Broken trust in aged care is a problem – but it might just be the solution, too

Trust has become a topic of hot debate recently. The latest Edelman Trust Barometer findings revealed a shift in who and what Australians trust – a change that’s manifesting in aged care as even more localised and relational than ever before. But there’s a big disconnect between perception and reality, which the most recent Ageing in Australia Community Expectations Report 2026 reveals.

Aged care providers are in a unique position to enact positive change and rebuild the broken trust many Australians have towards the industry – but how? According to this report, it can be done through experience, communication, and integration of care.

Trust is established through experience

While public perception can be low, 71% of people who personally used aged care, and 63% of those who cared for someone, were satisfied with the care – highlighting that experience increases trust.

“People who have direct experience of aged care are far more likely to trust it, but too many Australians are forming views based on things they’ve heard in the past or negative media,” offers Ageing Australia CEO Tom Symondson.

“That tells us the system is performing better than people think – but we’re not closing the gap between perception and reality.”

This is echoed by Adrian Morgan, General Manager of Brisbane-based in-home support organisation Flexicare.

“The initial interaction with the [older] person, or interactions, plural, are really vital. Especially if family members of the older person have heard negative things, they could be very worried.”

Both Symondson and Morgan pinpoint an opportunity for providers: review, refine and smooth out those first meetings with a potential client and their family to set the tone. This doesn’t mean things can’t and won’t go wrong, but trust is quite fragile at the beginning of the process, so front loading extra attention can reduce stress and increase trust.

Trust is built by clear communication

One of the biggest barriers to trust in aged care is clarity around how the industry and its services work. The Ageing Australia study found that knowledge about aged care systems is low, even amongst older Australians at retirement age and above. Additionally, those who felt they knew more about the system, felt good about it.

“Australians want to age with dignity, independence and choice but far too often they don’t know where to start or who to trust,” Mr Symondson explains.

In the study, only 21% of Australians would turn to the government for information on aged care, with most preferring to go directly to providers, indicating a need for simpler, more direct information pathways.

So while aged care leaders can’t control the system itself, they can champion clearer – and more diverse – ways to communicate how funding works, what changes are in effect, and how services can be accessed. 

Trust is maintained through integrated care

The study, which is repeated every two years, highlights the need for care to be less reactive and more integrated across housing, health, and community, long before someone reaches retirement age. Rather than each of these systems operating in silos, there’s a call for there to be more collaboration across sectors in order to help Australians to ‘age well’.

Leaders can start to think about and plan for holistic care at every age, but specifically for people entering residential care or receiving in-home support. When these conversations happen sooner, rather than later (particularly with aged care workers), there’s a stronger opportunity to build trust through the lens of choice and empowerment.