January
Scott Morrison rejects calls for the Australian Defence Force to be deployed to aged care homes to deal with the COVID-19 Omicron wave – a decision he will later reverse.
StewartBrown’s delayed September 2021 Aged Care Financial Performance Survey finds that even before Omicron, aged care providers were losing an average of $7.30 per bed per day, and home care providers saw a decline in operating results from $6.05 to $4.80 per client per day.
Aged care homes in areas hard-hit by COVID are plagued by lockdowns, staff absences, and shortages of rapid antigen tests and personal protective equipment, while deaths hit record highs. The Federal Government’s booster vaccination program wraps up by the end of the month.
The Morrison Government pours an extra $632.6 million into aged care as part of its response to the Royal Commission, including the unified Support at Home Program and a new Serious Incident Response Scheme for home care.
Bupa repays up to $75 million to workers after an internal review finds it had underpaid thousands of employees, including in its aged care homes.
The United Workers Union releases a survey showing aged care staff are battling stress, exhaustion, missed shifts, and equipment shortages; this is met with little sympathy from Employment Minister Stuart Robert during an interview on the Today Show.
Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck comes under fire for attending an Ashes Test in Hobart in his capacity as Minister for Sport, after declining to appear before the Senate’s COVID-19 committee.
A Productivity Commission report reveals that the Federal Government has only increased funding to the aged care sector by $500 million in the past 12 months. StewartBrown warns that wages will need to increase if the 200-minute direct care requirements are to be met.
The Grattan Institute warns that around 58,000 home care workers and $400 million per year over the forward estimates will be needed to meet growing demand for Home Care Packages.
The Federal Government announces the makeup of the new Council of Elders, to be led by COTA Australia chief Ian Yates AM.
TLC Healthcare announces it will open TLC Whitewater, a “truly intergenerational” aged care development, later this year.
Rachel Argaman, who was appointed CEO of Opal HealthCare in May 2018, is awarded an Order of Australia (OAM) in the Australia Day Honours.
February
The Federal Government announces $800 bonus payments for full-time aged care workers, which are dismissed by aged care bodies as not enough to support the workforce.
It is revealed that more aged care residents died of COVID-19 in January 2022 than in the whole of 2021.
Aged care peak bodies and unions reach an agreement that staff wages need to rise ahead of a decision by the Fair Work Commission.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC) finds that more than 500 aged care homes and home care services were non-compliant in at least one area in the last six months of 2021.
The Omicron variant hits Estia Health occupancy rates, which are down 1.7% over the past month.
Charles Moore, CEO of BaptistCare NSW & ACT, pens an open letter to PM Scott Morrison about the COVID crisis in aged care homes.
The Federal Government announces a plan to allow home care providers to charge Rapid Antigen Tests to Home Care Packages, which meets with scepticism from the sector; in a survey, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) finds that almost one in five aged care nurses and carers paid for their own RATs.
The ADF is deployed to assist aged care homes experiencing staff shortfalls during COVID-19, in a reversal of the Government’s position from January. The first “flying squads” are sent to Aspen Medical in Queensland and Victoria.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese demands the resignation of Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck in a blistering speech on the floor of the House of Representatives, saying Mr Colbeck has shown “complete contempt for the fundamentals of doing his job”.
Janet Anderson is reappointed as Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner for another three-year term.
The number of older Australians accessing Home Care Packages rises to 217,724 as of 31 December 2021 – a 25.5% increase on the previous year.
The Department of Health releases a framework paper for new aged care reforms, including star ratings.
Estia Health and Regis Healthcare both see rallies in their share prices despite COVID-19.
A poll conducted by the Health Services Union (HSU) finds that 62% of Australians want increased Government funding to aged care, and 71% would back a 25% wage increase.
The ACQSC cuts back on visits to aged care homes due to Omicron outbreaks.
Grant Millard retires as CEO of Anglicare after 10 years in the top job.
Mildura Rural City Council in northwest Victoria announces it will stop providing aged care services after June 2023; other Victorian councils join the growing list over the course of the year.
Medical & Aged Care Group (MACG) purchases Grand Cedar Aged Care in Ashwood, Victoria – the ninth home in its portfolio.
ASX-listed real estate fund Centuria Capital Group buys out Heritage Lifecare’s NZ homes for NZ$291 million (around AU$276 million).
The Government claims many aged care operators are refusing ADF help, even as personnel assist in 21 homes around the country.
Southern Cross Care NSW & ACT closes two of its homes at Bombala and Lake Macquarie, citing staffing shortages.
Kiama Municipal Council says its $106 million Blue Haven Bonaira aged care home on the NSW South Coast is not financially viable, kicking off a long-running saga over whether or not to sell the business.
Aged care peaks including Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) and Leading Age Service Australia (LASA) launch a steering committee, headed by Claerwen Little, to explore a merger.
Aged care provider Warrigal expands into Wollongong, NSW, with the purchase of Links Seaside Residential Aged Care Centre from Illawarra Retirement Trust (IRT).
The Department of Health loosens guidelines on managing visitors and lockdowns in residential aged care.
The Federal Government hands out a total of $35.3 million to 110 regional and remote aged care providers for minor capital works.
The number of younger people (aged under 65) living in Australian residential aged care facilities falls by 20%, according to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
DCM Group launches Plan B: a strategy to make aged care funding sustainable by introducing user co-payments by those who have the means to pay. Over the course of the year, Plan B receives traction in mainstream media and sparks conversations among consumers, providers, and politicians.
Estia Health posts an $8.1 million net loss after tax in its Half Yearly results as it looks to write off the value of its bed licences ahead of the end of the Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR) in July 2024; fellow listed provider Regis Healthcare declares a statutory net loss after tax of $3.7 million.
The Productivity Commission announces it will look into unpaid leave allocations for carers of older relatives and friends, amid a study of aged care employment models.
Mercy Health Group CEO Stephen Cornelissen announces he is leaving the Not For Profit after almost 11 years; he will officially exit the role in June.
One of two Chronos Care aged care homes in Melbourne goes on the market; formerly owned by Chris and Gerry Apostolatos, who had been banned from running a company after the death of 86,000 chickens, the home is expected to fetch around $9 million.
St Vincent’s Health Australia (SVHA) Group CEO Toby Hall departs his role after eight years. SVHA is Australia’s third largest operator of public and private hospitals and aged care homes.
A survey by Mirus Australia finds that 70% of aged care CEOs have done “little or nothing” to get ready for the implementation of Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) on 1 October, despite it ranking among the top three concerns for providers.
Lendlease announces it is partnering with Arcare on a new 100-bed residential aged care home at the redeveloped Gold Creek Homestead site in Gungahlin, ACT.
WA regional Not For Profit Capecare becomes the latest provider to have to compensate staff for underpayments, with 400 current and former workers affected.
March
One year on from the release of the Royal Commission’s Final Report, progress has been slow, but Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck attacks the Labor Party, saying the Opposition can’t be trusted to deliver on aged care.
Severe flooding strikes the east coast of Australia, leading to evacuations of aged care homes and dramatic scenes of residents being carried out in blankets. BaptistCare NSW & ACT launches a flood appeal, which raises more than $75,000 in just four days.
Bolton Clarke becomes Australia’s largest Not For Profit aged care provider as it wraps up its acquisition of Allity.
South Australia’s biggest Lutheran providers LHI Retirement Services and Fullarton Lutheran Homes merge into Lutheran Homes Group, with the option for smaller Lutheran providers to join in future.
Bupa executive Carolyn Cooper leaves her role to become New Zealand’s first Aged Care Commissioner.
The Federal Government examines the possibility of delivering a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose to older Australians at the same time as the flu shot, while visitors are encouraged to return to aged care homes as new safety measures are implemented. The fourth dose is made available in April.
Polling by RedBridge Group reveals that half of voters are open to changing their votes based on aged care policy ahead of the May Federal Election, signalling its salience to the public.
Former Howard media advisor Adam Connolly says the aged care sector will need to engage with the public, politicians, and other stakeholders if user pays is to become a reality.
A survey by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) reveals that more than a third of aged care workers are planning to quit within five years, and one in five within the next year.
Independent NSW Central Coast providers Central Coast Community Care Association (CCCCA), Adelene and Vietnam Veterans Keith Payne VC Hostel merge to become Alino Living, while Newcastle-based Anglican Care shutters two homes.
Enterprise software provider Epicor, which provides solutions to aged care operators in Australia, acquires business intelligence software firm Grow Inc.
WA-based Not For Profit Brightwater Care Group appoints Catherine Stoddart as its new CEO.
Eldercare turns the first sod on its redeveloped 100-bed Kirkholme RAC in Goodwood, in Adelaide’s south.
The Federal Government launches a new program designed to boost volunteers in residential aged care.
Signature Care begins construction on a new 180-bed aged care home in Wagga Wagga, NSW, on the former site of an Air Force base at Turvey Park.
Adria Care, formed by the Croatian community of Canberra and Queanbeyan, lodges a development application to build 22 new independent living units and a new 102-bed residential aged care facility at Wollongong, NSW.
The Sydney Morning Herald runs an article on Plan B, highlighting that the idea is gaining traction in mainstream media.
The Federal Department of Health pledges $1.2 billion to protect aged care homes from COVID-19 and influenza as winter approaches.
Expanded Residential Aged Care Quality Indicators from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) find that 41% of residents were prescribed nine or more medications in the July-September 2021 quarter.
UnitingCare calls for a $4 billion annual uplift in aged care sector award wages from the Federal Government.
Not For Profit NSW provider Warrigal announces it will close its aged care home at Warilla near Shellharbour, 20km south of Wollongong.
WA Not For Profit provider MercyCare begins construction on its new home at Maddington, 20km south of Perth’s CBD, after six years.
EQT Infrastructure plans to expand home care and residential care after its $987M acquisition of Stockland’s Retirement Living business.
The Commonwealth Department of Health resumes Consumer Experience Reports ahead of the introduction of star ratings in December.
Aged care workers find it difficult to access the Federal Government’s promised $800 bonus payments two months after they were announced.
Aged care peaks call on the Federal Government to reveal details of its new AN-ACC funding model in the Budget on 29 March, ahead of the scheme’s introduction in October.
Private aged care provider Cranbrook Care appoints Lee Carissa as its new CEO, replacing Kerry Mann.
South Australian Not For Profit provider Resthaven unveils plans for the $37 million redevelopment of its Westbourne Park aged care home, 5km south of the Adelaide CBD.
HammondCare releases the detailed design of the proposed integrated health campus planned for its Greenwich Hospital, 7km northwest of Sydney’s CBD.
Despite an additional $522 million in aged care spending, the March Federal Budget is labelled a disappointment by aged care providers, who lament “missed opportunities” for the sector.
In a webinar, a majority of aged care providers express support for a new unified peak body.
The Federal Government’s Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response No. 2) Bill 2021 passes the Senate with amendments forcing aged care homes to have a Registered Nurse on site at all times.
Despite the Federal Government’s extra $10 Basic Daily Fee for food, a report reveals that one-third of homes are still spending less than $10 per person per day.
Stand-alone aged care provider Mitchell House at Morwell, in Victoria’s Gippsland region, joins Not For Profit Respect Aged Care as its 15th facility.
Whiddon closes its home in Walgett, NSW, due to lack of residents and $750,000 operating costs.
April
The Government and Opposition vote together in Parliament to defer the second Aged Care Bill, which rolls out the new AN-ACC funding model, until after the May election.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese makes aged care a front-and-centre election issue, laying out a five-point plan in Parliament to reform the sector.
Analysis by StewartBrown Senior Partner Grant Corderoy reveals that a 25% rise in aged care worker pay could cost up to $18 billion over four years.
Greg Hunt, Minister for Health and Aged Care, allocates more than $91 million under the Home Care Workforce Support Program to add an extra 13,000 home care workers.
The number of residents in aged care homes who have died after contracting COVID-19 in 2022 passes 1,000.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission reveals it approved only six care provider applications in the final quarter of 2021.
Danielle Mackenzie steps down as CEO of Sunshine Coast Not For Profit Sundale.
Blue Care settles a payment issue with its workers following a software outage that stopped recording hours worked shortly before Christmas.
Southern Cross Care Queensland assumes control of the aged care assets of Western Downs Regional Council, approximately 200km west of Brisbane.
Graham Dangerfield announces his departure after a decade as Chief Executive at Not For Profit Baptcare, which provides services across Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.
Anglicare West NSW and ACT seeks funding to buy RSL LifeCare’s closed Roy Wotton Gardens aged care home in Eden, 476km south of Sydney’s CBD.
The StewartBrown December 2021 Aged Care Financial Performance Survey finds 60% of residential aged care homes are running at a loss, or 65% in rural and remote areas.
Figures supplied to the Federal Government reveal that 14,000 extra Registered Nurses will be needed to meet the Opposition’s promise of 24/7 nursing in every aged care home in Australia by mid-2023.
The ACQSC finds that 86 residential aged care providers and 11 home care providers had failed to comply with at least one Quality Standard in the December quarter of 2021.
Catholic Health Australia CEO Pat Garcia calls for the lifting of the $200,000 cap on home value in the means test for aged care.
The Federal Government pledges $14.8 million over three years to what it calls “key aged care groups advocating for senior Australians”, including COTA Australia and National Seniors, while Labor promises $5 million to the Maggie Beer Foundation to improve nutrition in aged care.
NSW Not For Profit Fresh Hope Care announces it will shut down its 34-bed McCauley Lodge at Thirroul in Wollongong in August ahead of a rebuild.
Victorian aged care operator Blue Cross, which has 32 homes in Victoria, appoints Ingrid Harvey as its new CEO.
Thousands of aged care workers across the country vote to go on strike over pay and conditions ahead of the Federal Election.
The Fair Work Commission mandates that part-time home care workers must work for a minimum of two hours as of 1 July.
The amount of unspent funds in Home Care Packages – the amount received that has not been spent on a person’s care – rises above $9,906 of unspent funds per package, according to the StewartBrown December 2021 Aged Care Financial Performance Survey.
Hisham El-Ansary, CEO of Bupa Asia Pacific, comes out in favour of higher co-contributions from aged care residents with the means to pay.
Kiama Council decides to offload its Blue Haven residential aged care home and its Bonaira Independent Living Units after finding the facilities are “not financially viable”.
Ryman Healthcare’s bid to build an aged care home at the Moondah Estate in Mount Eliza, Victoria, returns to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
Fair Work Commission (FWC) President Justice Iain Ross warns that the Commission won’t take the Government’s ability to fund a wage rise for aged care workers into account when it delivers a decision on the unions’ bid to increase wages by 25%.
Anthony Albanese says a Labor Government will bring in more aged care workers from overseas and boost training if elected, and aged care becomes a hot-button issue at the leaders’ debates.
Estia Health CEO Ian Thorley departs the role after nearly four years, and is replaced by his deputy Sean Bilton.
Catholic Health Australia says “dozens of aged care homes are on the verge of collapse” due to the ongoing cost of protecting residents and staff from COVID-19.
Government data shows more than 50,000 have died waiting for home care packages since 2017.
May
Aged care peak bodies Aged & Community Services Australia (ACSA) and Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) vote to merge into the new Aged and Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA). Dr Graeme Blackman is appointed Chair, with ACSA CEO Paul Sadler appointed CEO during the transition period, while LASA CEO Sean Rooney announces he will step down.
United Workers Union-affiliated aged care workers at eight providers across three states stage a 24-hour strike over pay and conditions, though AnglicareSA and Southern Cross Care (SA & NT) go to the FWC to halt a five-hour stop work action in their homes.
New Zealand stares down a similar workforce shortage to Australia, with estimates that around 1,000 extra Registered Nurses (RNs) are needed.
Catholic Health Australia campaigns for aged care in key electorates ahead of the election.
Minutes from a 2006 record of Brisbane City Council’s planning committee are revealed to have recommended ignoring its own planning scheme and allowing independent living units, an aged care home and serviced apartments to be built on a flood plain by the Brisbane River.
The former Estia residential aged care facility at Keilor Downs, Victoria, sells for the second time in six months, with the new owner intending to lease it to an NDIS operator.
Chris Hall AM, the CEO of Juniper, the Not For Profit residential aged care provider of the Uniting Church in WA since 2018, announces he will step down from the role.
Sydney-based Opal HealthCare opens its latest Western Australian “care community” on the foreshore of the Swan River in Perth.
A study finds the Peninsula Health Falls Risk Assessment Tool (PH-FRAT), used in residential aged care homes and a component of the National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program, accurately predicted a fall within six months in just 33.6% of residents.
COTA Australia Chief Executive Ian Yates announces he is leaving the role after 20 years heading the peak advocacy body for older Australians.
Voters rank aged care high on their list of priorities ahead of the Federal Election on 21 May, with surveys pointing to it as a hot-button issue in the last few weeks of the campaign.
Employment website SEEK’s Healthcare Pulse Report shows applications for aged and disability service jobs are down 52%.
Estia Health informs the market that the COVID-19 pandemic is still seriously hurting its finances, with occupancy rates in hardest-hit NSW and Victoria just 87%. The listed provider also breaks ground on a new home in St Ives, Sydney.
The Australian Medical Association (AMA), the peak professional body for doctors, tells the Productivity Commission that it opposes the use of independent contractors in aged care homes.
A report from researchers at the UTS Ageing Research Collaborative (UARC) finds that over 60% of aged care homes are operating at a loss, and only 5% are meeting the proposed 200 direct care minute requirement.
Regis Healthcare informs the ASX that the COVID-19 outbreaks in its aged care homes from 1 January to 30 April have cost $14 million.
The Blue Haven saga continues, with Kiama Council overturning its own motion to sell the struggling aged care business.
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) comes out swinging at the Morrison Government after a poll of members finds more than 70% still have not received the promised $800 pro-rata payments for aged care workers.
Royal Freemasons appoints a new CEO, with John Fogarty taking over from Kerri Rivett.
Private operator McKenzie Aged Care Group, which owns and operates 17 homes in VIC, NSW and QLD, appoints Simon Keating as its new CEO.
Homestyle Aged Care Services opens Sunset Views Manor, a new aged care home in the west of Melbourne.
Labor wins the 21 May Federal Election, having made aged care a key issue in voters’ minds; aged care peaks call upon the new government to make the sector a priority for its first 100 days, while shares in Estia Health jump at the news.
NSW becomes the final Australian state to legalise voluntary assisted dying (VAD), in a conscience vote following long debates in Parliament.
RSL LifeCare announces a “temporary suspension” of 15 of the 68 beds at its Albert Moore Gardens aged care home in Merimbula, on the NSW South Coast.
Resthaven reports that the $25 million transformation of its Bellevue Heights 99-bed aged care home in Mitcham, 7km south of the Adelaide CBD, is on track to be completed in 12 months’ time.
WA provider Bethanie agrees to buy Bert England Lodge from WA’s City of Rockingham Council.
The Victorian State Government reveals plans for a new $57.1 million aged care home at Rutherglen, in the state’s northeast near the NSW border.
June
Mark Butler is appointed Minister for Health and Aged Care, with Anika Wells as Aged Care Minister, following Labor’s election victory. Despite the new Government’s aged care focus during the campaign, however, the dedicated aged care portfolio remains in the outer ministry.
Not For Profit home care provider Silver Chain Group rebrands as Silverchain, with a new slogan, “Health. Human. Home”, that it says reflects its aspiration to deliver a better home care system. The provider also takes over aged care services from Moorabool Shire Council in Victoria.
Bolton Clarke sells a 6,419-square-metre waterfront landholding on the Gold Coast that was to become a residential aged care home five years ago.
A Victorian state MP calls on the Andrews Government to fund the redevelopment of the publicly-owned Numurkah Pioneers Memorial Lodge aged care home, around 40km north of Shepparton.
The Fair Work Commission delays its decision on aged care worker pay to allow the new Albanese Government time to make a decision, while new Aged Care Minister Anika Wells seeks to bring in more overseas staff to fill workforce shortages.
Australian Unity splits its Independent & Assisted Living division, led by Kevin McCoy, into two; Kevin leaves the role after 10 years at the helm.
South Australian Senator Anne Ruston is appointed Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care; she would have replaced Greg Hunt as Minister for Health and Aged Care had the Coalition been returned at May’s election.
The Aged Care Workforce Industry Council (ACWIC) tolls out a new Workforce Planning Tool designed with and for Australian aged care providers.
South Australian provider ECH appoints Claire Scapinello, former Chief Digital Officer at RSL LifeCare NSW, as its new Chief Executive.
Australian Unity sells land approved for a $83M development to Pathways Aged Care after an eight-year battle with Lane Cove Council on Sydney’s Lower North Shore.
Data reveals 530 cases of sexual abuse of aged care residents in the last three months of 2021.
Public aged care home Grant Lodge in Bacchus Marsh, around 50km northwest of Melbourne, receives an extra $3.75 million in funding from the State Government for upgrades and modernisation.
A contingent of aged care workers from the Solomon Islands arrives in Australia for the first time in years as part of a Federal Government program.
The Fair Work Commission lifts the minimum wage by 5.2% – from $20.33 to $21.38, or around $40 a week for Australia’s lowest-paid workers.
Former Resthaven CEO Richard Hearn is made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his “significant service to aged care and the community”, alongside several other notable aged care figures and advocates.
Mark Butler, Health and Aged Care Minister, and Anika Wells, Aged Care and Sport Minister, jointly write to aged care operators asking them to act “with a sense of urgency” over providing a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose to residents.
New Zealand aged care providers and peaks slam the Ardern Government’s 1.2% annual aged care funding increase, saying it falls well short of what is needed.
The NSW Government allocates an additional $743 million to end-of-life care over the next five years.
Mercy Health announces its new Group CEO, Angela Nolan, who will replace long-serving former chief Stephen Cornelissen.
The former Chief Executive of Clayton Church Homes in SA, Daniel Aitchison, becomes CEO of Queensland-based private aged care operator Palm Lake Care.
Crookwell Taralga Aged Care (CTAC) in the NSW Southern Tablelands approaches Uniting NSW.ACT to take over its 23-bed Sunset Lodge operation.
Blue Care wins a $55 million tender to provide regional palliative care services alongside Queensland Health.
Australia’s aged care system needs urgent attention and funding reform to ensure its future sustainability, a University of Technology Sydney (UTS) research paper commissioned by the Australian Aged Care Collaboration (AACC) warns.
The Federal Government updates food and nutrition reporting requirements for residential care ahead of AN-ACC.
The aged care interest rate (MPIR) records its biggest jump since 2008, from 4.07% to 5%.
National home care provider Five Good Friends launches a recruitment drive, aiming to find 750 new carers around the country.
LDK Seniors’ Living receives approval from the National Capital Authority (NCA) for its Yarralumla Views aged care village in Weston, ACT.
Lendlease moves forward with its plans for a 118-bed aged care home as part of its development at the ACT’s historic Gold Creek Homestead.
A new report from independent thinktank Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) estimates that the shortage of direct aged care workers has grown to 30,000 to 35,000.
Aged & Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) seeks an explanation from the Labor Government after it was announced the subsidies paid by the Commonwealth to providers to care for residents will increase by just 1.7% in 2022/23, as StewartBrown figures show two thirds of aged care homes in Australia are operating at a loss and unspent home care funds exceed $1.9 billion.
South Australian Not For Profit aged care provider Life Care appoints a new Chief Operating Officer, senior SA healthcare executive Catherine Hughes.
July
The Federal Department of Health officially adds “Aged Care” to its name as part of new post-election administrative arrangements.
WorkSafe Victoria officially charges St Basil’s Homes for the Aged in Melbourne with nine OH&S breaches over the August 2020 COVID-19 outbreak which resulted in the deaths of 50 residents, 45 with the virus.
Not For Profit provider Fresh Hope Care rebrands to Fresh Hope Communities.
Infinite Care expands into NSW with the purchase of three Christadelphian aged care homes.
Sue Levy leaves Canberra-based aged care and retirement living provider Goodwin after 14 years with the organisation – eight as CEO.
Anika Wells, Minister for Aged Care, announces the Government will spend $211 million over four years to help improve First Nations people’s access to aged care.
Victorian Healthcare Association (VHA) CEO Tom Symondson is appointed as the inaugural CEO of the Aged and Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA).
Heritage Care becomes the second Victorian aged care provider in as many weeks to face charges over COVID-19 management, with WorkSafe Victoria alleging three breaches of the Occupational Health and Safety Act in the July 2020 outbreak at Epping Gardens in Melbourne.
Community-owned aged care provider Autumn Lodge in Armidale, NSW, agrees to merge with Uniting NSW.ACT after an extensive search.
All 28 residents, as well as staff, escape a fire at Bayside Lodge in Lota, Queensland, that severely damaged 75% of the aged care home.
The Federal Government appoints Jody Currie, a Yugambeh woman with years of experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) health and aged care, to the National Aged Care Advisory Council.
Chris Hall quits as Chair of the Department of Health and Aged Care’s Aged Care Workforce Remote Accord (ACWRA), which is tasked with delivering aged care services in remote and very remote areas.
The Department of Health and Aged Care reveals the makeup of new residential care star ratings set for December, with four key areas to be covered.
The Government announces that the processing of 57,906 permanent visa applications by overseas skilled workers, including those involved in aged care, will be fast-tracked.
The Government announces COVID-19 vaccination rates at individual aged care homes will be published from 1 August as cases continue to rise.
Silverchain rectifies $17 million in underpayments to some domestic support and personal care employees in Western Australia, which it says resulted from errors in scheduling systems.
Australian Unity announces it is spending $125 million transforming its former 15-storey head office, located opposite Albert Park Lake in South Melbourne, into a new residential aged care development dubbed The Alba.
Two new Arcare aged care homes are proposed for the ACT, with parent company Knowles Group unveiling plans for sites in Aranda and Wright.
In the first major change to the previous Government’s ambitious five-year timeline for the Royal Commission’s aged care reforms, the Labor Government announces it will move the start date for the new Support at Home program from 1 July 2023 to July 2024; it also flags a capability review of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC).
Aged Care Minister Anika Wells introduces two big aged care bills on the first full business day of the new Parliament, which include measures around 24/7 nursing and star ratings for residential care homes.
An inquest begins into the deaths of 19 residents at Anglicare Sydney’s Newmarch House during COVID-19.
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) extends its support to aged care homes until September 30 after requests from the sector.
Palm Lake Care shuts down its Redland Bay aged care home, 35km from Brisbane’s CBD, and puts plans to Council to build a residential development in its place.
Sarah McLelland is appointed interim CEO of the Aged Care Workforce Industry Council (ACWIC) after the resignation of Louise O’Neill.
The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, in WA’s Goldfields region, says it will ask the Federal Government to review the aged care services it can provide following a year-long campaign by a local seniors’ advocate.
August
Aged Care Minister Anika Wells says modelling predicts 869 additional nurses will be needed to meet the Federal Government’s commitment to 24/7 nursing in aged care in 11 months’ time, a figure that the Aged & Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) says is too low.
The Labor Government’s Royal Commission Response Bill is the first to pass the new Parliament, including the introduction of star ratings, the AN-ACC funding model, and a mandatory Code of Conduct.
Catholic Health Australia, the largest non-Government provider grouping of health, community and aged care services, amends its constitution to allow UnitingCare Queensland to be the first non-Catholic provider to join.
Warrigal CEO Mark Sewell announces his retirement after almost 21 years at the helm of the NSW community-based Not For Profit.
Private provider Apollo Care buys Bundaleer Care Services on the NSW Mid-North Coast to continue its aged care expansion.
Two former bosses of St Basil’s Homes for the Aged in Melbourne lose their court bid to avoid testifying before the coronial inquest into the deaths of 50 residents during the August 2020 COVID-19 outbreak at the provider’s Fawkner home.
St Basil’s NSW/ACT announces it will close its aged care home at Annandale, in Sydney’s Inner West, with more than 40 residents to be moved.
Queensland-based Rockpool Aged Care opens the nation’s first 5 Star Green Star aged care home in Carseldine, 16km north of Brisbane’s CBD.
ACT-based aged care provider Goodwin names its Chief Operating Officer Stephen Holmes as its new CEO, replacing Sue Levy.
Cottesloe Living, Health & Aged Care, a joint venture between aged care provider Hall & Prior and the Fire and Emergency Services Superannuation Fund, is selected to redevelop the historic Cottesloe Deaf School in Perth’s beachside western suburbs into a residential aged care home.
Rirratjingu Aboriginal Corporation opens its $30M culturally-sensitive aged care home in Nhulunbuy, NT.
DCM Group films its TV series The Best 30 Years, covering topics including home care and aged care; it will go to air in October.
The Federal Government writes to the Fair Work Commission promising to fund higher wages for aged care workers, making good on its election pledge.
Workforce shortages hamper the Mornington Peninsula’s transition from Council home care services to new providers Bolton Clarke and mecwacare, with more than 1000 residents estimated to have been left without care.
COTA NT and Catholic Health Australia find themselves on opposite sides of a bill to allow Territories to legalise voluntary assisted dying.
Sydney’s St George Aged Care Centre, owned by Marlowe Homes, takes its insurer Dual Australia to the Federal Court over Dual’s refusal to pay more than $820,000 the home spent on advisers after being found non-compliant twice by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
Jane Mussared, Chief Executive of Council on the Ageing (COTA) SA, steps down after seven years to take up a new age-related role in Canberra.
UnitingSA agrees to renovate its Regency Green aged care home, which it closed in May, to become temporary supported accommodation for NDIS participants who have been placed in hospitals; it will also house refugees.
A new report into aged care staffing from CompliSpace sounds warning bells for the sector, with 50% of staff surveyed saying they are planning to quit in the next three years and 67% within the next five years.
Applications open for the $55 million AN-ACC Transition Fund, which will support residential aged care providers that will receive less funding under AN-ACC as they transition to the new system.
Estia Health posts a net loss after tax of $52.4 million for FY22, while Regis sees a net loss after tax of $38.8 million.
A new Essential Research poll places improving aged care funding at the top of Australians’ priority list for the Labor Government’s upcoming October Budget.
A government review of home care pricing finds some aged care funds are being used to pay for “excluded” items, such as holidays, TVs, home renovations, and groceries.
According to a new data projection based on results from the 2021 Census, the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 54% by 2041, while those aged 85 and over are expected to increase by 140% by 2041 and those aged 100 and over by 200% by 2041.
Aged Care Minister Anika Wells hosts an aged care workforce roundtable ahead of the Federal Government’s Jobs and Skills Summit, though private providers are largely absent.
Mercy Super and HESTA’s Trustee Boards announce that the two super funds have agreed, after a rigorous legal process, to a merger.
Southern Cross Care NSW & ACT is recognised by Catholic Health Australia with the 2022 Award for Leadership in Positive Ageing for its COVID-19 plan and resident-centric decision-making.
September
In a baffling snub, ACCPA misses out on an invitation to the Federal Government’s Jobs and Skills Summit, though organisations such as Catholic Health Australia (CHA), Uniting NSW.ACT, and sector unions are in attendance.
The Victorian Government’s move to provide free university training for nurses and midwives meets with criticism from the aged care sector, with fears that a requirement for graduates to work in the state’s public health system will divert new nurses away from aged care.
Helping Hand announces it is acquiring Kindred Living in Whyalla, SA, one year after taking over the management of the Not For Profit residential care provider in 2021; the handover is made official in November.
A meeting of the National Cabinet, a forum for the Prime Minister, Premiers and Chief Ministers, agrees to reduce the mandated COVID-19 isolation period from seven to five days.
Community aged care platform Mable announces plans to enable superannuation contributions for its 11,000-plus carers and small businesses.
The Jobs and Skills Summit wraps up with unions and aged care organisations agreeing on an eight-point statement of desired reforms to the sector.
Faith-based aged care networks call on the Federal Government to add personal care workers to the skilled migration list, in a bid to shore up the workforce.
A CCTV trial in SA aged care homes is abandoned, having been labelled as “botched” by state Health Minister Chris Picton.
VMCH (Villa Maria Catholic Homes) acquires a 90-bed Melbourne aged care home from Cabrini Health.
BaptistCare WA CEO Russell Bricknell leaves the Not For Profit, taking up a new position as CEO of fellow WA-based provider Juniper.
Faith-based Not for Profit aged care provider Baptcare, which provides services across Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania, appoints Geraldine Lannon as its new CEO.
Churches of Christ WA-governed provider Bethanie says the rebuild of its residential aged care home in the suburb of Dalyellup in the Shire of Capel, about 200km south of Perth, is expected to be ready for completion early next year.
Home care provider KinCare is bought by ASX-listed financial services firm MA Financial Group, a joint venture with NYSE-listed investment bank Moelis & Company.
The Federal Government’s Aged Care Amendment (Implementing Care Reform) Bill 2022 passes through the House of Representatives.
Anika Wells, Minister for Aged Care, tells HammondCare’s International Dementia Conference in Sydney that the workforce is “the number one” issue in the aged sector.
RSL LifeCare appoints Janet Muir, former head of hearing care specialist Audika, as its new CEO.
Anglicare Australia releases its 2022 Rental Affordability Snapshot, finding that ageing renters are being forced out of their homes and into care as they move onto the Age Pension.
ANZ grants an $800 million social loan to Opal HealthCare as the provider welcomes the first residents to a brand-new aged care home in Western Sydney.
Whiddon CEO Chris Mamarelis pens an op-ed in The Australian, questioning the Government’s 200 direct care minutes strategy.
Mark Butler, the Minister for Health and Aged Care, maintains “almost every” residential aged care home operator will be “substantially” better off under the new AN-ACC funding model.
The Federal Government announces another $840 million to extend support for aged care services battling COVID-19.
ACCPA expresses concern about the Federal Government’s plan to cap home care fees, with a new report from the peak body saying the average home care provider has a lower margin than the average café.
A trio of Heritage Care RAC homes in Melbourne, Sydney and Queanbeyan are put up for sale.
Kiama Council’s Blue Haven aged care home is revealed to have lost $660,000 in the month of July.
Tom Symondson officially steps into the role as Chief Executive Officer of the aged care peak body, Aged and Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA).
Quality Indicators from the Department of Health and Aged Care for the three months to 30 June 2022 show that 10% of aged care residents experienced unplanned weight loss and more than 21% were physically restrained.
The total number of aged care residents to have officially died from COVID-19 passes 4,000.
Troubled Victorian provider Lyndoch Living appoints Ted Rayment as new acting CEO and opens up three board positions.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission announces it is “urgently” reviewing the quality standards to make them more “relevant and appropriate” for older Australians.
October
The new AN-ACC funding model officially comes into effect as of 1 October; veterans, war widows and widowers in residential aged care are also entitled to extra support under the program.
Aged & Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) holds the first aged care National Conference in three years, the debut conference for the peak body following the merger of ACSA and LASA earlier this year. CEO Tom Symondson delivers his first public speech as head of ACCPA, and the organisation unveils its new members’ charter.
COVID-19 isolation is scrapped for the general public, prompting concern from ACCPA.
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) officially concludes support for aged care following the end of the winter COVID-19 wave.
The Victorian Labor Government promises up to $55 million to redevelop the obsolete Numurkah Pioneers Memorial Lodge following a prolonged community campaign, as part of a $170 million injection into three regional aged care facilities. It also pledges up to $675 million for a hospital with aged care beds attached in West Gippsland.
Whiddon’s aged care home in Wee Waa, NSW, is cut off by floodwaters as providers in NSW’s New England and North West stock up on supplies.
Registered Nurses (RNs) and aged and disability carers are revealed to be among the top three occupations with the highest vacancy rate, according to figures from the Federal Government’s 2022 Skills Priority List.
Apollo Care Alliance purchases the shuttered St Lawrence Residential Aged Care home in Harden, NSW, and promises to reopen it by the end of the year.
Estia Health CFO Steve Lemlin announces his retirement after almost six years in the role.
Oryx Communities seeks to push back construction of its controversial Melvista aged care home in Nedlands, Perth, by up to two years.
The Federal Government unveils a draft of the new Code of Conduct for Aged Care, which will come into effect on 1 December.
With five years of significant operating losses in residential aged care homes, the StewartBrown Aged Care Financial Performance Survey Report calls on the Federal Government to supply emergency funding to keep providers in operation.
Victoria-based Not For Profit Royal Freemasons moves to sell off its residential care and retirement living assets, with all its residential aged care homes but one on the market.
A submission by Treasury to the Fair Work Commission’s (FWC) review into aged care worker pay says that a 25% pay rise could produce a modest workforce increase, but may also fuel inflation.
Former Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) CEO Patricia Sparrow is appointed as the new CEO of Council on the Ageing (COTA) Australia, replacing Ian Yates.
Warrigal appoints Jenni Hutchins, CEO of early children’s education provider Big Fat Smile, as its new CEO to replace Mark Sewell.
myHomecare Group appoints former Allity CEO Tomás Chubb to replace Stuart Miller, who exits the CEO role after five years.
Kiama Municipal Council reverses its decision from earlier in the year and moves to sell off its unprofitable Blue Haven Bonaira aged care business, while keeping the profitable Terralong independent living units (ILUs).
Warrigal takes over Multicultural Aged Care Illawarra (MACI), including its 100-bed residential aged care home and eight retirement living units at Warrawong.
New 2021 Census data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals around 15% of Australians are working in health care and social assistance, including more than 225,000 aged and disabled carers.
Home care provider Silverchain launches a new self-funded service in Victoria for customers looking to pay out of pocket and avoid waiting and assessment periods.
The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) reports receiving more than 27,000 calls from older people, families, and carers concerned about issues with aged care in the 12 months to June 2022.
The Albanese Government releases its October Budget, containing $3.9 billion in aged care measures.
The Productivity Commission releases a new report supporting the increased use of independent contractors in aged care.
ASX-listed provider Estia Health acquires four operational aged care homes and two development sites from Premier Health Care Group, the aged care business established by sector veterans Florence and Viv Padman in 2017.
StewartBrown’s latest Aged Care Financial Performance Survey Report finds average unspent Home Care Packages per client have risen to $10,736, totalling $2.1 billion across Australia.
The NT Government pours $140,000 into expanding its over-55s aged care workforce.
November
Not For Profit HammondCare posts a net deficit of more than $10 million despite 8.5% growth in revenue, chalked up in part to the impact of COVID-19.
Labor’s landmark Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Implementing Care Reform) Bill 2022 passes Parliament, bringing with it changes such as 24/7 Registered Nurses.
BaptistCare unveils plans for an expansion of its site at Elderslie in Sydney’s southwest to include an extension of its Angus Bristow retirement community and a new 96-bed aged care home.
Arcare opens an $11 million 92-bed aged care home in Brisbane’s Thornlands.
RSL LifeCare appoints experienced company director Ewen Crouch AM as its new Chairman.
The Federal Government releases an exposure draft of its plan to extend the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) to home and flexible care from December 1.
The 2020-21 Financial Report released by the Federal Department of Health and Aged Care reveals that the residential aged care sector lost an average of $12.38 per resident per day over FY21, for a total loss of $854 million.
The Fair Work Commission hands down an interim 15% pay rise to direct care workers in aged care, though administrative and support staff are left out.
Aged Care Minister Anika Wells warns that demand on Australia’s aged care system could increase by almost 10% per year from ageing baby boomers.
Tasmanian aged care provider Respect takes over fellow Not For Profit Masonic Care Tasmania (MCT).
Lyndoch Living appoints three new board members and vows to turn its fortunes around at its Annual General Meeting, where the Not For Profit recorded a $2.87 million operating loss and a 13% fall in occupancy rates from 91% to 79%.
Arcare proposes a new 96-bed residential aged care facility for the town of Huntlee in the NSW Hunter region.
The Australian Aged Care Collaboration (AACC) wins the Association Forum’s External Campaign of the Year Award for the It’s Time to Care About Aged Care campaign.
The Rural City of Murray Bridge, around 80km east of Adelaide, awards a $7.9 million operating budget to its Council-owned residential aged care home.
Western Australia officially ends its COVID-19 state of emergency, lifting a raft of restrictions including for residential aged care.
BaptistCare NSW/ACT records an $8 million net deficit for 2021-22, compared to a $6 million deficit last year.
Data shows 40% of reclassifications seeking the correct funding under the Department of Health and Aged Care’s funding model AN-ACC are still to be resolved despite it going live on 1 October.
WA Not For Profit MercyCare, which employs 1,350 people and has 174 volunteers, reveals in its annual report for the year ended 30 June 2022 that it lost $6.2 million in operating revenue.
Southern Cross Care Tasmania unveils sweeping reforms in response to the Royal Commission, the Federal Government’s aged care changes, and resident feedback; the changes meet with backlash from the Government and unions, both of whom are concerned about their impact on staff and residents.
A new COVID-19 wave hits residential aged care homes, with the number of cases doubling in the span of a week.
John Murray announces he is stepping down as CEO of Royal Australian Air Force Association (RAAFA) WA after 10 years in the role.
WA-based Not For Profit provider Brightwater Care Group opens its new HQ and aged care home at Inglewood, in Perth’s inner suburbs, and appoints Safe Work Australia Chair Joanne Farrell as its new Chair, replacing retiring Chair David Craig.
The Federal Government moves ahead with its plan to cap administration and management fees for Home Care Packages (HCPs), as well as banning home care exit fees.
Certificate III qualifications for aged and disability care are strengthened under new rules from Australia’s skills ministers.
Senate Estimates hears that in the last financial year, more than 1,500 providers spent less than $10 per person per day on food or did not answer ACQSC questions on the subject.
The Health Services Union warns that the aged care sector is “on the brink of collapse”, with a survey of workers revealing 75% are considering jumping ship if they don’t get a significant pay rise.
Catholic Healthcare posts a $55.9 million deficit for the 2021-22 financial year, which it says reflects the broader financial doldrums afflicting the aged care sector.
ACT-based Not For Profit aged care provider Goodwin acquires The Glen, a residential aged care home at Batemans Bay on the NSW South Coast, from Fresh Hope Communities.
Not For Profit provider Mayflower Group acquires Edith Bendall Lodge, a residential aged care home at Pascoe Vale in Melbourne’s north.
December
Researchers from the UTS Ageing Research Collaborative (UARC) warn that aged care losses are “unsustainable”, with more than 60% of approved providers operating in the red.
The second Food and Nutrition Report 2021-2022 shows that three quarters of providers are now spending more than $10 on food per resident per day.
Not For Profit Fronditha Care reports an EBITDA of $6.5 million for 2021-22, translating into a full-year deficit of $3.8 million after interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation.
SA-based Not For Profit Helping Hand completes its takeover of Kindred Living’s aged care services at Whyalla, having managed them for 12 months.
Federal Government spending on aged care continues to grow, with a $24.8 billion outlay in 2021-22 – an increase of 4.9% over the previous year.
A survey by Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) finds that AN-ACC is causing “devastating” job losses among allied health workers in residential aged care, with more than one in eight losing their jobs since the new funding model was implemented on 1 October.
Residents of the southern NSW town of Eden push for RSL LifeCare’s shuttered Roy Wotton Gardens aged care home to be reopened for housing under the control of a community organisation.
Lyndoch Living appoints Jill Davidson as its new Acting CEO, replacing Ted Rayment after three months at the helm of the Victorian Not For Profit.
Anglicare Sydney signs a deal to take over most of Presbyterian Aged Care’s NSW operations, including its residential care homes, home care services, and retirement villages in the Sydney metro and New England areas.
Star ratings come into effect, and preliminary data shows that 90% of residential aged care providers are receiving three stars or higher and 31% at least four stars.
Australian Unity Healthcare Property Trust buys nine Bolton Clarke aged care homes in South Australia for $220 million, to be leased back to Bolton Clarke under a 20-year agreement.
Aged care residents face a third Christmas under COVID-19, as case numbers soar in residential care homes across the country.
New 12-month Skills Agreements between the Federal Government and its counterparts around the country are announced, which will support more than 80,000 fee-free TAFE and VET places in the care sector.
Former COTA Australia CEO Ian Yates AM is appointed the Federal Government’s Interim Inspector-General of Aged Care, following recommendations by the Royal Commission.
Victorian Not For Profit Mayflower Aged Care hires former Bolton Clarke executive Stuart Rodney as its new CEO.
