Aged care providers are facing a challenging 2025. New regulations, heavier reporting requirements, staff shortages, and rising care demands are stretching an already strained sector.

To cope, many providers are turning to technology to plug resourcing gaps and drive financial sustainability. But with new regulations driving consumer-driven aged care, client experiences will become a bigger factor when older Australians choose care. What does this mean for aged care providers?

The Need for Seamless, Integrated Digital Solutions

Using technology to improve efficiency is nothing new to aged care providers. But with lots of teams comes lots of systems – and data. Fragmented digital systems are creating a new challenge: what’s the single source of truth?

As care moves beyond traditional settings, data silos are becoming a massive risk. Without integration, real-time insights depend on manual data. Add in new reporting and compliance demands – plus all the new processes required – the admin burden triples. And all these new improvements need funding, which makes securing more IT funding even tougher. So, how do you empower your workforce, meet care needs, and stay financially sustainable?

Sector leaders we speak to see unified digital solutions as the way forward. Beyond streamlining clinical, operational, and financial processes, they’re bridging care gaps and delivering the personalised support older people want.

Below we share three practical situations where aged care providers are finding the biggest relief with digital technology.

3 ways technology can reduce the burden of care

1. Reducing Administrative Overload with AutomationIn a recent national survey, over 41% of workers said they simply don’t have enough time to provide the care their residents deserve. Now, with new reporting and compliance tasks piling up, an already stretched workforce is feeling the pressure more than ever.

   To ease the burden, many providers are using automation to cut down manual tasks like documentation, scheduling, and reporting. The goal? Freeing up care teams to focus on what matters most: delivering quality, person-centred care.

2. Simplifying Compliance & Risk ManagementRegulatory scrutiny is tightening, and from July 1 2025, providers will be under even closer watch. For an already stressed sector, this means more pressure to get everything right – every report, record, and audit.

   Real-time reporting and automation help, but scattered data makes compliance a struggle. Errors slip through, fixing them adds to the workload, and missing them risks non-compliance – and enforcement. The result can be costly – with potential brand damage, community mistrust and ultimately, poor levels of care provided.

   We’re seeing more providers use tools that unify operations and care units to reduce these compliance risks. But the benefits go beyond compliance. It’s creating greater visibility, easier risk detection and better monitoring, and a trusted, single source of truth. In turn, simplifying complex risk management processes.

3. Optimising Workforce Scheduling & ProductivityResourcing gaps continue to strain the aged care sector, but it’s not just about staff shortages. More than 45% of aged care professionals are considering leaving, burned out by stress and a lack of support. For providers, that means constant recruitment struggles, rising costs, and the challenge of maintaining quality care with fewer hands.

   Keeping teams engaged and easing the load will require smart technology that boosts productivity and job satisfaction. In 2025, we’ll see more digital scheduling and rostering tools and mobile-friendly platforms to streamline shift management and meet new clinical care requirements. This approach will also have operational benefits, with resources being better utilised.

   Aged care providers face a tough reality — tight budgets and limited funding for IT upgrades. Every dollar counts, so investments need to be smart and sector specific.

That’s why solutions like eCase that integrate with existing systems are gaining traction. eCase helps providers stay compliant, manage risk more effectively, and, most importantly, give care teams the support they need to deliver the highest quality care possible.