A New Era in Aged Care: Understanding the Strengthened Aged Care Standards

What the July 2025 reforms mean and how KOPWA is preparing to lead the way.

Australia’s aged care sector is undergoing a major transformation with the introduction of the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, which will come into effect on 1 November 2025. These new standards are designed to place older people at the centre of care and service delivery, ensuring their needs, preferences, and rights are respected every step of the way.

At KOPWA, we embrace this evolution. We have always believed in care that is personal, dignified, and inclusive—and these changes reinforce our commitment to quality, safety, and continuous improvement.

Here’s a closer look at the seven new standards:

Standard 1: The Person

This standard focuses on ensuring older people are treated with dignity, respect, and autonomy. It recognises individual identity, culture, and preferences, encouraging providers to support residents in making decisions about their own lives and care.

Standard 2: The Organisation

Providers must demonstrate strong governance and leadership, maintain robust quality and risk systems, and commit to transparent communication. This ensures accountability and a continuous cycle of improvement that directly benefits residents.

Standard 3: Care and Services

All care and support must be safe, personalised, and based on individual needs. This includes both clinical care and daily living support that contributes to the resident’s wellbeing, independence, and quality of life.

Standard 4: The Environment

Living environments must be safe, clean, accessible, and comfortable, fostering a sense of home. The physical design should promote residents’ independence, privacy, and personalisation of their space.

Standard 5: Clinical Care

Clinical services must be delivered by qualified and competent health professionals, ensuring high standards of health and medical care through evidence-based practice, planning, and review.

Standard 6: Food and Nutrition

This standard recognises food as an essential part of care. Meals must be nutritious, appealing, and culturally appropriate, and mealtimes should promote social inclusion and enjoyment.

Standard 7: The Resident Community

Aged care homes must foster community and engagement, helping residents maintain relationships, participate in meaningful activities, and feel a strong sense of belonging.

Why These Changes Matter

These strengthened standards reflect a modern vision for aged care in Australia—one that puts the person at the centre and ensures that services are safe, respectful, and of high quality. At KOPWA, we welcome these reforms and are actively updating our systems, training, and operations to not only meet but exceed these expectations.

We believe aged care should be more than compliant—it should be inspiring, inclusive, and empowering.

Stay informed about these important reforms by visiting agedcarequality.gov.au

To find out more and book a tour, please contact us on (02) 9412 0284.