Wisdoms of older Queenslanders encouraging young people to plan ahead

3 May 2022

The latest Public Trustee community education program provides an opportunity for
older Queenslanders to share their wisdoms and life experience to enrich the lives of
the wider Queensland community.

The Public Trustee and CEO Samay Zhouand said the Pearls of Wisdom community
education program amplifies the voices and life experiences of Queensland seniors,
drawing on their wealth of knowledge and sharing their advice with younger
generations.

“Queenslanders have so much to learn from the older members of the community,”
Mr Zhouand said.

Research shows that 75 per cent of Australians have not had end-of-life discussions
with trusted others.

Evidently, younger people find it harder to think and talk about mortality and advance
life planning, while older people have greater comfortability discussing their plans
and experiences with others.

The Public Trustee set out to learn from Queensland seniors and provide an avenue
for them to share their advice directly with the community. It is intended the program
will support an increased comfortability in discussing mortality and planning for the
future.

Partnering with Logan Area Committee on the Ageing (LACOTA), the Public Trustee
spoke with seniors, listening and learning from their life experiences, capturing their
insights through video.

Embodying the United Nations Principles for Older Persons, Pearls of Wisdom
supports seniors to actively participate in the wider community and share their
knowledge and life skills with the younger generations.

Mr Zhouand said the program is a true celebration of the diversity of Queenslanders’
experiences and the power of intergenerational learning.

“Each story has a unique perspective and offers a new opportunity for us all to learn
from,” he said.

Sam Prior, LACOTA Manager said the community has so much to gain from listening
to the advice and experiences of older people.

“The lessons older people teach us add so much value to our lives and provide us
with the opportunity to learn from their wisdoms gained over decades,” Mr Prior said.

Pearls of Wisdom participant, Robin said it can be difficult to think about advance life
planning when you are young.

“Although it is not an easy thing to face, no matter what we do in life we all have to
pass on.

“The earlier you think about advance life planning, the easier it becomes,” she said.

The Pearls of Wisdom video and resources are available from the Public Trustee
website.