The dessert master has returned to the TV kitchen having whipped up the ultimate test for this year’s batch of cooks.
Set to put the contestants through their paces with a 10-element, seven-page dessert, the 22-year-old visited the Woman’s Day office to chat about his exciting appearance.
“When they called me up I was genuinely shocked and surprised – I just didn’t expect it,” the bright chef quipped.
Reynold dropped by the office…
Armed with his tantalising dessert.
“I was really surprised. I mean last year, after I got booted, they said we might see you setting the pressure test – but I honestly thought they were joking or being polite!”
There couldn’t be a better fit than the Masterchef alum, who is now a proud restaurateur.
Reynold and his brother Arnold are running KOI dessert bar in Chippendale.
Reynold’s Instagram is a culinary journey! “Matcha, yuzu, shiso & strawberry (watermelon this month) with rhubarb consomme.”
“Before Mastechef I was studying nutrition [I still have a year left]. My main goal was to open up a dessert bar and now that’s my reality,” he shared.
One of Koi’s signature dishes, Moss, will be tonight’s pressure test.
We were lucky enough to try the delectable dessert. And boy was it all kinds of spectacular. If we were wearing a cravat, we’d have to take it off. Immunity pin good.
The dessert king hard at work at KOI
“It’s a dish I’ve been working on with flavours of green I did a pop up last year and I made a dish called moss which I was inspired by the earth. I wanted it to look earthy while tasting delicious – think charred apple, aero yoghurt, dulce de leche, matcha, pistachio sponge and green-apple sorbet.”
So how did Reynold’s unsuspecting victims hold up?
“You’ll have to watch and see,” he laughed.
Some of his Masterchef delights
“They went really well! They really surprised me. Every season everyone does better and better. The cooks seem to love experimenting – playing around with different flavours and techniques. And it really shows!”
His advice to the class of 2016 is to have fun!
“I miss it – it was amazing. The people you meet are brilliant,” he gushed, adding they all still stay in touch. “We all have a whatsapp group! We are all proud of each other and all still close!”
The new batch of home cooks!
Before we let Reynold return to the kitchen, we asked a few fun questions!
What is your fall back dinner: Mi goreng
Hidden talent: Gaming
Annoying habit: I still live at home so probably not cleaning my room
Dream super power : Flying!
I would spend my last $10 on a bowl of pho.
I’d like to have dinner with American chef Grant Achatz
And finally if a genie could grant you three wishes :
I’d want an amazing memory so I could remember everything!
Two decades ago, laser technology was still in its infancy. Long down-times, nasty side- effects and high costs prevented many from undergoing laser and light therapies.
Today, these treatments are a booming trend – often used to assist with hair and tattoo removal, and to treat a range of skin concerns, including acne, hyperpigmentation and wrinkles.
“Laser and light and related treatments are a rapidly evolving and exciting area, with new treatments and devices becoming available,” says Sydney dermatologist Dr John Sullivan. “Best results often involve tailored treatments combining laser and light treatments at the same time.”
Those seeking a non-invasive way to enhance skin appearance will often explore the realm of lasers.
This is because laser treatments are safer and more effective than they were in the ’90s, provided they are used by trained professionals.
“Lasers are not highly regulated in Australia, which means anyone can buy and use the machines,” says Sydney dermatologist Dr Eleni Yiasemides. “In untrained hands, they can cause scarring and permanent pigment changes. Treatments on the face should be done in a doctor’s clinic.”
Different uses of lasers
When it comes to lasers, it’s not a one-size-fits-all – what works for one person may not work for another. This largely depends on the severity of the problem being treated, the skin tone of the person and the different laser wavelengths. Here’s our guide to the latest laser treatments and how to know if they will work for you.
Ablative and non-ablative lasers
Lasers are divided into two main groups: ablative (which remove the top layer of skin) and non-ablative (which don’t damage the skin’s surface).
“The ablative lasers are more expensive and have a higher rate of complications, and should only be used by a doctor,” says Dr Yiasemides. “Ablative lasers include the erbium and carbon dioxide lasers. They are ablative to the skin and create better results than non-ablative, but have a longer down-time [usually two weeks] and more risks of scarring and permanent pigment change of the skin – like white marks [hypopigmentation].
“These days, they are usually fractionated [only a percentage or fraction of the skin area] to reduce side-effects and down-time. They are good for acne scars and photo-ageing of the skin, and can reduce wrinkles, uneven skin tone and improve the complexion.”
This type of laser is better suited to fairer skin types, as darker skin tones are more prone to permanent whitening of the skin.
