As Australia embarks on the biggest aged care reform in a decade, it’s worth asking a simple question – what does good care actually mean for older Australians?
In the next couple of weeks, more people will be able to age in their own homes under the Support at Home reforms, but our research shows that access alone isn’t the answer. The real challenge is making sure that the care people receive isn’t just functional – it’s personal, based on choice and genuine human connection.
That belief is what inspired us to create Hireup, an online platform connecting older Australians with support workers. While traditional systems are designed to simply deliver services, our aim has always been to help people find the right connection.
How the ‘right’ connection can change everything
In our latest survey of more than 1,000 Australians aged 65–85, almost all (98%) said they want to remain at home as they age, with 83% saying they would miss their independence most if they had to leave.
These findings suggest that while policy reform often focuses on access and efficiency, older Australians are asking for something deeper; for care that prioritises relationships, trust, and independence.
For older Australians, finding the right support worker isn’t just about hours or qualifications. It’s about finding the right ‘fit’ for you – someone who speaks your language, shares your sense of humour or joins you for your daily walk.
When my grandfather Frank needed support, I saw first-hand how much having that trust mattered. He was one of our first ever Hireup aged care client, and when we matched him with his support worker, Luka, everything changed. They’re able to laugh together, talk easily, and genuinely understand each other. And I’m proud to say that connection has kept Frank happy, confident and independent at home.
We’ve seen so many stories like this at Hireup, and to me, that’s what great care is really about.
Finding the right match
At Hireup, we’ve learned that matching people based on shared values, interests and language transforms the care experience. Our clients can browse support worker profiles, meet and greet before booking, and choose who fits their life best. It’s a small design shift that we’ve found makes a huge difference – for both the person receiving support and the person providing it.
Our research shows that two in three older Australians believe that genuine connection improves their satisfaction with care. And almost one in five said that having someone who speaks their language would be a decisive factor in deciding their support worker. It shows a clear, nationwide demand for this kind of support – but without the right technology, it can be difficult for people to find.
Take our clients Antonio and Victoria. Married for 64 years and originally from Spain, they’re now navigating life with dementia at home. Through the matching system in the Hireup platform, they’ve managed to find a support worker who speaks fluent Spanish, helping Victoria maintain her daily routines and communicate in the language she knows best.
Theirs is a powerful example of how having the right technology can help enable human connection, not replace it. By helping people find exactly what, and who, they need – technology can make care more personal and meaningful.
The new age of aged care
From November, the Support at Home reforms bring Australia closer to the long-standing goal of more personalised, flexible care. The new home-care packages and categories are designed to help older Australians get the support they need, where they want it.
Our research shows that older Australians rank trust & safety (79%) as the most important factor in aged care. That means supporting stable employment for workers, valuing the social side of care just as much as the clinical, and using technology to enable more user-led, personalised support.
A chance to re-build
Change is never easy, but this reform gives us the chance not just to fix the system – but to reimagine it. If we can build a model of care that values people as much as process, that measures trust and connection alongside efficiency, we’ll have created something truly lasting.
Because in the end, good care isn’t just about keeping people at home – it’s about helping them feel at home.
Laura O’Reilly
Laura O’Reilly is the CEO and Co-founder of Hireup
