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Organisations and programs

There are many different organisations providing resources and services for aged care. We have provided links to the national bodies, most of which provide links to their related state and territory organisations in Australia.

Aged Care Act (Due to be introduced in July 2025)
The new Aged Care Act (currently the Aged Care Bill 2024) will respond to the issues facing older people, aged care providers, workers, and the broader sector. It will put the rights and needs of older people at the centre of the aged care system. It will replace:

  • Aged Care Act 1997
  • Aged Care (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997
  • Aged Care Quality and safety Commission Act 2018.

Prior to the final bill the Government have made various reforms in readiness for the introduction of the Act. These include:

  • Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response No.1) Act 2021
  • Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response) Act 2022
  • the Aged Care Amendment (Implementing Care Reform) Act 2022.

Visit the Parliament of Australia website for up-to-date information on the passage of the Aged Care Bill 2024.

Aged Care Taskforce
The Taskforce was established to advise on funding arrangements, including: a fair and equitable approach to assessing the means of older people; participant contributions for home care; reforms to arrangements for pricing and funding of hotel and accommodation costs in residential aged care, including the phasing out of Refundable Accommodation Deposits (RADs); services for inclusion and exclusion in the new home aged care program; funding and contribution approaches to support innovation in the delivery of care. A final report was published in 2024 and the Government provided a response to the inquiry.

Aged Care Workforce Taskforce
In 2018, the Australian Government funded the independent Aged Care Workforce Taskforce to develop an industry-led Aged Care Workforce Strategy. The taskforce engaged with a wide range of stakeholders, including the general public, service providers, experts, and aged care staff, to inform its work. The resulting strategy, A Matter of Care: Australia’s Aged Care Workforce Strategy, outlined 14 key actions to drive workforce change. Among these, the 12th action proposed the creation of an Aged Care Centre for Growth and Translational Research. After its establishment, this initiative was renamed Aged Care Research & Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA).

Royal Commission in Aged Care Quality and Safety
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety was established on 8 October 2018. The Royal Commission inquired into the quality of aged care services in Australia, whether those services were meeting the needs of the community, and how they could be improved in the future. The Commission produced a final report in 2021 with 148 recommendations.

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC)
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission protects and enhances the safety, health, well-being and quality of life of people receiving aged care. The website houses key information for aged care service providers on:

  • Commission Act and Rules
  • Becoming an approved aged care provider
  • Legislative and regulatory changes (Aged Care Act and regulatory framework)
  • The Aged Care Quality Standards (see 'quality standards' section in our wider list for more information)
  • Regulatory Bulletins
  • Assessment processes
  • Service Compliance Ratings fact sheet
  • The Charter of Aged Care Rights (statement of rights) – Provider information
  • Quality care resources
  • Provider resources
  • Better use of medication in aged care
  • Accreditation fees
  • Complaints process

Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) 
ACSQHC is a Corporate Commonwealth Entity. It works in partnership with patients, consumers, clinicians, managers, policy makers and healthcare organisations to achieve a sustainable, safe, and high-quality health system. It covers a wide range of clinical healthcare issues.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)
The AIHW’s role is to provide meaningful information and statistics for the benefit of the Australian people. It supports GEN, a comprehensive “one–stop shop” for data and information about aged care services in Australia. GEN reports on capacity and activity in the aged care system focusing on the people, their care assessments and the services they use.

Centrelink
Centrelink is part of Services Australia delivers social security payments and services to Australians.

Department of Health and Aged Care
The Department of Health and Aged Care develops and delivers policies and programs and advises the Australian Government on health, aged care, and sport.

Department of Home Affairs
As part of the skilled migration program the Department of Home Affairs enables aged care providers the ability to access the new Aged Care Industry Agreement.

Department of Veterans’ Affairs
The DVA provide support, services and information for veterans and their dependents, serving and former serving ADF members, war widow/ers, Australian British Nuclear Tests participants, members of the Australian Federal Police and students, teachers, and historians.

Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA)
The Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) is an independent government agency that assists the Australian Government to fund hospital and aged care services more efficiently by providing evidence‑based price determinations and pricing advice.

