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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 While we complete updating of our website, including draft guidance and other materials, to align with the new laws, providers are advised to refer to the new Act and Rules for any required clarification of their obligations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 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.

Displaying 1 to 20 of 29 result(s)
/quality-standards/kimberley-indigenous-cognitive-assessment-kica

Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment (KICA)

Tool

The Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment (KICA) is a cognitive screening tool for older Aboriginal Australians living in rural and remote areas. It has been adapted for use with Torres Strait Islander people, and for Aboriginal people living in urban and regional areas.

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

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Assessment and planning, Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
3.1 Assessment and planning, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment (KICA)
/quality-standards/lets-chat-dementia-webinars-overview-cognitive-impairment-and-dementia-care-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-peoples

Let's CHAT Dementia Webinars - overview of cognitive impairment and dementia care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Guidance

This resource offers a series of webinars on cognitive impairment and dementia care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is designed for primary health care teams including General Practitioners, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners and health workers, nurses, allied health professionals and others who work in primary care. The webinar series has been developed in collaboration with Dementia Training Australia.

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Person-centred care, Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
1: The Individual, 3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Let's CHAT Dementia Webinars - overview of cognitive impairment and dementia care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
/quality-standards/palliaged-practice-centre

palliAGED - Practice Centre

Guidance

This resource provides information for care workers about palliative care. The Practice Centre provides links to, and information about, tools and resources to use in practice and improve care and outcomes in palliative care. It includes sections on improving practice, symptoms, medicines and tipsheets.

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Assessment and planning, Palliative and end of life care, Food and nutrition
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care, 6: Food and Nutrition
Outcomes
3.1 Assessment and planning, 5.7: Palliative care and end-of-life care, 6.2: Assessment of nutritional needs and preferences
palliAGED - Practice Centre
/quality-standards/palliaged-evidence-centre

palliAGED - Evidence Centre

Guidance

This resource provides evidence-based information for the healthcare sector about palliative care. It includes evidence summaries on topics related to palliative care, such as advance care planning, advocacy, care coordination, goals of care, nutrition and needs assessment.

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Assessment and planning, Palliative and end of life care, Food and nutrition
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care, 6: Food and Nutrition
Outcomes
3.1 Assessment and planning, 5.7: Palliative care and end-of-life care, 6.2: Assessment of nutritional needs and preferences
palliAGED - Evidence Centre
/quality-standards/dementia-training-australia

Dementia Training Australia

Guidance

This resource is the Dementia Training Australia website. It contains training, practical tools and resources about caring for people living with dementia. Information on the website can be filtered by audience, resource type and care setting. Resources can also be accessed by focus areas such as changed behaviour, pain management, environments and medication management.  

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Dementia Training Australia
/quality-standards/dementia-australia

Dementia Australia

Guidance

This resource is the Dementia Australia website. The website contains information about the types of dementia, testing, diagnosis, treatment and management of dementia. It includes information about living with dementia, such as behaviour changes, nutrition, staying connected and care options. It also contains information for professionals supporting people living with dementia, including research, tools and other resources. 

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Delivering comprehensive care and services, Assessment and planning, Food and nutrition
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care, 6: Food and Nutrition
Outcomes
3.1 Assessment and planning, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  , 6.3: Provision of food and drinks
Dementia Australia
/quality-standards/dementia-support-australia-resource-hub

Dementia Support Australia - Resource Hub

Guidance

This resource hub provides a variety of materials to support healthcare professionals and family members who are supporting a person living with dementia. It includes resources across many different topics, including behaviour, COVID-19, design, engagement and other general resources. Keywords can be used to refine search and resources can be filtered by topic and audience type.

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Dementia Support Australia - Resource Hub
/quality-standards/dementia-and-communication-resources

Dementia and communication - Resources

Guidance

This resource discusses how dementia impacts communication abilities, including memory and language challenges. It offers practical strategies for enhancing conversations and maintaining connections, emphasising the role of speech pathologists in supporting communication. The resource provides guidance for family, friends, and caregivers to create dementia-friendly environments.

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 3.3: Communicating for safety and quality, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Dementia and communication - Resources
/quality-standards/malnutrition-universal-screening-tool

Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool

Tool

The ‘Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool’ (‘MUST’) is a widely used tool for identifying malnutrition risk in adults across various settings. It includes interactive e-learning modules with case studies and assessments, helping staff improve nutritional care and meet quality standards.

This resource was developed internationally and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Assessment and planning, Clinical safety, Food and nutrition
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care, 6: Food and Nutrition
Outcomes
3.1 Assessment and planning, 5.5: Safety of clinical care services, 6.2: Assessment of nutritional needs and preferences
Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool
/quality-standards/what-mini-nutritional-assessment-mna

What is the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA)?

Guidance, Tool

This resource is a validated nutrition screening and assessment tool to identify malnutrition or risk of malnutrition in people aged 65 and older. It includes an easy-to-use short form for quick identification and intervention planning.

This resource was developed internationally and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Assessment and planning, Clinical safety, Food and nutrition
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care, 6: Food and Nutrition
Outcomes
3.1 Assessment and planning, 5.5: Safety of clinical care services, 6.2: Assessment of nutritional needs and preferences
What is the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA)?
/quality-standards/guide-completing-mini-nutritional-assessment-short-form

A guide to completing the Mini Nutritional Assessment – Short Form

Tool

This resource is a guide and video for using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) to identify malnutrition in older people. It explains question scoring, interpretation, and measurement procedures, with a video demonstration.

This resource was developed internationally and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Assessment and planning, Clinical safety, Food and nutrition
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care, 6: Food and Nutrition
Outcomes
3.1 Assessment and planning, 5.5: Safety of clinical care services, 6.2: Assessment of nutritional needs and preferences
A guide to completing the Mini Nutritional Assessment – Short Form
/quality-standards/eat-10-swallowing-screening-tool

EAT-10: A Swallowing Screening Tool

Tool
Published date

This resource offers a self-assessment tool to screen for swallowing difficulties by rating various aspects of swallowing function. A score of 3 or higher suggests potential issues that may require discussion with a healthcare provider.

This resource was developed internationally and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Assessment and planning, Clinical safety, Food and nutrition
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care, 6: Food and Nutrition
Outcomes
3.1 Assessment and planning, 5.5: Safety of clinical care services, 6.2: Assessment of nutritional needs and preferences
EAT-10: A Swallowing Screening Tool
/quality-standards/participating-consumers

Participating with consumers

Fact sheet
Last Updated

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.

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Assessment and planning, Care coordination and transitions, Medication management, Clinical safety, Delivering comprehensive care and services, Palliative and end of life care
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
3.1 Assessment and planning, 3.4: Planning and coordination of funded aged care services, 5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines, 5.5: Safety of clinical care services, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  , 5.7: Palliative care and end-of-life care
Participating with consumers
/quality-standards/cognitive-impairment-resources

Cognitive impairment resources

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource provides a range of materials developed to improve the safety and quality of healthcare for people with cognitive impairment or at risk of delirium. It includes guides, fact sheets, and standards for consumers, clinicians, and health service organisations, supporting the implementation of best practice and quality 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
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
5: Clinical Care, 3: The Care and Services
Outcomes
5.6 Cognitive impairment  , 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services
Cognitive impairment resources
/quality-standards/different-languages-same-aged-care

Different languages, same aged care

Guidance

This resource provides information on a free translation service for government-subsidised aged care providers, enabling communication in languages other than English. It helps aged care providers reach diverse communities, including culturally and linguistically diverse individuals, First Nations people, and those who are Deaf or hard of hearing, supporting culturally inclusive 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
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
Key Theme
Person-centred care, Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
1: The Individual, 3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 3.3: Communicating for safety and quality, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Different languages, same aged care
/quality-standards/improving-aged-care-speech-pathology-why-it-matters-and-how-it-helps

Improving aged care with speech pathology: Why it matters and how it helps

Guidance

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.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Key Theme
Assessment and planning, Delivering comprehensive care and services, Food and nutrition
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care, 6: Food and Nutrition
Outcomes
3.1 Assessment and planning, 5.4: Comprehensive care, 6.2: Assessment of nutritional needs and preferences
Improving aged care with speech pathology: Why it matters and how it helps
/quality-standards/case-study-safe-and-appropriate-use-psychotropic-medicines-residential-aged-care

Case study - Safe and Appropriate use of Psychotropic Medicines - Residential Aged Care

Guidance
Published date

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.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Person-centred care, Delivering comprehensive care and services, Medication management
Standard
1: The Individual, 3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Case study - Safe and Appropriate use of Psychotropic Medicines - Residential Aged Care
/quality-standards/case-study-safe-and-appropriate-use-psychotropic-medicines-home-aged-care

Case study - Safe and Appropriate use of Psychotropic Medicines - In-home Aged Care

Guidance
Published date

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.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Person-centred care, Delivering comprehensive care and services, Medication management
Standard
1: The Individual, 3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Case study - Safe and Appropriate use of Psychotropic Medicines - In-home Aged Care
/quality-standards/safe-and-appropriate-use-psychotropic-medicines-aged-care-fact-sheet

Safe and appropriate use of psychotropic medicines for aged care - Fact sheet

Fact sheet
Published date

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.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Person-centred care, Delivering comprehensive care and services, Medication management
Standard
1: The Individual, 3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Safe and appropriate use of psychotropic medicines for aged care - Fact sheet
/quality-standards/how-support-everyday-decision-making-people-living-dementia-residential-aged-care-guide-care-workers

How to support everyday decision-making for people living with dementia in residential aged care: A guide for care workers

Guidance
Published date

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.

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Assessment and planning, Delivering comprehensive care and services, Choice, independence and quality of life
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care, 1: The Individual
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  , 1.3: Choice, independence and quality of life
How to support everyday decision-making for people living with dementia in residential aged care: A guide for care workers