Consumer-centred care has always been valued in aged care, but now, it’s the law. The Aged Care Act brings this philosophy to the forefront of providers' minds and plans, placing older people, who are now referred to in the strengthened Standards, as individuals, and their families firmly at the centre of every decision. It’s not just about providing good care; it’s about making people feel heard, respected, and in control of their lives.

For boards, executives, and care teams, this means examining care design, delivery, and review closely through the eyes of the people receiving it.

Creating Care Around a Person

When care is centred on the individual, it’s informed by the individual’s values, preferences, and life story. The individual is treated not as a passive recipient but as an active partner. They help decide how their days are structured, what they choose to eat and drink and when, who supports them, and what’s most important to them.

This includes more than choice over meals and routines. It means including people in conversations about policies, listening to feedback with the intent to change, and recognising the importance of emotional safety and cultural identity. For First Nations elders, LGBTIQ+ individuals, and people from diverse cultural backgrounds, this also involves creating spaces where they feel respected and safe.

The Act calls on providers to show how they’re doing this in real terms, not just policies on paper, but in daily practice.

Listening, Including and Designing With Not For People

Embedding consumer-centred care starts with inclusion, not instruction. One small step is to invite individuals and their families or carers into conversations at every level, from activity planning to board discussions.

Some organisations have created Resident Panels or involved family members in quality and risk meetings. These groups offer more than insight; they reflect a shift in how we define expertise. It’s lived experience that matters. Whether planning meal services or activities or helping prioritise improvements, people who receive care bring wisdom no survey can capture.

Training the workforce in listening, empathy, and shared decision-making is also key. Staff need more than technical skills. They need time and support to connect, reflect, and respond with humanity.

Boards play a role, too. When consumer voices are present in governance, aligning what’s happening at the front line with the values written into strategic plans becomes easier.

Why Boards Need to Lead with People in Mind

It’s tempting to see consumer-centred care as a service-level issue. But culture flows from the top. Boards and senior leaders are responsible for making sure the right questions are being asked and that the answers influence real decisions.

One way to keep people at the centre is to begin every board meeting with a real story: something from an individual, a family member, or a care worker. These stories bring the person into focus and remind decision-makers of the people behind the data.

Directors can also ensure that reports include numbers and outcomes that matter, like trust, inclusion, and social connection. When complaints are reviewed, ask what went wrong and what can be learned.

Ultimately, governance that values consumer voices helps services become more adaptive, respectful, and responsive.

If it’s Not Person-centred, it’s a risk.

When care is shaped without the people it’s meant to serve, there are consequences. Failing to centre care around residents puts organisations at risk of breaching the Quality Standards and being held accountable by regulators and the public.

More importantly, it can erode trust. Families and residents who feel unheard may choose to leave, speak out, or disengage altogether. Over time, this can affect occupancy, staff morale, and financial sustainability.

Keeping people at the centre isn’t just a requirement; it’s the right thing to do and what we want for ourselves and loved ones.

What Success Looks Like

Success in consumer-centred care isn’t measured only by regulatory metrics. While the Consumer Experience metric within the National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI program) offers a valuable snapshot of how people rate their care, the real goal is creating an environment where older people consistently feel respected, understood, and involved.

Providers need to invest in the conditions that allow residents to have excellent experiences in the first place.

That means putting time and energy into the things that create meaning for people:

• Building stronger relationships between staff and residents
• Making sure feedback leads to real change, not just reports
• Empowering residents to shape their own experience through choice, co-design, and shared decision-making
• Supporting teams to reflect, learn, and adapt together

Workforce Capability is What Makes this Happen

None of this is possible without a supported, capable workforce. Person-centred care relies on relationships, and relationships take time. Staff need space in their day to sit with a resident, to ask questions, and to listen without rushing.

They also need the tools and confidence to have difficult conversations, honour cultural identity, and respond to changing needs with empathy. Training helps, but so does feeling valued. Acknowledged, trusted, and supported staff are far more likely to carry these values forward.

Leaders and the organisations you govern benefit when teams invest in creating psychologically safe environments and approach individuals and staff with a trauma-informed approach.