Solar initiatives shine on – sustainability in aged care shifts ESG strategy to operational resilience
Amy Henderson, Contributor
As boardrooms ramp up discussions to meet rising aged care costs, providers are increasingly needing to adapt. Green initiatives, such as Mercy Health’s recently completed national solar project, are showing that ESG strategies can be key pivot points in securing operational resilience.
Latest News
Aged care reforms haven’t fixed staffing, survey finds
A union survey of 3,550 frontline workers finds understaffing, rising violence and unexplained funding gaps persisting under the Aged Care Act reforms – raising fresh governance questions about how providers are spending taxpayer funding.
The gap isn’t in the kitchen. It’s in the system around it.
As the numbers behind the 2026 Aged Care Kitchen Pulse Survey come into sharper focus, Lindsey O’Grady says the sector is facing something bigger than a staffing or budget problem: a structural one.
Jakob Neeland, Contributor
How aged care leaders can reduce the stigma around incontinence
A resident who avoids the dining room isn’t being difficult — they’re managing shame. Incontinence affects nearly half of aged care residents, yet stigma often outweighs the physical challenge. Here’s how leaders can build a culture of dignity-first continence care.
Lesley Barton, National Clinical and Training Manager
Dinesh Subramani’s recipe for next-generation aged care leadership
By placing dignity, passion, and technology at the heart of the kitchen, mecwacare’s Hospitality Manager demonstrates why dining and lifestyle are the ultimate differentiators in aged care leadership.
Marion Piper, Contributor
Star Ratings: stop arguing with the dashboard and drive the car
Australia’s aged care Star Rating system may remain contentious, but the data behind it offers valuable operational insights. Independent analysis identifies the key levers leaders can influence, helping providers move beyond compliance reporting towards better decision-making and improved organisational performance.
Yvette Willison, Content Writer
Contributors
Hayley Campbell - Content Writer
"Hayley Campbell is a mental health and healthcare copywriter who believes the best stories start with people."
Yvette Willison - Content Writer
"Yvette is an avid storyteller with a working knowledge base in the Allied Health, Disability and Aged Care sectors."
Atlas McNeil - National Clinical and Training Manager
"Lesley Barton is the National Clinical and Training Manager at Bunzl & Atlas McNeil Healthcare Community, with over 40 years of healthcare experience."
Rise Up Group - Senior Catering Operations Specialist
"Lindsey O’Grady is a chef and aged care hospitality specialist with 40 years’ experience."
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News
Standardised failure: how the new NDIS bill sacrifices participants for budget repair
Marion Piper, Contributor As NDIS reforms repeat the design flaws of aged care’s algorithmic funding failures, Disability Discrimination Commissioner Rosemary Kayess warns that providers will bear the fallout of standardised models that sacrifice individual needs for budget repair.
Why KPMG’s whistleblower failure should concern every aged care provider
Marion Piper, Contributor Following KPMG’s high-profile whistleblower governance failure, Australian aged care directors face heightened scrutiny. Under the new Aged Care Act, leaders can be personally fined up to $165,000 for non-compliant reporting systems, even if the organisation itself escapes regulatory action.
Support at Home’s biggest test: Can government turn reform promises into real-world care access?
Lauren Liao, Contributor A survey of older Australians has highlighted growing frustration with Support at Home, revealing challenges around waiting times, complexity, provider availability and out-of-pocket costs.
Why aged care’s IAT human override could become the next bottleneck
Lauren Liao, Contributor OPAN’s CEO Craig Gear warns the IAT’s human override could recreate the bottleneck it’s meant to fix. With three changes in weeks and Minister Rae unable to confirm trigger criteria or timeframes, boards need to start managing the internal exposure themselves.
Navigating the new horizon: Australia’s first cross-setting quality framework
Lauren Liao, Contributor This new cross-setting framework gives aged care leaders an evidence-based blueprint to measure quality across the entire continuum of care, helping organisations bridge the gap between health services and residential settings to deliver truly integrated, person-centred outcomes.
The Arcare story is about yesterday. The bigger story is what’s next.
Lauren Liao, Contributor While the headlines have focused on allegations surrounding additional service fees via HELF, the more important question for boards and executives is whether the sector has fully understood what the new Aged Care Act is asking providers to become.
Senate passes bill to restore human override in aged care assessments
Hayley Campbell, Content Writer The Senate has backed a bill to restore assessor override to the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT). Whether it becomes law or not, providers are already working within the gap between funding decisions and responsibility for safe care.
Topic
Beyond care delivery: why aged care leaders must invest in carer support and education
With dementia impacting over half of aged care residents, proactive strategy is critical. Discover how evidence-based education from Dementia Training Australia empowers frontline “dementia detectives,” reduces workforce burnout, and equips leaders to manage operational and clinical risks effectively.
Beyond the chair: how furniture choices shape aged care environments
Aged care furniture needs to feel residential while supporting resident independence, staff safety, infection control and durability. Wentworth Care Director Tamlyn Carr shares what providers should consider when designing spaces.
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