Dementia Australia chief executive Maree McCabe will call for mandatory dementia education for aged-care workers in her appearance at the royal commission into the sector in Adelaide.
Ms McCabe, who will appear before the inquiry on Tuesday, says with more than 50 per cent of people in residential aged-care living with a dementia diagnosis, it is essential that a minimum level of specific training becomes a national prerequisite to work across all parts of the system.
"The staffing resources in terms of numbers and skills mix needs to be sufficient to meet the complex care needs of people living with dementia," she said.
"Governments, providers, health professionals and consumers must work together to develop agreed and clearly articulated dementia quality care standards, enshrined in regulation, to ensure that dementia is core business in the aged-care industry."
The commission on Tuesday will also hear evidence from care providers for the first time.
Leading Age Services Australia, the peak body representing providers of residential and home care, will appear before the inquiry, with chief executive Sean Rooney already pledging to work with the investigation to build a better system for older Australians.
Mr Rooney is expected to provide the commission with a sector perspective on how the current system operates and how it can be improved.
"All Australians want a safe, high quality and high performing aged-care system," he said.
"The community expects it, and older Australians deserve nothing less."
Mr Rooney said the majority of providers and their staff did their best every day to meet the needs of those in care but there had been examples of unacceptable failures.
"We are committed to realising a better aged-care system," he said.
"A better aged-care system that delivers care, support and services with compassion, high quality and safety at all times.
"Aged care is an issue of national importance. It is too important not to get right."
LASA represents providers across Australia's metropolitan, regional and rural areas.
About 57 per cent of its members are not-for-profit groups, 33 per cent profit providers, and 10 per cent government providers.
Australian Associated Press
