The Next Bit Podcast
Ageing isn’t overwhelming. It’s just the next bit. Real NZ stories, expert advice and practical tools to help you — and the people you love — stay confident, independent and informed as you age. Hosted by Hannah McQueen, with new episodes every week, The Next Bit is a podcast designed to help New Zealanders learn how to age well and support their whānau with clarity. Whether you’re planning your own next chapter, supporting ageing parents, or simply wanting to stay independent for as long as possible, you’re in the right place. https://www.thenextbitpod.com
Episodes
September 15, 2026 • 34 mins
Most people treat their enduring power of attorney as an afterthought to their will — if they think about it at all. Brendan Reidy, branch manager at Perpetual Guardian, has spent his career sitting across the table from families who didn't.
In this episode, Brendan breaks down the two types of EPA — property, and personal care and welfare — and why so many people agree to act as someone's attorney without unders...
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September 8, 2026 • 62 mins
If your role disappeared tomorrow, would it really be a redundancy, or something else wearing a redundancy costume?
Lisa Oakley is an HR and employment relations specialist who gets called in when things get curly: restructures, disciplinary processes, collective bargaining, exits. She calls these conversations sunset exits, and by her own account, she runs a handful of them every week, often with people who've given 20 or 30 year...
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September 1, 2026 • 62 mins
Most people assume their will just carries on no matter what happens in life. It doesn't.
Getting remarried cancels it outright. And if you die before making a new one, the law decides who gets what, not you.
In this episode, Brendan Reidy, branch manager at Perpetual Guardian, takes us inside the estate planning conversations he has every day: sometimes calm, sometimes in the middle of a dispute that's already gone too far.
We...
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August 25, 2026 • 40 mins
Our first episode on sex after 60 clearly struck a nerve, so Auckland sex therapist Edit Horvath is back for round two, and this time nothing is off the table.
We talk about how to start a conversation about intimacy after years of silence, what happens when caregiving for a partner leaves no room for romance, and why later-life affairs, whether with a colleague, a sex worker, or a chatbot, are becoming more common than you'd thin...
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August 18, 2026 • 53 mins
One in four New Zealanders knows someone living with dementia. Which means the chances are, you do too.
Lesley Harris didn't set out to become a dementia advocate. She became one the hard way, watching her father slowly stop knowing who she was, where he was, and slip back into his own childhood. That experience led her to study for a Diploma in Dementia Care, and eventually to build The Harris List, a navigation website she wish...
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August 11, 2026 • 56 mins
Imagine this: Mum has a fall and is admitted to hospital with a fracture. The doctors tell you she's no longer able to return home and now needs residential care. A fancy word for "Rest home". You are now faced with another challenge—finding a rest home bed. We all know beds can be hard to come by. But let's say you find one, and you are happy with it.
Then come the questions almost every family asks: How are we going to p...
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She's 78. Smart, social, independent — and for six months, she's been in an "engagement" with a Hollywood actor she's never spoken to, never seen on a video call, and never met. He needs money for jet fuel. For a management fee. For a visa. She's sold her jewellery to give it to him. She's sold her wedding ring.
Anita Gatley's mother was widowed after 56 years of marriage, and somewhere in that grief, she became exactly who ...
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July 27, 2026 • 52 mins
Health insurance can feel like one of those things you set up years ago and hope you never have to think about again. But once you hit your 60s, the reality can change fast: premiums rise, health risks shift, and the difference between public waitlists and private treatment can suddenly become very real.
In this episode of The Next Bit, Hannah McQueen talks with Abby Woollaston, Risk Specialist at Redress Advice Ltd, about the big...
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July 20, 2026 • 5 mins
One of the biggest questions families have about retirement villages is surprisingly simple: when do you actually get your money back?
In this bite-sized episode of The Next Bit, Hannah McQueen and Mark Leishman talk with Jenny Baldwin, Partner at Anthony Harper, about what happens when someone leaves a retirement village, moves into care, or passes away, and the family is waiting for the unit to be resold.
Jenny explains where t...
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July 13, 2026 • 3 mins
Retirement village contracts can be long, confusing and full of legal language. And when every village uses slightly different terms, it can be hard to work out what you’re actually comparing.
