Providers nationwide are required to comply with the new Aged Care Quality Standards from July 1. The standards replace four sets of standards that governed different types of providers, a change aimed at making it easier for consumers and their carers to understand what they can expect from a service.

Debbie Hutchinson, who works at the 14-bed Allambi aged care facility, said staffing levels would be the main challenge for providers to address in complying.

"I think the government needs to give facilities more funding so they can put more staff on and ensure better staff-to-client ratios," she said.

"In facilities where you've got 40, 50 or 70 beds the health workers are constantly under the pump."

Nearly 10,000 people over 65 are expected to call the Wimmera home by 2031.

The new standards will come into effect as the nationwide Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety continues.

Set up in October last year, the probe is investigating mistreatment and abuse, the causes of any systemic failures, and any action that should be taken among other things.

Ms Hutchinson said she expected the probe to recommend higher-skilled professionals for the aged care workforce.

"I personally think they're going to want healthcare workers to be upskilled," she said. "Maybe to a Certificate IV in Aged Care so they can take on more responsibility and extra knowledge compared to a Certificate III,"

Ms Hutchinson recently trained eight new Certificate III-qualified aged care workers as part of a course offered out of Horsham's Centre for Participation. She has previously delivered Certificate III training with Horsham's WDEA Works.

Sarah Kleinitz, acting director of residential services at Wimmera Health Care Group, said the new guidelines gave consumers choice about the services they received, where previously it had been up to providers to make these decisions.

"Instead of us telling residents what's best for them they can tell us what they want," she said.

"Historically, moving into an aged care facility has been a grieving process. People feel they lose their independence. With the new standards providers have to show list of activities they have put together are based on the likes and dislikes of residents.

Ms Kleinitz encouraged the families of aged care residents to ask questions about keeping their loved ones as engaged in the community as possible.

"As an example, if a resident went to a restaurant every weekend and all of a sudden they move into a facility, by asking the question we would have to try to facilitate the resident still being able to do that," she said.

Wimmera Health Care Group oversees Kurrajong lodge, the Dimboola campus and Wimmera nursing home, which collectively offer 112 aged care beds.

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