Sarah Macdonald on becoming her parents’ carer. Nikki Gemmell on the police knock that changed everything. Bernard Salt on the ageing crisis no one’s ready for. Geraldine Doogue on the meaning of legacy.
These are just some of the powerful stories shared in Agehood, a new podcast lifting the veil on caregiving, ageing and the last chapters of life.
Launched this week by national non-profit Violet, Agehood is hosted by Violet CEO Melissa Reader and features intimate conversations with some of Australia’s most trusted voices. Across 15 raw and revelatory episodes, the series explores what it really means to grow older, and to love and care for those doing the same.
At its core, Agehood is for the five million Australians, most of them women, caught in the Sandwich Generation: raising children while caring for ageing parents. These are the invisible organisers, crisis managers and emotional anchors who do the unseen work of keeping families afloat. The podcast sees them, hears them, and finally puts their stories at the centre.
“Instead of spending our last year and a half together with the right information and support, we were caught in a torrent of medical visits and treatments,” says Reader, reflecting on the death of her husband Mauro at age 40. Her experience of burnout and regret mirrors what so many others face, and drives Violet’s mission to ensure people are better prepared.
“We created Agehood to open up a conversation that many instinctively shy away from,” Reader says. “These conversations aren’t just about death. They’re about love, resilience, humour, and what it truly means to live.”
The podcast is co-produced by two of Australia’s top audio creators: Lize Ratliff (Mamamia Out Loud, No Filter) and Yaniv Bernstein (The Startup Podcast). Together, the team brings emotional depth and editorial sharpness to a topic often avoided.
And it couldn’t come at a more urgent time. By 2032, the number of Australians turning 85 each year will jump from 12,000 to 65,000. Yet despite 90 percent of people saying they’d like to be cared for at home, more than 80 percent of deaths still occur in hospitals or aged care. Only 14 percent of us have an end-of-life plan.
That silence comes at a cost, and Agehood is here to break it.
Season highlights include:
- Nikki Gemmell on her mother’s death and the decision no one saw coming
- Sarah Macdonald on becoming the carer for the people who raised her
- Bernard Salt AM on the demographic reckoning facing Australia
- Dr Kathryn Mannix on the simple conversations that can transform the end of life
- Gogglebox’s Isabelle Silbery and Kerry Milligan on losing Grandma Evie
- Dr Emily Musgrove on grief that doesn’t follow the rules
Co-producer Lize Ratliff puts it simply: “This is for people who often feel stretched thin, invisible and alone. We want them to feel seen, and to know they’re not alone in these stories.”
Agehood is not just about dying. It’s about meaning. It’s about asking better questions and giving language to the emotional labour so many women carry. And it’s about doing what we do best: sharing our stories to make each other feel less alone.
Agehood is available wherever you get your podcasts. For more, visit Violet.org.au.