Australians are more than twice as likely to trust aged care once they have direct experience of it, according to a landmark new report from Ageing Australia, highlighting a major gap between perception and reality.
The Ageing in Australia Community Expectations Report 2026 – the first study of its kind capturing the views of Australians aged 18 and over – shows confidence in the system improves significantly with firsthand experience, despite mixed perceptions across the broader community.
Ageing Australia CEO Tom Symondson said the findings reveal both challenges and opportunities for the sector and government.
“People who have direct experience of aged care are far more likely to trust it, but too many Australians are forming views based on things they’ve heard in the past or negative media,” Mr Symondson said.
“That tells us the system is performing better than people think – but we’re not closing the gap between perception and reality.”
The report reveals that respondents with current or recent firsthand experience of aged care have high levels of trust and satisfaction, pointing to a disconnect between lived experience and public perception.
“71 per cent of those who had personally used aged and 63 % of those who cared for someone were either very, or somewhat satisfied with the care they received.”
“This aligns with other evidence such as the Residents’ Experience Survey carried out independently of the sector each year which showed 88% of residents would recommend their home to others.”
“For many younger Australians, negative media stories guide their view and reduce their trust. And as a sector we must do everything we can to respond to issues and give the community confidence in our services. But while stories generally focus on isolated incidents, they are often incorrectly painted as the norm. We can see from these results the fear that creates and the harm that it does to public trust.”
It also shows that just 21 per cent of Australians would turn to the government for information about aged care, while nearly three quarters would go directly to providers, reinforcing the trusted position providers have but highlighting the need for government to step up.
The findings also challenge common assumptions about how Australians want to age.
While a majority of Australians say they want to remain in their current home for as long as possible, the report shows this is not universal, with 30 per cent open to moving into retirement living.
At the same time, around half of Australians over 50 are considering downsizing, yet only 37 per cent believe the government is doing enough to help.
“It is clear that older people want to remain independent, but for some this does not mean remaining in the family home,” Mr Symondson said.
“For many it means downsizing, and for almost a third it could mean moving into retirement living.”
“That shows a huge opportunity for our sector to build more homes and offer increasingly innovative housing solutions tailored to older people.”
Mr Symondson said Australians are clear about what they want, but less certain about how to navigate the system to get there.
“Australians want to age with dignity, independence and choice but far too often they don’t know where to start or who to trust,” he said.
“There is a clear and urgent need for government to improve how it communicates about aged care, including the current reform process.”
“This report shows that too many in the community are concerned about their future as they age. Better public information about the system, including the current reforms, better supports for downsizing and better support to access and navigate aged care can all help in the short term,” Mr Symondson said.
“We must also continue to rebuild public trust in our services. That is made much more difficult by the current rollout of major reforms at the same time as demand is rising and workforce pressures are at fever pitch.
“But, if we get this right, we can build a system that not only meets the needs of Australians now and into the future, but one they understand and trust.”
Ageing Australia will repeat this research every two years to track changing community expectations and ensure reforms remain aligned with public needs.
Media contact:
Peter O’Dempsey 0499 106 957
About Ageing Australia:
Ageing Australia is the national organisation representing providers of aged care and housing for older Australians.
