Our Insights.

Australia’s healthcare workforce shortage has triggered a predictable response by the Australian Government: accelerated skilled migration. What’s less predictable—and far less discussed—is who is being left behind in the process.

The financial landscape of residential aged care in Australia has become increasingly complex. Providers are facing a convergence of pressures—rising labour costs, tighter funding models, increasing compliance requirements, and growing expectations from residents and families.

Since the introduction of the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) on 1 November 2025, there has been a rapid and unprecedented surge in appeals and review requests challenging client classifications. As of 30 March 2026, 834 internal review requests have been lodged relating to IAT decisions, according to evidence presented at a Senate inquiry.

In Part 1 – The Monthly Physio Myth, we challenged a pattern that has quietly become embedded in home care. The question now is “What Do We Replace It With”.

Equally important is understanding how exercise is implemented and sustained in everyday life, as prescribing exercise is only half the solution, the client needs to have the belief that they are relevant to improving the aspects of their life they are struggling with...

Across community aged care it is incredibly common to see physiotherapy referrals structured around low-frequency visits. A client may receive a physiotherapy visit once a week, once a fortnight, or even once a month under programs such as Support at Home or previously through Home Care Packages.

It can be hard for those with dementia to get the care they need, and for family members to be able to provide it. In Australia, 30 per cent of beds in hospitals are now taken up by dementia patients or those experiencing age-related cognitive decline, who are unable to go home, posing huge problems for both our society and healthcare system.

Falls are a leading cause of injury, hospitalisation and functional decline in older adults — particularly in residential aged care settings where mobility limitations and frailty are common. In an Australian cohort of adults aged ≥65 years living in RACFs, nearly 60 % of residents experienced at least one fall annually, with many resulting in injury or hospitalisation.

Australia’s aged care reforms have repeatedly championed reablement and wellness as cornerstones of quality care. Does the sector actually have the funding model, workforce training, and allied health allocation required to deliver genuine reablement — or are we still operating in a “do care to” rather than “do care with” paradigm?