New Episodes Every Monday!
Agehood.

Agehood.

Dad’s had another fall. The kids are out of control. Your boss’s patience is wearing thin. No matter what you do, you feel like you’re letting someone down. And who is looking out for you?

Welcome to Agehood. The podcast that finally says what we're all thinking but rarely say out loud.

The Australian-first series confronts the realities, complexities and unexpected beauty of ageing, caregiving and the last chapters of life through conversations with Sarah Macdonald, Bernard Salt AM, Geraldine Doogue AO, Nikki Gemmell, Dr Emily Musgrove and other prominent figures, offering both raw honesty and surprising warmth.

This is the show for those caught between caring for ageing parents, raising a family, and managing work—all while trying to live a good life. We see you. So join us to hear some of Australia’s most trusted voices share their stories of Agehood: the tears, the frustration, the goodbyes, but also the laughs and moments of true joy along the way.

Recent Episodes

Aug. 10, 2025

Funerals, PowerPoints & Party Pies: Dr Hannah Gould on doing death better

This week on Agehood , we’re diving into one of the biggest, hardest, and most universal experiences we’ll ever face: death. But not in the way you might expect. Dr Hannah Gould is a cultural anthropologist and researcher at ...
Aug. 3, 2025

Carenting: Alex Lollback on raising her children & caring for her mother

When Alex Lollback received a string of anxious late-night texts from her mum, she had no idea it would mark the beginning of a year that would upend every part of her life. As the executive producer of Ladies We Need To Talk...
July 27, 2025

What Gogglebox Didn’t Show: Kerry & Izzy Silbery on Love, Dementia and Letting Go

This week on Agehood , we’re joined by Kerry and Isabelle Silbery — the mother–daughter duo you’ll know from Gogglebox Australia . For eight seasons, they shared their lounge room (and lives) with the nation, alongside belove...
July 20, 2025

Dr Kathryn Mannix has witnessed thousands of goodbyes. Here's what she’s learned

This week on Agehood, we’re having the conversation that matters most—but often happens least. Dr Kathryn Mannix is one of the world’s leading voices on dying well. As a former palliative care doctor, she's sat beside thousan...
July 13, 2025

Why Nikki Gemmell is having the hard conversations now

Author and columnist Nikki Gemmell has never shied away from the hard conversations — and in this powerful episode of Agehood, she turns her lens inward. Nikki opens up about the painful, unresolved grief of losing her mother...
July 6, 2025

The care cliff is coming: Bernard Salt on the future of family, aging & letting go

Australia is on the edge of a demographic cliff — and according to leading demographer Bernard Salt, we’re nowhere near ready. In this episode of Agehood , Bernard joins host Melissa Reader to unpack the numbers behind our ag...

About the Host

Melissa Reader Profile Photo

Melissa Reader

Melissa cared for her husband
Mauro through sudden,
aggressive cancer-losing him
just 15 months after diagnosis.
Left with three small children, no
planning, no preparation, no will,
and mountains of regret, she
transformed her pain into purpose
by founding Violet.