices, the humble television is fighting for its place in the family home. Most people own a phone and a computer and when you add in a tablet then it can be hard to see the need for another screen in the house. This is especially the case when more people are using streaming services to watch shows and movies. It's a lot easier to use Netflix, Lightbox or Neon on your phone, tablet or computer. Just download the app or type in the web address and you're ready. Any device can access any streaming service. Some smart TVs have apps but you're still likely to need to connect a device such as a Chromecast so you can access all the services. Also, screens on phones and tablets are improving a lot. The new Sony XZ Premium has a 4K (more pixels) HDR (better colours) display that is found on high-end televisions. Hold the 5.5-inch screen close enough and it could be just like watching a big-screen television. About 10 years ago, TVs were the only place you could watch television shows. That monopoly is long gone and now any device can be used. Broadcasters have lost their dominance too. My children are far more likely to watch YouTube than anything on TVNZ, TV3 or a streaming service. However, there is hope for TVs. Several companies are trying to get the rights to show movies the same time they're released in theatres. Combine this with 4K definition and the latest blockbuster and there's still a compelling reason to have a big screen TV. The future of TVs is as a specialty device, not the most-used screen in a home. It'll be used for watching when with friends and family or when streaming a blockbuster. You won't upgrade it often and it may live in a cupboard to appear occasionally or you may mount it so it's out of the way. So while we may live in the golden age of television shows, the humble TV is in danger of fading away. Do you still use your television on a regular basis? Let us know in the comments below. Written by Blayne Slabbert. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>.

Why 5 servings of fruit and vegetables aren’t enough anymore

A major UK-based study has found eating 10 helpings of fruit and vegetables a day is better than the minimum recommended five. Researchers from Imperial College in London said they looked at "all" available research worldwide. Their meta-analysis included up to 2 million people, and assessed up to 43,000 cases of heart disease, 47,000 cases of stroke, 81,000 cases of cardiovascular disease, 112,000 cancer cases and 94,000 deaths. The team estimated about 7.8 million premature deaths worldwide could be potentially prevented every year if people ate 10 portions, or 800 grams, of fruit and vegetables a day. In New Zealand, the Ministry of Health recommends adults eat at least three servings of vegetables and two of fruit each day. The Imperial College study found even 2 to 2.5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day helped, with benefits increasing along with the number of portions. Eating 10 portions a day – compared to eating none – was associated with: <ul> <li>a 24 per cent reduced risk of heart disease</li> <li>a 33 per cent reduced risk of stroke</li> <li>a 28 per cent reduced risk of cardiovascular disease</li> <li>a 13 per cent reduced risk of total cancer</li> <li>and a 31 per cent reduction in dying prematurely</li> </ul> The researchers said the following fruits and vegetables may help prevent heart disease, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and early death: apples and pears, citrus fruits, salads and green leafy vegetables such as spinach, lettuce and chicory, and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. Foods that may reduce cancer risk included: Green vegetables, such as spinach or green beans, yellow vegetables, such as peppers and carrots, and cruciferous vegetables. Raw or cooked vegetables had similar effects in preventing early death but more studies were needed on specific types of fruit and vegetables and preparation methods, Imperial College said. "Fruit and vegetables have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and to boost the health of our blood vessels and immune system," lead author Dr Dagfinn Aune said. "This may be due to the complex network of nutrients they hold. For instance they contain many antioxidants, which may reduce DNA damage, and lead to a reduction in cancer risk." The vast array of beneficial compounds cannot be easily replicated in a pill, said Aune. "Most likely it is the whole package of beneficial nutrients you obtain by eating fruits and vegetables that is crucial is health. "This is why it is important to eat whole plant foods to get the benefit, instead of taking antioxidant or vitamin supplements." First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>.

Body

Suri Cruise doesn’t look like this anymore

It’s hard to believe, but Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise’s gorgeous baby girl is all grown up! Suri, who turns 11 in a month, is the absolute spitting image of her famous mum in a recent post on Instagram. <img width="500" height="285" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/34472/image__500x285.jpg" alt="suri cruise" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Katie shared the sweet snap of the 10-year-old grinning whilst spending some time with her older cousins. “Love these sweethearts who inspire me with all of their accomplishments and beautiful hearts and for bringing so much light to all of our lives!” Katie wrote. Despite parting ways with Tom Cruise in 2012, Holmes recently told Town and Country her family is her main focus. “My child is the most important person to me, and her upbringing is paramount to my work right now,” she said. “It's very important that I'm present and she has a stable, innocent childhood. I feel so blessed to do what I do, but there's nothing in the world better than watching your child succeed.” Image: @katieholmes212/Instagram.

News

Abandoned puppy rescued on Christmas Eve doesn’t look like this anymore

Pudding, a shih zhu puppy from Plymouth, England, was abandoned the night before Christmas Eve. Left out unsheltered as a terrible storm hit, Pudding struggled but made it through the night. The storm left his hair terribly matted, and Pudding was unable to see through it, as you can see below: <img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/13104/pudding-one_500x375.jpg" alt="Pudding One" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Fortunately Pudding was discovered by someone on their way to work on the morning of Christmas Eve and taken in to the RSPCA, where he has since been nursed back to full health. He’s also been given a doggy haircut and looks much more comfortable, as you can see below: <img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/13105/pudding-two_500x375.jpg" alt="Pudding Two" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> RSCPA inspector Sarah Morris said, “His nails were overgrown and he was covered in fleas. He must have been terrified, hungry and so uncomfortable, just left out in the dark, wind and rain.” Fortunately, things look as though they’re on the up for Pudding. But, this remains a cautionary tale about what happens when pet owners neglect their responsibilities. Image credit: Facebook / RSPCA (England & Wales) Related links: <a href="/news/news/2015/12/how-to-become-happier-with-age/">How you can become happier with age</a> <a href="/news/news/2015/12/why-coffee-can-be-good-for-you/">Why giving up coffee could do you more harm than good</a> <a href="/news/news/2015/12/spot-the-cat-hidden-in-this-picture/">Can you spot the cat hidden in this picture?</a>

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Do you need a TV anymore?

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Suri Cruise doesn’t look like this anymore

Abandoned puppy rescued on Christmas Eve doesn’t look like this anymore