N E W S L E T T E R
As we move away from full-time work and towards a fuller enjoyment of life, it’s
important to identify and understand the elements of happiness, starting here.
Publisher: Chiou See Anderson. 224 Dennis Rd Springwood.
On your bike
Getting back into
exercise is as easy as
riding a bike, walking,
gardening, taking the
stairs instead of the lift.
Simple. Find out some
other ways to keep
your body strong and
flexible.
P2
Zen Rocks
Meditation doesn’t have
to involve incense, gongs
or sarongs.You just need
somewhere Zen and
zone out. 
P2
Win some
bubbly
See if you can answer
our questions correctly.
It’s a quiz that could
win you a bottle of
sparkling wine, so
get those brain cells
bubbling.
P4
Show me the
money
Whittaker Macnaught
gives us tips on how
to gain from salary
sacrifice.
P2 
The keys to
happiness
Recent Population and Retirement snapshots
released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics
reveal that we are increasingly embracing our
“third age” - the period that follows full-time
work. As a result we’re also embracing good
physical and psychological health as the keys
to happiness in our retirement years.
The ABS reported that most people view
retirement “as a period to do all the things for
which there was never enough time during
their working lives”.
On average, the end of full-time work and the
beginning of a new phase in our lives comes
at 58 for men and 47 for women.
However, the ABS found around 40 percent
of Australians aged over 45 class themselves
as retired.
And around 1 million extra people are
expected to join the ranks of the nation’s
retirees over the next decade.
Many retirees elect to ease their way out of
the workforce, with around 40 percent of
workers switching from full-time to part-time
employment before making the break.
There’s also a trend in the opposite direction,
with around 300,000 people in the Australian
workforce in 2007 who had previously retired.
Chiou See Anderson looks beyond the statistics
Boredom was one of the reasons given for
this decision. However the most common
justification was money. Clearly, one of the
other main keys to happiness in retirement is
financial health.
Issue 1 April 2009
Facebook is easy Your happy place
Your grandkids make
it look so easy.Well,
it is. In this article we
take you through the
set up process for the
world’s most popular
networking site. Pretty
soon you’ll be linking
up with friends around
the world.
P3
Take up painting.
Learn to meditate.
There are lots of simple
ways to reduce the
stress in your life.
P3
Welcome to the first issue of Elements
– the monthly guide to health, wealth
and personal fulfilment for retirees.
As its title suggests, Elements aims to
help you draw together all the necessary
ingredients of a happy and productive
life once you’ve finished full-time work.
Every month, we will bring you a range
of articles designed to enhance your
“third age” by improving your spiritual,
psychological, social, physical, and
financial wellbeing.
Our third age is the period of our life
in which we have more time to invest in
personal growth and self-discovery, to
nurture our relationships and to mentor
our loved ones.
This month’s edition of Elements includes
a feature on social networking websites
designed specifically for older Australians,
as well as an article about spirituality
through Zen gardens.
There’s also financial planning tips and
a guide to physical activity.
My team and I are keen to hear your
ideas on how this newsletter can remain
interesting and entertaining.
Please feel free to contact us with either
questions or ideas. In the meantime, live
life in your element.
Chiou See Anderson
Publisher
E n q u i r i e s : t h e p u b l i s h e r @ e l e m e n t s l i v i n g . c o m . a u o r p h o n e ( 0 7 ) 3 2 9 9 37 7 5
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Getting all the pieces
to fall into place
You need each and every element to be right.
Lose track of just one of the pieces and your
life can become a very frustrating jigsaw puzzle
you can’t seem to solve.
SPIRITUAL
PHYSICAL
FINANCIAL
Many people feel the need for a deeper level
of spirituality during the third age of life.
Statistics show that half of older Australians
are still not doing enough physical activity to
maintain a healthy way of life. 
Whittaker Macnaught has some timely advice
on salary sacrificing. The full article is at
www.whittakermacnaught.com.au but here’s
a sneak peek that will interest you.
An increasingly popular way to connect with
one’s spirituality is to visit a Japanese-inspired
Zen garden, providing a haven for peace,
harmony and inner reflection. The concept
of the Zen garden, or Karesansui, dates back
to around the 13th century when Japanese
Buddhist monks used them for meditation
and contemplation.
Zen gardens combine both architectural and
natural components, with every aspect being
deliberately chosen and placed. Sand formations
are often used to represent water, using carefully
raked designs. Rocks lend a presence and an
energy to the garden, plants bring emotion
through their various textures, depth and colours,
and architectural elements such as bridges and
decorative ornaments act as focal points.
A carefully crafted Zen garden not only
encourages visitors to relax, but through
artistic design also stimulates the mind’s
creative side.
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Recently the Federal Government urged
older Australians to participate in at least 30
minutes of moderate physical activity every
day. Even a slight increase in activity can help
you to sleep better, reduce stress and improve
energy levels. The booklet “Choose Health:
Be Active”, recommends activities that:
• improve flexibility, e.g. bowls,
yoga or dancing
• build strength, such as taking
the stairs or doing yard work
• stretch muscles and improve balance  
• are fun, e.g. golf, swimming or
walking the dog.
Get the “Choose Health: Be Active” booklet
by visiting www.health.gov.au or calling
1800 500 853.
