Food, accommodation costs remain a concern
Mirus Australia’s Tyler Fisher tells AAA that ‘food is deeply personal’, and like rising accommodation costs, requires innovation and ongoing collaboration for sustained improvement.
Residents have consistently said staff are kind and caring and that they treat them with respect, but food satisfaction in residential aged care remains low despite reforms to nutrition standards, Mirus Australia’s latest data analysis shows.
But Mirus Australia data scientist Tyler Fisher told Australian Ageing Agenda that he wasn’t particularly surprised, as “food is deeply personal and cultural,” and even with more investment it’s hard to please everyone.
“Food is emotional,” he said. “It speaks to choice, culture, and comfort – things that regulation can’t easily capture. Improvement here will come from innovation and leadership within organisations, not just compliance.”
Mr Fisher told AAA that providers can lift food satisfaction by:
- involving residents in menu planning and meal feedback
- investing in staff training and food presentation
- creating a more homelike dining environment
- offering greater choice and flexibility in meal times.
Accommodation costs also remain a challenge, with nearly three-quarters of aged care services increasing their room prices this year following the increase in the maximum refundable accommodation deposit without prior approval.
“Accommodation pricing is emerging as a major challenge for both the aged care sector and policymakers. Members of the Residential Aged Care Accommodation Pricing Review anticipate a need for an additional 100,000 residential beds over the next decade, while highlighting a significant lack of investment in the sector,” Mr Fisher explained to AAA.
“This issue is further complicated by efforts to reduce reliance on refundable accommodation deposits, alongside the goal of creating a more equitable system – one that balances contributions between those who can afford a full RAD and those who cannot.”
“The question we’re asking is whether higher prices are leading to better experiences,” Mr Fisher said.
When Mirus Australia analysed the resident survey data from the past three years, Mr Fisher said they saw encouraging trends in autonomy and comfort, with aged care residents reporting that they feel more at home and more empowered in their daily lives.
According to the Mirus Australia analysis, 60 per cent of people responded “always” when asked about whether they felt at home at their aged care home – an increase from 40 per cent in 2023.
The number of people “always” having a say in their daily activities also increased, from 50 per cent in 2023 to almost 70 per cent in 2025 – as did the number of people saying they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves – now just under 60 per cent from under 50 per cent.
“These are genuine gains that reflect a cultural shift within aged care,” Mr Fisher said.
“Providers are doing the hard work to make environments feel more like home. But food remains the area that consistently scores lowest – despite greater investment and attention to nutrition.”
The data shows a clear story of progress, but also persistent gaps, Mr Fisher said.
Looking ahead, Mirus Australia highlighted accommodation pricing as a key policy area under review, with ongoing government consultations exploring the balance between RADs, daily accommodation payments, and broader issues of affordability and equity.
“The New Aged Care Act is a significant step forward,” Mr Fisher said. “But no single reform can deliver the full transformation we want to see. The next phase of progress will depend on how providers use data, transparency, and collaboration to continually improve the experience for older Australians.”
He added that it is encouraging to see progress in areas like autonomy and comfort, but that sustained improvement will require innovation and ongoing collaboration across the sector.
“We’re seeing meaningful improvements in areas tied to independence and comfort, but there are still challenges in deeply personal areas like food, where change isn’t easily achieved through policy alone,” he explained.
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