Non-ablative lasers include all the Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) machines, vascular, pigment and hair removal lasers. “These are generally safer compared to the ablative lasers, but still carry risks,” explains Dr Yiasemides.
These include mild redness and changes in skin colour. Although these lasers have less down-time, patients usually need multiple treatments for best results.
Fat removal
New laser treatments claiming to reduce stubborn body fat are popular in clinics around Australia. One of these is SculpSure – a laser treatment which was approved for non-invasive lipolysis of the flanks and abdomen in Australia in November 2015 and has also been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
According to a clinical study of 100 patients, the treatment can reduce the fat layer thickness by up to 24 per cent. Over time, the body naturally eliminates the disrupted fat cells and results take between six to 12 weeks.
It has no down-time, but there can be slight discomfort during the procedure. Each treatment takes only 25 minutes.
Post-treatment side-effects can include tenderness in the treated areas and mild redness that lasts a few hours.
Prices are approximately $500 for a small area (two applicators) and $1000 for a large area (four applicators).
Hair removal
Laser hair removal involves a direct beam of light on the hair follicle, inhibiting the hair’s ability to grow, without disrupting or damaging the skin’s surface.
“Laser hair removal is the fast, gentle and effective way to remove unwanted hair with permanent results,” Aleesha Paul from Laser Clinics Australia says. “We use medical grade Candela GentleLase Pro and GentleYag Pro. The Candela GentleLase Pro is designed to work for clients with dark hair and lighter skin, while the GentleYag Pro works best on a darker skin tone. Darker hair types work best; blonde, silver or red hair cannot be treated with laser. Laser works by emitting one single wavelength of light, maximising laser penetration to the targeted area. It is attracted to dark pigment on and within the skin.”
Between eight and 12 treatments are usually required for permanent results. Hair removal is relatively pain-free and is best done in winter, as sun exposure must be avoided for two weeks pre- and post-treatment. Prices range from $60 per treatment (for areas on the face) to $400 (for full body).
Tattoo removal
According to Dr Yiasemides, the new picosecond lasers for tattoo removal >are common. Yet multiple treatments are needed and won’t effectively clear tattoos that contain green, some reds and yellow.
“It is extremely painful and generally requires anaesthetic,” she says. “[The] main issues are scarring and permanent hyperpigmentation.”
This treatment starts at $150 and can increase to $1500 per treatment, depending on the size of the tattoo.
Acne
If prescription creams or antibiotics aren’t working, laser might be an acne treatment option.
“Although often used to treat acne, intense pulsed light (IPL), light and lasers have only led to limited short-term benefits and have not been an effective long-term control therapy,” says Dr Sullivan.
“The benefits, however, of light and laser can be enhanced and prolonged by pre-treating the skin with a light-active gel prior to illumination, such as is seen with the newly TGA [Therapeutic Goods Administration] approved Kleresca BioPhotonic acne treatment,” he says.
“[The] treatment safely and painlessly provides longer term [six or more months] clinically significant benefits in even relatively severe acne. This involves the application of a gel to affected areas followed by illumination under a multi-wavelength high-intensity in-clinic LED light for nine minutes twice a week for six weeks. The light-active gel treatment kills the bacteria that cause acne and enhances the skin’s recovery and healing response. There is no down-time.” Dr Sullivan says significant benefits usually take several weeks.
About 12 treatments are needed at about $200 per session.
Anti-ageing
Lasers can improve the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines and dark spots caused by sun damage. One of the greatest appeals is that these treatments don’t involve injectables.
“Lasers really help improve the complexion, texture and tone of the skin,” says Dr Yiasemides. “Most women benefit more from laser compared to Botox and fillers. Women with smooth, even, unblemished complexions are perceived to look more youthful and healthy compared to those who don’t have good complexions.”
According to Dr Sullivan, IPL works in a similar way to laser, delivering a range of wavelengths which allows multiple skin changes to be targeted at the same time.
“By adjusting the wavelengths of light used, along with the pulse duration and energy, IPL can have a broad range of beneficial skin effects,” he says. “A medical IPL can reduce capillaries plus redness and, at the same time, also address freckles, uneven pigment, age spots, shrink pores and have a general skin rejuvenating effect.”
IPL ranges in price from $150 to $500 for a full face.
If you have one particular problem, such as broken capillaries, vascular laser may be more beneficial.
This works by emitting a single wavelength of light in a focused, synchronised pulse.
“They can be used to selectively target a specific skin change or condition,” explains Dr Sullivan. “This allows the laser to destroy the lesion being treated while leaving the surrounding tissue unharmed.”
