Bay faces ageing issue
As a member of the older community I did not have to read Eileen Wood's article (More missing out on care, P32, Examiner, November 8) – which should have added ‘and the Federal Government does not give a [second thought]’ – to know that I am looking down the track in the hope that I go from active to dead in one big move as the prospect of care in my last years gets more remote with every budget delivered by this Government.
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The cost of getting aged care is now more expensive than that of young first home buyers trying to get a home because as a young person, the bank will lend you the money but to get into aged care you need the money up front in sums up to $700,000.
The lack of funds for care in the home is recorded so well in the article and with the list growing at over 120,00 people a quarter, to a June number of 121,400, the government is seemingly planning that most of us will be dead before our name comes up.
It is no wonder that the rate of suicide in the over 85 year old men is now one of the highest [growing] of any age group in the nation. The waiting list will not rise as fast as it should with these terrible figures.
With the rapid growth of the conversion of approved caravan parks into retirement living villages, without the development of additional care facilities, the Nelson Bay area is going to have a massive problem with the lack of supported home care and the ever growing prospect that more and more of us have to make terribly hard decisions on our end-of-life care – without family or government assistance.
Frank Ward, Shoal Bay
Move the jet skis
To further add to the letter from David Fitzgerald (‘What’s more important’, Examiner, November 8) the presence of whales only occurs twice a year but our resident dolphin population is here all the time.
These magnificent animals attract numerous tourist dollars to the Port.
They have acute hearing as is evident in their mode of communication. We also have a colony of sea turtles to be considered.
These high speed jet skis must wreak havoc on these marine animals and are quite likely to drive them from our waters.
I have not mentioned the danger to other waterways users and the total disregard for waterway rules and regulations that some users appear to have.
If jet skis cannot be banned totally from Port Stephens then perhaps they they could be forced to operate west of Soldiers Point where they will not cause so much trouble.
Claudia Wellings, Fingal Bay
Did they forget
I attended the Remembrance Day service at Raymond Terrace on Sunday with approximately 100 others, while just down the road a festival was held and attended by thousands of people - odd isn't it?
Greg Garvin, Tanilba Bay
Pool is there to share
One of the great things about living in Nelson Bay is the ability to enjoy the well kept and professionally staffed public pool.
The staff should be congratulated on their professionalism and friendliness, not criticised and abused by a small self-centred and irresponsible portion of the community.
It is a travesty to see and hear that there are some who think it is OK for their toddlers to be unsupervised (and sometimes supervised by other minors) on the far side of the complex, abuse the staff when they act on their professional duty of care by asking these adults to act responsibly and supervise their children.
People need to cease expecting other swimmers and staff to supervise their toddlers.
I'm also appalled by the incredibly selfish and entitled attitude of a small number of Baby Boomers who also believe the whole pool belongs to them and that they can tell staff and patrons who is in charge or how much of the pool belongs to them.
Matt Brown, Boat Harbour
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