Super contributions made by salary sacrifice
incur only a 15% entry tax. When compared
with marginal tax rates of 31.5%, 41.5% and
46.5%, the immediate tax saving is obvious.
As a salary sacrifice reduces both your assessable
and taxable income, you may also qualify for
a range of Centrelink or tax benefits.
However, with legislation affecting salary
sacrifice due to change on 1 July 2009, your
window of opportunity could be closing.
Case study
John, aged 55, earns $85,000 p.a. He has a
$200,000 home loan.To pay it off by age 65 he
requires $3,604 a month in pre-tax dollars. 
John should put his home loan on an interest only
basis with payments of $1,333 a month. He could
then salary sacrifice $2,272 a month in pre-tax
dollars. After allowing for the contribution tax, this
should give him an extra $375,000 in super at
age 65 if his fund earns 9% p.a. on average.
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Face to face
with Facebook
It’s easy to join. Follow these easy steps
and soon you’ll be Facebook fluent, just
like your children and grandchildren.
1.  Go to www.facebook.com
2.  Click “Sign Up” then fill in
your basic details
PSYCHOLOGICAL
SOCIAL
3.  A standard security check asks
you to re-type the words
appearing on screen
4.  You’ll then receive a confirmation
email. Open and click on the link.
5.  That’s it
Even during retirement, there are many factors
of today’s busy society that cause stress in our
lives and reduce our psychological wellbeing.
A variety of techniques can be used to help
avoid those factors causing stress. These
include maintaining a proper diet, getting
enough sleep and avoiding excess stimulants.
Inevitably there are also stressors that cannot
be avoided, and unfortunately there is no
universal remedy to stress. What works for
one person may seem boring to another, or
could even cause additional angst. Popular
stress relief techniques include yoga, massage,
prayer or exercise.
Other methods which can help reduce stress
include spending time doing volunteer work,
keeping a diary, hypnosis or shopping. You
could even sign up to a laughter group, try
out a new hobby or perhaps enrol in a time
management course.
Reducing every day stresses allows us to focus
on the more important aspects of life.
Move over Generation Y. The net is for us
too. Grandparents Network is a popular
online destination that has more networking
features than Facebook. It steps users through
numerous functions after a seamless signup
process. Blog, chat, take quizzes, participate
in polls, post news and announcements, and
keep friends posted on what’s happening. 
About Seniors provides technological advice
on various topics including how to connect to
the network – and to other people on the net.
It’s My Time is all about retirement, how
to live better, and remain social.  The site
has tips on gardening, travel, and health and
beauty.  
It’s then up to you to add as much or as
little information as you like. Facebook
privacy settings mean that the information
you include on your profile is only
accessible to your on-line friends.
Naturally, you’ll need a face. Click on
the blank face and follow the easy steps
to upload a picture that you’ve saved on
your computer.
Next, ask people to be your on-line
friend.You may already have received
some friend requests. Simply click these
to accept.
You’ll be surprised how many old
friends and colleagues will make contact
with you once you have a Facebook
profile.
If you wish to become more involved
there is a multitude of Facebook tools
to use.You can update your status, send
people messages, organise real world
events, play games and join groups.
Of course nothing can fully replace
face-to-face interaction, but on-line
networking is an increasingly popular
way to stay in touch. 
Try one of the sites below and start building
a new network of friends.
www.eons.com
www.itsmytime.com.au
www.aboutseniors.com.au
www.grandparentsnetwork.net
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E L E M E N T S
A corker of a challenge
Answer the questions and solve the Sudoku puzzle and you could win a bottle of bubbly.
Just send your entry to: Elements Third Age Living, 224 Dennis Rd Springwood. Q 4127
1. What is the birth name of Pope Benedict XVI?
_____________________________________________
2. What is the term for a word that reads
the same forward as it does backward?
9 4
7
_____________________________________________
3. Who played the lead female role in
Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho?
_____________________________________________
4. What is Queensland’s floral emblem?
8
2
4
7
_____________________________________________
5. How many Olympic gold medals has
Hayley Lewis won?
6
_____________________________________________
6. What is Vanuatu’s currency?
6
1 9 3
6
8
4
SUDOKU
6
4
2
• Every row of
9 numbers must
include all digits
1 through 9 in
any order.
3
5
2 5 6
6
1
7
3 1
4
• Every column
of 9 numbers must
include all digits
1 through 9 in
any order.
• Every 3 by 3
subsection of the
9 by 9 square must
include all digits
1 through 9.
Puzzle courtesy
www.sudoku.com.au
_____________________________________________
Name
7. Who was Margaret Thatcher’s predecessor
as British PM?
_____________________________________________
Email/phone
Address
8. How many lines does a sonnet have?
_____________________________________________
Postcode
Entries close 15 May 2009. Winners will be notified by phone and email and announced in the next edition of Elements.
“I’ve designed a whole retirement
village for just one person.”
Me. I found the ideal piece of land, nestled into
- Chiou See Ander son
to enjoy and modelled my village on that. And
the edge of a koala habitat. I chose every element
of the design. I thought about the freedom I like
even though I am years away from moving into
my village, I look forward to the day when I can.
Come and see my vision for third age living.
Residences start from $388,000.
Visit elementsliving.com.au or call 3299 3775.
Our display at 224 Dennis Road in Springwood
is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm.
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This letter is printed on recycled paper.