Project Thrive: A Resilience Intervention to Reduce Burnout and Turnover in Aged Care
Denise Jepsen

Date and Time

Thursday, November 12, 2026, 9:00 AM - 9:15 AM

Theme / Track

Service delivery, workforce and reform

Presentation Format

Concurrent

Background and Aim: The Australian aged care sector faces a persistent crisis of high staff turnover and burnout, exacerbated by heavy workloads and emotional fatigue. Project Thrive was developed to address these systemic challenges by testing whether a tailored resilience intervention, centered on structured self-reflection, could improve workforce wellbeing and retention. Methods: This longitudinal research was conducted across 22 residential aged care villages (16 intervention and 6 control sites) in NSW and the ACT. The multi-phase intervention included leadership briefings and employee workshops on stress management, followed by a five-week structured self-reflection program. A three-wave survey design (baseline, six weeks, and three months) assessed mental health and resilience, while organisational HR data tracked turnover and absenteeism. Results: Sites participating in Project Thrive achieved a 17% reduction in employee terminations, whereas control villages experienced a 30% increase during the same period. This represented a significant drop in the turnover rate from 9.4% to 6.8%, yielding an estimated annualized saving of $780,000. Survey data revealed statistically significant improvements in resilience (p = 0.026), depression (p = 0.016), and anxiety (p = 0.044). While burnout levels remained stable, participants reported significantly higher job satisfaction and organizational commitment (p < 0.001). Conclusions and Implications: The findings demonstrate that fostering a "resilience revolution" through tailored, evidence-based interventions can effectively stabilise the aged care workforce. By equipping staff with practical self-reflection tools, providers can significantly reduce costly turnover and improve psychological wellbeing, ultimately enhancing the quality of care for residents.

Keywords

Best practice, Education and Training, Employee Management, Employment, Evidence Based Practice

Authors