A new national study has revealed significant differences in the quality of aged care services across Australia, raising concerns about consistency in both residential and home care. Conducted by the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute’s Registry of Senior Australians (ROSA) Research Centre and Flinders University’s Caring Futures Institute, the research analysed data from more than 390,000 older Australians receiving government-subsidised care.
The findings, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, highlight disparities in medication use, emergency department presentations, and wait times for services. More than 80% of people on Home Care Packages waited over six months for support, while some residential facilities recorded rates of antibiotic and sedative use well above national benchmarks. Researchers argue that greater adherence to clinical standards and safe prescribing guidelines is essential to improving outcomes and reducing avoidable hospitalisations.
For providers, these insights reinforce the importance of consistent monitoring, reporting, and evidence-based practice. Technology solutions such as CareVision can support this by helping teams manage care plans, track medication safety, and maintain compliance with national standards. By streamlining operations, providers are better positioned to deliver reliable, high-quality care regardless of location or service model.You can read the full study and its findings in the original article here.