Worried about an ageing parent ending up in hospital? Caring from another city or another country? In this episode, Sarah Macdonald and Matt Preston talk about dementia, sibling guilt, hospital overwhelm, aged care delays, and why the smartest move is to plan earlier than feels necessary. Matt also reflects on the personal experience behind his current TV work on dementia: supporting his mum through the disease before she passed away.

Ageing parents? You’ve got them. We’ve got you.

JOIN THE CLUB: Visit clubsandwich.community to join the tribe, access resources, and find our private Facebook community.
SEND US YOUR QUESTION: hello@clubsandwich.community

 

The Conversation: Sarah Macdonald and Matt Preston unpack what families need to know about geriatric wards, dementia, long-distance caring, and the emotional and practical load of caring for ageing parents. They also connect Matt’s current TV work on dementia with his own experience of supporting his mum through dementia before she passed away.

This Week’s Hack: Start the conversation before it is urgent. Ask about wishes early, get assessments underway early, and do not wait for a fall or hospital stay to force decisions.

Listener Letter: This episode speaks directly to the clubber juggling kids, work and ageing parents, especially if you are carrying the emotional load from a distance or trying to get siblings on the same page.

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 who tells it straight.
Dr Stephanie Ward - Geriatrician helping you understand when old becomes a crisis.
Kerry Milligan - Gogglebox star bringing humour and honesty to the sandwich generation.

Topics covered in this episode:
dementia is more than memory loss
- what geriatric wards are really like
- why older people are safer at home when possible
- bed block, aged care waits and hospital stress
- long-distance caring and fly-in guilt
- sibling conflict and how not to make it worse
- advanced care wishes and hard conversations
- how to keep connection with a parent living with dementia
- why women still carry most of the caring load
- Matt Preston on ageing, fear and making the most of the years ahead

This episode was supported by Australian Unity, home health and care services. Proactive local care that helps your parents live well at home, less stress for them, less worry for you, and more time for the good stuff. Visit australianunity.com.au/clubsandwich.

Need more clarity at 3 AM? Vera gives you a structured 15-minute voice conversation to help you understand where your parent stands and what to do next. Find it in the show notes or at vera.guide.

Club Sandwich is brought to you by Vera, helping families caring for ageing parents navigate this stage of life so you do not 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

Worried about an ageing parent ending up in hospital? Caring from another city or another country? In this episode, Sarah Macdonald and Matt Preston talk about dementia, sibling guilt, hospital overwhelm, aged care delays, and why the smartest move is to plan earlier than feels necessary. Matt also reflects on the personal experience behind his current TV work on dementia: supporting his mum through the disease before she passed away. Ageing parents? You&rsquo;ve got them. We&rsquo;ve got you.
JOIN THE CLUB: Visit clubsandwich.community to join the tribe, access resources, and find our private Facebook community. SEND US YOUR QUESTION: <a href="mailto:hello@clubsandwich.community">hello@clubsandwich.community</a>
&nbsp;
The Conversation: Sarah Macdonald and Matt Preston unpack what families need to know about geriatric wards, dementia, long-distance caring, and the emotional and practical load of caring for ageing parents. They also connect Matt&rsquo;s current TV work on dementia with his own experience of supporting his mum through dementia before she passed away. This Week&rsquo;s Hack: Start the conversation before it is urgent. Ask about wishes early, get assessments underway early, and do not wait for a fall or hospital stay to force decisions. Listener Letter: This episode speaks directly to the clubber juggling kids, work and ageing parents, especially if you are carrying the emotional load from a distance or trying to get siblings on the same page.
Melissa Reader - CEO of Vera and expert on Australia&rsquo;s ageing crisis. Jo Lamble - Clinical psychologist specialising in guilt and family dynamics. Dr Ginni Mansberg - GP and women&rsquo;s health advocate who tells it straight. Dr Stephanie Ward - Geriatrician helping you understand when old becomes a crisis. Kerry Milligan - Gogglebox star bringing humour and honesty to the sandwich generation.
Topics covered in this episode:
<ul>
<li>dementia is more than memory loss - what geriatric wards are really like - why older people are safer at home when possible - bed block, aged care waits and hospital stress - long-distance caring and fly-in guilt - sibling conflict and how not to make it worse - advanced care wishes and hard conversations - how to keep connection with a parent living with dementia - why women still carry most of the caring load - Matt Preston on ageing, fear and making the most of the years ahead</li>
</ul>
This episode was supported by Australian Unity, home health and care services. Proactive local care that helps your parents live well at home, less stress for them, less worry for you, and more time for the good stuff. Visit <a href="https://www.australianunity.com.au/assisted-living/campaigns/clubsandwich">australianunity.com.au/clubsandwich</a>. Need more clarity at 3 AM? Vera gives you a structured 15-minute voice conversation to help you understand where your parent stands and what to do next. Find it in the show notes or at <a href="https://vera.guide/">vera.guide</a>.
Club Sandwich is brought to you by Vera, helping families caring for ageing parents navigate this stage of life so you do not 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 <a href="https://www.fountainmediagroup.com.au/">Fountain Media Group</a> Thanks and kudos to Sean Wayland for our awesome theme music Club Sandwich - hear more from Sean at <a href="https://www.seanwayland.com/">seanwayland.com</a>

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

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&mdash;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 <a href="https://clubsandwich.community/">clubsandwich.community</a> 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 <a href="https://vera.guide/">Vera</a>, helping families caring for ageing parents navigate this stage of life &mdash; 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 <a href="https://www.fountainmediagroup.com.au/">Fountain Media Group</a>
Thanks and kudos to Sean Wayland for our awesome theme music Club Sandwich - hear more from Sean at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seanwayland.com/">seanwayland.com</a>

The community for maxed-out midlifers caring for ageing parents and everything else. Hosted by Sarah Macdonald. Clinical psychologists instead of life coaches. Real support instead of wellness BS. You've got them. We've got you.

Club Sandwich

What happens when an ageing parent ends up in hospital, dementia enters the picture, and the family is not ready? Sarah Macdonald talks with Matt Preston about his new TV work focused on dementia, the reality of caring for his mum as she lived with dementia before she passed away, sibling guilt, and the conversations families need to have before a fall, a ward admission or a crisis forces them.