Your Aged Care Compass

In today’s episode, host Michelle sits down with hospital-based speech pathologist Cassandra Agius to explore the vital role speech pathologists play in supporting older adults. From communication challenges to swallowing difficulties, Cass shares her expertise in neurological rehabilitation and sheds light on how ageing impacts everyday functions we often take for granted.
Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of how conditions such as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke affect speech and swallowing, and how speech pathologists work alongside families and healthcare teams to improve quality of life. Cass explains the science behind swallowing, the importance of communication for independence, and the strategies that can make a real difference for older people and their carers.
In this episode:
The role of speech pathologists in supporting older adults
Swallowing difficulties explained
Communication challenges: clarity, comprehension, and word-finding
How natural ageing impacts speech, voice, and cognition
The sensory experience of eating and talking
Impact of dementia and Parkinson’s disease on communication and swallowing
Early warning signs of swallowing difficulties
Speech changes in Parkinson’s disease
Cognitive communication challenges in dementia
Strategies for families to assist communication
Swallowing assessments
Proactive steps older adults can take to maintain communication and swallowing

Connect with Cass Agius:
LinkedIn

Connect with Coral Wilkinson:
Instagram
LinkedIn

Follow See Me Aged Care Navigators:
See Me ACN website
Facebook
Instagram


More about Your Aged Care Compass podcast:
Do you support an older loved one at home and you're ready to give up because it’s just too hard? Your Aged Care Compass is for you.
We're Coral and Michelle, the sisters behind our business, See Me Aged Care Navigators.
Coral is a registered nurse with over 30 years’ experience in both health and aged care. A former assessor with the aged care assessment team, an advocate and author, there’s not much...

Our feet carry us through life, yet they’re often overlooked until problems arise. In this episode, host Michelle sits down with senior podiatrist Krissy McKenzie from Flexi Care to explore why foot health is central to ageing well. From simple daily habits to the impact of chronic conditions, Krissy shares practical insights that can help older adults maintain independence, mobility, and comfort.
This conversation highlights the small, everyday steps that make a huge difference. Krissy explains how podiatry goes far beyond toenails, touching on systemic health, falls prevention, and the role of footwear. You’ll come away with actionable advice and a deeper appreciation for the critical role podiatrists play in supporting older people.
In this episode:
Why foot and lower limb health is critical to aging well
The most common foot issues seen in older adults
Age-related changes in skin, nails, circulation, and muscles
The impact of chronic conditions like diabetes and arthritis on foot health
Daily foot checks are vital for early detection of problems
Foot health influences balance, mobility, and falls risk
The importance of footwear and what to look for in supportive shoes
The benefits of simple interventions like toenail trimming
What to expect from a typical podiatry appointment
Tips and tricks for self-care, including mirrors and long-handled devices
Preventive habits like washing and drying between toes
See a podiatrist early, even for small issues

Find a podiatrist:
https://www.podiatry.org.au/find-a-podiatrist

Connect with Flexi Care:
Website

Connect with Coral Wilkinson:
Instagram
LinkedIn

Follow See Me Aged Care Navigators:
See Me ACN website
Facebook
Instagram


More about Your Aged Care Compass podcast:
Do you support an older loved one at home and you're ready to give up because it’s just too hard? Your Aged Care Compass is for you.
We're Coral and Michelle, the sisters behind our business, See Me Aged Care Navigators.
Coral is a registered nurse with over 30 years’ experience in both health and aged care. A former assessor with the aged care assessment team, an advocate and author, there’s not much Coral doesn’t know about Australia’s aged care system.
Michelle is a former pharmacist with over 30 years in the public health and private sectors of pharmacy. Michelle is the client care manager for our business.
Our story started as one of supporting our parents to remain in their own home, to be as independent as possible and remain connected to their community. When we eventually needed extra support, we achieved this because we know Australia’s aged care system so well. We knew what programs could assist us and our parents.
Your Aged Care Compass podcast brings together not only our personal experience in supporting our parents but also our vast professional...

Dental care is often overlooked in elderly care, yet it plays a critical role in overall health, dignity, and quality of life. In this episode, Leonie Short brings decades of clinical, academic, and advocacy experience to discuss the barriers older Australians face and what we can do about it. From dry mouths to denture neglect, Leonie shares practical, compassionate insights that every carer, family member, and health professional should hear.
You’ll learn why oral health is more than just clean teeth. It’s about preventing hospitalisation, improving nutrition, and restoring confidence. Leonie doesn’t just highlight the problems; she offers simple, effective solutions that can be implemented at home, in residential care, or through mobile outreach. Leonie’s call for a Seniors Dental Benefit Scheme is a rallying cry for equity and a reminder that oral health must be part of the aged care conversation.
In this episode:
Why oral health is often the most neglected aspect of aged care
How wealth impacts access to dental treatment
The role of shame, trauma, and fear in avoiding dental care
Common oral health issues in older people
The impact of menopause and medications on saliva production
Dentures that are decades old and why that’s a problem
Poor oral health affects nutrition, speech, and social confidence
The links between oral health and heart disease and diabetes
Increased risk of aspiration pneumonia and infective endocarditis
How often older adults should see a dentist
Challenges with transport and accessibility for dental appointments
Tips for daily oral care: soft toothbrushes, fluoride toothpaste, tongue scrapers
Why toothpaste shouldn’t be used on dentures and what to use instead
How integrated care between dental, medical, and allied health professionals can improve outcomes