In this bite-sized episode of The Next Bit, Hannah McQueen and Mark Leishman talk with Jenny Baldwin, Partner at Anthony Harper, about the simple tool that can make comparing retirement village contracts much easier: the key terms summ...
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July 6, 2026 • 3 mins
When is the “right” time to start looking at a retirement village? For some people, it’s about lifestyle. For others, it’s about feeling safer, being less isolated, or no longer wanting to deal with the house, garden, maintenance and all the bits that come with running a home.
In this bite-sized episode of The Next Bit, Hannah McQueen and Mark Leishman talk with Jenny Baldwin, Partner at Anthony Harper, abo...
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June 29, 2026 • 31 mins
In this episode of The Next Bit Podcast, I’m joined by Jenny Baldwin, a seasoned lawyer specializing in retirement villages and aged care. We delve into the key considerations for choosing the right retirement village, emphasizing the importance of understanding contracts and services. From the vibe of the community to the financial implications, we discuss how to compare different options effectively. Jenny shares insights o...
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June 22, 2026 • 59 mins
For many people, dementia is more frightening than cancer. The fear of forgetting loved ones, the stigma, the sense that you're losing yourself — it's enough to make people avoid a diagnosis altogether. But Brightly's lead geriatrician Dr. Cheryl Johnson says delay is the worst choice you can make, because the earlier you act, the more options you have.
In this episode, Hannah McQueen sits down with Dr. Cheryl to unpack what...
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June 15, 2026 • 46 mins
Most of us assume that staying in our own home as we age is the ideal outcome. After all, home is where we feel comfortable, independent and connected to our memories.
But what happens when staying at home becomes harder than we expected?
In this episode of The Next Bit Podcast, Hannah McQueen is joined by Brightly Head Nurse Madelaine Young to unpack the often-overlooked realities of ageing in place.
While many older New Zealan...
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June 8, 2026 • 34 mins
In this episode of The Next Bit Podcast, we delve into the often-overlooked topic of memory loss and its implications as we age. Join me as I speak with Dr. Di North, head GP at Brightly, who sheds light on the misconception that forgetfulness is just a natural part of aging. We explore the gray zone of cognitive decline and the importance of early intervention, discussing how proactive measures can help manage or even reverse mild...
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June 1, 2026 • 28 mins
In this episode of The Next Bit Podcast titled "You can’t eat your house – now what?", I dive deep into a pressing issue faced by many retirees: being asset-rich yet cash-poor. As homeowners, many find their wealth tied up in property, leaving them without sufficient cash flow to support their lifestyle. Joined by financial expert Hannah McQueen, we explore five practical strategies to enhance liquidity in retirement. F...
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May 25, 2026 • 42 mins
Most of us assume the mortgage will be gone by retirement, the kids will eventually leave home, Mum and Dad will have things sorted and things will get easier.
The reality is much messier. Many carry a mortgage for longer, help children for longer, and start to discover that their parents’ retirement plan is non-existent.
In this episode of Age Brightly, Hannah McQueen talks to Katie Wesney, National Coaching Lead at ena...
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May 18, 2026 • 44 mins
Most of us want to age well, and are happy to take the supplements, wear the sleep ring and sit in the sauna in the pursuit of that.
But the things making us feel good, and allow us to pat ourselves on the back for being proactive about our health don’t actually tell us what’s really going on in our bodies.
In this episode of The Next Bit, Hannah McQueen confesses her fondness for collagen gummies to Brightly&rsquo...
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May 14, 2026 • 10 mins
In this episode of The Next Bit Podcast, join me, Hannah McQueen, as I sit down with geriatrician Dr. Cheryl Johnson to explore the critical topic of care levels as we age. We delve into essential conversations about staying out of the hospital and the difficult decision of transitioning a spouse into care. Dr. Johnson breaks down the needs assessment process and explains the various levels of care available, from rest homes to pri...
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May 13, 2026 • 26 mins
Join me on this episode of The Next Bit Podcast, titled "From Carer Back To Partner," where we explore the challenging transition from caregiver to spouse. In our previous discussion, we examined the tough decision to move a loved one into care. Now, we delve into the emotional aftermath of that decision. How do you redefine your identity when your role changes from caregiver to partner? I’m joined by Dr. Cheryl Johnson, a le...
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