Our work related to aged care

The National Dementia Action Plan 2024–2034 (the Action Plan) is Australia’s national dementia policy framework. It aims to improve the lives and care of people living with dementia, their carers and families over the next 10 years.

The NDSP is an Australian Government initiative to fund information, education programs, services and resources.

The Australian Government has developed a new Aged Care Act to strengthen Australia's aged care system. The new Act aims to ensure that people who access aged care services funded by the Australian Government are treated with respect and have the quality of life they deserve.

We are introducing a new aged care regulatory model as part of the new Aged Care Act. The model will change the way the sector operates and improve outcomes for older people.

We fund a range of scholarship opportunities through the Australian College of Nursing including nursing, midwifery, aged care, undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships. Preference is given to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants.

Our Local Network collaborates with health and aged care system partners to address local challenges and service gaps. We inform government policy and programs that impact the health and wellbeing for all people in Australia.

palliAGED is the palliative care evidence and practice information resource for the Australian aged care sector. It provides support for health and care practitioners as well as resource developers. The website also provides trustworthy information for older Australians, their families and friends.

The Palliative Aged Care Outcomes Program, or PACOP, is dedicated to improving the outcomes of all Australians in aged care homes with a particular focus on those who are approaching the end of their life.

PICAC supports aged care service providers to deliver care that meets the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) people. You can access their workshops, training, information sessions, fact sheets and guides.

Find out about changes that will allocate residential care places directly to older people.

The POPI program helps Victorian residential aged care facilities to identify and address any gaps in their COVID-19 outbreak management plans. The Victorian Aged Care Response Centre runs the program.

Residential aged care is for senior Australians who can no longer live independently at home. The Australian Government funds residential aged care to make it more affordable and accessible.

The experiences of older people living in aged care provide important insights into the quality of services they access. The Residents’ Experience Survey (formerly known as the Consumer Experience Interviews) enables aged care residents to tell us about the quality of their aged care.

The independent Review of General Practice Incentives looked at whether the Practice Incentives Program and Workforce Incentive Program are effective and fit for purpose. The panel’s final report has been delivered to government for consideration.

RBTIS is an integrated information sharing system used by both the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC or the Commission) and the Department of Health and Aged Care (the Department). It is used by the Commission in the regulation of aged care and assists in identifying providers at risk.

SDAP provides free professional support to aged care service providers located in rural and remote areas or who provide care to First Nations peoples. It aims to help providers in 3 main areas – provider capacity and support, sector development and infrastructure project management.

The Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) is helping to reduce abuse and neglect of older people receiving aged care services. It expands the responsibilities of Commonwealth-subsidised aged care providers on preventing and managing serious incidents.

Severe Behaviour Response Teams (SBRT) provide specialist clinical support and advice to organisations and aged care staff caring for people living with severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.

The STRC Programme provides services to older people for up to 8 weeks to help them delay or avoid long-term care. Read about the STRC Programme, including eligibility, provider responsibilities and delivering services.

We are establishing a new Single Assessment System to simplify and improve aged care assessments. The new system makes it easier for older people to access government-funded aged care services as their needs change.

The SDCP funds specialist dementia care units in residential aged care homes. The units provide specialised care to people with very severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. They aim to reduce or stabilise symptoms so that people can transition into less intensive care settings.

Star Ratings can help older people in Australia and their representatives make more informed choices about their aged care. We have developed a Star Ratings system for residential aged care across Australia.

The Aged Care Quality Standards set the standard for the safety and quality of aged care accessed by older people in Australia. Find out how we've strengthened the Quality Standards to make them more measurable and detailed.

We are reforming in-home aged care. The new Support at Home program will replace the Home Care Packages Program and Short-Term Restorative Care Programme from 1 July 2025. The Commonwealth Home Support Programme will transition to the new program no earlier than 1 July 2027.

The NSLP provides free sign language interpreting and captioning services for Deaf, Deafblind and hard of hearing older people. Find out what services are covered and who can access them.