Right at Home is Primed for New Aged Care Regulation
In-home aged care company Right at Home is ideally positioned to support older Australians navigating the new aged care regulations, explains CEO Fritha Radyk.
“The new Aged Care Act (2024) is the government’s response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (established in 2018) and is a once-in-a-generation change,” Fritha says.
“The government is ensuring access to more funded care for people who want to age at home for longer. This addresses the historical issues of limited residential care capacity, unnecessary hospital admissions and high unplanned hospital re-admissions, as well as meeting the growing demand for in-home support.
“While historically long wait lists for Home Care Packages have been partly addressed through the new Support at Home program, there is still significant demand for home care services in the community.
“Right at Home primarily cares for older Australians and those living with disability, but also those recovering after a stay in hospital or living through a serious illness. We have the people and skills to deliver high quality services whenever needed.
“It’s a very exciting time for home care.”
New Law has Tightened Regulations
One of the biggest changes brought by the new Aged Care Act is the higher level of regulation, which focuses on delivering better care and safety for older Australians. As a result, there are strengthened quality standards, greater compliance obligations, and a more prescriptive approach to delivering services, with significant consequences for providers if rules are not followed.
Right at Home delivers complex care services in the higher-level categories of support. This includes clinical care (such as skilled nursing and allied health services like physiotherapy) and daily living support (including personal care and companionship).
Fritha explains that an in-home care business requires an Approved Provider accreditation from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to deliver these government-subsidised services. This accreditation requires adherence to rigorous quality standards and ongoing audits.
Making it Easy for Franchisees to Comply
Acquiring and maintaining accreditation is costly and there’s a high administrative burden that small home care providers would struggle with.
“We hold the umbrella accreditation for our franchise offices allowing them to deliver aged care and support services in their communities from day one,” Fritha explains.
“Our franchisees operate safely, backed by the knowledge and support of our home office based in Brisbane.
“This means franchisees can focus on delivering quality care to their local community,” Fritha points out.
And this taps into the demand for more personalised services.
“Our clients don’t want a faceless corporate. They want someone who lives in the community, who understands their needs and who provides trained and screened caregivers,” she adds.
“Right at Home is on call 24/7 for our clients and we are always available on the phone (yes, we have real people answering phone calls).”
Helping Clients Understand Changes
The new Act, which began on 1 November 2025, also transformed the funding of care services. The changes mean everyone on a Support at Home service will co-contribute to the costs on a means-tested basis and access services in a different way.
“Right at Home’s personalised approach has never been more valuable, as older Australians and their families grapple with the regulatory changes,” Fritha says.
“Our franchise owners are sitting in their client’s lounge rooms, helping them understand the new rules, and having some challenging conversations about co-contributions.
“There are always workable solutions to these issues, we are always ready to help.”
Network Support
“We have 4,500 clients on aged care packages; our team has been working around the clock for the last few months, as have franchise owners, to make successful transitions for clients,” Fritha says.
The franchisees have supported each other too with twice-weekly ‘lunch and learn’ sessions and constant team chats.
“We are really seeing the value of our franchise network and emotional support from peers,” Fritha says.
Advancing Compliance
Right at Home has also boosted its compliance team, especially in the clinical governance arena, to ensure a robust audit risk and compliance team. The shift to stronger regulation means the business is focusing on recruiting franchisees with an understanding of clinical environments.
“You need that clinical background to understand what it takes to operate under very strict compliance rules. There are significant consequences if it goes wrong,” Fritha points out.
Significant Growth Opportunities
Right at Home now has 60 franchises across Australia as a result of rapid growth over the last seven years. The CEO predicts there is substantial growth to come.
“A lot of prospective franchisees can see the opportunity at the moment. There are not many business growth opportunities around, whereas this is a sure-fire thing. With the ageing population over the next 20 years, a lot of people who work in health or aged care have the right skills and can see the potential in owning their own home care business,” Fritha explains.
“Potential franchise owners are looking to go into business with a robust business partner with a working system and a proven track record. That’s a big safety net.
“Right at Home is perfectly positioned to deliver care services across Australia, and in the process, we can double our franchise presence and through this make a real difference to the lives of older Australians.”
This article was first published in Inside Franchise Business.
Right at Home Australia is a leading provider of quality in-home care. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for those we serve ensuring the Right Care, Right at Home™. We support people living with complex and post-operative care needs, dementia and cognitive decline, older adults, and adults living with a disability including NDIS participants. Our tailored services help clients to remain safe and independent in their homes. We have 60 territories across Australia and growing. If you are interested in a franchise opportunity with Right at Home, call us on 1300 363 802 or email