The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (the Royal Commission) recommended that the Australian Government should guide the design of residential aged care accommodation by developing and publishing a comprehensive set of National Aged Care Design Principles and Guidelines on accessible and dementia-friendly design for residential aged care, that can be:

• applied to ‘small household’ models of accommodation and to enablement and respite accommodation settings, and
• amended from time to time as necessary to reflect contemporary best practice.

The New Residential Aged Care Accommodation Framework Overview discussion paper provides context for development of residential aged care design standards. 

The New Residential Aged Care Accommodation Framework Design and Innovation discussion paper explores the drivers for change and key elements that impact residential aged care accommodation design, including:

• accessibility
• dementia-friendly design
• diversity
• small home environments
• location
• safety, including infection control
• ensuring standards do not limit innovation.