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.
National framework for advance care planning documents
This resource provides a nationally consistent framework for advance care planning documents in Australia. It outlines principles, ethical considerations, and best practices for creating, implementing, and accessing advance care plans, including Advance Care Directives. It aims to guide policymakers, administrators, and healthcare providers in recognising people’s values, preferences, and rights regarding future 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.
Nutrition - Informed choice
This resource discusses the importance of informed choice in aged care dining, emphasising a person-centred approach. It highlights the benefits of offering choice in meals and mealtimes, outlines how to manage decisions that involve risk, and provides tools for aged care workers to support resident autonomy while ensuring safety and satisfaction.
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.
NSQHS Standards User Guide for the Health Care of People with Intellectual Disability
This resource provides guidance for the health care of people with intellectual disability. The user guide is part of the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care's National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards. The resource was developed in response to significant evidence of poor health outcomes for people with intellectual disability in Australia’s health system.
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 and dining - your choices matter
This fact sheet informs aged care residents of their rights to safe, enjoyable, and respectful dining experiences. It outlines steps for raising concerns with providers about food and dining, offers a preference form for residents to communicate their dietary needs, and provides contact information for support services if issues remain unresolved. 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.
A little yarn goes a long way - Fact sheet
The ‘A little yarn goes a long way’ fact sheet has been developed to inform older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and their friends and family, about the support available to help them resolve concerns about aged care services, and why it’s important to raise these concerns.
Information is also available in 7 different languages including: English, Alyawarra, Arrernte, Luritja, Pitjantjatjarra, Torres Strait Creole and Warlpiri.
Explaining aged care and your rights – locally tailorable poster - First Nations resources
We’ve developed a tailorable poster for you to edit with your own local details, and print and display at community notice boards or waiting areas.
First Nations - Visual Storyboard - Aged care and your rights
The storyboards use pictures to explain aged care, your rights and what to do if your rights aren’t being met.
Consumer advisory bodies
This resource explains the role of consumer advisory bodies in aged care, which provide feedback to governing bodies on care and services. It outlines the process for joining, the importance of feedback in decision-making, and the responsibility of providers to offer participation opportunities annually.
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.
Older Persons Advocacy Network
This resource provides information on aged care advocacy services, offering free and confidential support to older people receiving government-funded aged care. It includes resources to help people understand their rights, navigate the aged care system, and access advocacy for issues such as care quality, decision-making, and protection from harm.
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.
First Nations - Visual information sheet - Your rights when accessing aged care
Supporting Better Communication & Care
This webpage provides resources to help improve communication, care and support for people who are deaf, Deaf, hard of hearing, or who experience hearing loss. It includes 3 tools: Everyday Communication, Inclusive Healthcare, and Building Competency. There are also links to other relevant resources.
Case study - Safe and Appropriate use of Psychotropic Medicines - Residential Aged Care
This resource is a fictional scenario that follows an older person’s care pathway with a residential aged care provider. The resource focuses on the systems and processes to support high-quality care of older people living with cognitive impairment. It includes 4 key priority areas: person-centred care, medication management, managing changed behaviours and transitions of 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.
Case study - Safe and Appropriate use of Psychotropic Medicines - In-home Aged Care
This resource is a fictional scenario that follows an older person’s care pathway with an in-home aged care provider. The resource focuses on the systems and processes to support high-quality care of older people living with dementia. It includes 4 key priority areas: person-centred care, medication management, managing changed behaviours and transitions of 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.
Safe and appropriate use of psychotropic medicines for aged care - Fact sheet
This fact sheet is informed by the Psychotropic Medicines in Cognitive Disability or Impairment Clinical Care Standard (CCS), developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. The CCS describes the safe and appropriate use of psychotropic medicines for people with cognitive disability or impairment, in a way that upholds their rights, dignity, health and 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.
Food focus group resources
This resource is a collection of resources about food focus groups. It includes a fact sheet about setting up a food focus group and a checklist for an effective food focus group. It also contains associated templates, including agenda, minutes, terms of reference and feedback form.
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.
How to support everyday decision-making for people living with dementia in residential aged care: A guide for care workers
This guide offers practical strategies for care workers to support people with dementia in making everyday decisions within residential aged care settings. It covers communication techniques, promoting choice in personal care and daily activities, understanding body language, and emphasises person-centred care while respecting residents' preferences, dignity, and rights.
Social and emotional wellbeing resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
This page provides resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on social and emotional wellbeing. It contains information on support services, scholarships, lived experience centres, stories and other resources for mental health.
Mental health and wellbeing - Suicidal thoughts and self-harm
This resource examines suicidal thoughts and self-harm in older adults, particularly in residential aged care. It discusses associated risk factors, the prevalence of mental health conditions, what organisations and individuals can do and gaps in understanding suicide risk. It also reviews interventions, highlighting the need for mental health assessments and training to improve detection and care.
Mental health and wellbeing - Screening tools
This resource covers screening tools for detecting anxiety and depression in older adults, especially in residential aged care. It discusses the importance of mental health screening, steps individuals and organisations can take, choosing appropriate tools, and highlights tools such as the Geriatric Depression Scale and Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia. It emphasises early detection and routine mental health screening in aged care.
Mental health and wellbeing - Anxiety
This resource provides information on anxiety among older adults, especially those in residential aged care. It outlines risk factors, detection tools, and effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions such as reminiscence therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy. It also provides guidance on what both individuals and organisations can do to prevent and manage anxiety effectively.