Top 5 FM Risks Aged Care Providers Need to Address

Top 5 FM Risks Aged Care Providers Need to Address Before November 2025

With the new Aged Care Act and strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards commencing on 1 November 2025, providers are under mounting pressure to ensure facilities are safe, clean, and well-maintained. For Facilities Management (FM), this represents a major shift — not just in compliance expectations, but in how providers plan and invest in their built environment.

Alongside regulatory change, the Government’s push to extend the life of aged care facilities to increase supply is driving a sharp increase in capital works programs. Providers are not only expected to meet day-to-day compliance needs but also demonstrate long-term investment in refurbishments, upgrades, and safety improvements. This dual focus is reshaping the FM risk landscape.

Here are the Top 5 FM risks providers must address now:

1. Gaps in Documentation and Audit Readiness
Regulators will expect comprehensive records of maintenance, safety checks, and compliance activities. Providers that cannot demonstrate this through audit-ready documentation risk non-compliance, reputational damage, and financial penalties.

What to do: Implement centralised, digital record-keeping systems that ensure every action — from cleaning schedules to fire safety checks – is tracked and easily retrievable.

2. Ageing Assets and Building Condition
With many facilities already operating beyond their original design life, asset failure is a growing risk. The Government’s strategy to extend the operational life of facilities to meet supply needs means providers must invest in capital works to ensure buildings remain safe, compliant, and fit for purpose.

What to do: Conduct condition assessments and prioritise capital works programs that address high-risk assets, from HVAC and lifts to fire safety systems.

3. Reactive vs. Planned Maintenance
Providers that rely heavily on reactive maintenance are exposed to higher costs, more downtime, and increased safety risks. The new standards demand a proactive approach, aligning planned maintenance with long-term capital works.

What to do: Develop a planned maintenance schedule aligned with asset lifecycle planning, ensuring investment decisions are supported by robust FM data.

4. Risk Mitigation and Safety Compliance
Falls, infection control issues, and fire safety hazards remain critical risks. With the new standards, facilities must be demonstrably safe and supportive of resident wellbeing – meaning no room for shortcuts.

What to do: Undertake regular risk assessments, implement mitigation strategies, and integrate these into capital works planning (e.g., upgrading flooring, lighting, or ventilation systems).

5. Governance, Accountability, and Resourcing
Boards and executives are increasingly accountable for FM and capital works investment decisions. With compliance now tied directly to governance, underinvestment in facilities is no longer defensible.

What to do: Establish governance frameworks that align FM and capital works strategies with compliance obligations and organisational risk appetite. Ensure FM is represented at the leadership table.

Final Word
The new Aged Care Standards – combined with the Government’s drive to increase supply by extending facility life – mean providers face a twofold challenge: meeting immediate compliance requirements while also ramping up capital works investment to safeguard the future. Those that act now to address these FM risks will not only avoid penalties but also position themselves as trusted providers of safe, high-quality aged care environments.

Need help getting ready?
TargetedBrains has experience helping aged care and other regulated sectors align their FM practices with compliance requirements and manage capital works programs. Our team can help you review your systems and programs, strengthen governance, and embed proactive risk management – well before November 2025. Contact contactus@targetedbrains.com for a chat.