Health

Established in 1935 – and celebrating its 90th anniversary this year – South Australian aged care community service provider Resthaven recently made a significant leadership appointment to strengthen its wellness support for older people. The organisation has created a new position, the Community Wellness Manager, to ensure it can elevate opportunities for older people to […]

Food and nutrition in residential care remain a top priority for the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. However, the Food, Nutrition and Dining Unit potentially faces months of uncertainty as its current funding allocation nears the end of its cycle – while the 2025 Budget hinges on federal election results. 

It’s estimated that over 430,000 Australians are currently living with dementia, and with those figures projected to double, Dementia Australia has partnered with two leading peak bodies to address the need for better access to allied health.

Value for money is about to become more important than ever in aged care as the sector will need to provide its worth by adopting a user-pays system where residents have more of the power. 

While the vast majority of Australians now live in jurisdictions where voluntary assisted dying is permitted, accessing voluntary assisted dying depends on knowing it’s a legal option. New research suggests many Australians don’t know this.

A proactive approach to problem-solving underpins the leadership style of one of the industry’s newer CEOs, with Plena Healthcare’s Graeme Johnston eyeing more opportunities to support aged care providers with allied health in 2025.

The introduction of a brand-new allied health staffing quality indicator this year will likely pave the way for an increased focus on allied health in aged care. However, improved messaging is also essential to further elevate its value.

A new discussion paper from the peak body for championing spiritual care, Meaningful Ageing Australia, has sparked fresh interest in spiritual care as it seeks dedicated funding, greater recognition and increased support for spiritual care practitioners.

Aged care nurses are incredibly open to using technology more in their roles, however, new research shows they need more training and ongoing support to take up the full scope of care and coordination opportunities. 

Evolution has been critical for South Australian aged care provider Barossa Village with the regional operator embracing new approaches to advance care planning for its residents over the last 15 years.