Lorraine Dennerstein is a geriatric psychiatry doctor based in Melbourne, VIC. She works with people as they age, and also with families who are trying to understand changes in mood, memory, and day-to-day thinking. In many cases, the goal is to bring things back to a place that feels safer and more steady at home.
Her clinical focus includes support around dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, including the stress that often comes with memory problems and behaviour changes. She also looks at mood and wellbeing for older people, including conditions like premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), plus hormone and life-stage changes that can affect how someone feels.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and menopause support are also part of her care. She understands that these times can bring sleep issues, mood changes, and physical discomfort, and that it’s not always simple to sort out what’s causing what. At times, she helps people connect symptoms across different areas, then decide on a practical next step.
Alongside ageing-related mental health, she also supports people with developmental dysphasia familial. This can affect how someone communicates and how they manage daily life, and it may show up differently from person to person. Lorraine’s approach is calm and grounded, with an eye for what matters most to the person and their supports.
In terms of experience, Lorraine’s work draws on regular clinical day-to-day care across mental health and ageing. She aims to make appointments feel manageable, not rushed. Her training includes both mental health care and the wellbeing needs that show up later in life, so she can consider the mind and body together when it’s relevant.
There’s also an emphasis on working out a plan that fits the real world. That can mean gentle changes, monitoring symptoms over time, and coordinating with other health professionals when needed. If clinical trials or research support become relevant for a specific situation, that would be discussed as part of the care plan.