My Aged Care
My Aged Care provides information on the different types of aged care services available, how eligibility and assessment occurs, referral and support to find service providers and information on the costs of care. Health or aged care professional can use the Make a Referral form to refer patients for an aged care assessment to determine their eligibility for government-funded aged care services.

Services Australia
Contains information about funding for aged care services for both older adults and providers.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet
The Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet‘s mission is to contribute to improving the health of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and assist in ‘closing the gap’ by facilitating the sharing and exchange of relevant, high-quality knowledge.

Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS)
AIFS provides a list of resources and organisations that can support non-Indigenous practitioners and organisations in the child, family and community sector to provide culturally safe service responses to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities.

Lowitja Institute
Lowitja Institute works for the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through high-impact quality research, knowledge exchange, and by supporting a new generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program
This program supports culturally appropriate aged care to older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The service providers in this program deliver a mix of aged care services, mainly in rural and remote areas.

National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)
NACCHO is the national leadership body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health in Australia.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ageing and Aged Care Council (NATSIAACC)
NATSIAACC works to ensure Elders can access support and care that is culturally safe, trauma aware and healing-informed, and recognises the importance of their personal connections to community and Country.

CareLeavers (Forgotten Australians)

Alliance for Forgotten Australians (AFA) 
The AFA promotes the interests of the estimated 500,000 people known as Forgotten Australians, who experienced institutional or other out-of-home care as children and young people in the last century in Australia, many of whom suffered physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse while in ‘care’.

Care Leavers Australasia Network (CLAN)
Care Leavers includes people who grew up in ‘Care’ such as Orphanages, Children’s Homes, Missions and Foster Care. CLAN advocates and campaigns for justice and redress for all Care Leavers and for an independent redress scheme for all implicated.

Culturally and linguistically diverse

Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing
The Centre provides expertise in culturally inclusive policy and practices for the aged services sector.

Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria (ECCV)
Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria (ECCV) is proud to be the peak body for our state’s migrant and refugee communities. They run a range of projects promoting positive ageing to multicultural seniors groups, coordinate the Access and Support (A&S) Network, and deliver training for bilingual community educators to engage and inform their communities about how to prevent and respond to elder abuse. This includes the ageing well hub.

Federation of Ethic Communities Council of Australia (FECCA)
FECCA is the national peak body representing Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Its role is to advocate on issues that affect ethnic communities to government, business and our broader society to promote the ongoing success story of multicultural Australia.

Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care (PICAC)
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.

Disability

Disability Support for Older Australians (DSOA) Program
The DSOA program supports older people with disability who received specialist disability services from the Continuity of Support (CoS) Programme, but were not eligible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

Sign language interpreting for Australian Government–subsidised aged care services
If you provide Australian Government–subsidised aged care services, you can access free sign language interpreting services to support clients who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing.

Homeless

Homelessness Australia
This organisation provides fact sheets on various population groups, and information on where to go for help if a person is experiencing homelessness in each Australian state and territory.

Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG)
Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG) is an organisation specialising in the housing needs of older Australians, and National Shelter may also provide useful information on homelessness in Australia. 

Mission Australia
Mission Australia also provides information about homelessness in Australia, organises housing programs, and provides a service directory search function. 

Veterans 360 (V360) Australia
Veterans 360 (V360) Australia is a charity conducting outreach, raising awareness and providing ongoing support specifically for homeless veterans throughout Australia.

LGBTIQ+

Alices Garage
Alice’s Garage is a social enterprise empowering older LGBTI people. They strengthen the voices of older LGBTI people, drawing on their knowledge and skills to address the challenges they face and build communities where LGBTIphobia and ageism are addressed.

GLBTI Rights in Ageing Inc. (GRAI)
GRAI provides LGBTI training to the aged care sector. They also provide research and resources for use in the sector alongside a befriending service located in Perth, WA.

LGBTIQ+ Health Australia
LGBTIQ+ Health Australia supports healthy lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans/transgender, intersex, queer and other sexuality, gender, and bodily diverse people and communities throughout Australia and the world, free from stigma and discrimination.  The Silver Rainbow project is designed to improve the experiences of LGBTI people as they age and enter the Australian aged care system.