Vascular laser treatments range from $150 to $300 for the face.
To improve collagen, Dr Yiasemides recommends Fraxel and Emerge lasers.
“They use fractionated technology to send laser heat down the dermis to help improve the collagen and elastin in skin,” she says. “They are great for tightening the skin, reducing fine lines, improving the complexion, toning and reducing the size of pores.”
These types of lasers are more painful and can range from $400 to $1000, depending on the area treated.
Stretch marks
Stretch marks are caused by a lack of collagen and elastin during times of intense growth. These scar-like streaky areas that appear in over-stretched skin can be tough to get rid of.
“Stretch marks generally improve with time,” says Dr Sullivan. “For those with recent red stretch marks, vascular laser and IPL can be good options; for older stretch marks, non-ablative fractionated laser.”
Although mildly painful, it will help remove redness and regenerate the skin’s natural collagen. Fractional laser treatments for stretch marks can range from $400 to $1000, depending on the area treated.
This story originally appeared in the May 2016 issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly.
When Daniel Wildenstein, the world’s wealthiest art dealer, died aged 84 in 2001, his high society clients took comfort in the belief the venerable family business would carry on as usual.
After all, Daniel’s two sons, Guy and Alec, were just as suave, dashing and – if necessary – as ruthless as their dad and the power of the Wildenstein name to get big deals done was undiminished.
The first indication things might be different came with the startling revelation that Daniel had left just $65 million.
This for a man who lived in one of Paris’s grandest residences, whose private art collection was filled with masterpieces by the likes of Picasso, Monet and Renoir, who travelled the world by private jet and owned Europe’s leading racehorse stable.
In the realms of the high-priced art world, tongues began to wag. How, people asked, was this possible?
Today, at France’s highest court – an ornate 18th-Century pile on the site of a former royal palace – the talk is of a naked Russian starlet, an alleged underworld murder contract, a $5 million cosmetic surgery bill and a fluffed-up, homesick poodle called Dolly.
Officially, the case opening in May is about allegations of tax fraud, but to a breathless public it is the story of the vengeance of the Wildenstein wives.
Prosecutors claim that when Daniel died during an operation to remove a tumour in 2001, his sons concealed hundreds of millions of dollars in art treasures, property holdings and cash from the French tax authorities.
Instead of the $65 million cited as Daniel’s worth, the real figure, according to court papers, should have been almost $7 billion. Conning the taxman was one thing. The fatal mistake the Wildensteins appear to have made was trying to fool the women in their lives.
Much of the case is based on testimony from Daniel’s widow, Sylvia, and Alec’s two ex-wives, Jocelyne and Liouba.
All three have alleged the famously secretive dynasty tried to cheat them out of financial settlements.
Daniel Wildenstein and his wife Sylvia.
Dense with money, sex, power and intrigue, the case has been billed as “Dallas-sur-Seine” in the French press, but the fallout is also being felt in the world of politics and especially in the sleek, discreet ranks of the fine art trade.
Ever since the Wildenstein dynasty was founded 135 years ago by Nathan Wildenstein, a sharp-eyed Jewish cloth merchant from eastern France, its ability to out-manoeuvre rivals to secure the best paintings at the best prices has been a source of envy and wonder.
“They are extraordinarily mysterious,” says John Walsh, former director of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. “People who have been in the art business all their lives can only guess at what the family actually owns. Think Aladdin’s cave and then some.”
A Paris art dealer, who wishes to remain anonymous, says, “Every now and then, the Wildensteins will sell a painting which hasn’t been heard of for about 50 years and the art world will say, ‘Ah, so that’s where it was’.”
The first rumblings of trouble began shortly before Daniel’s death, when Alec, who ran the lucrative New York business, fell out with Jocelyne, an exotic, Swiss-born socialite with whom he had two children.
Returning to the couple’s $35 million Manhattan townhouse one evening, she claims to have found him with a naked, 19-year-old Russian actress. To make matters worse, Alec then pulled a gun on her, later telling police he had mistaken her for a burglar.
The divorce that followed contained allegations of astonishing excess – $350,000 for a Chanel dress, $10 million jewellery shopping trips and millions spent on extreme plastic surgery.
Jocelyne supposedly wanted to look like one of the jungle cats that roamed the family’s ranch in Kenya, but instead found herself lampooned as “The Bride of Wildenstein”.
Despite living in one of the most expensive homes in New York (plus a French château and the vast African ranch), running a private jet and a full-time household staff of 10, Alec swore on oath that he earned only $130,000 a year.
