They want to stay home. The hard part is making that possible.

In this episode, Sarah Macdonald and Melissa Reader talk about one of the biggest questions families face: how do you help an ageing parent stay at home for as long as possible, without waiting for a fall, a hospital stay or a full-blown crisis? They cover the emotional pull of home, the practical reality of care, and the steps that matter most if you want to plan early instead of scrambling later.

Home is where their heart is: access Vera's Field Guide for the Sandwich Generation here.

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

In this episode:

The Conversation:
Sarah Macdonald and Melissa Reader dive into what it really takes to help ageing parents stay at home longer, and how to start planning because “ageing happens slowly… until it doesn’t.”

🔧 This Week’s Hack:
Be there for the assessment, tell the truth, and make sure you’re registered as your parent’s support person.

💌 Listener Letter:
How do I help my parent stay in their own home without waiting for a crisis to make the decision for us?

🔥 Hot Mess Moment:
You don’t want to be in a hospital corridor at 2am discovering there’s a huge wait for care and no plan in place.

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 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:
staying at home, ageing in place, My Aged Care, aged care assessments, Support at Home, CHSP, home modifications, family planning, denial, care at home, older parents, sandwich generation

Club Sandwich is brought to you by Australian Unity. Visit AustralianUnity.com.au/homehealth

Credits

Club Sandwich is brought to you by Vera.guide, 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