WHEN CONVERSATIONS CHANGE
Know exactly what to say.
Has Mum started asking the same question over and over? Does Dad insist he needs to "go home" while sitting in his own lounge room?
Caring feels hard because it is hard.
No one teaches us that there is a different way to respond.
I'll show you exactly what to say, what to avoid saying, and practical ways to make conversations calmer, easier and more connected.
As featured in:
SOUND FAMILIAR?
Maybe you've searched…
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"Why does Mum keep asking the same question?"
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"What do I say when Dad wants to go home?"
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"Should I keep correcting Dad?"
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"Should I tell Mum Dad died again?"
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"Am I making things worse?"
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"Why does Mum keep calling me twenty times a day?"
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There isn't a perfect response. But there are ways to respond that create more connection, less conflict, and calmer conversations.
IF YOU REMEMBER ONE THING...
Step into their world
Every instinct tells us to explain.
To remind.
To correct.
Because we love Mum or Dad.
Because we're trying to help.
Dementia changes the way Mum or Dad experiences the world.
As the healthy brain, we're the ones who can
Step into Mum or Dad's world.
We can't expect them to step back into ours.
Sometimes protecting the relationship
matters more than being right.
Melissa
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 communicate with confidence.
Inside this stage you'll find practical video lessons, downloadable conversation guides, printable scripts and real-life examples to help everyday dementia conversations feel calmer, easier and more connected.
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…
💬 “"Should I tell Mum Dad died again, or let it go?"
💬 "Mum keeps asking to go home when she is home."
💬 "Dad calls me 20 times a day. How do I cope?"
💬 "Am I making things worse by correcting her?"
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
Almost twenty years teaching families a new way to connect.
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.
Over the past almost-twenty years, I have sat with more than a thousand families in the exact moment they realise the way they've always spoken to Mum or Dad no longer works.
You're not failing at communication. You're using an old map for new terrain. I created my Dementia Playbook to teach you the new one.
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...
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
You're not expected to know how to do this.
Nobody hands you a manual when someone you love develops dementia. But the right words can change a conversation. A conversation can change someone's day. And enough better days can completely change how your family experiences dementia.
You can't change the diagnosis. But you can absolutely change how your family experiences it.
Lifetime access, every stage, weekly live Q&As. Whenever you need support, it's here.
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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: