Agehood
Agehood
Podcast Description
Agehood is the podcast that finally says what we're all thinking but rarely saying out loud. Hosted by Melissa Reader, CEO of Violet, we have the conversations that matter most: watching our parents age, being everyone's go-to person, the mess of love and duty, what it really takes to care for those we love, and yes, death, dying, and loss.
You'll hear Australia's most trusted voices, from beloved broadcasters to respected experts, vulnerably sharing their own stories alongside practical guidance that actually helps. This isn't about having all the answers—it's about asking the right questions and knowing you're not alone.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
Agehood centers on themes such as caregiving, aging parents, and the experiences of the sandwich generation. Episodes delve into pressing issues like the care cliff as discussed by demographer Bernard Salt, as well as personal stories from guests like Sarah MacDonald, who discusses navigating the challenges of caring for aging relatives while raising children. The show emphasizes vulnerability and the need for open conversations about death and loss.
The Sandwich Generation finally gets the conversation we deserve.
Club Sandwich is the community for those caring for ageing parents while juggling work, kids, relationships, and sanity. This is your tribe when family doesn’t get it – or just isn’t enough.
Hosted by veteran broadcaster Sarah Macdonald, Club Sandwich features clinical psychologists instead of life coaches, GPs instead of gratitude journals, and honest conversations about the relief-guilt paradox nobody else will touch.
Episodes include:
🔧 This Week’s Hack – Actionable strategy you can use today
💌 Listener Letter – Real questions from Clubbers like you
🔥 Hot Mess Moments – Stories that make you feel less alone
🛠️ What We’re Using – Resources and tools that actually help
Meet the regular Clubbers:
Melissa Reader – CEO of Vera aged care platform (vera.guide) and expert on Australia’s ageing crisis and system failures.
Dr. Jo Lamble – Clinical psychologist specializing in guilt, family dynamics, and the impossible decisions when every option has a cost.
Dr. Ginny Mansberg – GP and women’s health advocate who tells it straight about what caregiving does to your body.
Dr. Stephanie Ward – Geriatrician and consulting expert for ABC’s Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds, helping you understand when “old” becomes a crisis—and when it doesn’t.
Kerry Milligan – Gogglebox Australia star bringing humor, honesty, and hard-won perspective to impossible family situations.
No bubble baths. No bullshit. Just expert-led, community-first support for people who don’t need another thing to feel bad about not doing.
Club Sandwich is more than a podcast – it’s a movement. Join our private Facebook community, attend live events across Australia, and access free downloadable resources with every episode.
New episodes every Thursday.
Visit clubsandwich.community to join the tribe.
Topics covered: Caregiver guilt, sibling conflict, dementia care, financial planning, legal issues, family boundaries, burnout prevention, end-of-life decisions, self-care that actually works, navigating aged care systems, and the emotional toll of caring for ageing parents.
Credits
Club Sandwich is brought to you by Vera, helping families caring for ageing parents navigate this stage of life — so you don’t have to do it alone.
Sarah Macdonald – Host + Executive Producer
Melissa Reader – Commissioning Editor, Executive Producer + Clubber
Rachel Fountain – Executive Producer
Audio + video edits by Fountain Media Group
Thanks and kudos to Sean Wayland for our awesome theme music Club Sandwich – hear more from Sean at seanwayland.com
Most of us have a conversation we keep avoiding – about ageing, about more help at home, about dying. In this week’s episode, recorded live in Sydney, palliative care physician Dr Kathryn Mannix shows us how to have that tender conversation.
Recorded live at our Stay For Supper event, Sarah Macdonald sits down with Dr Kathryn Mannix — global campaigner, author of With the End in Mind and Listen, and palliative care physician — to discuss why these are tender conversations, not difficult ones, and how to start the ones we keep putting off with our ageing parents.
JOIN THE CLUB: Visit https://clubsandwich.community to join the conversation.
SEND US YOUR QUESTION: [email protected]
This Week’s Hack: Take the armour off, hand the authority back to your parent (“Mum, can you help me think this through?”), and then be quiet — for longer than feels comfortable.
Send this to: anyone bracing for a hard conversation with a parent, or a sibling who isn’t quite there yet.
A moment that stays: Kathryn’s “travel” metaphor for the end of life — when a dying parent talks about catching a bus or finding their ticket, go with them.
Meet the regular Clubbers:
Melissa Reader — CEO of Vera and expert on Australia’s ageing crisis.
Jo Lamble — Clinical psychologist specialising in guilt and family dynamics.
Dr Ginni Mansberg — GP and women’s health advocate.
Dr Stephanie Ward — Geriatrician helping you understand the ageing brain.
Kerry Milligan — Gogglebox star bringing humour and honesty.
Today’s guest: Dr Kathryn Mannix: author of With the End in Mind and Listen: How to Find the Words for Tender Conversations. Free animated short, ‘A Beginner’s Guide to Dying’, available at https://kathrynmannix.com.
Content note: this episode discusses ageing, serious illness, dying and grief. If you’d like to talk to someone — Lifeline 13 11 14; Griefline 1300 845 745; Carer Gateway 1800 422 737.
Find Put The Kettle On – Vera’s free guide to the five questions worth asking your mum or dad – at https://putthekettleon.com.au
With huge thanks to Altina Drinks for generously sponsoring our Stay For Supper evening. Visit https://altinadrinks.com.
This episode was supported by Australian Unity Home Health and Care. Visit https://australianunity.com.au/clubsandwich.
This episode was supported by NSW Trustee and Guardian — wills, power of attorney and enduring guardianship, sorted properly, so the people you love aren’t left guessing. Search NSW Trustee and Guardian, or call 1300 10 20 30.
Vera is your candid companion as you care for an ageing parent. Have a look at https://vera.guide.
Credits:
Sarah Macdonald — Host + Executive Producer
Melissa Reader — Commissioning Editor, Executive Producer + Clubber
Justin McArthur – Executive Producer.
Audio + video edits by P. Zinner Podcasts (https://pzinner.com.au)
Thanks and kudos to Sean Wayland for our theme music Club Sandwich — hear more at https://seanwayland.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Disclaimer
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