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Aged care laws in Australia have now changed. The new Aged Care Act 2024 and Aged Care Rules 2025 now apply. While we complete updating of our website, including draft guidance and other materials, to align with the new laws, providers are advised to refer to the new Act and Rules for any required clarification of their obligations and legal responsibilities. Thank you for your patience.

Quality Standards Resource Centre

The Quality Standards Resource Centre helps extend understanding of the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, which took effect from 1 November 2025. You can search for resources by using keywords, or filtering by standard, outcome and audience. Before using the Resource Centre, please read the terms of use.

Displaying 41 to 52 of 52 result(s)
/quality-standards/cognitive-impairment-and-dementia-care-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-people

Cognitive impairment and dementia care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Guidance
Published date

This resource is a best-practice guide to cognitive impairment and dementia care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people attending primary health care. It combines clinical evidence with cultural principles, addressing health promotion, prevention, detection, and management of dementia, while also providing culturally informed recommendations on end-of-life care and support for carers within the context of primary care services.

Author
External resource
Standard
1: The Individual, 3: The Care and Services
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Cognitive impairment and dementia care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
/quality-standards/health-care-people-cognitive-disability

Health care for people with cognitive disability

Discussion paper
Published date

This resource addresses the challenges people with cognitive disabilities face when accessing healthcare, such as communication barriers, limited access to quality services, over-prescription, and restrictive practices. It invites feedback on how to improve care quality and ensure the human rights of those with disabilities are upheld, incorporating considerations for different cultural and demographic groups.

Author
External resource
Standard
5: Clinical Care, 3: The Care and Services
Outcomes
5.6 Cognitive impairment  , 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services
Health care for people with cognitive disability
/quality-standards/tips-careworkers-first-australians-communication

Tips for Careworkers: First Australians – Communication

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource offers guidance on culturally appropriate communication with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in aged care. It highlights the importance of respecting cultural identity, involving family, and providing person-centred care. The resource provides practical tips for careworkers to ensure culturally sensitive and respectful communication.

Author
External resource
Standard
1: The Individual, 3: The Care and Services
Outcomes
1.3: Choice, independence and quality of life, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 3.3: Communicating for safety and quality, 1.1: Person-centred care
Tips for Careworkers: First Australians – Communication
/quality-standards/residential-aged-care-supporting-residential-aged-care-residents-and-their-healthcare-teams

Residential aged care - Supporting residential aged care residents and their healthcare teams

Guidance
Published date

This resource provides information on digital health tools available for residential aged care providers. It covers how these tools, including My Health Record, support care coordination, improve health outcomes, and enable secure information sharing between healthcare providers to enhance the quality of aged care services.

Author
External resource
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.1: Clinical governance, 2.7: Information management, 3.3: Communicating for safety and quality
Residential aged care - Supporting residential aged care residents and their healthcare teams
/quality-standards/mental-health-and-wellbeing-dementia-and-mental-health

Mental health and wellbeing - Dementia and mental health

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource examines mental health challenges in people living with dementia, covering complexities in diagnosing conditions like depression and anxiety. It provides evidence-based insights on therapeutic approaches, including music and cognitive therapies, and offers tools to aid aged care providers in supporting mental health in dementia care.

Author
External resource
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
3.1 Assessment and planning, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.5: Safety of clinical care services, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Mental health and wellbeing - Dementia and mental health
/quality-standards/creating-behaviour-support-plans-better-support-residents

Creating behaviour support plans that better support residents 

Guidance
Published date

This document outlines the development of behaviour support plans (BSPs) in aged care, focusing on person-centred assessments, identification of triggers, tailored strategies, and regular reviews. It highlights the involvement of healthcare professionals and adherence to care principles to effectively manage residents’ behavioural changes and improve their quality of life. 

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. 

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
5: Clinical Care, 3: The Care and Services
Outcomes
5.6 Cognitive impairment  , 3.1 Assessment and planning, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services
Creating behaviour support plans that better support residents 
/quality-standards/restrictive-practices-provider-resources

Restrictive practices provider resources

Guidance
Published date

This resource offers guidance and tools for aged care providers on managing restrictive practices. It emphasises using restrictive practices as a last resort, obtaining informed consent, and developing behaviour support plans. The materials include fact sheets, regulatory updates, webinars, and decision-making tools to ensure compliance with legislation and promote person-centred care.

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. 

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
5: Clinical Care, 3: The Care and Services
Outcomes
5.6 Cognitive impairment  , 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services
Restrictive practices provider resources
/quality-standards/dementia-friendly-environments-dining-areas-kitchens-and-eating

Dementia-friendly environments - Dining areas, kitchens and eating

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource provides guidelines for creating dementia-friendly dining and kitchen spaces, emphasising sensory engagement, personalised meal experiences, and a home-like environment. It includes practical adjustments for lighting, noise, seating, and social interaction to enhance dining enjoyment.

This resource was developed by a state/territory government or organisation and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.

Author
External resource
Standard
4: The Environment, 5: Clinical Care, 6: Food and Nutrition
Outcomes
4.1b: Environment – services delivered other than in the individual’s home, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  , 6.4: Dining experience
Dementia-friendly environments - Dining areas, kitchens and eating
/quality-standards/dementia-enabling-environments

Dementia enabling environments

Guidance

The Dementia Enabling Environments website, developed by Alzheimer's WA, provides guidance and resources to help create enabling environments for a person living with dementia. It includes design principles for different environment types, include home and residential aged care facilities.

This resource was developed by a state/territory government or organisation and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.

Author
External resource
Standard
4: The Environment, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
4.1a: Environment – services delivered in the individual’s home, 4.1b: Environment – services delivered other than in the individual’s home, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Dementia Enabling Environments
/quality-standards/national-roadmap-improving-health-people-intellectual-disability

National Roadmap for Improving the Health of People with Intellectual Disability

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource outlines the National Roadmap for Improving the Health of People with Intellectual Disability, aiming to address health inequities. It focuses on enhancing care support, developing better models of care, improving oral health, and supporting health professionals. The roadmap includes projects on primary care, health assessments, curriculum development, and more.

Author
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.6 Cognitive impairment  
National Roadmap for Improving the Health of People with Intellectual Disability
/quality-standards/infection-prevention-and-control-aged-care-cognitive-decline-and-dementia

Infection prevention and control in aged care - Cognitive decline and dementia

Guidance, Guides
Published date

How to create an environment with strong infection prevention and control practices while continuing to provide a positive experience for people with cognitive decline and dementia.

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

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
5: Clinical Care, 4: The Environment
Outcomes
4.2: Infection prevention and control, 5.2: Preventing and controlling infections in delivering clinical care services, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
IPC dementia coverpage
/quality-standards/national-dementia-action-plan

National Dementia Action Plan

Guidance
Last Updated

This action plan outlines practical steps to improve the experiences of people living with dementia, their carers, and families in Australia. It aims to guide government policies, improve care services, raise awareness, and integrate support systems over the next 10 years, incorporating feedback from public consultations and stakeholders. 

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.

Author
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
National Dementia Action Plan 2024–2034 thumbnail