What’s happening?
Ageing Australia has announced the finalists for the 2025 You are ACE! Awards ahead of Aged Care Employee Day on Thursday 7 August. These awards celebrate excellence, innovation and heart in aged care, retirement living and seniors housing. More than 500 nominations were received nationwide. Among this year’s 52 finalists are several with strong ties to Toowoomba.
Ageing Australia CEO Tom Symondson said, “We’ve had a tremendous number of people nominated this year, which speaks volumes about the dedication across our sector.”
He added, “During a time of major reform, more people than ever are working incredibly hard to support older Australians, and the You are ACE! Awards are our chance to recognise, celebrate and thank those making a real difference every day.”
Why it matters?
These awards show the importance of recognising local teams and organisations working hard to improve care for older Australians. Toowoomba’s representation shows that regional centres play a key part in aged care innovation and teamwork.
Local Impact
- Toowoomba is home to the HealthX Covid Surge Workforce, recognised in the Teamwork category for stepping up during critical staffing challenges.
- The St Vincent’s Care Toowoomba Team has also been named a finalist in the Making a Difference category.
- In addition, St Vincent’s Care as an organisation is a finalist in the Consumer Focus and Care category, with operations including its Toowoomba site.
By the numbers
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More than 500 nominations were received from across Australia.
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52 finalists are recognised across 15 categories including teamwork and consumer focus.
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St Vincent’s Care’s Celebrating You project has drawn over 140,000 visits to its campaign website since 2023.
Zoom In
The St Vincent’s Care Toowoomba Team is known for delivering services that put residents at the centre of care. The wider organisation’s Celebrating You video and podcast series, launched in 2023, has helped change how aged care is viewed by sharing stories from residents, families and staff. The series has hundreds of podcast listeners and thousands of video views.
Zoom Out
These Toowoomba finalists sit within a national field of trailblazers, quiet heroes and changemakers recognised across 15 categories. They reflect the ongoing reform and the collective effort to support older Australians across cities and regional communities.
What to look for next?
Winners of the 2025 You are ACE! Awards will be announced on Thursday 7 August as part of Aged Care Employee Day.
View the full list of the 2025 finalists at Ageing Australia’s website and watch Tom Symondson’s video message.