Category: Community

Death by suicide is devastating for the people who loved the deceased – it is sudden, unexpected and a tragedy. The loss of a life, the loss of a person overcome by social and psychological circumstances is a disaster often brought about by situations outside one’s control, leaving young people, parents, grandparents, friends and their […]

So how’s this for timing then, from the 1News website… King Charles III returns to public duties with cancer charity trip “… Unlike most royals before him, Charles chose to publicly disclose details about his health when he first underwent treatment for an enlarged prostate and later when he was diagnosed with cancer. The decision […]

We have between 5,000 and 60,000 thoughts every day. Left unguarded, thoughts can create a myriad of mental, emotional and physical conditions. Left unguarded, our thoughts can make it very difficult to move forward in life, especially after experiencing a significant loss. It is therefore beneficial to understand how thoughts work, how thoughts impact on […]

In 2000 I was honoured to be deployed with the New Zealand Deforce on the peacekeeping mission to East Timor. East Timor had been under foreign rule through most of its history, and most recently it had been under Indonesian control. Most of the East Timorese wanted to become independent, but there were groups who […]

We attended the Positive Aging Expo last weekend, and were impressed with the number and variety of groups and agencies represented. It’s a catchy title – ‘Positive Ageing’. It captures the opportunities available to people despite reaching and surpassing their SuperGold card eligibility date; places to live, places to go, activities to do, groups to […]

A Dying Art… People have recently been shocked by the announcement of cuts to TV News at Newshub, and then by the announcement that there would be cuts at TVNZ. I suppose we shouldn’t be at all surprised; an institution funded by advertising revenue is always going to be at the mercy of the mighty […]

This is one of those “Frequently Asked Questions” or FAQs. The answer is very simple, and at the same time, very complex. Here it is: “Well, Yes and No”. An alternative answer, equally as helpful, is, “It all depends…” So, there you have it. But depends on what, on tradition? Tradition says No; funerals are […]

Financial loss is not only about money You may wonder if people can actually experience grief over losing their job and their income, or losing money or assets from a bad investment, or a business collapse. The truth is that we grieve over any kind of loss. Because we are accustomed to think of grief […]

I love this billboard. It shows the true grit nature of the male of the species, with more than just a hint of irony showing that true grit isn’t working so well. What is really encouraging is that we’ve come a long way from where we used to be; the staunch male who toughs it […]

As the first Valentine’s Day after the death of your loved partner nears, it can seem like an insurmountable and depressing holiday. for people who are grieving, most holidays can be stressful times and Valentine’s Day certainly can be a bit more difficult than the others. With its focus on sharing our special memories with […]

Q: What’s worse than coming home with luggage missing?A: Coming home from a tour of duty with extra baggage. Read on… A soldier returned from his tour of duty in East Timor and decided to take some very well -earned rest and recreation. He decided to come home and stay with his mum and then […]