The Quality Standards Resource Centre helps extend understanding of the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, which take effect from 1 November 2025. The Resource Centre will be updated to reflect key changes made to the draft strengthened Standards. You can search for resources by using keywords, or filtering by standard, outcome, audience and theme. Before using the Resource Centre, please read the terms of use.
palliAGED - Practice Centre
This resource provides information for care workers about palliative care. The Practice Centre provides links to, and information about, tools and resources to use in practice and improve care and outcomes in palliative care. It includes sections on improving practice, symptoms, medicines and tipsheets.
palliAGED - Evidence Centre
This resource provides evidence-based information for the healthcare sector about palliative care. It includes evidence summaries on topics related to palliative care, such as advance care planning, advocacy, care coordination, goals of care, nutrition and needs assessment.
Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool
The ‘Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool’ (‘MUST’) is a widely used tool for identifying malnutrition risk in adults across various settings. It includes interactive e-learning modules with case studies and assessments, helping staff improve nutritional care and meet quality standards.
This resource was developed internationally and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.
What is the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA)?
This resource is a validated nutrition screening and assessment tool to identify malnutrition or risk of malnutrition in people aged 65 and older. It includes an easy-to-use short form for quick identification and intervention planning.
This resource was developed internationally and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.
A guide to completing the Mini Nutritional Assessment – Short Form
This resource is a guide and video for using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) to identify malnutrition in older people. It explains question scoring, interpretation, and measurement procedures, with a video demonstration.
This resource was developed internationally and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.
EAT-10: A Swallowing Screening Tool
This resource offers a self-assessment tool to screen for swallowing difficulties by rating various aspects of swallowing function. A score of 3 or higher suggests potential issues that may require discussion with a healthcare provider.
This resource was developed internationally and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.
Best Practice Food and Nutrition Manual for Aged Care
This manual offers practical guidelines on food and nutrition best practices in aged care homes, covering menu planning, meal enjoyment, hydration, and malnutrition prevention. It includes checklists, screening tools, and dietary considerations tailored to the needs of older people.
This resource was developed by a state/territory government or organisation and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.
Standardised care processes
This resource offers evidence-based standardised care processes for aged care providers, covering high-risk clinical areas such as falls, pain, incontinence, and dehydration. It provides structured guidelines to support best practices, ensuring consistent and safe care for older people in residential settings.
This resource was developed by a state/territory government or organisation and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.
Comprehensive Care - Review and improve comprehensive care delivery - Key actions for health service organisations
This resource outlines actions for health service organisations to review and improve comprehensive care delivery, focusing on aligning care with patients' needs and care plans. It emphasises regular assessment, multidisciplinary collaboration, and quality improvement to maintain responsive, person-centred care across services.
Reconciliation Action Plans
This resource provides information about Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs), including what they are, how to develop a RAP for your organisation, and who has one. RAPs support organisations to strategically take meaningful action to advance reconciliation.
Residential aged care food services discussion paper
This paper presents a high-level overview of contemporary evidence regarding food services in residential aged care settings.
Cultural considerations in Food, Nutrition and Dining
This resource provides guidance on incorporating cultural considerations into food, nutrition, and dining in aged care settings. It highlights the importance of understanding diverse dietary preferences, religious practices, and family dynamics to support person-centred care, improve wellbeing, and promote inclusivity within the aged care environment.
This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.
Food for thought - positive stories
This resource shares positive stories about food, nutrition, and dining improvements in aged care facilities. It highlights initiatives that enhance the dining experience, including resident involvement in meal planning, use of fresh and seasonal ingredients, and creating more social and enjoyable mealtime environments. These stories demonstrate best practices and innovative approaches to improve resident satisfaction and wellbeing.
Food, nutrition & dining: resources for workers
This resource provides aged care workers with tools to enhance food, nutrition, and dining experiences for people in their care. It includes practical guides on offering choice, managing swallowing difficulties, promoting oral health, and creating an enjoyable dining environment, all while ensuring adherence to aged care standards.
This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.
Food, nutrition & dining: resources for providers
This resource provides tools and guidance for aged care providers to ensure quality food, nutrition, and dining experiences. It includes hotlines, resources for dining, choice, swallowing, and oral health, as well as webinars, research findings, and practical tips to support older adults' wellbeing and meet care standards.
This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.
Governing for Reform in Aged Care - Practical tools
This resource provides practical tools for aged care governing bodies and executives to support governance processes. It includes templates for audit planning, risk management, performance reporting, and compliance monitoring, helping providers ensure effective oversight and decision-making aligned with the Aged Care Quality Standards.
This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.
Improving aged care with speech pathology: Why it matters and how it helps
This page highlights the role of speech pathologists in supporting older people with communication, eating, drinking, and swallowing difficulties. It provides resources for aged care providers on how to improve care quality through effective communication tools and tailored strategies. This resource includes practical examples, like sample plates and picture boards, for enhancing dining experiences and supporting individual choice.
This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.
National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program
The National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program aids residential aged care providers in enhancing their services by allowing them to benchmark their performance against national outcomes. The program resource provides guidance on data submission frequency, explains the program's role, and provides more information on open hours and contact details.
This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.
National Mental Health Workforce Strategy 2022–2032
This resource outlines the National Mental Health Workforce Strategy 2022–2032, providing a roadmap to build a sustainable, skilled mental health workforce. It focuses on attracting, training, and retaining professionals to meet future demands, including those in aged care. The strategy supports coordinated mental health services across various sectors, ensuring a person-centred approach and promoting mental health careers.
This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.
Governing for Reform in Aged Care Program
This resource outlines the Governing for Reform in Aged Care Program, designed to strengthen corporate and clinical governance capabilities for aged care leaders. It provides tools, online learning modules, webinars, and podcasts to support governance improvement and help leaders engage in reform efforts.
This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.