'Kookaburras, kangaroos and my frilly-necked lizard': The value of wildlife, nature and companion animals for older community-dwelling Australians.

Objective: With little research investigating older Australians' experience of companion animal (pet) ownership or wildlife encounters, this paper focuses on the value of animals in their lives.

Methods: Three online focus groups explored 103 older adults' lived experience of home and community, with this paper focused on interactions with animals-companion animals and wildlife.

Results: Most (60%) had at least one pet, which brought love and joy into their lives.

Fears and freedoms: A qualitative analysis of older adults' basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, relatedness and beneficence.

Objectives: Self-determination theory posits three universal psychological needs: autonomy, competence and relatedness. Beneficence has recently been proposed as an important behaviour for improved well-being and eudaimonia. This study sought to qualitatively examine older adults' experiences of basic psychological needs satisfaction and frustration.

My home in later life: A phenomenographic study of older adults' experience of home.

Home environments are especially important for older adults whose lives are more home-based than earlier life stages. Despite a focus on ageing in place, there often remains a mismatch between housing options prioritised by government and industry, and the needs and preferences of older adults. This paper considers the breadth of home environments experienced by diverse older Australians and highlights the varied ways they use and think about their homes.

Systems Modelling of the Socio-Technical Aspects of Residential Electricity Use and Network Peak Demand.

Provision of network infrastructure to meet rising network peak demand is increasing the cost of electricity. Addressing this demand is a major imperative for Australian electricity agencies. The network peak demand model reported in this paper provides a quantified decision support tool and a means of understanding the key influences and impacts on network peak demand.

A framework for understanding and generating integrated solutions for residential peak energy demand.

Supplying peak energy demand in a cost effective, reliable manner is a critical focus for utilities internationally. Successfully addressing peak energy concerns requires understanding of all the factors that affect electricity demand especially at peak times. This paper is based on past attempts of proposing models designed to aid our understanding of the influences on residential peak energy demand in a systematic and comprehensive way.

Conceptions of 'community' among older adults living in high-density urban areas: an Australian case study.

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the social networks of community and its connection to location for older people living in inner city high density (ICHD).

Method: Using a case study approach employing qualitative (diaries, in-depth interviews) and quantitative (global positioning systems and geographical information systems mapping) methods, this paper explores the everyday interaction and social networks and where they manifest spatially for a group of older ICHD Australians.

Results: Social networks in two community territories were found to be of particular importance to participants in terms of influencing feelings of well-being, support, social inclusion and cohesion.

Moving from outsider to insider: peer status and partnerships between electricity utilities and residential consumers.

An electricity demand reduction project based on comprehensive residential consumer engagement was established within an Australian community in 2008. By 2011, both the peak demand and grid supplied electricity consumption had decreased to below pre-intervention levels. This case study research explored the relationship developed between the utility, community and individual consumer from the residential customer perspective through qualitative research of 22 residential households.