Former 90’s starlet finds new career – as aged care nurse

Do you recall Kate Fischer? She was the model, actress and TV presenter famously engaged to billionaire James Packer until a highly-publicised split in 1998 led her to move to Los Angeles and retire from public life ten years ago.

Now it’s been revealed she has found a new calling – as a carer for people with dementia at a Melbourne nursing home.

Now known as Tziporah Atarah Malkah, she wrote on her Facebook page: “I work in the health care industry and very much enjoy helping others. I am content in most ways and appreciate my life being a private one now.”

Despite withdrawing from the public eye, the 42-year-old has received some unwanted attention recently with tabloid Woman’s Day publishing pictures of her “shocking new life”.

These included paparazzi shots of her getting the mail wearing a bed sheet for which they reportedly paid $10,000.

A shameful act

It’s disappointing to see – a magazine publicly “shaming” a woman who has left the spotlight to care for our most vulnerable simply to sell a few issues.

Malkah has fired back at the publisher – doing a lingerie shoot with rival magazine New Idea and donating her “small fee” to an unnamed charity.

In The story titled “You don’t have to be skinny to be sexy”, she says she was stunned to see herself back in the news simply for her body: “But…I got so much support from people, it was really heartening. Really, why should anyone feel ashamed about how they look when photographed without their knowledge?”

She also talked about her new career: “Life is much more rewarding now,” she says. “I wish I’d done this kind of geriatric psych work years ago.”

A happy ending for her.

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A special thanks to our contributors

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Caroline Egan

DCM Media, agedcare101

Caroline has a wealth of experience writing within the retirement and aged care sector and is a contributing journalist for the Villages.com.au and agedcare101 blog and accompanying newsletters.

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Ian Horswill

Journalist

Ian is a journalist, writer and sub-editor for the aged care sector, working at The DCM Group. He writes for The Weekly Source, agedcare101, villages.com.au and the DCM Institute fortnightly newsletter Friday. Ian is in daily contact with CEOs of retirement living, land lease and the aged care operations and makes a new contact every week. He investigates media releases, LinkedIn and Facebook for a good source for ideas for stories.

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Lauren Broomham

Retirement and Aged Care Journalist

Lauren is a journalist for villages.com.au, agedcare101 and The Donaldson Sisters. Growing up in a big family in small town communities, she has always had a love for the written word, joining her local library at the age of six months. With over eight years' experience in writing and editing, she is a keen follower of news and current affairs with a nose for a good story.

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Jill Donaldson

Physiotherapist

Jill has been practicing as a clinical physiotherapist for 30 years. For the last 13 years she has worked solely in the Aged Care sector in more than 50 metropolitan and regional facilities. Jill has also toured care facilities in the US and Africa and is a passionate advocate for both the residents in aged care and the staff who care for them. She researches and writes for DCM Media.

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Chris Baynes

DCM Media, agedcare101

Chris has been a journalist and publisher in the retirement village and aged care sectors for 11 years. He has visited over 250 retirement villages and 50 aged care facilities both within Australia and internationally. Chris is a regular speaker at industry conferences plus is a frequent radio commentator.

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Annie Donaldson

Nurse and Carer

Annie has a long career in both nursing and the media. She has planned and co-ordinated the medical support from both international TV productions and major stadium events. In recent years she has been a primary family carer plus involved in structured carer support.