The money, he explained, was a wage from his father. Everything else was a grace-and-favour arrangement provided for by family trusts.
Eventually, Jocelyne accepted a world-record settlement of $3.3 billion. Yet the struggle to secure it turned her against the Wildenstein family forever.
Back in Paris, Alec’s father, Daniel, was ailing. An old-school operator possessed of great charm and ferocious resolve, he had masterminded the dynasty’s rise to a position of dominance among the world’s art houses.
Sylvia Wildenstein
Sylvia, his second wife, had lived with him for almost 20 years before they married in 1978.
“We were visiting New York,” she told me in an interview shortly before her death in 2010, “and we came out of the hotel and there was a taxi waiting, with my parents in the back, and we headed downtown. He never asked. There was no proposal. He just told me we were getting married. That’s how he was. He made the decisions and I accepted them, because, despite everything, he was the sweetest man.
“When I asked him why, after all this time, he had decided to marry me, he just smiled, and said, ‘To protect you from my children’.”
Not long after Daniel’s funeral, the brothers came to call on Sylvia. According to her version, the meeting was polite but to the point.
She claimed she was told that she must sign away her rights to Daniel’s estate in exchange for a monthly allowance.
Otherwise, she would face devastating inheritance liabilities and a possible criminal investigation into the Wildenstein finances.
Yet, soon after signing, Sylvia was told she must leave the sumptuous home on the Avenue Montaigne – Paris’s smartest street – which she and Daniel had shared for 40 years. It was in this privileged neighbourhood that she liked to meet her friends for lunch each day and walk her meringue-like dog, Dolly, under the chestnut trees.
“They said we had to be out in nine days,” Sylvia told me, “and when I said this was impossible, I was given a month. I had to move to a smaller place near a traffic island. Poor Dolly. For me, it was bad, but I have been through bad things. For Dolly, it was unbearable. I could not forgive them.”
When Sylvia discovered her allowance had been cut and four of her racehorses transferred into a family trust, she called a lawyer.
“I thought,” she said, “if they don’t keep their word, they will have to pay.”
It was from this call that this trial stems. On the receiving end was one of Paris’s celebrated lawyers, Claude Dumont-Beghi, a chic, fifty-something brunette with a reputation for taking on rich and powerful interests. Some years ago, when an airline refused to pay her fees, she sued and ended up owning a Boeing 747.
“I try not to get personally involved,” she tells me from her office near the Longchamp racecourse, where Daniel’s horses galloped to victory. “But I did feel Sylvia had been badly treated and I thought there must be something strange going on when enormously rich people could pretend to be poor.”
Claude publicly alleged that the Wildensteins were hiding their wealth in what she characterised as a dubious web of trusts held in offshore tax havens and that priceless works of art were routinely shuttled around the world to disguise their true domicile.
In France, the Wildensteins enjoy the status of unofficial royalty. They give generously to charity, entertain in epic style, bestow an aura of sophistication on any event they attend and endow the Wildenstein Institute, containing the world’s largest collection of books and documents on the history of art.
When police raided the building four years ago, they found 30 valuable works of art hidden in the vaults. Several of these are now the subject of further lawsuits by collectors who claim the Wildensteins had no right to them.
The decision to prosecute the family was considered sufficiently momentous for it to be announced in the French parliament. Down the years, many government figures have had close relationships with the Wildensteins – notably former President Nicolas Sarkozy, who hopes to return to office next year – leading to claims that the family has enjoyed political protection.
The most poignant figure in the case is perhaps the third Wildenstein wife, Liouba, 43, a Russian-born model turned sculptress, who married Alec in 2000 following his divorce from Jocelyne.
She says their time together was “wonderfully happy”, much of it spent on the 3000-hectare ranch in Kenya, but when Alec died in 2008, Liouba, too, had unexpected problems securing an inheritance.
She claims lawyers told her Alec had large debts and to avoid being liable she would have to sign away all rights to his estate. When she protested, she says, “they declared war on me”, to the point that a contract was put out on her life.
“They went for me psychologically,” she told a French magazine earlier this year. “They attacked my integrity, they tried to suffocate me financially and, in the end, they tried to poison me.”
Although prosecutors accept Liouba has co-operated with the investigation, she faces a money-laundering charge, linked to the wider tax fraud allegations.
“It is absurd,” she says. “I have received nothing. I have been left penniless. I can’t afford to repair the heater in my apartment. I had to sell my clothes. Now the tax people say I owe them $125 million.”
