DrRachel McKittrick

I am a Gerontological Nurse and Nurse Researcher/Research Fellow committed to ensuring older Australians receive evidence-based and person-centred home-based aged care (e.g. Support at Home program).

My goal is simple: To contribute to a future where every older Australian, regardless of their background & life circumstances, can access high-quality aged care at home, delivered by a skilled, supported and valued workforce.

With more than 20 years of clinical and leadership roles working directly with older people and their families, I’ve seen first-hand the challenges people face as they navigate an increasingly complex aged care system. I have also worked in roles spanning policy influence/advocacy and research, focused on aged care and nurse-led health and aged care.

These experiences have shaped my passion for strengthening the evidence base about the critical issues and solutions needed to create a home-based aged care system that is effective and genuinely centred on people, whilst also efficient and sustainable.

Today, my work focuses on generating and translating research that supports meaningful home-based aged care reform at the policy and provider level. I’m particularly interested in workforce challenges within the home-based aged care sector — understanding who delivers care, how they deliver it, and what support, training and structures are required so that the workforce can enable older people with the right care, at the right time, from the right person, with the right skills.

My recent PhD research has created new evidence and related insights into the diverse characteristics and day-to-day needs of older Victorians requiring government-funded home-based aged care. The findings highlight opportunities to better align home-based aged care services, strengthen the workforce, and design care models that reduce system pressure while improving outcomes for individuals and families.

NMHRC funded Centre for Research Excellence, working collaboratively with Flinders University, Registry for Senior Australians Research Centre, National Ageing Research Institute, recipients of home care and their carers, and others.