Australia has one of the most advanced aged care systems in the world. Aged care in Australia is a shared responsibility that involves family, friends, volunteers but also a responsibility of the Australian Government. Aged care in Australia includes everything from quality aged care homes through to a wide range of schemes that give older people a chance to live in their own homes and maintain their independence.

Aged care services are available to older people from all over Australia. The past 20 years has seen major shifts in the balance of care in community and residential settings; creation of innovative community programs; funding and services focused more on individual need; and the development of assessment as the focal point for individuals gaining access to appropriate services. The Australian Government provides a range of programs and services designed to give older people the opportunity to stay in their homes and to live independently in the community. As well as providing various levels of rate relief for aged pensioners, local governments are also directly involved with land management matters relating to health and aged specific accommodation and the provision of services such as home help and the running of Senior Citizen's clubs.

Government funding is based on a need-based classification model, the Resident Classification Scale (RCS). To access most government-funded community care services (more information) and aged care homes you first have to go through an assessment (more information) process. The Federal Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot, announced on 17 March that a new mobile Rapid Response Team will be set up to help older Australians who have been waiting to be assessed for vital government funded aged care.

Aged Care is a dynamic sector, which is regularly undergoing change, whether it is through learning and the implementation of best practice or changes in government policy. Nursing assistants used to receive on the job training but an increasing number of employers make compulsory to undertake aged care training at the Certificate 3 level for their employees. The Certificate III in Aged Care course is offered by the VET sector and a number of private providers.

Residential aged care in Australia is substantially controlled and regulated by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing under the Aged Care Act 1997. Residential aged care refers to the provision of accommodation and a range of services including appropriate staffing, meals, cleaning services, furnishings, furniture and equipment. Residential aged care can be further divided into high and low levels of care. Ageing in place is a term referring to aged care homes that offer both high- and low-level care, whereby the person can enter at the low-level but move into the higher level in the same residential aged care facility if necessary. Palliative care principles are now being applied to aged care so that, in the context of incurable, chronic disease older people can have the highest standard of care.

The government also provides subsidies to aged care service providers who offer in-home (also known as ‘Community aged care packages’) to people assessed as in need of low-level care. Community care can include home-delivered meals, transport, domestic help, intensive care packages with home nursing and day centre activities. Community-based care programs are jointly funded and administered by the Commonwealth, states and territories.

All Australians have access to planned and properly resourced integrated aged care services that are flexible, equitable, that recognize diversity and promote choice and respect for users and workers. Aged care in Australia probably leads the world in its relative equity of access, levels of funding and articulation of purpose.