Webinar 6: Principle 4 – Connect with community

Aged Care's Community Connection Imperative

Australia's aged care system is undergoing its most significant overhaul in decades, propelled by the 2021 Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, which revealed widespread neglect, including designs that isolated residents from family and society.

The resulting New Aged Care Act, enacted recently, replaces outdated legislation with a rights-based framework focused on dignity, choice, and quality. Central to this are the National Aged Care Design Principles and Guidelines, which outline eight principles for accommodation in residential care.

Principle 4 – Connect with community – requires designs that facilitate ongoing ties to family, friends, and external networks, allowing residents to participate in meaningful activities beyond facility walls. This counters the institutional model that often confines vulnerable people, particularly those with dementia, contributing to depression, cognitive decline, and higher healthcare burdens.

The timing is critical: as the Act rolls out progressively through 2025-2026, providers must demonstrate alignment with these principles to meet enhanced accreditation and reporting under the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. Failure invites enforcement actions, from improvement notices to funding reductions or licence revocation.

Stakes are high in a sector supporting over 1.2 million people annually, with government expenditure surpassing AUD 20 billion. An ageing demographic — 4.2 million over 65, rising fast — amplifies risks: inaction sustains isolation-linked issues like increased hospitalisations (costing billions) and erodes public trust after past scandals.

Less visible angles include cost-benefit trade-offs: community integration demands investment in accessible entrances, transport links, and open spaces, straining budgets amid workforce shortages and inflation. Regional providers grapple with sparse local networks, risking uneven implementation and greater disadvantage for rural elderly.

Balancing openness with necessary safeguards also creates tension — more community access can heighten safeguarding challenges in high-needs settings, forcing nuanced design decisions often overlooked in broad policy discussions.