Guy Wildenstein, the current head of the dynasty, has fought a long, expensive battle to stop the case coming to court, employing armies of lawyers to seek a less dramatic resolution. In January, however, a judge ruled that Guy, 70, Alec’s son, Alec Jnr and three financial aides must stand trial. They could each face 10 years in jail and huge fines.
Guy – dapper, socially reticent and religious – says he believed the family’s trusts were legal and denies any attempt at tax-dodging.
“These arrangements were made by my father,” he said in his only interview. “He never talked to me about things like this, never consulted me. He knew finance was not my strong point. After his death, when we were criticised for not paying enough tax, I ordered we stop using the trusts.”
He claims the financial offer to Sylvia was sketched out by her husband and reflected his fear that
she would not be able to manage a complicated inheritance. Of Liouba, he said, “I do not respect her word.”
Of particular interest to those who follow the affairs of the Wildensteins is the light the trial will throw on their way of life and the treasures they own. Nathan coined the motto, “Never buy a painting you can’t afford to keep”, and the family has stayed true to his word, saving the best for themselves. By some estimates, their horde contains more than 10,000 paintings.
In amassing such wealth and the power that goes with it, the family appears to have forgotten that art is also a hallmark of civilised values.
The Wildenstein women are about to offer a timely reminder.
This story originally appeared in the May issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly.
However feminist we think we are most of us have trouble keeping our inner bitch under control at times, particularly when it comes to other women.
Camilla Parker-Bowles, Sarah Ferguson, Rose Porteous (Lang Hancock’s second wife), Lindy Chamberlain, Linda Kozlowski (Paul Hogan’s second wife), Liz Taylor and Jackie Kennedy Onassis endured savage public criticism from other women.
Porteous was a gold digger, Kozlowski a home-wrecker. Jackie Kennedy was a perfect mother and grieving widow until she turned her back on Camelot and the Kennedys to marry a wealthy old man. She wasn’t redeemed until the sordid truth around Jack Kennedy’s behaviour finally came out and, even then, Aristotle Onassis had to die before we completely forgave her.
Lindy Chamberlain didn’t respond to baby Azaria’s death as we thought she should and we hated her for it. She didn’t cry in public. She must be guilty.
Elizabeth Taylor, whose beauty and sex appeal were legendary, said, astutely, “Other women like me best when I’m fat and miserable”.
So why are we – modern, educated, generally kind-hearted ladies – so hard on each other? Psychologist Amanda Ferguson explains the reasons we have trouble playing nice.
Why are we so hard on other women even when they’re our friends?
Successful, ambitious, attractive people can make us feel insecure and uncertain of our own abilities. There’s a primitive instinct to attack. There’s some evidence that Australians are less generous than we should be in acknowledging other people’s good points.
Why do we look for flaws?
Because we’re human! However, we’re more likely to be critical of others if we’re bored, unfulfilled, unproductive and insecure. It takes a lot of courage to overcome this. Men are competitive too usually about status, wealth and women. On a primitive level we feel elevated when we pull someone down. The feeling is very short lived!
Why do we think thin, beautiful, rich people must be happy?
Because it LOOKS like they should be. Unhappiness is harder to grapple with when there isn’t an obvious reason for it. I have many clients who look back to when they were thin and beautiful and realise they were still unhappy. Looking good is not the answer.
Why do we always blame “the other woman”? What about the man? Isn’t he at fault too?
The man is the object of desire so he’s “protected”. A wife attacks the other woman but not her husband. She wants to keep him. It’s easier to blame the “home wrecker”.
How do we control our “inner bitch” and keep our own friends for life?
The truth is that most friendships end eventually. Maintaining a friendship group as we age is hard. If you really value the group give it space and have other friends beyond it. Feeling sentimental about the ones we have, even when they’re driving us crazy, gets in the way of meeting new people.
Why do women still hope for or expect happy endings?
Women are heavily socialised to have and do it all. A monogamous heterosexual partner who marries us for life is still held up to girls as the ideal. Fortunately, this is slowly giving way to a diverse set of real alternatives. But we still like to keep men close for the protection of the clan!
Amanda Ferguson is a psychologist in private practice in Mosman, Sydney. She is the author of Life Works: Rediscover Yourself and Transform Your Relationships (Harper Collins 2002).
Putting a parent into an aged care facility can be a painful, traumatic process, but a necessary one as Madelaine Inglis found out. Here she outlines the best way to go about it.
But this time, Mum was home, she was alone and she couldn’t get up.
The good thing was she pressed her personal alarm and an ambulance was dispatched immediately to her home in Sydney.
