Addressing Workforce Challenges in Broad Acre Communities with EeviCare and AI
Australia’s broad acre aged care communities face a unique set of challenges when it comes to staffing and care delivery, challenges that are becoming increasingly acute as the sector confronts a looming capacity crisis. These expansive facilities, often located in regional areas, struggle with higher staffing costs and the complex task of providing appropriate oversight across large campuses as residents’ care needs evolve. The integration of EeviCare technology with artificial intelligence presents a transformative solution to these pressing workforce challenges.
The Growing Capacity Crisis
The urgency of these workforce solutions has never been clearer. According to The Weekly Source, in Victoria alone, the number of aged care beds has dropped 12.4% over the past decade, just as the Baby Boomer generation begins to require care services—potentially increasing demand by 40%. The publication notes that since 2023, virtually no new beds have been built, with existing facilities reaching the end of their efficient operational life.
As The Weekly Source observes, “The Victorian Government knows residential aged care – they are the only State Government that builds aged care homes. They know they don’t have enough.” This capacity shortage is forcing a fundamental shift in how we think about aged care delivery, driving the emergence of what’s being called “Private Aged Care,” with industry experts predicting that up to half of all retirement village beds will become residential aged care beds within five years.
The Broad Acre Challenge Intensified
Broad acre aged care communities and retirement villages transitioning to provide higher levels of care face compounded challenges. These expansive facilities must now prepare to deliver residential-level care across large campuses without the traditional infrastructure or staffing models of purpose-built aged care facilities.
As care requirements intensify—whether due to advancing dementia, increased fall risk, or declining mobility—these communities often resort to increasing staff ratios, significantly impacting operational costs. The traditional response of hiring additional care staff is both financially unsustainable and increasingly difficult to implement given Australia’s aged care workforce shortage, particularly in regional locations where many broad acre communities are situated.
EeviCare: A Strategic Response to Sector Transformation
EeviCare’s care monitoring platform addresses these challenges by effectively extending the reach and capability of existing care teams across expansive facilities. For retirement villages transitioning to provide aged care services, this technology becomes essential infrastructure, enabling them to deliver residential-level oversight without completely rebuilding their operational model.
The platform’s real-time alert system ensures that care teams are notified when residents require assistance, or when a look-in is required due to declining activities of daily living, regardless of their location within extensive grounds or multiple buildings. This capability is particularly crucial for operators who must rapidly scale their care delivery capabilities to meet changing resident needs.
AI-Powered Predictive Care for Evolving Needs
The integration of artificial intelligence elevates this solution from reactive to proactive care delivery—essential for operators managing the transition from retirement living to aged care. AI algorithms analyse patterns in resident behaviour, identifying subtle changes that may indicate developing health issues or increased care needs.
This predictive capability helps operators anticipate when residents may require higher levels of care, enabling proactive planning and resource allocation. For broad acre communities managing diverse care needs across their campus, these insights are invaluable for maintaining appropriate care standards while controlling costs.
A Sustainable Solution for Sector Transformation
For broad acre communities and retirement villages preparing for the Private Aged Care future, the combination of EeviCare technology and AI represents more than operational efficiency—it’s a strategic enabler for sustainable business model transformation.
By reducing reliance on traditional high-staffing models subject to the vagaries of “rounding”, while enhancing care quality and resident safety, these communities can navigate the transition to providing residential-level care without unsustainable cost increases. This technology-enabled approach allows operators to meet the growing demand for aged care services while maintaining viable operations in an increasingly challenging landscape.
The result supports both residents and operators through this sector transformation: residents receive more attentive, proactive care regardless of their location on campus, while operators achieve the operational efficiency necessary to sustainably deliver higher levels of care in the evolving aged care environment.