Rural and remote

Australian Rural Health Education Network (AHREN)
ARHEN is the national association and peak body for the 17 University Departments of Rural Health located in rural and remote Australia. It promotes the health and wellbeing of people in rural and remote Australia by delivering high-quality health education, research and advocacy.

CRANAplus
CRANAplus is a grassroots, not-for-profit, membership-based organisation that provides a wide range of services, support and opportunities to nurses, midwives and other health pro­fes­sion­als to ensure the deliv­ery of safe, high qual­i­ty pri­ma­ry healthcare to remote and iso­lat­ed areas of Australia.

Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH)
SARRAH is a grassroots’ organisation advocating on behalf of rural and remote Australian communities in order for them to have access to allied health services which support equitable and sustainable health and well-being.

Spirituality and faith

Meaningful Ageing Australia
Meaningful Ageing Australia provides education and resources for evidence-based spiritual care for the ageing population in the context of health, aged care, and community services.

Spiritual Health Association
The Spiritual Health Association is the peak body for spiritual care in the health sector. Their focus is on advocacy for and promotion of compassionate, person-centred spiritual care in health services. 

Veterans

Rehabilitation Appliances Program (RAP)
The Rehabilitation Appliances Program (RAP) provides aids, equipment and modifications to help veterans (Gold Card and White Card) to live safely and independently.

Veterans Home Care (VHC)
The Veterans’ Home Care (VHC) Program provides a small amount of practical help at home so you can continue to live independently. It is not designed to meet complex or high-level care needs. If you have long-term high-level personal care needs, you may be referred to VHC’s Community Nursing Program.

Younger people in aged care

AbilityFirst Australia
A program committed to helping younger people to get the care and support they need to live in a home that is right for their age.

Department of Health and Aged Care
Government support to help younger people to consider and access suitable accommodation and support.

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
Provides funding to younger people in residential care to move into more suitable accommodation.

Advance Care Planning

Advance Care Planning Australia (ACPA)
ACPA is a government-funded program to help people maintain control of future medical treatment. It helps them prepare for a time when they may not be able to communicate health care decisions

End of Life Law in Australia (ELLC)
End of Life Law in Australia provides accurate and practical information to assist you to navigate the challenging legal issues that can arise with end of life decision-making. It is a broad introduction to end of life laws in each Australian State and Territory to help you know the law, and your rights and duties.

Clinical Governance

Australasian Institute of Clinical Governance (AICG)
The (AICG) is a division of Health Education Australia Ltd (HEAL) a not-for-profit organisation. The AICG was established to help the healthcare industry to improve safety and quality care through excellence in clinical governance. They provide free resources related to health and aged care.

Australian Institute of Company Directors
The (AICD) is an independent membership-based organisation who provide updates and new perspectives on governance and related topics, advocate for excellence, and analyse relevant policy on behalf of our members and the wider governance community. One key report includes Clinical governance for boards in the aged care sector.

Continence

Continence Foundation of Australia
The Continence Foundation of Australia is the peak national organisation working to improve the quality of life of all Australians affected by incontinence.

Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS)
The Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS) provides a payment to help with some of the costs of your continence products.

Dementia 

Dementia Australia
Dementia Australia represents the 487,500 Australians living with dementia and the almost 1.6 million Australians involved in their care.

National Dementia Support Program (NDSP)
The NDSP is an Australian Government-funded program that directly supports people living with dementia and their families and carers

National Dementia Helpline
The National Dementia Helpline is a free confidential phone and email information and support service. It operates from 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday excluding public holidays.
Ph: 1800 100 500

Dementia and Aged Care Services (DACS) Fund
The DACS Fund helps the aged care sector to support senior Australians who are sick or living with medical condition

Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service (DBMAS)
DBMAS helps staff and carers supporting people living with dementia. This includes assessment, clinical support, care planning, mentoring, linking to current research and a 24-hour help line.

Dementia Training Program
The Dementia Training Program offers a national approach to accredited education, upskilling, and professional development in dementia care.

Severe Behaviour Response Teams (SBRT)
Severe Behaviour Response Teams (SBRT) help aged care providers who care for people with severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in residential aged care settings. They provide expert and timely advice when needed.

Specialist Dementia Care Program (SDCP)
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 move into less intensive care settings.

