Australia's oldest living person, Ken Weeks, has celebrated his 113th birthday by exchanging birthday messages with João Marinho Neto, the world's oldest man who is 114 years old. The two men, born exactly one year apart and 14,000 kilometres apart, share the same birthday, October 5, and have exchanged messages for the first time. Ken Weeks, born in Grafton, NSW on October 5, 1913, lives at Whiddon aged care in Grafton. João Marinho Neto was born in Maranguape, Ceará, Brazil, on October 5, 1912. Whiddon, a not-for-profit aged care provider, announced the unique exchange of birthday messages in a media release. Whiddon chief executive Chris Mamarelis described the event as 'not something we can plan for. It is a privilege to witness.' He added that he doesn't believe this will ever happen again, calling it 'special' and 'the only time it ever happens.' Ken Weeks has been living at Whiddon Grafton since 2018, when he was just before his 105th birthday. He has lived in the Northern Rivers town for over a century. Born the eldest of five children, Weeks grew up on a riverside farm at Swan Creek and attended Carrs Creek Primary School and Grafton High School. During his working life, he built roads, drove trucks and buses, operated a service station, ran a radio and electrical repair business, a milk bar, and co-owned a car dealership and repair business in Grafton. Unable to join the Royal Australian Air Force in WWII, he helped construct wartime airfields instead. Weeks married Jean McPhee in 1941, and they had two sons, Ian and Noel. They were married for 45 years until Jean's death in 1986. Weeks continued to live independently for many years after, remaining in his home for 65 years before moving into care. At 100, he was still walking into town to do his shopping. His granddaughter Eunice Weeks described him as 'a typical Aussie battler' who has lived a 'simple ordinary life of industrious hard work.' LongeviQuest, a global longevity research body, currently recognises João Marinho Neto as the world's oldest living man and Ken Weeks as the second-oldest living man, both age-validated by the organisation.

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New homes in Lutruwita/Tasmania must implement all provisions of the new Livable Housing Design Standard from 1 October, a development that experts say will be especially important for people with a disability, who are ageing or experiencing a progressive illness.

New homes in Lutruwita/Tasmania must implement all provisions of the new Livable Housing Design Standard from 1 October, a development that experts say will be especially important for people with a disability, who are ageing or experiencing a progressive illness.

Diagnosis and care for people with dementia needs to be improved, according to new findings reported in The Zap, which also covers calls for an aged care system that prioritises prevention and ensures admission to residential aged care occurs because it is genuinely needed, "not because earlier opportunities for support were missed".

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Abstract. Recent epidemiological studies have shown an association between daily morbidity and mortality and ambient particulate matter (PM) air pollution.