Upside Stories Library

Stay curious

Explore our evidence-based insights on life’s big questions, transitions, and challenges for people across midlife and beyond, and those facing these themes ahead of schedule.

Dr Bruce Walmsley Dr Bruce Walmsley

How People Recover After a Grey Divorce

Separating later in life can feel disorienting, and it's natural to wonder how long the hard parts will last. This article explains what the research says about coping, financial impact, loneliness, and a realistic timeline for recovery after a grey divorce.

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Dr Bruce Walmsley Dr Bruce Walmsley

Grey Divorce: The Psychology of Separation in Midlife and Later Life

More people are separating later in life than ever before, and it's changing family relationships in ways many people don't expect. This article explains why grey divorce is on the rise and what the research shows about its effect on ties with adult children and friends.

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Dr Bruce Walmsley Dr Bruce Walmsley

When Caring Becomes a Calling: Psychological Growth in Dementia Healthcare Professionals

For the nurses, doctors, chaplains, and allied health professionals who dedicate their careers to supporting people living with dementia, the rewards are genuine. So too are the challenges. This article explores psychological growth in senior health professionals working in dementia care — and what their experiences can tell us about meaning and purpose, adaptability, and what it means to truly give to another person.

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Dr Bruce Walmsley Dr Bruce Walmsley

Intensive Grandparenting: When helping Becomes a Health and Wellbeing Risk

Across Australia, grandparents are stepping up. With childcare costs at record highs and working parents stretched thin, many grandparents have moved well beyond the occasional Saturday babysit. Some are providing full-time or near-full-time care — managing school runs, meals, illnesses, school holidays, and everything in between (Baxter, 2022). This article explores the difference between enriching involvement and over-functioning — and what the research says about protecting your health and your relationships while staying connected.

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Dr Bruce Walmsley Dr Bruce Walmsley

Finding unexpected growth after life changing and traumatic events

Can something good really come from something so hard? The answer, backed by decades of research, is yes — though not in the way people expect. Posttraumatic growth isn't about feeling grateful for what happened. It's about the unexpected strength, meaning, and possibility that can emerge from the struggle. This article explains what the research shows — and what it might mean for you.

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Dr Bruce Walmsley Dr Bruce Walmsley

The Loneliness Few People Talk About: Building Belonging in the LGBTQIA+ Community at Midlife and Beyond

Loneliness is significantly more common among LGBTQIA+ individuals in midlife and older age than in the broader population, with rates approximately 30–49% higher than non-LGBTQIA+ peers, driven by the compounding effects of minority stress, historical marginalisation, weaker kinship ties, and exclusion from both queer and mainstream social spaces. Evidence identifies the quality and composition of social connection, particularly within LGBTQIA+-specific communities, as more protective than social quantity alone. Psychological support can also help address the internal barriers that chronic loneliness builds over time.

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