15 August 2025

Stories | Aged Care Homes

It’s an old stereotype that’s proven difficult to shake – the nursing home that’s a cold, sterile, hospital-like environment in which older people are left feeling isolated, bored, and bereft of home comforts.

Charting a path in the opposite direction, "home-style" aged care offers seniors a revolutionary new way of living and receiving care. It’s swiftly growing in popularity for its smaller, cozier, and more comfortable spaces that look and feel like home - while still offering deeply person-centred care.

This revolutionary model is set to become the future standard for aged care globally – and potentially change the face of healthcare at large, and is available today at Glendale Lodge aged care home in Elderslie.

What is home-style aged care?

Home-style aged care is a new approach to residential aged care that focuses on creating intimate, "home-like" environments within the larger residential aged care facility. They can be known as:

Households
Cottages
Units
Small home model

All equate to the same idea—a small living unit designed to look and feel like a residential home where older people can live comfortably with round-the-clock care.

At Glendale Lodge, each household accommodates a small group of 16 residents, placed together based on their social compatibility as well as care needs. They share common living spaces such as the kitchen, dining rooms and gardens, while also enjoying their own private rooms with ensuite.

What difference does home-style aged care make?

The concept of homestyle aged care is based on new design principles and guidelines arising from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

These are underpinned by strong evidence that indicates a great number of benefits for older people living in home-style residential aged care.

A study by the Medical Journal of Australia found that the smaller household model was associated with a significantly higher quality of life compared with standard models of care.

The study also found that homestyle aged care even resulted in significantly lower numbers of falls and hospitalisations.

What does home-style aged care look like?

Accommodation in home-style aged care homes such as Glendale Lodge in Elderslie features comfortable, communal spaces large enough to accommodate the whole household, with bedrooms situated off to the side rather than down long, disorientating corridors.

You’ll find homely knick-knacks and thoughtful art pieces throughout, with clinical spaces for medical equipment kept discreetly within easy reach.

The units feature spaces that enable residents to socialise, eat, and enjoy activities together, including:

A shared modern kitchen and dining space
A living area and sitting rooms
Gardens and outdoor patio areas

Home-style community spaces

The home-style model of care also focuses on building and supporting community living through design. Home-style aged care homes will usually feature a number of vibrant communal facilities that promote social, spiritual and physical health. This includes:

On-site cafes
On-site hair salons
Chapels
Gardens, courtyards and walking paths
Function rooms and spaces to enjoy with visiting family members

Physiotherapy and medical rooms are often located on-site too, enabling residents to receive the care they need right in the comfort of their own home.

The heart of the home

As in any household, the kitchen is always a central meeting point, bringing people together over a friendly meal or a cup of tea.

According to Stuart Walton, Manager of Hotel Services across 21 BaptistCare residential aged care homes, creating the right dining environment is crucial in helping residents feel relaxed and comfortable, which in turn, boosts their dining experience.

“When we’re nervous, agitated, or unsettled, our appetite often suffers,” says Stuart. “The more a kitchen space replicates the home-like environment, the more likely it is that residents will relax, have an increased appetite, and be able to enjoy their food.”

Home-style kitchens also enable residents to maintain a sense of independence. Residents are welcome to help themselves to snacks or drinks throughout the day while still enjoying the convenience of home-cooked, healthy, and delicious meals prepared by our on-site chefs.

Menu design that puts residents first

At BaptistCare, our seasonal menus are 100 percent resident led.

Our chefs seek input from the resident community, incorporating their personal and cultural preferences as the first and most crucial step in the menu design process.

Input is then sought from dieticians and nutritionists to ensure that meals are satisfying, tasty, varied, and meet the nutritional needs of older people.

You can learn more about our innovative approach to the dining experience in residential aged care here.

Are home-style kitchens safe?

At BaptistCare, our kitchens are installed with induction technology, which means that you need not worry about the risk of hot surfaces.

Catering teams also work within the strict parameters of our food safety program, in line with the NSW Food Authority, the Health Protection Service in the ACT, and the Department of Health, WA. They are committed to meeting exceptional hygiene standards and ensuring that food safety is always a top priority.

How much will home-style aged care cost me?

With more home-style aged care homes in the pipeline for many aged care providers, including BaptistCare, the model is set to become the new standard for Australian aged care.

The best part is that it costs no more than the standard residential aged care model.

If you’re new to aged care fees, you can learn more in our comprehensive guide.

Alternatively, you can learn about Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) and Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP) options at BaptistCare Glendale Lodge, here.

Find BaptistCare aged care services near me

If you would like to know more about home-style aged care, why not chat with one of our friendly team members – we’d be happy to talk with you about your situation and care needs and can arrange a tour around your nearest BaptistCare residential aged care home.

You can also use our simple online search tool to explore BaptistCare Aged Care Home locations across New South Wales and the ACT.

Click the links below to learn more about:

BaptistCare Glendale Lodge Aged Care Home | Residential Aged Care | MyTeam | Understanding Aged Care | Financial Guide 

Make an enquiry

If you would like to know more, please complete the form and one of our residential aged care specialists will be in touch.

Glendale Lodge in Elderslie offers “Home-style” residential aged care