Friday, September 11, 2026

Dashboards are dead

• aged care

Sonja Bernhardt, Contributor


Sonja Bernhardt OAM argues that traditional dashboards are dying. Instead of forcing humans to act as analytics engines by hunting through disconnected metrics, AI shifts the focus from “showing numbers” to surfacing what genuinely deserves human attention.

Latest News

Beyond compliance: The leadership challenge shaping aged care’s next chapter

As aged care embeds its post-Royal Commission reforms, sector leaders are asking a new question: what comes after compliance? Experts agree strong governance is essential, but future success will depend on leadership, judgement and creating the conditions for older Australians to genuinely thrive.

• aged care

The next crisis in australian aged care isn’t workforce, it’s clinical complexity

Aged care faces a quiet crisis as resident clinical complexity outpaces traditional service models, according to Michael Foenander. This leaves providers urgently needing strategic gerontological capability over simple compliance to remain viable.

Michael Foenander, Consultant

• industry news

Bupa’s $2 billion exit strategy: why buying aged care is cheaper than building it

Four years after shelving its divestment plans, Bupa APAC is re-testing the market to sell its $2 billion ANZ aged care portfolio. The move highlights a stark sector reality: buying existing beds is now far cheaper than building them.

Marion Piper, Contributor

• legal

National alignment: Australia’s voluntary assisted dying (VAD) landscape

With Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) now legislated across every Australian state and territory, aged care leaders face a critical operational shift. Here’s how the legal framework evolved, what you need to plan for, and how to balance compliance with compassion in care.

Marion Piper, Contributor

• leadership

How retirement communities can prepare for changing resident expectations

Changing resident expectations, ageing in place and increasingly complex support needs are reshaping retirement living. Dr Roger Pallant of the NSW Retirement Village Residents Association says leaders need to plan for that change and bring residents into the conversation.

Hayley Campbell, Content Writer

Contributors

Yvette Willison

Yvette Willison

Yvette Willison - Content Writer

"Yvette is an avid storyteller with a working knowledge base in the Allied Health, Disability and Aged Care sectors."

Lindsey OGrady

Lindsey OGrady

- Aged Care Hospitality Specialist

"Lindsey O’Grady is a chef and aged care hospitality specialist with 40 years’ experience."

Hayley Campbell

Hayley Campbell

Hayley Campbell - Content Writer

"Hayley Campbell is a mental health and healthcare copywriter who believes the best stories start with people."

Michael Foenander

Michael Foenander

Michael Foenander - Consultant

"Michael Foenander (GAICD) is an executive leader, board member, and former chef who writes on gerontology, foodservice, and aged care operations."

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Every Wednesday, we deliver stories that inspire better leadership, spark ideas & keep you ahead in aged care.

Events

Nov

2026

2026 Ageing Australia National Conference

NOV 24, 2026 | 9 am - 5 pm

The International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney

Mar

2027

ATSA Independent Living Expo Hobart

MAR 04, 2027 | 8 am - 4 pm

Princes Wharf No. 1, Hobart

May

2027

ATSA Independent Living Expo Perth

MAY 19, 2027 | 8 am - 3 pm

Claremont Showground

News

• aged care

The $5.6 million payroll wake-up call

Marion Piper, Contributor The Fair Work Ombudsman’s $5.6 million audit recovery exposes a critical governance vulnerability for aged care leaders: basic payroll, rostering, and Award classification errors compound into massive compliance liabilities across large workforces.

• aged care sector

What lies ahead for CHSP beyond the 2029 extension

Marion Piper, Contributor Australia’s Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) is extended until June 2029, avoiding a planned merger with Support at Home. While the certainty is welcome news, providers now face the crucial challenge of shaping the program’s long-term future.

• support at home

Interim funding rule Removes 53,000 clients from official aged care waitlist

Jakob Neeland, Contributor 53,718 people vanished from Australia’s aged care waitlist after a methodology change, removed once interim 60% payments start, not full funding. Providers report clients waiting up to five months, with the missing 40% never backdated.

• industry news

Building the bridge to reshape First Nations aged care

Yvette Willison, Content Writer Interim First Nations Aged Care Commissioner Jodi Cassar brings more than two decades of public service experience to one of aged care’s newest roles, sharing why listening, cultural safety and community partnerships are essential to creating meaningful, lasting reform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

• aged care workforce

Who will take care of older Australians if migration slows?

Hayley Campbell, Content Writer Australia’s aged care workforce already relies heavily on migrant workers, while demand for workers continues to grow. With migration settings under review, providers need to understand what changes to access for overseas workers could mean for staffing.

• aged care sector

Aged care’s data problem is starting to find its fix

Marion Piper, Contributor Three hours of a shift gone to paperwork — before a single resident is checked on. As documentation eats into aged care nursing time, new tools like Kinnexus and BESTMED IQ are trying to hand some of that time back to care.

New acting head, Kate Pope, confirmed for aged care’s independent oversight body

• inspector-general

Marion Piper, Contributor Kate Pope PSM has taken over as acting Inspector-General of Aged Care, bringing 35 years of public sector experience to the role while government recruits a permanent appointee.

Topic

Australia has its first national nursing workforce strategy. Now health leaders must deliver it.

• nursing

Australia has its first National Nursing Workforce Strategy, but a strategy alone won’t fix a 79,000-nurse deficit. Arun Thomas explores how the true test for health leaders lies in converting a 10-year policy blueprint into real, sustainable capacity on the ground.

Why Australia’s aged care legislation struggles with community-led solutions

• aged care

After 15 years of planning, fundraising and refining a financially viable model, one rural Victorian community is still unable to build an aged care facility. Wedderburn’s experience raises broader questions about whether Australia’s regulatory framework can accommodate community-led solutions.

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