Resources mentioned:
Aged care quality standards – clinical care
Public dental services - see below

To help improve dental health, state and territory governments provide public dental services. Visit the website of your state or territory dental service to see if you’re eligible:
Australian Capital Territory – ACT Health
New South Wales – NSW Health
Northern Territory – Department of Health
Queensland – Queensland Health
South Australia – SA Dental
Tasmania – Oral Health Tasmania
Victoria - Department of Health
Western Australia –

Your local pharmacist does more than dispense medication. They can help you age well, stay out of hospital, and manage chronic conditions with confidence. In this episode, Coral speaks with Professor Trent Toomey, National President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, about the once-in-a-century transformation underway in community pharmacy. From expanded clinical services to home medication reviews and vaccination leadership, pharmacists are stepping up as frontline partners in healthy ageing.
Trent shares how pharmacists across Australia are retraining to diagnose and treat conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and COPD, especially in communities where access to GPs is limited. He explains how the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Repatriation PBS (RPBS) work, including safety nets, concession cards, and the impact of 60-day dispensing. It’s a hopeful, energising conversation that reframes pharmacists as proactive, accessible allies in aged care.
In this episode:
The Pharmacy Guild represents 6,000 community pharmacies across Australia
Community pharmacy is evolving into a holistic health hub
Pharmacists are retraining to expand their scope of practice
Comparison with nursing’s evolution and scope expansion
Community pharmacies are often the only health access point in rural areas
Short-term concession cards available via Centrelink
Home Medicines Review explained
Residential Medication Management Review (RMMR) for aged care facilities
The pros and cons of 60-day dispensing for elderly patients
Importance of pharmacist monitoring post-hospital discharge
Community pharmacists now lead vaccination delivery in Australia
Pharmacy Board of Australia to list pharmacists with extra qualifications

Resources mentioned:
Pharmacy vaccination services
Facebook - find a pharmacy

Connect with Trent Twomey and the Pharmacy Guild:
LinkedIn - Trent Twomey
Facebook - Trent Twomey
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia website
LinkedIn - Pharmacy Guild of Australia
Facebook - Pharmacy Guild of Australia

Connect with Coral Wilkinson:
Instagram
LinkedIn

Follow See Me Aged Care Navigators:
See Me ACN website
Facebook
Instagram


More about Your Aged Care Compass podcast:
Do you support an older loved one at

What does it take to build a digital platform that empowers older Australians and people with disability to choose their own support workers? In this episode, Coral speaks with Emma Clark, CFO and COO of Attain Healthtech, about the evolution of Mable and HomeMade, two platforms reshaping how care is delivered across Australia.
As Support at Home rolls out, digital platforms like Mable are stepping into a newly defined regulatory space. Emma explains what this means for providers, support workers, and consumers, and how Mable is adapting to meet new obligations around worker screening, training, and incident reporting.
Coral and Emma also explore the impact of these platforms in rural and remote communities, where access to care has long been a challenge and where local partnerships are now creating real economic and social change.
In this episode:
The personal story behind Mable’s founding
Why choice, control, and continuity matter in home care
The impact of the new Aged Care Act on digital platforms
The three provider categories under Support at Home
What obligations digital labour platforms now carry
The rollout of NDIS worker screening across aged care
Mable’s Learning Hub and the five new competency modules
How HomeMade supports self-managed clients with low-cost, high-value care
The launch of HomeMade’s fully managed product with fixed hourly pricing
How technology and human-led processes combine to ensure safety and quality
Use of analytics to monitor wellbeing and spending trends
Mable’s Community Partnerships model for rural and remote towns
What’s next for Mable and Homemade as Support at Home continues to roll out

Connect with Emma Clark:
LinkedIn
Attain Healthtech

Connect with Coral Wilkinson:
Instagram
LinkedIn

Follow See Me Aged Care Navigators:
See Me ACN website
Facebook
Instagram


More about Your Aged Care Compass podcast:
Do you support an older loved one at home and you're ready to give up because it’s just too hard? Your Aged Care Compass is for you.
We're Coral and Michelle, the sisters behind our business, See Me Aged Care Navigators.
Coral is a registered nurse with over 30 years’ experience in both health and aged care. A former assessor with the aged care assessment team, an advocate and author, there’s not much Coral doesn’t know about Australia’s aged care system.
Michelle is a former pharmacist with over 30 years in the public health and private sectors of pharmacy. Michelle is the client care manager for our business.
Our story started as one of supporting our parents to remain in their own home, to be as independent as possible and remain connected to their community. When we eventually needed extra support, we achieved this because we know Australia’s aged care system so well. We knew what programs could assist us and our...