PLANNING AHEAD
Future planning, without panic.
The goal isn't to predict every challenge.
It's to protect your loved one's wishes, reduce uncertainty, and help your family make difficult decisions with confidence.
There are conversations many families avoid because they feel too big: legal documents, money, driving, future care, and what matters most.
This stage helps you have those conversations gently, before a crisis forces them.
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IF THIS SOUNDS LIKE YOU
You're probably wondering...
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You know there are important conversations to have.
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You're just not sure where to begin.
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You want clarity before it's needed
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You're worried about upsetting Mum or Dad.
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You want to understand what's coming.
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You don't want to leave it too late.
The earlier you have these conversations, the more choices Mum or Dad can make for themselves.
WHERE TO BEGIN
Start with values, not paperwork.
The goal isn't to start with legal documents.
Start with a much simpler question:
"What does a good day look like for Mum?"
What makes her laugh?
Who does she love spending time with?
What routines matter?
What would she never want to lose?
Those answers can guide the important decisions that come later.
Too often, I meet families having the hardest conversation of their lives in a hospital corridor, trying to guess what Mum would have wanted.
One child remembers Mum saying one thing.
Another is certain she wanted something different.
Nobody is trying to do the wrong thing.
They simply never had the chance to ask.
Have these conversations around the kitchen table, not a hospital corridor. While Mum can still tell you what she wants.
Melissa
WHERE TO BEGIN
If you were sitting with me today...
These are the conversations we'd work through together.
Understand what matters most
✓ Values
✓ Wishes
✓ What makes life meaningful
01
Planning without overwhelm
✓ What actually needs to be done now
✓ What can wait
✓ Where most families start
02
Putting the right plans in place
✓ Enduring Power of Attorney
✓ Advance Care Planning
✓ Wills
03
Helping the whole family stay on the same page
✓ Reducing conflict
✓ Making decisions together
✓ Communicating clearly
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Not every family can sit in my consulting room, but
every family deserves the same calm, practical guidance.
That's why I created the Dementia Playbook and answer families' questions live every week.
All 9 Stages • Weekly Q&As
AUD $297 • 7-day money-back-guarantee
Telehealth or in Sydney, Australia
$420 per 50-minute consultation
INSIDE YOUR PLAYBOOK
Everything you need to plan ahead with confidence
I'll walk you through this stage step by step with practical video guidance, downloadable tools and weekly live Q&A. Together, we'll make the important conversations feel simpler, so your loved one's wishes are understood and protected.
And your Playbook grows with your family.
Your Playbook includes guidance for every stage of the dementia journey, so whenever life changes, you'll already know where to turn.
✔︎ Planning ahead
✔︎ Introducing help at home
✔︎ Talking about driving
✔︎ Managing difficult behaviours
✔︎ Choosing residential aged care
✔︎ Every chapter ahead
The next chapter will already be waiting for you.
7-day money-back-guarantee · Weekly live Q&As
WEEKLY Q&A'S
Last Wednesday, families asked…
💬 “When do we sort the legal documents?”
💬 “How do I raise wills and money without a fight?”
💬 “How do we run a family meeting that works?”
💬 “What if my siblings don't agree?”
Every Wednesday night, I'll answer as many family questions as I can. You can join live, or submit your question and watch the replay later.
"Bring me the question that's been keeping you awake at night. Whether you're overwhelmed, unsure, or simply don't know what to do next, you don't have to figure this out alone."
Melissa
Includes lifetime access to every stage of the Dementia Playbook, plus weekly live Family Q&As.
WHY I DO THIS WORK
I've been on both sides of this table
Before I was a Clinical Psychologist, I was a granddaughter watching my own grandfather change, while my family wondered what we were supposed to do next.
For almost twenty years, I've sat with families on one of the hardest days of their lives. Almost all of them thought they needed to have everything figured out immediately.
They don't.
No family is ever prepared for this. That's completely normal. They simply need someone to slow everything down, explain what matters most, and help them take the next step.
That's why I created the Dementia Playbook: so no family has to figure this out alone.
Over the years, I've helped more than 1,000 families navigate a dementia diagnosis and everything that comes after, so they can move forward with more confidence, more clarity and less fear.
Melissa
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I've worked with:
We Need to Talk About Ageing
Published by Hachette, 2023
Melissa Levi • Clinical Psychologist, BA(Psych)(Hons I), MClinPsych, MAPS
YOUR NEXT STEP
Choose the support that's right for your family.
I'll meet you there. Start with the stage you need today, or unlock the complete Playbook for guidance through every stage ahead.
PRIVATE CONSULTATION
AUD $420
Per 50-minute session
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Personalised guidance for your family's situation
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Ideal for complex family situations
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Telehealth or in Sydney
Try the Complete Playbook for 7 days.
If you don't feel calmer, clearer and more confident about what to do next, simply email me within 7 days for a full refund. No awkward conversations, no complicated forms.
Trusted by 1,000+ Australian families
COMMON QUESTIONS
You probably want to know...
When should we start future planning?
Earlier than feels comfortable. Planning early creates options; waiting often creates urgency. Starting now is a gift to your future selves.
How do we talk about this without frightening Mum?
Start with values, not paperwork. Ask what matters most and what they'd want to preserve, then move gently toward the practical.
What if Mum or Dad refuses to talk about any of this?
That happens more often than you might think.
Many families worry they've "left it too late" because every conversation seems to end with, "I'm fine," or, "Let's not talk about that."
The good news is that planning isn't one big conversation. It's usually a series of small, gentle conversations over time.
I'll show you how to start those conversations in a way that feels respectful, preserves your relationship, and gives Mum or Dad the best chance of feeling heard rather than threatened.
Is this legal or financial advice?
No. I help you understand which conversations to have and which professionals you may need. Legal and financial advice should come from qualified professionals.
Can my siblings or other family members use it too?
Yes. The Playbook is designed to help families get on the same page. When everyone has the same trusted guidance, conversations become calmer and decisions become clearer.
Don't we need to see you in person?
In-person support is wonderful when you can get it — but professional dementia support often has a 6+ month waitlist. The Playbook gives you expert strategies the moment you need them, plus live weekly Q&As where I answer your family's specific questions — all for less than the cost of one appointment.
Is this just for Australians?
Not at all — dementia is a universal experience. Families worldwide share the same fears and challenges. Just read 'Mum' as 'Mom' and 'Ageing' as 'Aging'.
As stated in our Terms of Use, Talking Ageing Pty Ltd is not engaged in rendering therapy services by providing this site, and your use of the site does not create any therapist-patient or other treatment relationship between you and Talking Ageing or Melissa Levi
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"Warm and compassionate, Melissa offers sound clinical information and practical advice... Sure to be helpful for all families."
- Scientia Professor Henry Brodaty, Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, UNSW Sydney
"We all MUST talk about old age and cognitive impairment, and Melissa shows the way!"
- Associate Professor David Burke, Discipline of Psychiatry, UNDA Sydney
I've worked with: