Resource library

Joint letter from the Chief Medical Officer Professor Anthony Lawler and Commissioner Liz Hefren-Webb to Board Chairs, Residential Aged Care Providers on winter preparedness in residential aged care.

This visual scenario and supporting user guide has been designed to support aged care workers with information about eating and drinking with acknowledged risk (EDAR). It explains the best practice and practical strategies that providers should use when implementing EDAR in their service.

Outbreak management planning is a key part of infection prevention and control. This document supports both the development of a new outbreak management plan (OMP) and the quality assurance of existing plans. It details common OMP sections to get you started as you tailor your OMP to your service.

This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 July 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.

Having a comprehensive and organisation-specific outbreak management plan (OMP) helps your organisation to be prepared for the management of infections and outbreaks within your service. A key part of this readiness is ensuring that your OMP is fit-for-purpose and that everyone across the organisation can implement it if required. One way to maintain readiness and support continuous improvement of your OMP is to run regular drills, or stress tests, of your plan.

This Regulatory Bulletin explains approved providers’ responsibilities relating to COVID-19 vaccinations and infection prevention and control. It details how the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (Commission) is regulating these responsibilities and responding to providers found to be non-compliant.

Joint letter on Winter outbreaks to Board Chairs, Residential Aged Care Providers from the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly and Commissioner Janet Anderson PSM. 

How to create an environment with strong infection prevention and control practices while continuing to provide a positive experience for people with cognitive decline and dementia.

Letter from Commissioner Janet Anderson PSM and Chief Clinical Advisory Dr Melanie Wroth to residential aged care providers and people living in residential aged care homes on the importance of being up to date with COVID-19 vaccine boosters.

This fact sheet includes suggested questions you can ask your provider about how prepared they are for an infectious disease outbreak (including COVID-19). It also includes links to a range of resources to help you feel safe, informed and connected.

Letter from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner, Janet Anderson PSM to support your planning and preparation for the high-risk weather season to ensure the continuity of care and services to older Australians.

Joint letter to approved providers of residential aged care services from the Commission and the Australian Electoral Commission about the 2023 referendum and COVID-19 entry approach for mobile polling staff.

Older Australians, particularly those that reside in residential aged care settings or in multigenerational households, are vulnerable to the ongoing risk of contracting and becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 and other highly infectious illnesses such as influenza and gastroenteritis.

Joint letter from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner, Janet Anderson PSM and Professor Paul Kelly, Chief Medical Officer to all approved providers of residential aged care services on uptake of the COVID-19 booster.

This fact sheet outlines your right to make choices about your food and drink. This includes how your care team can support you to make an informed choice about food or drink that may be a risk to your health.

This fact sheet outlines your role as a provider in ensuring your staff have the necessary knowledge and skills to support residents’ daily oral health care.

This fact sheet outlines steps you can take to support residents to manage their oral health.

This fact sheet outlines the steps to recognise and respond to signs of poor oral health in residential aged care.

This poster serves as a resource for aged care staff to recognise and respond to signs of oral pain in residents. It provides guidance on identifying mouth and tooth pain and taking appropriate action to address these issues. The poster is available for download and use in residential aged care settings. This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 July 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards. 

Good oral health is an important part of your overall health. The health of your mouth and teeth can affect your wellbeing and quality of life.

Poor oral health can cause pain, interrupt sleep and affect your ability to eat, drink and speak. It can impact the way you feel about your appearance or general health.