Australia is entering an unprecedented era of population ageing. With dementia becoming the leading cause of death in our nation during this reporting period, the need for action has never been clearer. Meeting increasing needs will require ambition, courage and innovation, always guided by a commitment to improving the lives of those we serve.
For HammondCare, that Mission is not simply a demographic challenge. It is a deeply human one. It’s about being like Jesus, who sees people fully. People like those we serve, and all the people whose stories you’ll read here in our 2026 Annual Report. Real people, with real families and lives and histories who need our support, and who look to us when care becomes too hard to navigate alone. That Mission calls us to see each person as an image-bearer of God, and to respond with compassion, courage and practical love.
As we get ready to meet the need as an organisation, with all the regulation and compliance expectations involved, we are also striving to meet the whole person in the way we care. Throughout the year, our teams have demonstrated that these are not competing priorities. In fact, they depend on one another. Sustainable growth, innovation and leadership matter only if they result in better outcomes for the people who entrust us with their care.
Our Next Chapter strategy calls on us to lead nationally in complex care, particularly in dementia and palliative care. During the past year, we continued to strengthen that leadership through clinical excellence, innovation, research and advocacy.
Across Residential, Home Care and Healthcare and Hospitals services, we have deepened our understanding and application of our person-centred approach, launching new Principles of Care to bring greater consistency and integration.
We marked a significant moment at Greenwich, farewelling the hospital site with gratitude as its redevelopment into a fully-integrated health campus and care village began. We also advanced our plans for the ACT’s first dementia-specific aged care village in Curtin.
The launch of Hammond Innovations, led by Dr Anna Barker, continues our pioneering legacy of research and innovation to improve quality of life for people in need, while the publication of The Positive Ageing Equation in May brought together expertise from across the HammondCare community, highlighting the breadth and depth of our complex care capacity and experience.
For Dementia Support Australia, the Hospital to Aged Care Dementia Support Program gathered momentum – by May 2026, the program had supported more than 700 people, offering hope in what remains one of the most significant challenges in aged care.
We welcomed Craig Tapprell as Chief Information Officer, strengthening our technology foundations so they can better support scale, resilience and more time for care, and another wonderful International Dementia Conference again reminded us that research, policy and lived experience matter most when they change lives.
In the past year, we’ve cared for over 45,000 people across HammondCare, yet numbers don’t always do justice to the impact of our care. Sometimes, just one person’s experience can bring to life the profound difference we make not just to them, but to the people who love them.
That’s why this Annual Report is full of stories. You’ll meet Bob Buchanan, whose family was so grateful he found a new home at Daw Park, as well as Anne Berne – her husband John loved visiting our Gymea Bay Respite Cottage, and she was able to properly rest for the first time in years.
You’ll also meet Specialised Carer Jenny, who gently looked after Home Care client Dian and Dian’s sister Evelyn when they were all stranded for seven hours in a car, and Neringah Hospital patient Pamela, who was overjoyed to find her room transformed by the Dreams Program into an art gallery to share her paintings with her family and friends.
At IDC2026 with CMO Victoria Hayman, IDC2026 MC Ray Martin and GM Growth and Innovations Marie Alford
These stories remind us that we follow in the footsteps of Jesus by loving those the world might otherwise ignore, putting their needs before our own. It is a powerful witness to the message of the Gospel.
And we couldn’t do it without the selfless service of thousands of our amazing team members.
So, I want to thank every HammondCare team member and volunteer, as well as family members, supporters, donors, and Board and Association members. You are the heartbeat of HammondCare. You make our Mission visible in cottages, homes, hospitals, offices, communities and quiet conversations every day.
As we look ahead, we see the need is growing, the work is complex, and the environment is demanding. But our calling remains unchanged. From the heart of HammondCare, we will continue to step towards the people who need us most.
Warm regards,
Andrew Thorburn
CEO