The bad thing was her daughter – her only child and her primary carer – was in Melbourne with work.
Aunty Jan phoned me to tell me not to worry but Mum had had a fall.
She was on her way to hospital by ambulance and Aunty Jan was on her way to meet Mum there.
I was beside myself.
All I could think of was Mum, frightened and alone.
She’d never been in an ambulance and had rarely been in hospital.
I made a mad dash to Melbourne airport and got the first plane back to Sydney, then I made my way to the hospital.
The doctor confirmed Mum was okay and that she hadn’t hurt herself, but as this was her third fall in as many months they needed to run a series of tests to determine why she kept falling.
Mum was 85, divorced, had lived independently for 24 years and she liked it that way.
I lived on the other side of Sydney with then 7-year-old twin boys and a husband who did full-time shift work.
I also worked full-time as a partner in a law firm.
Mum had to stop her various medications, under hospital supervision, to determine which medication or combination of medications was causing her to fall.
It was a lengthy process and as it soon became apparent to everyone, including Mum, that it was unlikely she would be able to return home, she became difficult.
Mum’s unit was on the first floor of a three storey block of units which required her to climb a total of 22 steps into her unit.
Given how unsteady she was, it was not a matter of if she would fall, it was a matter of when.
I was a nervous wreck at the thought of her returning home.
During her hospital stay, the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) formally assessed Mum.
Given her age, her health and our combined circumstances, ACAT determined she required low-level care in an aged care facility.
She would need to go straight from hospital into a facility.
Mum was not going home. Ever.
Imagine living independently for 24 years, coming and going as you please, then having a couple of falls, being taken to hospital and told you were not going home.
Mum wasn’t just upset. She was angry, very angry, and she blamed me.
Next I had to find a suitable aged care facility close to me that would take her on a respite care basis initially, but with a view to a permanent placement.
And I needed to find that facility fast.
I took leave from work and, with the help of my friend Margaret, started inspecting facilities.
Most were unpleasant and had “that smell”.
I would come away despondent and depressed.
Finally I found a clean, comfortable, convenient facility with a bright cheerful room looking onto a common garden and the staff were caring, wonderful people.
Now I just had to convince Mum.
With the support of Aunty Jan, I took Mum to meet the staff and view the facility.
Mum hated it and had no hesitation expressing her displeasure in her loudest voice to everyone she met as we toured the facility.
Yet the facility ticked all the boxes and I very quickly realised Mum wouldn’t have been happy no matter where I took her.
She just wanted to go home.
The next day she was discharged from hospital and I moved her into the facility.
I took her personal belongings and tried to make it as comfortable as possible.
I bought her a television and had it installed.
I also stocked up a small fridge, even including a bottle of wine for cocktail hour.
As I left, she stood in the doorway of her room and screamed at me, “You’re not leaving me here”.
I left shaking and cried all the way home, desperate for confirmation I had done the right thing.
It didn’t stop there.
Fortunately, I had already arranged for Mum to appoint me as her attorney and Enduring Guardian.
As her attorney, I was able to sign her respite care agreement on her behalf.
I was then able to ultimately sign her permanent residency contract.
I had to go to Mum’s banks and arrange to become a signatory on her accounts so I could access her money and pay her bills.
I had to advise Centrelink, Medicare and her private health fund of her new arrangements and appoint myself as her nominee.
I had to redirect her mail and cancel various services.
Finally, with the help of my dear friends Rose and Sallyanne and Aunty Jan, I had to clear out Mum’s unit, renovate it and sell it to fund the accommodation bond for the facility.
This was an extremely difficult, emotional and stressful time for both my mother and myself.
It is one thing for me professionally as a lawyer to advise my clients to ensure they have their affairs in order, but my personal experience with my mother certainly drove home to me the importance of practising what we preach in the most confronting way possible.
Now, nearly 18 months later, Mum is well and truly settled into her new home.
She’s happy and healthy.
She has round the clock care.
She has a new routine, new friends, constant visitors and a calm acceptance of this new stage in her life.
She lives only 10 minutes away and has regular “sleepovers” with her two adoring grandsons.
We are able to spend more time with her than ever before.
As for me, I finally have the confirmation, and most importantly the peace of mind, I did do the right thing, for everyone.
Thinking about moving a parent into aged car?
You can find out more about nursing homes or support services in your area by going to myagedcare.gov.au.
Caring for a parent can be demanding. To access respite services, call carer support respite information service on 1800 052 222.
Can’t afford the fees? You can find out more about getting a reduction or waiver at myagedcare.gov.au.
Upon visiting a homeless charity in London, Prince William was given a never-before-seen photo from 1994 of himself with brother Harry and their mother Diana.
Prince William has received what is perhaps his most touching gift yet.
On Friday, the royal visited The Passage in London, a charity that supports the homeless community in Britain.
After a meet and greet and a tour of the newly renovated facilities, the Duke of Cambridge was presented with a framed photo of a trip he made to the same charity with his mother Diana in 1994, when he and his brother Harry were just young boys.
The snap was taken on the young royal’s second visit to the charity with their mother. The first visit was just one year prior in 1993.
The candid snap shares not only a happy memory, but also a happy feeling.
In the never-before-seen photo, a 12-year-old Harry smiles brightly up at the camera as he sits atop a table beside a volunteer.
Cheeky Harry, who would have only been about 10-years-old at the time, sat contently on his mother’s lap.
Both boys were wearing Lacoste polo shirts with blue pants for the occasion all those years ago, an outfit remembered vividly by the Prince upon seeing the image for the first time.
“He remembered the t-shirts they had on. It was just so touching. He laughed – he found it quite strange that we still had a photograph of him as a child with his mum,” said Mark Smith, the homeless ambassador that presented Wills with the photograph.
The Duke was noticeably touched to receive such a unique gift.
Upon receiving the touching gift, the 33-year-old gave a speech, thanking the charity for the hard work which has helped over 10,000 people since its founding year of 1980.
“The visits I made as a child to this place left a deep and lasting impression upon me – about how important it is to ensure that everyone in our society, especially the poorest, are treated with respect, dignity and kindness, and are given the opportunities to fulfil their potential in life,” said the father of George, two, and one-year-old Charlotte.
Both William and Harry have been gradually building upon the work carried out by their mother since her death, in all areas from homelessness, to mental health.
In Prince Harry’s most candid interview to date, the young royal talks about the tremendous loss of his mother, and how he and his brother plan on making her proud.
William, Harry and Diana pictured in 1995, a year after visiting the charity.
“I don’t have that many memories of my childhood with my Mum,” he admitted to People magazine earlier this month.
All I want to do is make my mother incredibly proud,” Harry added during the exclusive interview. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”
The former military man continued, “When she died, there was a gaping hole, not just for us but also for a huge amount of people across the world.”
“If I can try and fill a very small part of that, then job done. I will have to, in a good way, spend the rest of my life trying to fill that void as much as possible. And so will William.”
The number of adults moving back in to their family homes is on the rise, as younger people struggle with the costs of living. Zoe Arnold speaks to two women who have moved back to the family nest.
The number of adults moving back in to their family homes is on the rise, as younger people struggle with the costs of living. Zoe Arnold speaks to two women who have moved back to the family nest.
It’s not really part of the great Australian dream: grow up, travel the world, get a qualification and settle down … with your folks.
But according to the Bureau of Statistics, it is part of a growing trend – children moving back to their family home, often with their own partners and kids in tow.
At last count, around 29 per cent of young adults (those between 18-34 years old) lived with one or both of their parents, up from 21 per cent in 1976.
For Christina, an Occupational Therapist with two young boys, moving in with her father-in-law was a decision made after her mother-in-law suddenly died.
“She died very quickly and unexpectedly, while she was still in her late 40s,” Christina says.
“My father-in-law asked if we would consider moving in to keep him company for a while. He has a large house, and by moving in together we could help him with the mortgage and bills as well as give him support in such a sad time.”
Three years on, Christina admits the living arrangement has both up and down sides.
“We only have a thin dividing wall between our living space and his, which is not entirely sound proof,” she says. “This is an issue if my husband and I are arguing … or the kids are being noisy!
“We have limited privacy – but on the plus side we live in an amazing location that we couldn’t afford on our own, and my kids have a very special bond with their granddad.”
For Emma, a part-time teacher, the bonus of beachside living also contributed to her family’s decision to build a duplex with her in-laws.
“My husband is an only child, who is close to his parents … so I guess I knew we would end up nearby.
“My husband’s also a surfer – and for as long as I’ve known him has wanted to live as close to the ocean as possible – but the way the housing market is going, we knew we couldn’t do it on our own.”
Emma, Paul and their two young daughters are midway through the build, which will leave them sharing a driveway and front yard with her husband’s parents.
She says they’ve set some ground rules that will hopefully make the move as seamless as possible.
“They paid for the land, and we are paying for the build,” Emma says. “Ongoing costs are completely separate. The land is in all of our names and although the duplex is connected, it is legally subdivided … so if it doesn’t work out, there is an escape clause!
“However, I am very much looking forward to having a new home, near the beach and I’m honoured that my in-laws were so keen to move next door to us.
“Family has always been my number one priority, so I am looking forward to cementing a future with constant love and support. They say it takes a village to raise a child, after all.”
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It was one of the most high profile divorces in Hollywood. But five years later, Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger have come together for a very special reason.
Over the weekend, the proud parents put on a united front as they attended son Patrick Schwarzenegger’s graduation at the University of Southern California.
Smiling at the camera and clearly in celebration mode Arnold and Maria, who called time on their 25-year marriage following the actor’s affair with their cleaner Mildred Patricia Baena, were happy to put their differences aside to honour their son.
Taking to Instagram, Arnie penned a loving message to Patrick, 22.
“Patrick, I’m so proud of you. You have grown into a great man – physically and mentally – and I can’t wait to see what you do next. Congratulations. I love you,’ the former Governor of California mused alongside a happy snap of the pair.
Proud papa! Arnold stands proudly beside his son on his big day.
While Maria also took a moment to pay tribute to Patrick, who has previously dated Miley Cyrus.
“Morning after memory. Off he goes. Well loved, well educated. Share pictures of your #graduates with me. It’s such a emotional day #graduationday,” the 60-year-old journalist wrote next to a picture of her and Arnie cuddling Patrick.
The couple, who married in 1986, are also parents to two daughters Katherine, 26, and Christina, 24 as well as son Christopher, 18.
The couple split after 25 years together following a cheating scandal.
In 2011 the Schwarzenegger’s were rocked with the scandal when it emerged Arnold had a secret son – Joseph Baena, now 18 – with Mildred.
However since the bombshell, the 68-year-old star has worked hard to repair the wounds with his family and has fostered a solid relationship with all of his kids.
“I am so proud of them. I’m so in love with them,” he told Howard Stern last year.
Adding of his brood: “It is fantastic. Including my fifth child with Mildred.”
“It’s the worst thing I’ve ever done…” – Watch Arnold open up on the cheating scandal in the video player below.
Whether your daughter is heading to uni after high school, starting her first job or currently engrossed in Peppa Pig, it’s important to talk to her about how to manage money. About the responsibilities involved with money and the benefits of being financially independent (read: preferably not living at home until you’re 45). OK, so most of that might be lost on little ones, but a Peppa Pig piggy bank won’t be.
Before you talk to your daughter, it’s a good idea to know what you want to cover. Budgeting is important. Setting goals is also up there. If she’s starting her first job, you might want to talk about checking payslips, and being aware of super and tax. Oh, and the big one: credit cards. Because smart and responsible use of credit cards (particularly for emergencies) is all part and parcel of growing up.
Once you’ve got your talking points covered, you could go full steam ahead with “the chat” but chances are you’ll be met with defiance or silence. The same reaction we’d no doubt have had at that age – not that we like to admit it!
The trick to starting a conversation about money with your daughter – and actually getting through – is to find things she’ll relate to. More than just situations, actual means of communication like websites, apps, newsletters and social media.
Websites like Ruby Connection are worth highlighting to your daughter. The brain-child of Westpac, it’s basically an interactive community dedicated to women’s finances. Home to heaps of valuable information particularly suited to young women, like budgeting tips, understanding super, careers advice and more, it’s the videos that will really resonate with your daughter.
Chances are she’s always on YouTube so send across a link to one of the videos and she can watch it once she’s done with Carpool Karaoke. They have a relatable style and feature young women talking about trade-offs between lifestyle and travel, for example, all of which makes the seemingly scary or grown-up subject of finances seem way more applicable to her. It’s a great way to get across the responsibilities of growing up without it feeling like a lecture from the ‘rents.
Another way in is the site’s fortnightly e-newsletter. Just like Lenny Letter (Lena Dunham from Girls‘ newsletter) the advice is real, helpful and directly applicable to them.
Instead of insisting that they join you at the financial advisor one time, make her aware of finance apps. The big banks have ones that will allow her to keep track of all transactions in and out of her account. If your daughter is moving into a flat share, the Flat Mate app is a way of being across splitting costs multiple ways. And TrackMySpend is great for those starting off in their career. It can help her see how quickly all those morning coffees and lunches add up and perhaps think twice about spending what could be a holiday, or a new pair of boots or Instagram’s latest favourite foundation.
Armed with these tools your daughter will feel more confident about her finances and find out how to discover financial independence on her own. Sure, you gave her a nudge in the right direction. But what are mums for?
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