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 1,000 families
FROM:
"I can’t do this anymore. I don’t know what’s happening or what to do… Nothing I try seems to work"
TO:
"I finally get it. I understand what’s driving Mum’s agitation, and I know how to respond. I feel so much calmer and more confident in those moments"
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?”
WHAT TO EXPECT
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
✔︎ Make care easier
✔︎ Share responsibility
✔︎ Choosing residential aged care
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.
I’ll help you make sense of the grief, cope with the changes, and stay connected to Mum or Dad through them.
And when it feels especially heavy, you can
bring it to me in the weekly live Q&A.
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
Hi, I'm Melissa Levi
I've been on both sides of this table.
Before I was a Clinical Psychologist specialising in dementia and ageing, I was a granddaughter watching my own grandfather change, while my family tried to work out what we were supposed to do next.
That experience never left me.
Over the past almost twenty years, I've helped more than 1,000 families navigate dementia, ageing and caregiving, through diagnoses, difficult conversations, changing behaviours, decisions about care and some of the hardest days of their lives.
And I've learned something important:
No family is ever prepared for dementia.
You don't need to have everything figured out. You need someone who understands what you're going through, can explain what matters most, and help you work out what to do next.
That's why I created the Dementia Playbook: the practical guidance, strategies and exact words I've spent years giving families one-to-one, brought together in one place.
So you can feel less overwhelmed, more confident, and clearer about the next step for Mum, Dad and your family.
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.
Families often come to me feeling exhausted, scared and unsure what to do when Mum or Dad’s behaviour changes.
I can’t promise dementia will become easy.
But I can help you understand what’s driving the behaviour, reduce how often difficult moments happen, and know exactly what to try when they do.
So you can respond with more confidence, help Mum or Dad feel safer, and move through these moments with less distress and more connection.
Because when we stop simply fighting the behaviour and start understanding what’s underneath it, things can change.
I'll show you how.
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: