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 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 fact sheet covers the frequently asked questions about consent in aged care.

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 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 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 resource provides discussion notes to improve the food, nutrition, and dining experience in aged care settings. It includes reflective questions for corporate teams and care staff, focusing on governance, resident choice, oral health, and support for those with swallowing difficulties. The resource promotes continuous improvement and quality care through group discussions. 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 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. 

This resource is a goal planning tool designed to support aged care providers in improving food, dining, nutrition, and consumer choice. It helps providers set objectives, track progress, and implement actions to enhance service quality, ensuring that people’s preferences and dietary needs are consistently met​. 

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 information and support for aged care providers to improve food, nutrition, and dining services. It includes guidance on meeting nutritional standards, promoting resident choice, and ensuring a positive dining experience. The resource also offers tools for monitoring food quality, addressing dietary needs, and enhancing overall meal service delivery. This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 July 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards. 

This resource provides guidance for aged care workers on improving food, nutrition, and dining experiences for residents. It covers meal preparation, resident engagement in food choices, safe food handling, and the importance of nutrition in promoting wellbeing. The resource offers practical tips for ensuring meals meet individual dietary needs and 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. 

A visual guide for conversations between providers/workers and older people about aged care. It includes notes for providers/workers to help guide the conversation.

This training PowerPoint is a presentation that trainers/managers can download, customise and use to promote discussion and educate their staff to support and improve the food, nutrition and dining experience of consumers in their care.

The resource is designed to support reflective discussions about what ‘best practice’ looks like and a reflection on how it applies in practice.  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.