One year of the Aged Care Act: rights granted, care queued
Marion Piper, Contributor
A year into the Aged Care Act, older Australians are still waiting for the care they need. Standard-priority wait times were estimated at seven to eight months. As rights meet reality, here is what boards should watch in year two.
Latest News
Keyton and Silverchain team up to keep residents at home
Partnerships in aged care can be advantageous for all. In a new team up, Keyton residents now have access to Silverchain’s care navigation, with a full program due in the new year. Residents choose if, when and how they use it, and can pick any provider.
Who is accountable for older Australians stranded in hospital?
Whiddon CEO Chris Mamarelis warns that older Australians waiting months or years in hospital for aged care are falling between state and federal systems, raising questions about their rights, accountability and the role of aged care boards.
Hayley Campbell, Content Writer
Foreign exchange: What aged care can borrow from overseas regarding profit
In Japan, most home care providers are for-profit, and nobody much minds. Dr Darren Coppin explains what Australian aged care can learn from Japan, Singapore, Denmark and the Netherlands, and why the secret is keeping the margin well away from a family’s moment of need.
Jakob Neeland, Contributor
Closing the gap between aged care technology and workforce capability
Aged care providers have access to growing digital technology, but workforce skills are not keeping pace. Holmesglen’s environmental scan highlights where leaders can focus education investment to help staff interpret information, coordinate responses and use existing technology confidently and effectively.
Yvette Willison, Content Writer
Aged care beds shelved: What happens to projects already in the pipeline?
More than 3,600 planned aged care beds have been shelved or put at risk. Leaders from Juniper, Abound Communities, Warrina Homes and Ageing Australia explain how funding uncertainty is affecting development plans and investment decisions.
Hayley Campbell, Content Writer
Contributors
Yvette Willison - Content Writer
"Yvette is an avid storyteller with a working knowledge base in the Allied Health, Disability and Aged Care sectors."
- Aged Care Hospitality Specialist
"Lindsey O’Grady is a chef and aged care hospitality specialist with 40 years’ experience."
Michael Foenander - Consultant
"Michael Foenander (GAICD) is an executive leader, board member, and former chef who writes on gerontology, foodservice, and aged care operations."
Hayley Campbell - Content Writer
"Hayley Campbell is a mental health and healthcare copywriter who believes the best stories start with people."
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Events
Jul
2026
Nov
2026
2026 Ageing Australia National Conference
NOV 24, 2026 | 9 am - 5 pm
The International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney
Mar
2027
Mar
2027
Australian Healthcare Week 2027
MAR 17, 2027 | 8 am - 4 pm
ICC Sydney (14 Darling Dr, Sydney New South Wales 2000)
News
Private health insurance for seniors: Rebate cuts raise aged care funding questions
Hayley Campbell, Content Writer The government has reintroduced its private health insurance rebate cuts for over-65s after a Senate setback. New modelling and COTA survey findings raise questions about older Australians’ healthcare spending, hospital demand and aged care funding.
Is adaptive reuse a faster route to meeting aged care needs?
Yvette Willison, Content Writer As demand for aged care beds grows, could existing buildings help providers respond sooner? Vasey RSL Care’s Frankston hospital acquisition highlights the potential of adaptive reuse, alongside questions about cost, design and creating homes that keep people connected to the community.
Aged care royal commission report card: Impact over inputs is success
Amy Henderson, Contributor CEO Russell Bricknell shares the attitude of a sector grappling with lots of reform and limited certainly, have projects post Royal Commission changed the lives of seniors meaningfully for the better? In Juniper’s Royal Commission Report Card, a C- shows there’ still much to be done.
More than benchmarking: How to use your ROSA report
Yvette Willison, Content Writer The 2026 ROSA reports reveal significant variation in aged care outcomes, introducing new indicators and benchmarking tools. Professor Maria Inacio explains how independent data can help providers and boards better understand care quality, identify opportunities for improvement and strengthen governance.
Aged care waitlist Australia: An executive calls for clearer reporting
Hayley Campbell, Content Writer After watching a friend navigate aged care for her mother, executive Maria Zappala began questioning how Australia measures unmet care needs. She says waitlist figures, assessment decisions and the support people receive deserve closer scrutiny.
Compliance is the floor. Clinical outcomes lag behind
Marion Piper, Contributor Mirus Australia’s second ACE Index scores aged care 6.3 out of 10 and finds a profitable care business carrying loss-making accommodation. Boards face one question: what happens when care funding stops rising faster than costs?
Who cares for regional Australia when the workers stop coming?
Yvette Willison, Content Writer Australia’s migration debate has focused on housing and population growth, but aged care providers are watching another issue unfold. As regional workforce shortages deepen, the sector is questioning what changing migration settings could mean for recruiting and retaining the people who deliver care.
Topic
Who sends the chef to the conference?
The 2026 Hospitality in Healthcare (HIH) National Conference in Hobart brought together some wonderful people, ideas and innovations from across hospital, healthcare and aged care hospitality. I had the privilege of presenting findings from my Australian Aged Care Kitchen Pulse Survey and joining the Choice Collective panel to discuss Standard 6, hospitality and resident choice. […]
Mind your language: How aged care made “profit” a dirty word and how we can fix things
Aged care reports its finances in exactly the form the human brain cares least about. Behavioural scientist Dr Darren Coppin explains which words to retire, how to explain fees without losing families’ trust, and the one-page letter every CEO could send next month.
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