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.
Designing dementia-friendly care environments
This resource provides guidance for professionals on designing dementia-friendly care environments to help people living with dementia to make the best of everyday life. It includes dementia enabling environment principles and an example of how to design a space using the principles. The resource also includes links to other Dementia Australia resources about developing a dementia-friendly environment.
Dementia enabling environments - Care environments: Kitchen
This resource, developed by Alzheimer's WA, is a Dementia Enabling Environments illustration information sheet about kitchens in care environments. It includes principles to create enabling spaces and information about how to design the physical environment to maximise enablement and wellbeing for people living with dementia.
This resource was developed by a state/territory government or organisation and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.
Dementia enabling environments - Care environments: Dining areas
This resource, developed by Alzheimer's WA, is a Dementia Enabling Environments illustration information sheet about dining areas in care environments. It includes principles to create enabling spaces and information about how to design the physical environment to maximise enablement and wellbeing for people living with dementia.
This resource was developed by a state/territory government or organisation and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.
Familiar Places Webinar 2 – Bedrooms and Dining Areas
This webpage provides a video webinar focused on familiar places, such as bedrooms and dining areas, for dementia care environments. It offers insights into how these spaces can be designed to support the wellbeing of people living with dementia, with a particular emphasis on creating comfortable and familiar settings.
Dementia-friendly environments - Staff education and support
This resource offers guidance for staff support in dementia care, covering person-centred approaches, workplace culture change, training, and physical environment improvements. It includes strategies to enhance job satisfaction, staff wellbeing, and dementia-friendly care practices.
This resource was developed by a state/territory government or organisation and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.
Dementia-friendly environments - Personal enjoyment
This resource provides guidance on fostering personal enjoyment for people with dementia, encouraging meaningful activities based on life history and familiar roles. It includes ideas for sensory engagement, physical activity, and social connection in home-like settings.
This resource was developed by a state/territory government or organisation and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.
Dementia-friendly environments - Interior design
This resource provides guidance on interior design elements that create a familiar, practical, and dementia-friendly environment. It includes strategies for lighting, colour, furniture, and surfaces to enhance safety, wayfinding, and comfort in care settings.
This resource was developed by a state/territory government or organisation and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.
Dementia-friendly environments - Designing for people with dementia
This resource provides design principles for creating dementia-friendly environments that support comfort, independence, and a sense of home. It includes guidance on optimising lighting, safety, social connection, and personalised spaces to enhance quality of life.
This resource was developed by a state/territory government or organisation and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.
Participating with consumers
This resource provides information sheets for residents, families, and carers to support decision-making in residential aged care. Covering topics such as pain management, falls, and medicines, it promotes health literacy, enabling consumers to engage in discussions and report care issues effectively.
This resource was developed by a state/territory government or organisation and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.
Bedrooms and privacy
This resource offers guidance on maintaining personal identity for people with dementia by fostering respect, independence, and communication. It suggests environmental and social modifications to enhance dignity, such as personalising spaces, supporting mobility, and addressing unmet needs.
This resource was developed by a state/territory government or organisation, and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.
COVID-19 Information for workplaces - General
This resource provides guidance on minimising the spread of COVID-19, including aged care settings. It outlines vaccine information, risk assessments, physical distancing, hygiene and rapid antigen testing in the workplace. It also contains key resources such as signage, posters and translated information.
Clean and safe environment
This resource outlines processes to maintain a clean, safe, and hygienic environment in healthcare, including aged care. It provides guidance on infection control, environmental cleaning, and staff training to reduce risks and make sure high-quality care. The document also covers responding to environmental risks, maintaining equipment, and infection prevention practices.
Action 3.17 - Reprocessing of reusable equipment and devices
This resource outlines procedures for reprocessing reusable medical equipment and devices to minimise infection risks. It covers processes for ensuring compliance with national and international standards, maintaining traceability, and managing reprocessing for novel infections. It also highlights the importance of proper storage, transport, and workforce training to support safe reprocessing. This resource may apply to healthcare contexts outside of aged care.
How to clean and disinfect your workplace - COVID-19
This resource provides detailed guidelines on cleaning and disinfecting workplaces, including aged care settings, to minimise the spread of COVID-19. It outlines cleaning procedures for different surfaces and items, the proper use of disinfectants, and disposal of materials. It supports workplace hygiene by ensuring routine and post-exposure cleaning protocols.
Action 1.33: Welcoming environments
This resource provides guidance on creating welcoming environments in healthcare services, including aged care, to make sure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people feel safe, respected, and supported. It outlines strategies for cultural safety, collaboration with communities, and improving access to care through inclusive design, training, and environmental changes.
Tools and aids to help at home
This resource outlines tools, aids, and technology to help people with dementia live safely and independently at home. It includes medication reminders, safety devices, communication tools, and sensory aids. The document provides guidance on selecting appropriate tools to support daily tasks, reduce stress, and maintain quality of life at home.
Environmental cleaning and infection prevention and control resources
This resource offers a range of environmental cleaning and infection prevention tools for healthcare settings, including guidelines for small organisations, cleaning audits, product selection, and emerging cleaning technologies. It supports aged care providers in maintaining clean, hygienic environments, helping them comply with infection control standards and ensure safety.
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.
Environmental design resources handbook
This resource supports improvements to environments for people living with dementia. The resource includes information and background on the key design principles and environmental assessment tools. It also includes the Indigenous Aged Care Design Guide. The handbook can be accessed in full, or individually as 7 separate resources.
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.
Caring for Older People in heatwaves – Residential Aged Care
This resource provides guidance to care for older people living in residential aged care services during a heatwave. The resource includes checklists to guide providers to support older people before, during and after a heatwave. It includes clinical assessment guidance and where to find more information about heatwaves.
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.
Communication at clinical handover
This resource focuses on structured clinical handover processes to improve communication during patient care transitions. It highlights the importance of standardising handover procedures to make sure relevant information is effectively communicated, reducing errors and enhancing patient safety, especially during care transfers in healthcare settings, including aged 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.