Sarah Macdonald, Bernard Salt, Geraldine Doogue among guest lineup for new podcast ‘Agehood’
Violet, a national not-for-profit organisation with a mission to transform the last stage of life, has launched a new podcast called ‘Agehood’.
The announcement:
As Australia faces an accelerating ageing crisis, with the number of people turning 85 projected to surge from 12,000 to 65,000 annually by 2032, an insightful new podcast, Agehood, launches Monday, featuring some of the country’s most trusted voices.
This Australian-first series confronts the realities, complexities and unexpected beauty of ageing, caregiving and the last chapters of life through raw and intimate conversations. Guests include Sarah Macdonald, Bernard Salt AM, Geraldine Doogue AO, Nikki Gemmell, Dr Emily Musgrove and other prominent voices who bring both honesty and surprising warmth.
At the heart of the podcast is a tribute to the often-overlooked Sandwich Generation, the more than five million Australians caught between raising children and caring for ageing parents. These are the family organisers, crisis managers and emotional anchors, fielding calls from doctors during meetings, researching aged care between school pick-ups, and holding everyone together while no one asks if they’re okay.
Agehood sees them, hears them, and honours the grace and grit it takes to survive the messy middle years.
Agehood is created by Violet, a national, tech-enabled initiative redefining how Australians approach the final stage of life. The podcast is hosted by Violet CEO and founder Melissa Reader, and produced by acclaimed podcast creators Lize Ratliff (Mamamia Out Loud, Motherland) and Yaniv Bernstein (The Startup Podcast).
Melissa Reader’s mission is deeply personal. When her husband Mauro was diagnosed with late-stage cancer in 2009 and died 15 months later at age 40, the experience left her with profound regret. “Instead of spending our last year-and-a-half together with the right information, support and growing acceptance of what was to come, we were caught in a torrent of medical visits and treatments,” she reflects.
That experience of unpreparedness, shared by countless Australian families, fuels Violet’s mission today.
“We created Agehood to open up a crucial conversation, one that many of us instinctively shy away from: what it means to face the end of life,” said Reader. “This podcast is our way of making these conversations more accessible. Through intimate interviews and unfiltered storytelling, we explore the complex, emotional, and often surprisingly uplifting realities of ageing and death. Our mission is to dismantle the stigma and silence around these topics, and instead shine a light on them with compassion, curiosity, and courage. These conversations aren’t just about death; they’re about love, resilience, humour, and what it truly means to live.”
The production team behind Agehood brings unmatched experience. Lize Ratliff has over a decade of experience in podcast production, including launching 38 podcasts and executive producing Mamamia Out Loud and No Filter. Yaniv Bernstein, Violet’s Chief Product and Technology Officer, created The Startup Podcast, producing over 250 episodes with more than half a million listens across 100 countries.
“For the past decade, I’ve made a career out of helping people share their stories through podcasts that inform, uplift and connect,” said Lize Ratliff, co-producer. “At its heart, the series speaks directly to the 5 million Australians in the sandwich generation, caught in the squeeze between caring for ageing parents and raising young children. People who often feel stretched thin, invisible and alone. We aim to make them feel seen and acknowledge that their stories are being experienced by thousands of others their age.”
“Above all these are compelling, vulnerable stories told by some of Australia’s best-known figures. As we look into the complexities of their lives, it allows us to reflect back on our own,” added Bernstein.
Featured Guests
Sarah Macdonald – When caring for parents becomes part of your story
Bernard Salt AM – The futurist who says we’re not ready for what’s coming
Nikki Gemmell – After the police knocked: A mother’s final secret
Dr Kathryn Mannix – The conversations that change everything: wisdom from a world expert
Isabelle Silbery & Kerry Milligan (Gogglebox) – Three generations, one diagnosis: Isabelle and Kerry on losing Grandma Evie
Dr Emily Musgrove – Your all-over-the-place grief is perfectly normal
Geraldine Doogue AO, Zenith Virago, Alex Lollback and more
Up to 90% of people say they want to be cared for at home with appropriate support, and at least half say they would prefer to die at home as few as one in twenty deaths actually happen at home. More than 80% of deaths happen in hospitals and aged care facilities. Only 14% of Australians have a plan in place for the end of life.
Agehood responds to this reality by building awareness and empathy, helping listeners navigate ageing, caregiving and grief with less fear and more humanity.
Source: Odette and Co
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