Quality Standards Resource Centre

This resource highlights the importance of meals in aged care settings, focusing on nutritional needs, dining experience, and personal preferences. It addresses issues like malnutrition, dehydration, and food choice, linking them to resident wellbeing, autonomy, and satisfaction. It also suggests strategies such as person-centred dining, meal service innovations, and improved environmental factors to enhance mealtime experiences in residential aged care.

This fact sheet helps aged care residents communicate their food and dining preferences. It includes sections for meal choices, dining preferences, assistance needs, health considerations, cultural or religious customs, and contact information for allied health professionals. It also advises staff to monitor changes in weight and contact a dietitian if needed. 

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. 

This fact sheet provides practical tips for enhancing dining experiences in residential aged care settings. It offers guidance on food presentation, meal assistance, creating a respectful and enjoyable atmosphere, supporting independence, and providing culturally appropriate dining options. The aim is to improve mealtime satisfaction while maintaining older peoples' dignity and people's preferences. 

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. 

This resource provides insights into food, dining, and nutrition in residential aged care services. It is based on a survey conducted to understand residents’ dining experiences, preferences, and the quality of food and service provided. The findings highlight the importance of fresh, familiar meals, flexible mealtimes, and a homelike dining environment to enhance the quality of life for older people. 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. 

This paper presents a high-level overview of contemporary evidence regarding food services in residential aged care settings.

This resource highlights successful practices in engaging older people to improve food, nutrition, and dining experiences. Providers can use examples like food focus groups, family involvement in recipe changes, and resident-led dining committees to promote enjoyable, dignified, and inclusive dining. It fosters better health, wellbeing, and relationships with staff. 

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.

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.

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. 

This resource provides guidance on the Financial and Prudential Standards for aged care providers. It outlines requirements for managing refundable deposits, ensuring financial viability, maintaining liquidity, and implementing governance and recordkeeping processes. It helps providers comply with financial obligations, supporting transparency and accountability in aged care services​. 

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.

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.

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.

This resource provides guidance on how technology, such as virtual reality (VR) and mobile applications, can enhance the dining experience in aged care settings. These tools are designed to increase engagement, support meal choices, improve communication with families, and contribute to overall wellbeing by making mealtimes more enjoyable. 

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.

This guide is about how to support people living with dementia to maintain good nutrition and enjoy positive dining experiences. 

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.

This resource provides guidance for aged care services on how to support people living with dementia to eat and drink well. It highlights innovative approaches such as creating familiar, enjoyable meals, reducing mealtime interruptions, and offering 24-hour access to nutritious foods. These strategies help address challenges like malnutrition and dehydration. 

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.

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.

This guide supports aged care staff in providing food and dining choices for residents. It outlines the importance of upholding residents' rights to choose, enhancing their health and quality of life. The guide recommends confirming preferences regularly, involving residents in meal planning, and respecting individual choices regarding when, where, and what they eat or drink. 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. 

This resource explains how social dining in aged care can enhance nutrition and wellbeing by fostering social connections. It encourages creating positive dining environments that promote engagement and respect personal preferences during mealtimes. 

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.

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. 

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.

This resource provides guidance for aged care staff on supporting older people's informed choices regarding food and drink, even when those choices involve personal risks. It encourages staff to respect resident autonomy, provide information on risks, document decisions, and ensure access to professional advice, promoting dignity and quality of life in care settings. 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.