All Episodes
Browse the complete archive of conversations about navigating the sandwich generation.
Can You Do This Without a Drink? | Melissa Reader | Club Sandwich
Apr 29, 2026
If a glass of wine has become your shortcut from caregiving stress to “I can finally exhale”, this episode is for you. Ageing parents? You’ve got them. We’ve got you. JOIN THE CLUB: Visit https://clubsandwich.community to join the tribe, access resources, and find our private Facebook community. SEND US YOUR QUESTION: hello@clubsandwich.community In this episode: The Conversation: Sarah Macdonald and Melissa Reader talk honestly about alcohol in midlife, especially for women caring for ageing parents while juggling work, family, stress and the mental load of everyone else’s needs. They unpack why alcohol became such a normal coping tool for Gen X, why it can stop working in midlife, what it does to sleep, and how to build new rituals for the hardest hour of the day. This Week’s Hack: Replace wine o’clock with time o’clock. Build a deliberate non-alcoholic ritual for the hardest part of the day, whether that is a proper mocktail, a walk, exercise, or something else that genuinely helps shift your energy. Hot Mess Moment: Melissa shares the family gathering that went pear-shaped, and the two strong gin and tonics that followed. Meet the regular ClubbersMelissa Reader - CEO of Vera and expert on Australia’s ageing crisis.Jo Lamble - Clinical psychologist specializing in guilt and family dynamics.Dr Ginni Mansberg - GP and women’s health advocate who tells it straight.Dr Stephanie Ward - Geriatrician helping you understand when “old” becomes a crisis.Kerry Milligan - Gogglebox star bringing humor and honesty to the sandwich generation. Topics covered in this episode* midlife women and alcohol* caring for ageing parents and stress* why Gen X grew up drinking this way* wine o’clock and the sandwich generation* alcohol, hormones and sleep* why alcohol can stop working in midlife* ritual, habit and stress relief* non-alcoholic alternatives* mocktails and replacement rituals* how to slow the day down without a drink This episode was supported by Australian Unity, home health and care services. Proactive local care that helps your parents live well at home, less stress for them, less worry for you, and more time for the good stuff. Visit https://www.australianunity.com.au/clubsandwich. CreditsClub Sandwich is brought to you by Vera, helping families caring for ageing parents navigate this stage of life so you don’t have to do it alone. JOIN THE CLUB: Visit https://clubsandwich.community to join the tribe, access resources, and find our private Facebook community.SEND US YOUR QUESTION: hello@clubsandwich.community Melissa Reader - CEO of Vera and expert on Australia’s ageing crisis.Jo Lamble - Clinical psychologist specialising in guilt and family dynamics.Dr Ginni Mansberg - GP and women’s health advocate who tells it straight.Dr Stephanie Ward - Geriatrician helping you understand when old becomes a crisis.Kerry Milligan - Gogglebox star bringing humour and honesty to the sandwich generation. This episode was supported by Australian Unity, home health and care services. Proactive local care that helps your parents live well at home, less stress for them, less worry for you, and more time for the good stuff. Visit https://www.australianunity.com.au/clubsandwich. Need more clarity at 3 AM? Vera gives you a structured 15-minute voice conversation to help you understand where your parent stands and what to do next. Discover more at https://vera.guide.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Caregiving guilt is crushing you? Jo Lamble on how to stop carrying it | Club Sandwich
Mar 25, 2026
Feeling guilty all the time? Guilty you are not doing enough for your parent. Guilty you are not present enough for your kids, your partner or your job. Guilty for wanting a break. Guilty for even thinking this is all too much. In this episode, Sarah Macdonald is joined by clinical psychologist Jo Lamble to tackle one of the biggest emotional burdens of sandwich generation life: guilt. They unpack the difference between guilt and remorse, why women are especially vulnerable to it, how guilt can morph into resentment, and the unspoken thoughts carers often feel ashamed to admit. This is an honest, practical conversation about how to stop punishing yourself and start responding with more self-compassion. JOIN THE CLUB: Visit clubsandwich.community to join the tribe, access resources, and find our private Facebook community. SEND US YOUR QUESTION: hello@clubsandwich.community In this episode: The Conversation: Sarah Macdonald and Jo Lamble unpack why caregiving guilt feels so constant when you are caring for ageing parents, juggling work and family, and trying not to disappear yourself. This Week’s Hack: Catch the guilt early and ask yourself: what would I say to a friend in this exact situation? Then say that to yourself. Listener Letter: The unspoken question underneath this episode is brutally familiar - how do I know what I should feel guilty about versus what is just breaking me? Hot Mess Moment: The guilt spiral that starts with one missed call or one hard thought and turns into feeling like a bad daughter, bad mother, bad partner and bad person. Meet the regular Clubbers Melissa Reader - CEO of Vera and expert on Australia’s ageing crisis. Jo Lamble - Clinical psychologist specialising in guilt and family dynamics. Dr Ginni Mansberg - GP and women’s health advocate who tells it straight. Dr Stephanie Ward - Geriatrician helping you understand when “old” becomes a crisis. Kerry Milligan - Gogglebox star bringing humour and honesty to the sandwich generation. Topics Covered in this episode - guilt vs remorse - caregiving guilt and the sandwich generation - guilt about work, family and not doing enough - self-care guilt - guilt about moving a parent into aged care - the taboo thought that you wish it would all end - women, motherhood and why guilt hits harder - parents who use guilt trips - resentment as guilt’s best friend - CBT, self-talk and self-compassion Club Sandwich is brought to you by Australian Unity. Visit AustralianUnity.com.au/ClubSandwich Credits Club Sandwich is brought to you by Vera.guide, helping families caring for ageing parents navigate this stage of life so you don’t have to do it alone. Sarah Macdonald - Host + Executive Producer Melissa Reader - Commissioning Editor, Executive Producer + Clubber Rachel Fountain - Executive Producer Audio + video edits by Fountain Media Group Thanks and kudos to Sean Wayland for our awesome theme music Club Sandwich - hear more from Sean at seanwayland.