The Council on the Ageing (COTA) Australia, the peak body for older Australians, says the introduction of the aged care star rating system will help drive improvements in the care provided across the nation.
"Increased transparency and accountability will help older Australians navigate a complex system and drive improvements over time," COTA Australia CEO Patricia Sparrow said.
"This is a big step forward for high quality aged care in Australia. Providers with lower ratings still have a lot of work to do to improve on quality measures and transparency is a big part of the solution.
"Combined with further system reforms and the improved regulations recommended by the Royal Commission, the star rating system will hold providers to account, give older Australians confidence and highlight areas for improvement.
"While no simplified star rating system can ever be perfect, the online tool is a great resource to get an objective assessment and clear, consistent information.
Star Ratings were a key recommendation from the Royal Commission into Aged Care.
"Older Australians deserve nationally consistent and easy to understand information about the residential experience, compliance, staffing and quality measures.
"The tool will make it easier for older Australians or their families to find a residential care facility that meets their needs, and for those who have concerns about their current provider to start a productive conversation, talk about improvements and potentially make decisions about moving if issues are not resolved," Ms Sparrow said.
Further advice and support on the star rating system is available here.
