Australia’s aged care homes are clocking more direct care minutes than ever, yet residents are not reporting better experiences.
New research suggests that simply adding more staff to aged care facilities may not be enough to improve the quality of care for seniors, despite government targets being increasingly met.
A comprehensive study from the Registry of Senior Australians (ROSA) Research Centre at Flinders University has found a concerning disconnect between rising staffing levels and measurable improvements in care quality.
“This challenges the assumption that simply increasing staffing will automatically improve care quality,” said Associate Professor Stephanie Harrison, lead author of the study based at SAHMRI and Flinders’ Caring Futures Institute.
The research analysed data from over 2,000 aged care homes across Australia between January 2023 and March 2024, revealing that while more facilities are meeting staffing targets, this hasn’t translated to better resident experiences.
Since October 2022, Australia has implemented individualised staffing targets for aged care homes based on residents’ assessed care needs. The study found that compliance with these targets increased significantly over the study period, with 53% of facilities now meeting or exceeding their requirements, up from 41% at the start of 2023.
“These targets are a positive step, but these are the minimum levels of care that homes should be providing, and it remains unclear whether they are sufficient to drive meaningful improvements in care quality,” Harrison explained.
The findings reveal significant disparities in which types of facilities are most successful at meeting staffing requirements. Government-run homes consistently outperformed private sector counterparts, while metropolitan and smaller facilities showed better compliance than rural and larger operations.
“Government-run facilities were also more successful in meeting and exceeding care minute targets. As smaller, government-run facilities are replaced by larger, for-profit services, this is an important area to monitor,” Harrison noted.
Perhaps most concerning was the lack of correlation between staffing levels and quality measures. The researchers found no significant association between care minutes and better outcomes for residents, suggesting that quality care depends on more complex factors than just staff numbers.
“A holistic view to care quality is needed, beyond just meeting staffing targets. Adequate training, staff retention strategies, and tailored models of care that meet individual resident needs are all important for policymakers to consider,” Harrison said.
The study comes amid ongoing aged care reforms following the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, which identified widespread issues across the sector. While staffing has been a primary focus of reform efforts, this research suggests a more nuanced approach may be required.
“Improving care means investing in workforce development, especially in rural and remote communities where staffing challenges are more pronounced,” Harrison added. “Recent initiatives to support the provision of aged care staff in rural and remote areas should be monitored to see if this helps to improve equitable access to care in these regions.”
The research team emphasised that continued monitoring of staffing levels remains essential, but must be complemented by broader quality improvement strategies and workforce development initiatives.
“Monitoring staffing levels in aged care homes remains essential, it provides vital data, but to truly improve the quality of aged care, we must also strengthen the evidence base and address the ongoing challenges facing the sector,” Harrison concluded.
Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.