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What about you? Caregiver burnout | Dr Ginni Mansberg | Club Sandwich
Mar 4, 2026
If you’re caring for ageing parents and quietly thinking “I cannot keep going like this”, you’re not imagining it. Sometimes burnout is not a mindset. It’s your body calling in the debt. Ageing Parents? You've got them, we've got you. JOIN THE CLUB: Visit clubsandwich.community to join the tribe, access resources, and find our private Facebook community. SEND US YOUR QUESTION: hello@clubsandwich.community In this episode: The Conversation: Sarah Macdonald and Dr Ginni Mansberg (GP and women’s health advocate) get brutally practical about what “real self-care” looks like in the sandwich years, and why midlife bodies hit a tipping point. 🔧 This Week's Hack: The minimum viable self-care reset: 1) Book a GP check-up and rule out the basics (iron, thyroid, sleep apnea, anything fixable). 2) Reset your sleep expectations and take snoring seriously (it can be a health issue, not just annoying). 3) Build one steady routine and a doable nutrition baseline (protein, fibre, calcium) without becoming a full-time meal-prep influencer. 💌 Listener Letter: Sharon asks how to spot burnout when her body has started rebelling after years of 10-hour days and caring for everyone else. 🔥 Hot Mess Moment: Sleep in your 50s, teeth grinding, snoring orchestras, and the myth that “good sleep” means eight perfect uninterrupted hours. Meet the regular Clubbers: Melissa Reader - CEO of Vera and expert on Australia's ageing crisis. Jo Lamble - Clinical psychologist specializing in guilt and family dynamics. Dr. Ginni Mansberg - GP and women's health advocate who tells it straight. Dr. Stephanie Ward - Geriatrician helping you understand how we age. Kerry Milligan - Gogglebox star bringing humour and honesty to the sandwich generation. Topics covered in this episode: - Carer burnout and the “body tantrum” warning signs - Menopause, inflammation, and why midlife health can suddenly slide - Cortisol myths, chronic stress, and what burnout can look like physically - Sleep in your 50s: what’s normal, what’s not, and when to investigate sleep apnea - Hypervigilance and insomnia (and why your brain won’t switch off at 3am) - Real self-care basics: check-ups, routines, food, movement, and asking for medical help - Brain health: routine plus novelty (learning new things without blowing up your life) - A gentle nudge to rethink alcohol as “the only off switch” Episode sponsor: Altina Drinks - non-alcoholic craft wines for the end-of-day ritual. 15% off with code CLUBSANDWICH at altinadrinks.com Credits Club Sandwich is brought to you by Vera, helping families caring for ageing parents navigate this stage of life, so you don't have to do it alone. Sarah Macdonald - Host + Executive Producer Melissa Reader - Commissioning Editor, Executive Producer + Clubber Rachel Fountain - Executive Producer Audio + video edits by Fountain Media Group Thanks and kudos to Sean Wayland for our awesome theme music Club Sandwich - hear more from Sean at seanwayland.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We've got some news: a brand new podcast for you!
Feb 9, 2026
The Sandwich Generation is finally getting the conversation we deserve. If you're feeling the squish, our new podcast Club Sandwich is for you. It's the community for those caring for ageing parents while juggling work, kids, relationships, and sanity. This is your tribe when family doesn't get it - or just isn't enough. And the best news is, Agehood host and Vera.guide CEO Melissa Reader is a Clubber too - and she's handing over the reins to Club Sandwich host, veteran broadcaster Sarah Macdonald. Club Sandwich features clinical psychologists instead of life coaches, GPs instead of gratitude journals, and honest conversations about the relief-guilt paradox nobody else will touch. Make sure you're following the podcast in your favourite app, and if you know someone going through it, grab their phone and sign them up too! Episodes will be here in your feed every Thursday from February 12. More information coming very soon! Visit clubsandwich.community to join the tribe. Topics covered: Caregiver guilt, sibling conflict, dementia care, financial planning, legal issues, family boundaries, burnout prevention, end-of-life decisions, self-care that actually works, navigating aged care systems, and the emotional toll of caring for ageing parents. Credits Club Sandwich is brought to you by Vera, helping families caring for ageing parents navigate this stage of life — so you don't have to do it alone. Sarah Macdonald - Host + Executive Producer Melissa Reader - Commissioning Editor, Executive Producer + Clubber Rachel Fountain - Executive Producer Audio + video edits by Fountain Media Group Thanks and kudos to Sean Wayland for our awesome theme music Club Sandwich - hear more from Sean at seanwayland.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the Archives
Agehood
Before Club Sandwich, there was Agehood. Explore episodes from our predecessor podcast on caring for ageing parents.
