Ageing Australia

We’re pleased to welcome @Rachel Argaman (Herman) OAM to the Ageing Australia Board as our new Appointed Director.   Rachel brings extensive leadership and governance experience and a strong commitment to supporting high-quality aged care. We look forward to working with Rachel over the next three years and the valuable contribution she will make to Ageing Australia and the sector.   Read more about our board > https://lnkd.in/gD64VASU

The remainder of Day Two covered the operational pressures providers are managing now, alongside the changes shaping the sector’s future. Andrew Hollier (icare NSW) explored workforce wellbeing and workers compensation reform, followed by Siobhain Simpson (StewartBrown) on managing wage underpayment risk. After lunch, Rohan Harris and @Ellen O'Neil (Russell Kennedy) examined aged care mergers and acquisitions under the new ACCC regime. Mona Thind and Scott Lawton discussed digital maturity in aged care with moderator Dr George Margelis, while Simeon Lobo (CGI) shared how an AI solution moved from pilot to production in home care. Brian Woods (NSW Trustee and Guardian) considered what aged care reform means in practice for older people, providers, guardians and financial managers. Kyle Sheldrick (Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission) then explored partnering for quality and trust under the new Aged Care Act, before futurist and demographer Ashley Fell closed the program with the trends reshaping Australia’s aged care sector. Across two days, speakers and delegates shared insights, confronted complex questions and considered how aged care can respond to reform while preparing for what comes next. Thank you to every speaker, sponsor and delegate who contributed. #AgeingAustraliaNSWACTConf2026 #AgedCareFutures #AgeingAustraliaStateConferences2026 #AgedCare

Ageing Australia CEO Tom Symondson was featured in The Australian today, speaking about the struggle for people to access care at all levels of the system.   Support at Home especially “is not doing what we hoped it would” and “not yet delivering the promise” to help people remain in their own homes, Symondson told the newspaper. “There are a lot of people waiting for home care. There are a lot of people who cannot get into Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP), and increasingly, there are a lot of people who cannot get into beds.” Read more> https://lnkd.in/g7czP8mk #AgeingAustralia #AgedCare #supportathome

Peer support is one of the strongest wellbeing resources available to a team. That was one of the ideas shared by Darren Coppin PhD, MBA, FIEP as he opened Day Two of the 2026 NSW/ACT State Conference. His session, Leading Through Complexity: Decision Making, Behaviour and Change in Times of Uncertainty, explored emotional contagion, the influence of workplace norms, and the value of positivity and a shared higher purpose. Darren also discussed why practical resilience training works best at a team level, rather than being treated solely as an individual responsibility, and how the care sector can harness empathy while reducing the risk of burnout. The morning also featured Combatting Racism in Aged Care: Building Culturally Safe and Inclusive Workplaces, bringing together Michael Whaites (NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association), Anita Bonanno (Co.As.It.), Giri Sivaraman கிரி சிவராமன் (Australian Human Rights Commission) and Selen Akinci (Multicultural Communities Council of Illawarra), moderated by Danni Campbell-Manley. #AgeingAustraliaNSWACTConf2026 #AgedCareFutures #AgedCareWorkforce

Congratulations to all the finalists and winners recognised for the You Are ACE! Awards. It was great to see some of them take the stage at the Conference Dinner. Julie Southern, Royal Freemasons' Benevolent Institution (RFBI), NSW – winner, Innovation (Individual) RFBI was also recognised across the following finalist categories, accepted by RFBI representatives Anna-Maria and Alyson: Volunteer (Individual): Hilary Kite, Kevin Jones and Leonie Robinson Innovation (Team): Coffs Harbour Masonic Village Maintenance Team Katie Butler, Buckland Aged Care Services, NSW – winner, Rising Star (Individual), accepted by her team on the night. Congratulations also to finalist Home Care Assistance, NSW, recognised in the Excellence (Organisation) category. Thank you to HESTA for sponsoring tonight's dinner and to everyone across the sector doing work that is truly ACE.

