The Aged Care Act Is Transforming Industry Standards While VR Training Is Enabling Better Quality Care

The nation’s new Aged Care Act 2024 is forcing the aged care industry to adapt. Tougher requirements around workforce capability and the protection of older people’s rights mean providers must move beyond intent and be able to demonstrate genuine, measurable progress toward person-centred care.

This is challenging for operators with limited resources for upskilling and in-depth training. Immersive learning systems, such as virtual reality (VR) training, help support providers overcome that challenge. Its practical and cost-effective design makes it a viable way to meet regulatory requirements while improving quality of care.

Where traditional training falls short

The majority of aged care training currently available to support workers is still built around static and theory-based learning systems that focus on ticking boxes and completing modules. This approach works well for sharing information at scale, but it fails to prepare people for the realities of aged care work, where situations are rarely clear-cut.

While workers may have a good understanding of the principles behind their work, they may also struggle to respond under pressure, navigate ethical trade-offs in the moment, or communicate clearly and empathetically in emotionally charged situations. Alternatively, other training styles, such as role-play, are limited by instructor and venue availability.

The impact of this is two-fold. Training providers struggle to prepare workers to respond in real-world, high-pressure situations, and older Australians receive lower-quality care.

Research suggests that Australia needs to upskill up to 400,000 additional workers by 2050 to meet current demand. To keep up with rising regulatory expectations and growing demand, training providers must adopt new strategies that prepare workers for the realities of modern aged care.

VR training increases speed to proficiency

Virtual reality addresses a critical gap in aged care training by delivering immersive, emotionally realistic experiences that build the human skills traditional training struggles to teach.

VR places learners inside authentic care scenarios that reflect the emotional and ethical complexity of the job. Rather than passively absorbing information, learners engage directly with residents, families and colleagues, make decisions and experience the emotional impact and consequences of their choices in real time, all within a safe environment.

Because the experience feels real, the learning resonates. This immersive and emotionally engaging format strengthens empathy, communication and judgement, improves knowledge retention and accelerates skill development. Learners reach competency faster and are better equipped to apply their skills confidently in real world settings.

VR also removes common delivery constraints. Training is no longer dependent on trainer availability or classroom space and can be deployed consistently across cohorts wherever headsets are available.

For aged care providers, this results in faster skill development, measurable behavioural insights and consistent capability outcomes at scale, helping assure workforce readiness in line with strengthened regulatory expectations.

Immersive learning in the real world

One registered training organisation that has implemented VR in its syllabus is Limestone Coast Training in South Australia. The nationally accredited, government-backed program, co-developed with Start Beyond, places students in complex care scenarios that explore tensions such as balancing duty of care with dignity of risk. Learners work through these situations and then reflect on their decisions together, guided by a facilitator.

Up to 14 students could be trained in a single session, with confidence and completion data captured and fed into their learning management system. Limestone Coast Training benefited from improved engagement, more efficient training delivery and stronger knowledge retention among students.

The success of the Limestone Coast Training VR program showcases the potential of VR training platforms in improving soft skills.

Employers must prove their workforce is ready to meet higher standards. Carers need training that prepares them for complex, real-world situations. Older Australians deserve better quality, person-centred care and the Aged Care Act is raising the bar.

Making immersive training practical and scalable

Despite ongoing misconceptions about cost and accessibility, immersive training is already being adopted across aged care and other frontline sectors. It can be implemented without major operational disruption and integrated into existing compliance, accreditation and frameworks.

As more providers adopt immersive learning, the barrier to delivering consistent, high-quality, standards-aligned training is lowering. VR is becoming a practical, scalable way to strengthen workforce capability and improve care outcomes.

The future of aged care training

Training choices made now will determine how effectively organisations embed the strengthened framework at the heart of the reforms. Elevated expectations around workforce capability and the empowerment and autonomy of older Australians go beyond policy alignment. They call for skills, judgement and behaviours that are consistently demonstrated in everyday practice.

Immersive learning provides a practical way to strengthen workforce capability at scale. In an environment of heightened regulatory scrutiny and rising expectations of care, aged care providers must invest in training approaches that build real-world judgement, empathy and confidence.

Equipping support workers with the confidence and skills to deliver high quality, person centred care is no longer optional. It is central to fulfilling the intent of the Aged Care Act and ensuring the rights and interests of older Australians are upheld in every care interaction.

Angus Stevens is CEO and Co-Founder of Start Beyond.

Last Updated on March 13, 2026 by Angus Stevens