Migration, Diversity and Care

Secondary Qualitative Analysis of the Australian Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety

The 2018–2021 Australian Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety investigated major failings within the aged care sector. As all evidence was made publicly available, there was a unique opportunity for scholarly analysis. The Commission received more than 10,000 submissions, including consultation papers, research reports, practice guidelines, and hearing transcripts. These materials offered insight into the Australian public’s perspectives on aged care. Our research focused on amplifying underrepresented voices and topics within the Commission’s recommendations and developing our own recommendations for policy, practice, and care.

Several high-profile issues featured prominently in the Royal Commission reports, including the use of sedative medications, while other topics of research interest, such as emergency department transfers and sleep that aligned with researcher expertise, were also examined. Additionally, issues that received less attention in the findings were explored including dignity of risk, culturally appropriate dementia care, and the needs of LGBTIQ+ communities. To manage this extensive dataset, tailored search strategies and data management techniques were developed. According to research question, different qualitative analytic approaches were adopted and included thematic analysis, case study analysis, critical discourse analysis, and critical thematic analysis.

This project leveraged the extensive evidence gathered by the Australian Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety to generate new knowledge about aged care experiences, practices, policy challenges, and amplified underrepresented voices. Methodologically, this project showcases the value of large scale publicly available qualitative data as an opportunity for analysis to address a range of socially relevant research questions.

Funding agency

Centre for Research in Aged Care: ECU Strategic Research Centre

Project duration

January 2021 – January 2026

Publications

• Cain, P., Gringart, E., & Porock, D. (under revision) A Critical Thematic Analysis of LGBTQAI+ Voices from the Australian Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. Australian Journal of Social Issues.
• Smyth, A., Cain, P., Pangerl, S., Gordon, C., Bail, K., Porock, D. (2025). Sleep in Residential Aged Care: A Secondary Qualitative Analysis of Data from the Australian Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. Western Journal of Nursing Research. 47(6), 449-457. doi:10.1177/01939459251324831
• Cain, P., Chejor, P., & Porock, D. (2023) Chemical restraint as behavioural euthanasia: Case studies from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. BMC Geriatrics, doi:10.1186/s12877-023-04116-5
• Chejor, P., Cain, P., Laging, B., & Porock, D. (2023). Dementia care for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds: Qualitative secondary analysis of the Aged Care Australian Royal Commission data. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 42(4), 751-761. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajag.13241
• Cain, P., Alan, J., & Porock, D. (2022). Emergency department transfers from residential aged care: what can we learn from secondary qualitative analysis of Australian Royal Commission data? BMJ Open, 12(e063790). doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2022-063790

Presentations

• Chejor, P., Atee, M., Cain, P., Whiting, D., Morris, T., & Porock, D. Using secondary sources to understand the experiences of living with dementia. 5th Annual Ageing Forum: Dementia and Social Care for Diverse Communities. November 2023, Perth, Western Australia.
• Cain, P., Porock, D., & Gringart, E. (2022). Ageing with Pride: Voices of LGBTI elders and the community from the Australian Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. Plenary presentation at the Australasian Conference on the Care of Older People. October 23-28, Perth, Western Australia.
• Stanley, M., & Cain, P. (2021). Managing risks and rights in aged care: Secondary qualitative analysis of Australian Royal Commission Data. Presentation at Australian Association of Gerontology, November 9-12, Gold Coast, Queensland.

Related projects

N/A

Researchers

• Emeritus Professor Davina Porock
• Professor Mandy Stanley
• Associate Professor Eyal Gringart
• Dr Trish Cain
• Dr Pelden Chejor
• Dr Janine Alan (External)
• Associate Professor Aisling Smyth (UWA)