“The upcoming Pension increase for Carers, the Aged and Disability Support on 20 March of $6.70 a fortnight for singles and $10 for couples (combined) is certainly welcomed yet many pensioners still struggle to pay ordinary household bills,” said Amelia Christie, CPSA Research and Policy Officer.

AS Federal Ageing Minister Mark Butler ponders his response to the Productivity Commission’s proposals (that people needing aged care should have to sell or reverse mortgage the family home), an audit conducted by Fire & Rescue NSW found that two-thirds of the state’s nursing homes are basically fire traps.

MORE and more seniors are using medicines to promote health and prevent illness rather than just to treat symptoms or disease. This means older people are very likely to be taking multiple medicines.

ONLY a few months ago the O’Farrell Government ended the public housing rent freeze that benefited so many Age Pensioners. At the time, THE VOICE expressed its concern about this action.

Now, Minister Pru Goward has suspended the VisionCare NSW program for four months, because it has run out of funds for the financial year.

NSW PREMIER  Barry O’Farrell has announced that the ban on regular unleaded petrol (ULP), forcing ULP to be replaced by 10 per cent ethanol blend (E10), has been dropped. This might give some readers a little relief at the pump.