Palliative Care 

Palliative Care Australia (PCA)
PCA is the national peak body for palliative care. It represents all those who work towards high quality palliative care for all Australians who need it.

Comprehensive Palliative Care in Aged Care measure
The Comprehensive Palliative Care in Aged Care measure aims to help older Australians living in residential aged care, nearing the end of their life.

End of Life Direction for Aged Care (ELDAC)
ELDAC provides information, guidance, and resources to health professionals and aged care workers on palliative care and advance care planning to improve the care of older Australians.

palliAGED – palliative care aged care evidence
palliAGED provides 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.

Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care measure 
The Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care measure aims to improve palliative care coordination through Primary Health Networks (PHNs).

Grief

Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement (ACGB)
The ACGB is an independent, not for profit organisation. It builds the capacity of individuals, organisations and communities in order to enhance well-being following adverse life events. It has specific resources for aged care.

Phoenix Australia
Phoenix Australia offers information and tools to support those who have had traumatic experiences, and trauma recovery resources for carers and aged care providers.

Rehabilitation and Reablement

Wellness and reablement initiative
Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) services need to embed wellness and reablement services into their organisation to remain eligible for government funding.

KeepAble
KeepAble is the place to find practical content and resources on Wellness and Reablement for home care providers, people working in the aged care sector, clients, and communities across Australia.

Technology

Aged Care Industry IT Council (ACIITC)
ACIITC aims to improve the quality of care for our clients through supporting and educating aged care service providers about the efficiencies and service improvement capabilities that well managed IT system deployments can achieve.

Australian Digital Health Agency
The Australian Digital Health Agency is offering healthcare software developers financial assistance to design new or enhanced My Health Record–related functionality in clinical information systems and electronic medications management systems used by residential aged care facilities.

Department of Health and Aged Care
The department focuses on a variety of technological information and strategies. Current this includes the Aged Care Data and Digital Strategy.

National Ageing Research Institute (NARI)
The National Ageing Research Institute (NARI) partnered with leading Australian home care provider Silverchain to develop an implementation framework for enabling technology supported aged care at home, as part of the work of the Melbourne Ageing Research Collaboration (MARC).

Aged Care Dental Program
The Australian Dental Foundation’s Aged Care Dental Program supports the management and prevention of oral conditions for seniors in aged care facilities and residential living complexes – where oral disease is often prevalent from limited access to a traditional dentist. They offer a total dental solution at a minimal cost for residents operating as a fully functional mobile dental team with portable dental equipment.

Aged Care Transition to Practice Program
The Aged Care Transition to Practice (ACTTP) program provides new aged care nurses with mentoring, training, and support

Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS)
The ACVVS arranges volunteer visits to older people to provide friendship and companionship. Visits are available to anyone receiving government-subsidised residential aged care or Home Care Packages.

Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) (Current until 2027)
The CHSP provides entry-level support for older people who need some help to stay at home. Service providers work with them to maintain their independence. Support can include help with daily tasks, home modifications, transport, social support and nursing care. This programme will be replaced by the new support at home program no earlier than 1 July 2027.

Home Care Packages Program (HCP) (Current 2024)
The Home Care Packages Program supports older people with complex needs to stay at home. Approved aged care service providers work with care recipients to plan, organise, and deliver Home Care Packages. From 1 July 2025 this program will be replaced by the new support at home program below.
 
Multi-Purpose Services (MPS) Program
The Multi-Purpose Services Program combines funding for aged care services from the Australian Government with state and territory health services. This joint initiative means small regional and remote communities can offer flexible aged care services that meet the needs of their community.

National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI Program)
The QI Program collects quality indicator data from residential aged care services every 3 months. Over time, this data will provide an evidence base that can be used to improve the quality of services provided to care recipients. The program collects quality indicator data from residential aged care services every 3 months. Over time, this data will provide an evidence base that can be used to improve the quality of services provided to care recipients.

Regional, Rural and Remote Home Care Workforce Support Program
The Regional, Rural and Remote Home Care Workforce Support Program is a 2024-25 Budget measure which will focus on building the home care workforce in regional, rural, and remote locations where workforce shortages are the most acute and will allow for an additional 4,000 Personal Care Workers (PCWs) to be engaged in these regions.

Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS)
The Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) aims to reduce abuse and neglect in Australian Government-subsidised residential aged care. It builds providers’ skills so they can better manage, respond to, and prevent incidents and better support care recipients.

Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) Program (Current 2024)
The STRC Program provides services to older people for up to 8 weeks to help them delay or avoid long-term care. From 1 July 2025 this program will transition to the support at home program below.

Support at Home program (From July 2025)
From 1 July 2025, with the introduction of the Aged Care Act, the new Support at Home program will replace the current Home Care Packages Program and the Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) Programme. The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) will also transition but no earlier than 1 July 2027. The support at home program handbook provides more information about the program design and arrangements.

Transition Care Program
This program helps older people get back on their feet after a hospital stay. It provides short-term care for up to 12 weeks, including social work, nursing support, personal care and allied health care. State and territory governments are the approved providers of transition care.

Wellness and reablement initiative
For Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) service to remain eligible for government funding, they need to embed wellness and reablement services into their organisation. 

Aged and Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA)
ACCPA is the national Industry Association for aged care providers offering retirement living, seniors housing, residential care, home care, community care and related services.

Aged Care Business and Workforce Advisory Service
Eligible residential aged care and home care providers can now apply for free, independent and confidential advice in relation to business, financial and workforce challenges. These services are funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care to 30 June 2025.

Australian College of Care Workers
Australian College of Care Workers is a Self-Regulating National Registration for Care Workers working in Aged Care, Disability, Mental Health, Community and other health care related facilities.

Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS)
ACHS is an independent, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving quality in health care, representing governments, consumers, and peak health bodies throughout Australia.

National Aged Care Alliance (the Alliance)
The Alliance is a representative body of peak national organisations in aged care, including consumer groups, providers, unions, and health professionals, working together to determine a more positive future for aged care in Australia. They address four broad issues: consumer rights; quality of care; workforce planning; and short and long term financing of aged care.

National Health Services Directory
The National Health services Directory is a comprehensive national directory of health services and provider information covering GPs, pharmacies, hospitals, and emergency departments.

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC)

Introduction of the new Aged Care Act, regulatory model, statement of rights, code of conduct and the associated strengthened Quality Standards are currently estimated to come into effect on 1 July 2025, however the passage of the Aged Care Bill 2024 through Parliament is still underway. We have provided links below to both sets of standards (current and proposed).

Aged Care Quality Standards (Current) 2024 - 2025

There are currently eight quality standards that define what good care looks like:

Age Care (Strengthened) Quality Standards (Proposed introduction Jul 2025)

The strengthened Quality Standards are expected to be introduced with the commencement of the new Aged Care Act. The existing Standards will remain in effect until then. The strengthened standards are based on a recommendation by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality And Safety, that the Department review the existing standards. The Department conducted consultations with the sector and through public consultation. 

The strengthened standards cover seven (draft) standards and guidance for providers includes:

Overview of compliance guidance: Introduction

Additional documents include draft guidance for aged care workers. Draft audit methodology, evidence framework, pre-audit preparation tool, request for information cat 4&5 and cat 6, glossary and a framework analysis.

The commission have also produced a video for providers on the main changes to the existing quality standards.

Visit the Parliament of Australia website for up-to-date information on the passage of the Aged Care Bill 2024.

Star ratings - Quality standards assessment and monitoring

The Star Ratings system applies to residential aged care homes. It provides information about a provider's quality of care as this helps people who need aged care to make informed choices.

 

Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC)

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) oversees the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards, which apply to healthcare organisations. These differ from the Aged Care Quality Standards managed by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC). However, the ACSQHC collaborated with the ACQSC and the Department to develop Standard 5: Clinical Care, in the draft Aged Care Quality Standards (above).

National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards

These consist of eight Standards which include:

  1. Clinical Governance
  2. Partnering with Consumers
  3. Prevention and Controlling Infections
  4. Medication Safety
  5. Comprehensive Care
  6. Communicating for Safety
  7. Blood Management
  8. Recognising and Responding to Actute Deterioration

The National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards require health service organisations to use a charter of rights.

ACSQHC also provides a training module for Multi-Purpose Service (MPS) Providers related to quality standards. The module describes, in six actions, the requirements of the Aged Care Quality Standards not covered by the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards.