Over 250,000 Australians live in an aged care home (ACH). Guidelines recommend that ACHs cultivate a sense of home for residents (1), yet home remains inherently subjective—your home may not feel like home to me. Psychological, social, and environmental factors may all contribute to a sense of home, but it is unknown whether staff and residents agree on what matters most. Our aim was to compare resident and staff perceptions of what makes an ACH feel like home. We conducted interviews with 70 residents and 66 staff in five ACHs across New South Wales. Resident and staff data were qualitatively compared using framework analysis, with coded counts subsequently used for chi-squared comparison. Residents emphasised psychological factors—preserving ones habits and values—as central to home: “I call it my home because I can do what I want to do” (Resident 2). Staff placed more emphasis on built environment look and feel: “we’re trying to get away from that more sterile look” (Staff 12). Both groups emphasised resident-staff relationships. Critically, some residents acknowledged that an ACH could never truly feel like home, and that this unattainable ideal fostered resentment. These findings highlight the need for service and workforce reforms prioritising psychological and social dimensions of home. However, they challenge us to acknowledge that for some residents, an ACH will never feel like home—and we must consider how best to support these individuals with compassion and realistic expectations. 1. Seemann, et al. (2024). National Aged Care Design Principles and Guidelines.