Whether you’re receiving aged care services at home or in a residential aged care home, the Aged Care Quality Standards define what quality care looks like.
The Aged Care Quality Standards are designed to improve your care outcomes and set clear expectations for providers in delivering quality aged care. Approved providers of government-funded aged care homes are required to meet the Quality Standards.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is responsible for monitoring how providers of aged care homes meet the requirements of the Quality Standards.
This page outlines what the Quality Standards are, what they mean for you, and how you can use them to see the quality of care a provider offers.
On this page
The strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards
The Aged Care Quality Standards have been strengthened to improve the quality of care you receive.
This includes:
- placing older people at the centre of aged care
- better supporting people living with dementia
- being more inclusive of people from diverse backgrounds
- stronger requirements for clinical care, food and nutrition
- more protections for you
The strengthened Quality Standards take effect under the new Aged Care Act on 1 November 2025.
Learn more about the strengthened Quality Standards:
I am the centre of my aged care
This is because when they provide my aged care services, I am the centre of my aged care. I make decisions about who provides my care, where I get my care, and when I need it.
I can get the information I need, in a way I can understand it, from my aged care provider or the government's My Aged Care website, to help me make decisions.
The people who provide my aged care services listen to me, hear my concerns, let me know what services I can access,
and answer my questions.
I talk to my aged care provider and workers about my care goals. They work with me to develop my service agreements and care plan.
I can take my time and make decisions when I'm ready.
I can choose to register a supporter to help me make and explain decisions about my care, but only if I want them to.
Registered supporters can be someone I trust, like my family members or friends. I can also ask trusted people for help even if they aren't registered supporters. For example, I can speak to an Aged Care Advocate from OPAN to help me too.
Having a registered supporter does not stop me from doing something I can do myself, but if I don't want or need a registered supporter, I don't have to have one.
My decisions are my own.
This includes my rights to have my wishes respected by the people providing my aged care services, even if this involves me taking a level of risk.
My decisions can change over time, and my provider supports me to review my choices.
My aged care provider and the people who care for me respect my rights and who I am.
My culture is important. My language, my beliefs, what I eat, the activities I enjoy, the friends I spend time with, and my likes and dislikes are all part of my care planning discussion. I want to remain connected to my people, beliefs, community, food, and Country, where I seek aged care services and support.
My aged care provider and the people who care for me talk about my life experiences and help me feel safe, welcome, and included.
My relationships with family and carers need to be respected.
My gender expression and sexual orientation are important to me and are part of who I am. I don't want to pretend to be someone else when I get older.
We all deserve to be safe and a part of the community and to be respected by the people who care for us.
My privacy and the way I receive care is my choice. My aged care provider and support workers will speak to me in private about what care services I want. I can choose to speak to my registered supporter by myself if I want to. I can also seek the guidance of family, friends, or an Aged Care Advocate from OPAN. However, at all times, my care decisions are my choice.
I always have the right to feel comfortable, get the care and support I want based on what's important to me in my own home. We don't all think, talk, and listen in the same way.
My aged care provider works with me and gives me information the way I want to receive it.
My family and supporters can also help me review and consider information.
I get the care and support I want based on what's important to me.
I feel safe where I live. I get the care and support I want. I can come and go as I please.
My aged care home is nice and clean. I feel comfortable here. I know if there's an emergency or risks to my health, the aged care workers will help me.
I get the care that is right for me. Aged care workers talk to me about what aged care services I want and how I want them delivered. This includes respecting my wishes, even if this involves me taking a level of risk.
I know what medicines I need to take, and workers are available to help me. And I know what activities I can do to keep moving.
I am at the centre of creating my care plan and making decisions. I feel safe and supported where I live. I live the life I choose.
See My Aged Care to understand your rights and what good care looks like.
Providers must involve you in delivering your aged care services
Aged care providers must give you choice in how your care is delivered. They must meet your care needs, goals and preferences. Your rights must also be respected under the new Statement of Rights.
The 7 strengthened Quality Standards are:
1. The Individual
What this means for you
- I have the right to be treated with dignity and respect and to live free from any form of discrimination.
- I make decisions about my funded aged care services, with support when I want or need it. My identity, culture and diversity are valued and supported, and I have the right to live the life I choose.
- My provider understands my rights, who I am and what is important to me, and this determines the way my funded aged care services are delivered.
- I am given information in a way that I understand, and I am supported to maintain my independence.
2. The organisation
What this means for you
My funded aged care provider and services:
- are well run
- allow me to contribute to improvements to care and services
- listen and respond to my feedback and concerns
- are provided by aged care workers who are knowledgeable, competent, capable and caring.
3. The care and services
What this means for you
The funded aged care services I receive:
- are safe and effective
- optimise my quality of life, including through maximising independence and reablement
- meet my current needs, goals and preferences
- are well planned and coordinated
- respect my right to take risks.
4. The environment
What this means for you
- I feel safe when receiving funded aged care services.
- Where I receive funded aged care services through a service environment, the environment is clean, safe and comfortable and enables me to move around freely.
- Equipment is safe, appropriate and well-maintained and precautions are taken to prevent the spread of infections.
5. Clinical care
What this means for you
- I receive person-centred, evidence-based, safe, effective, and coordinated clinical care services by health professionals and competent aged care workers that meets my changing clinical needs and is in line with my goals and preferences.
6. Food and nutrition
What this means for you
- I receive plenty of food and drinks that I enjoy.
- Food and drinks are nutritious, appetising and safe, and meet my needs and preferences.
- The dining experience is enjoyable, includes variety and supports a sense of belonging.
7. The residential community
What this means for you
- I am supported to do the things I want and to maintain my relationships and connections with my community.
- I am confident in the continuity of my care and security of my accommodation.
Understanding how aged care homes will be assessed under the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards
The way aged care homes are being audited against the Aged Care Quality Standards (Quality Standard) is changing.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission will audit providers of aged care homes giving them a graded assessment against each strengthened Quality Standard. The graded assessments will result in the following grades:
- Conformance
- Minor non-conformance
- Major non-conformance
An exceeding grade will be given to aged care homes that meet additional criteria set by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
This grade can only be given if the home has already met all strengthened Quality Standards. An aged care home’s graded assessment outcomes will also affect the home’s Star Rating. The Star Rating will be shown on the Find a provider tool.
Learn more about the strengthened Quality Standards.
The current Aged Care Quality Standards
The 8 Quality Standards are:
1. Consumer dignity and choice
What this means for you
- I am treated with dignity and respect, and can maintain my identity. I can make informed choices about my care and services, and live the life I choose.
2. Ongoing assessment and planning
What this means for you
- I am a partner in ongoing assessment and planning that helps me get the care and services I need for my health and well-being.
3. Personal care and clinical care
What this means for you
- I get personal care, clinical care, or both personal care and clinical care, that is safe and right for me.
4. Services and supports for daily living
What this means for you
- I get the services and supports for daily living that are important for my health and well-being and that enable me to do the things I want to do.
5. Organisation’s service environment
What this means for you
- I feel I belong and I am safe and comfortable in the organisation’s service environment.
6. Feedback and complaints
What this means for you
- I feel safe and am encouraged and supported to give feedback and make complaints.
- I am engaged in processes to address my feedback and complaints, and appropriate action is taken.
7. Human resources
What this means for you
- I get quality care and services when I need them from people who are knowledgeable, capable and caring.
8. Organisational governance
What this means for you
- I am confident the organisation is well run. I am a partner in improving the delivery of care and services.
Understanding how aged care homes are performing under the Aged Care Quality Standards
To learn about how an aged care home is performing against the Quality Standards, each audit by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is displayed using a 4 bar rating.
If an aged care home meets all the requirements within a Quality Standard, it will have 4 bars (see image below). If their performance is rated at less 4 bars, the aged care home has areas that require improvement, which may be subject to a compliance action. See the Compliance page for more information.
Where no bars are shown, the aged care home has not been assessed against the relevant Quality Standard yet.
Where can I find an aged care home’s performance against the Aged Care Quality Standards?
When you are looking to choose a residential aged care home, this information can help with your shortlisting. It also provides information on what to look for and consider when you visit an aged care service.
Here you can:
- view their performance against each Quality Standard
- see a list of the requirements considered for each Quality Standard
- download or print the results in a Summary Assessment Report
- compare the bars across different aged care services
When you are looking to choose an aged care home, this information can help with your shortlisting. It also provides information on what to look for and consider when you visit an aged care service.
How are the Aged Care Quality Standards audited?
You can read about how providers are assessed on the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission website.