088 Chapter 6 Conclusion Age Pension provides basic assistance for older people to make sure no one has to live in poverty. Supports like Home Care Packages are very helpful, too. It means getting assistance with domestic chores and transport to attend appointments. The worst thing about ageing is the illnesses. Have you heard of geriatric syndromes? They’re age-related medical conditions. I take a lot of tablets, but nothing can treat the side effects of these medications. The most surprising thing about being my age is that nothing surprises you anymore. Generations come and generations go, but life remains the same. I try to walk about 100 metres every day, around the neighbourhood with my walking stick … but I spend most of my days in bed. I keep forgetting too. I forget the names of my friends, I forget the names of suburbs … suburbs I’ve lived in. I’m forgetting my vocabulary, words in languages that I speak. —Kyong Jae (Keith), 91