Choosing a residential aged care facility for a loved one is one of the most significant and emotionally charged decisions a family can make. Australia’s aged care star rating system, introduced following recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, was designed to make that decision a little more informed.
But understanding what the ratings actually measure — and what they don’t — is essential to using them effectively.
How the Star Rating System Works
Residential aged care facilities are rated from one to five stars across four sub-categories: Residents’ Experience, Staffing, Compliance, and Quality Measures. Each sub-category carries its own rating, which combines to produce an overall star rating displayed publicly on the My Aged Care website.
A five-star rating indicates a facility is performing well across all measures. A one-star rating signals significant concerns that families should investigate before making a decision.
What Each Sub-Category Measures
Residents’ Experience is based on surveys conducted with residents themselves — asking about how they feel about the care they receive, the food, their dignity, and their sense of safety. This is arguably the most important sub-category as it reflects the lived experience of people inside the facility.
Staffing measures the number of care minutes provided per resident per day, both from registered nurses and personal care workers. Higher staffing levels generally correlate with better care outcomes.
Compliance reflects the facility’s regulatory history — including any sanctions, notices of non-compliance, or serious incidents reported to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
Quality Measures uses clinical data reported by the facility itself, covering areas such as pressure injuries, falls, medication management, and unplanned weight loss.
How to Use Ratings in Your Decision
Star ratings are a useful starting point but should never be the only factor in your decision. Visiting facilities in person, speaking with residents and their families, and asking direct questions of management about staffing levels and incident history will give you a much fuller picture than any rating system can provide.
You can view ratings for all residential aged care facilities at myagedcare.gov.au/find-a-provider.
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