A packed afternoon at the 2026 NSW/ACT State Conference explored new approaches to connection, everyday living and innovation in aged care. The Home Care stream heard from Richard de Haast (Scalabrini Communities) on Live Easy, Sally Panagopoulos and Emily Wailes (The Benevolent Society) on their Ageing Well Model of Care, and Adam Woods (Scalabrini Communities) on designing for connection before crisis. The Residential Care stream covered Higher Everyday Living Fees with Megan White CPPP (Pride Aged Living), better buildings on budget with Nick Seemann and Liz Fuggle (Constructive Dialogue Architects), and reimagining daily life in residential care with Richard de Haast. Day One closed with a live recording of the Time Well Spent Podcast, hosted by Dane Mitchell and Rose Plater. The candid conversation explored whether current measures are capturing the outcomes that matter to older people. It also considered how mandated approaches can limit innovative models of care, and the need for clearer pathways that allow providers to co-design with communities, pilot new ideas and demonstrate improved outcomes. Thank you to all of today’s speakers and panellists. Tonight, pre-dinner drinks begin at 6.30pm ahead of the Conference Dinner, sponsored by HESTA. #AgeingAustraliaNSWACTConf2026 #AgedCareFutures #AgedCareInnovation #AgedCare

At the Aged Care 2030: What Providers Need to Prepare for Now session, the discussion spanned the changes needed across governance, workforce, consumer rights, service access and technology. Victor Harcourt (Russell Kennedy), Jenni Hutchins (Warrigal), Gwenda Darling (Consumer Advocate) and Isaac Smith (HART Services) explored how providers can respond to increasing demand and changing expectations while building trust with older people and maintaining their social licence. Moderated by Tom Symondson, the panel also considered board capability, clearer communication, culturally safe and trauma-aware care, workforce migration, technology and the challenges facing remote communities. Despite the scale of change ahead, the panellists shared a sense of optimism grounded in the sector’s culture, commitment to care and willingness to collaborate. The panel followed Elsy Brammesan, PSM, MAICD’s (Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Care) session on Navigating the Next Phase of Aged Care Reform, with Stuart Hutcheon, Managing Partner at StewartBrown, then examining Financial Sustainability Under Reform. #AgeingAustraliaNSWACTConf2026 #AgedCareFutures #AgedCareGovernance #AgedCareFunding

The Ageing Australia NSW/ACT Conference 2026 began with a message of optimism and possibility. The day opened with a Welcome to Country from Yvonne Weldon AM, Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, followed by an interactive movement session from Dance Health Alliance Australia Limited exploring the ABCC of Healthy Ageing: Active, Brainy, Connected and Creative. In his opening address, Ageing Australia CEO Tom Symondson encouraged delegates to remain optimistic and keep looking to the horizon. While acknowledging the challenges facing aged care, he emphasised the importance of not allowing them to define the sector’s narrative and highlighted the vital role everyone across the sector plays in supporting older Australians. He was followed by a Ministerial Address from the Hon. Jodie Elizabeth Harrison, Minister for Women, Minister for Seniors, and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Then Dr Kerry Chant AO PSM, Chief Health Officer and Deputy Secretary, Population and Public Health, NSW Health, explored the opportunities and challenges of an ageing population, with a focus on prevention, healthy ageing and strengthening connections across health and aged care. #AgeingAustraliaNSWACTConf2026 #AgedCareFutures #AgedCare

Registration is open for the 2026 NSW/ACT State Conference at Hilton Sydney. Ready for a big two days ahead. If you are joining us today – welcome. Sessions get underway from 9am and if you are following along, we will be posting throughout both days. #AgeingAustraliaNSWACTConf2026 #AgedCareFutures #AgedCare

Our Spring 2026 issue of Aged Care Today magazine is out now. Themed ‘Forward Momentum’ this edition explores how technology, culture and community are shaping the next generation of aged care reform. From AI-powered companion robots and pet-friendly homes, to a regional nurse's café inspired by a beloved resident, a breakfast club tackling loneliness among older men and Bijinder Dugal OAM reflecting on a lifetime of service to aged welfare, we're proud to showcase the people and ideas driving our sector forward. Read the full issue > https://lnkd.in/gUHcW8D9 Thank you to everyone who contributed through articles, interviews and stories, including: Cassie Mason Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing | Liz Hefren-Webb Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission | Alan Morrison ECH Inc. | Brotherhood of St Laurence | Southern Cross Care (NSW & ACT) | Bryan Lipmann AM | Brett Partington | Muoy Kucan | Jim Cooper | Beverly Sim mecwacare | Che Turner Olive Express | Faye Spiteri OAM Fronditha Care | Bijinder Dugal | Richard de Haast Scalabrini Communities | Roseanne Cartwright Opal Healthcare | Dr Priyanka Vandersman | Cher Lopresti ACH Group | Aisling Smith NeuroEmpowerment | Bronwyn Heard HOMEWOOD CARE PTY LIMITED | Stuart Hutcheon StewartBrown | Britt O'Keefe Deakin University | Katrina Long Monash University | Marissa Dickins Silverchain Group | Sandra Hills OAM Benetas | Infinite Aged Care | LDK Seniors' Living | Seasons Seniors Living and Ageing Australia staff.