THE HARDEST PHASE OF DEMENTIA
When Mum or Dad suddenly isn't themselves.
You've tried everything. And you're Googling at midnight.
When dementia changes someone's behaviour, it can feel as though you've lost the person you knew.
I'll help you understand what's happening, know exactly what to say and do, and make the hardest moments easier.
As featured in:
THE MOMENTS THAT UNDO YOU
Maybe you're facing some of these.
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Mum asks the same question every two minutes
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Dad gets angry when I try to help
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Mum follows me from room to room
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Mum says I'm stealing from her
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Dad can become really aggressive
You're not doing anything wrong. And neither is Mum or Dad. This is really hard. But there are things we can do.
I've helped more than families 1,000 families
FROM:
"I'm overwhelmed. I don't understand what's happening or know what to do"
TO:
"I understand what might be behind Mum's behaviour. I know how to respond."
THE BIGGEST MINDSET SHIFT
Step into their world.
In these moments, Mum or Dad may be
experiencing a very different reality to you.
If Mum is certain someone stole her handbag...
If Dad keeps saying he needs to “go home”...
If Mum becomes frightened or angry when you try to help her shower...
They're not trying to be difficult.
Something about what they're experiencing may feel confusing, frightening or overwhelming.
As the healthy brain, we're the ones who can step into Mum or Dad's world, instead of expecting them to step back into ours.
So instead of asking:
“How do I stop this behaviour?”
try asking:
“What might this behaviour be telling me?”
ONCE YOU'VE STEPPED INTO THEIR WORLD...
Become a behaviour detective.
A difficult behaviour often has something underneath it.
Pain. Fear. Confusion. Frustration. Tiredness. Needing the toilet. Feeling unsafe.
An unmet need. Something in the environment that isn't working.
Every behaviour gives us clues.
BEHAVIOUR
WHAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING
Anger
Wandering
Repeating questions
Refusing a shower
Pain, fear, frustration or confusion
Looking for someone, somewhere or something familiar
Anxiety, uncertainty or needing reassurance
Feeling cold, embarrassed, frightened or confused
The behaviour isn't random. It's information.
When we understand what's underneath it,
we can change how we respond.
Not every behaviour will disappear, but we can
often significantly reduce these behaviours.
And sometimes small changes make
a very big difference.
I've seen families go from feeling frightened and completely overwhelmed to finally feeling like they know what to do.
I am here to help your family...
INSIDE THE PLAYBOOK
Know what to do when things get really hard.
✓ Aggression or anger
✓ Wandering
✓ Sundowning
✓ Delusions or paranoia
✓ False accusations
✓ Repeating questions
✓ Refusing showers or medication
✓ Sleep disruption
✓ Sexual disinhibition
✓ Resistance to care
For every behaviour, I'll show you:
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What might be driving it
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What Mum or Dad may be trying to communicate
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What to say, including the exact words to use
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What not to say
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Practical strategies that can help
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How to reduce the chance of it happening again
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When it's time to seek additional support
You don't need to become an expert in dementia.
I'll help you understand what's happening, and what to do next.
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
The exact words. Strategies that actually work.
Practical video guidance, downloadable tools and weekly live Q&A.
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 safety
✔︎ 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
SOMETHING ELSE FAMILIES RARELY SAY OUT LOUD
Sometimes the hardest part isn't the behaviour.
It's watching the person you love slowly change...
They're still here. But they often don't quite feel like Mum or Dad anymore. Families describe this as grieving someone who is still alive. It's called anticipatory grief.
If that's how you're feeling — you're not alone.
Melissa
WEEKLY Q&A's
Last Wednesday, families asked…
💬 “Mum screams every evening.”
💬 “What do I say when Mum keeps asking about Dad (he died 3 years ago)?”
💬 “He doesn't recognise me anymore.”
💬 “Dad keeps accusing me of stealing.”
💬 “Should I correct her when she's confused?”
💬 “Mum just wants to go home...”
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 during the hardest stage of dementia. Almost all of them thought they had to stop the behaviour.
They didn't.
They simply needed to understand it.
No family is prepared for the anger, the accusations, the confusion or the personality changes that dementia can bring.
That's completely normal. They need someone to slow everything down, explain what's really happening, and help them respond with confidence instead of fear.
That's why I created the Dementia Playbook: so no family has to face the hardest days of dementia alone.
Over the years, I've helped more than 1,000 families understand difficult behaviours, create calmer days, and feel less alone.
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
There can be calmer days ahead.
I can't promise dementia will become easy.
But I can help you understand what's happening, know what to try, and feel more confident when the hardest moments come.
Because when we stop simply fighting the behaviour and start understanding what's underneath it, things can change.
I'll help you get there.
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: