Dr Ira Byock: On The Four Things That Matter Most

Most of us know we should talk about the end of life - but almost none of us know where to start. In this episode, Melissa Reader is joined by Dr Ira Byock, one of the world’s leading voices in palliative care, to explore how we can live and love more fully by facing what we often avoid. A physici…

Fear and Love: What Medicine Can’t Teach with Steve Robson

What does it take to face fear, to lead with love, and to truly care for others at their most vulnerable? In this episode of Agehood, Melissa speaks with Professor Steve Robson - former President of the AMA, doctor, and son - about the lessons he’s carried from rural Queensland to the frontlines o…

From Minister to Carer: Victor Dominello’s Most Personal Challenge

When former NSW Minister Victor Dominello helped build Service NSW, he made government simpler for millions. But when his mum was diagnosed with dementia, he discovered just how broken the system still is. In this powerful conversation, Victor shares the reality of being a son and brother in the t…

Next of Kin: Casey Beros on Caring for Her Dad While Raising a Young Family

What happens when you get the call - the one that changes everything? Author and journalist Casey Beros found out when her dad was diagnosed with mesothelioma. Overnight she became organiser, advocate, and round-the-clock carer, all while parenting two young kids. In conversation with Melissa Read…

Kate Carnell: On what families need to know before it’s too late

Kate Carnell has seen ageing and end-of-life care from every angle – as a pharmacist, as Chief Minister of the ACT, as a founding voice of Beyond Blue, and now as chair of Violet, the organisation behind Agehood. But this conversation isn’t just about policy or health systems – it’s about families,…

Dr Emily Musgrave believes we don’t need to fix grief

When someone we love dies, our world shifts in ways we can’t always name. Too often we’re left to navigate grief without a guide, unsure of what to say, how to feel, or even what’s expected of us. Dr Emily Musgrave is a clinical psychologist who specialises in grief, loss and trauma — and while her…

Holly Ransom: On love, loss & leadership

Holly Ransom is best known as a globally recognised speaker, strategist, and CEO of Emergent — the woman who’s interviewed the Obamas, led a G20 Taskforce, and worked with some of the world’s biggest companies. But in this deeply personal conversation, she opens up about the loss of her beloved gra…

Inside the life of a death walker - with Zenith Virago

Zenith Virago is a death walker — someone who walks alongside people as they approach the end of life. For more than three decades, she’s supported individuals and families through death, grief, and everything in between — from the bedside to the burial, from the paperwork to the heartbreak. In thi…

Geraldine Doogue: On the lessons her husband's death left behind

Geraldine Doogue is one of Australia’s most respected journalists and broadcasters. And in this episode, Geraldine reflects on losing her husband, Ian Carroll, in 2011 — and the reality of walking beside someone you love through their final chapter. She talks openly about the moments of courage, th…

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 the University of Melbourne’s DeathTech Research Network who is reimaginin…