The
Hearts
&
Heroes
of Aged Care Awards
When we
honour people,
we lift the whole industry
we lift the whole industry
The Hearts & Heroes of Aged Care Awards celebrate the extraordinary people who bring compassion, dedication and leadership to aged care every day.
There are many ways to be part of this celebration, and we would love to hear from you about how you would like to be involved.
Please complete the form below and we will keep you updated and reach out if you have indicated you would like to participate.
Together, we can recognise the individuals who truly represent the heart of aged care.
The
Hearts
&
Heroes
of Aged Care Awards
When we
honour people,
we lift the whole industry
we lift the whole industry
The Hearts & Heroes of Aged Care Awards celebrate the extraordinary people who bring compassion, dedication and leadership to aged care every day.
There are many ways to be part of this celebration, and we would love to hear from you about how you would like to be involved.
Please complete the form below and we will keep you updated and reach out if you have indicated you would like to participate.
Together, we can recognise the individuals who truly represent the heart of aged care.
WHY THESE AWARDS ARE
IMPORTANT
WHY THESE AWARDS ARE
IMPORTANT
Seen. Celebrated. Honoured.
Behind every moment of dignity in aged care, there's a worker who showed up with compassion.
Behind every smile, every comfort, every act of advocacy, there's someone who chose this calling knowing the work is hard, the hours long, and the recognition rare.
The Heart and Heroes of Aged Care Awards exist to change that.
These awards address a critical gap: the aged care workforce is essential, yet chronically undervalued.
By creating a platform to recognise and celebrate the nurses, carers, support workers, and allied health professionals who are the heartbeat of aged care, we aim to honour those who lead with empathy and rise to challenges with quiet courage.
They are heroes, and through these awards we can improve workforce morale, attract new talent to the sector, and shift public perception of aged care work from invisible to invaluable. It's time we told them so.
AWARDS
CATEGORIES
AWARDS
CATEGORIES
People first award
Registered Nurse of the Year
Emerging Leader Award
Allied Health Professional
of the Year
Assistant in Nursing Award
Pastrol Care Award
Administrative Excellence Award
Excellence in Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Catering Excellence Award
Environmental Services Champion
Care through Culture Award
Excellence in culture-centered care for First Nations People
Culturally Responsive Care Awards
Excellence in culture-centered care for CALD Communities
THE
PEOPLE BEHIND
THE AWARDS
THE
PEOPLE BEHIND
THE AWARDS
The Heart and Heroes of Aged Care Awards have been brought to life by a group of leaders who share a deep commitment to the people who make aged care possible.
Each of us spans from different parts of the sector, including:
> Person-focused consultancy,
> AI-enabled health tech,
> Innovation for psychosocial reablement,
> Clinical governance and quality assurance
> Dementia Doula guidance
> Palliative Care
We have each seen firsthand the dedication, compassion and resilience of the aged care workforce. We have also seen how often these contributions go unseen and uncelebrated.
We came together with a shared belief that the people who support older Australians every day deserve greater recognition. By combining our networks, experience and passion for improving the sector, we have created a platform that celebrates the heart, skill and humanity of aged care.
Together, we are proud to champion the individuals who bring dignity, connection and care into the lives of older people every day.xliC
Julie Hogarth-Williams
CEO/Founder
The SeniorsChannel
As the Founder of The SeniorsChannel, I am deeply committed to reducing social isolation and creating meaningful moments of connection for older people.
Having spent many years working directly with seniors, I have seen firsthand the difference that compassion, engagement and human connection can make.
I am involved in these awards because I believe the people who bring heart, dignity and dedication to aged care deserve to be recognised and celebrated.
Libby Hema-Lewis
Clinical Quality & Compliance Mentor
Lewema Nursing & Consulting Care
With over two decades in the aged care sector, I have built my career around strengthening quality, compliance, and workforce capability. I am deeply committed to mentoring teams, improving systems, and supporting staff to deliver safe, consistent, and person centred care.
Every day, I see the incredible work being done by people across all roles in aged care, many of whom are rarely recognised.
Being part of the Heart and Heroes of Ageing Awards is an opportunity to celebrate the people who are the heart of aged care, acknowledge their impact, and ensure they receive the recognition they truly deserve.
Nicole Smith
CEO/Founder
People First Nursing
I am a Registered Nurse, gerontologist, global human rights advocate and public speaker with 20 years’ experience advancing relationship-centered care.
I am the co-founder and Principal of People First Nursing, delivering trusted consulting, hands-on clinical guidance, real life solutions and advocacy that priorities human rights, dignity, and lived experience.
HHAC awards is so important because it recognises individuals who show up each day with compassion and professionalism in a sector known to be challenging. They provide essential care to our elders while maintaining respect, dignity, and consistency in their work.
What they do goes beyond routine tasks—they make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Their contribution is significant and often underappreciated, and they deserve to be recognised and valued for the important role they play.
Tejwant Kaur
CEO & Co-Founder
Jiya
With over a decade of experience in dementia care, geriatric services, and aged care operations, combined with a background in technology, I have built my work around supporting carers, families, and clinical teams through some of the most challenging moments in care.
I am the Founder of Jiya, an AI-powered behaviour support platform designed for both professional and family carers. It provides real-time, non-pharmacological guidance to help understand and respond to distressing symptoms such as agitation, aggression, and refusal of care with greater confidence and compassion.
I am passionate about the HHAC Awards because aged care workers and carers carry extraordinary emotional and practical responsibility, and they deserve to be seen, valued, and celebrated for the impact they make every day.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO
GET INVOLVED
OR FIND OUT MORE?
The Hearts & Heroes of Aged Care Awards celebrate the extraordinary people who bring compassion, dedication and leadership to aged care every day.
There are many ways to be part of this celebration, and we would love to hear from you to share how you would like to be involved.
> Sponsor the Awards
> Be a Judge
> Buy a table for your Aged Care organisation
> Nominate a worthy candidate
> Attend the awards
> Follow our progress and receive updates about the awards
Complete our expression of interest form, and we will keep you updated and/or reach out if you’ve checked the box to get involved.
Together, we can recognise the individuals who truly represent the heart of aged care.
the hearts & heroes of
aged care awards are bRought to you by:
