A lifelong advocate for aged care
Through her work as a nurse, educator, and policy advisor, Jan Herbert has put the interests of seniors first.
Celebrating 50 Years, 50 Lives
In the lead-up to National Seniors Australia's 50th anniversary in 2026, Connect is sharing the stories of 50 people who have made contributions to the organisation over those years.
Dr Jan Herbert’s remarkable career and unwavering dedication to the aged care sector have spanned decades, driven by a deep personal commitment and a passion for improving the lives of older Australians.
Her journey, which she says began “quite by accident”, has seen her transition from a frontline nurse to respected gerontologist and a pivotal figure influencing national policy and standards in aged care.
Jan, 83, (pictured here with her husband, Rod) started her professional life in nursing before becoming an educator and administrator at Royal Canberra Hospital. Her interest in gerontology was ignited early, confronting the challenges of caring for people with dementia at a time when the condition was poorly understood.
She recalls the “cottage industry” nature of aged care in the 1960s and 70s, where facilities were often run by former nurses, with no Federal Government involvement.
Her career progression saw her become an advisor in gerontology within the Commonwealth Department of Health in 1982.
She spent a significant amount of time as deputy secretary to the working party for the National Aboriginal Health Strategy, a commonwealth, state, and territory ministerial report that took over two years to complete. She says this experience, working closely with Indigenous people in communities, “affected me greatly”.
Her involvement with National Seniors Australia (NSA) began serendipitously in 2010. While serving on the New South Wales Ministerial Advisory Committee on Ageing, she met a representative from NSA at a round table event.
Their conversation led to her involvement on NSA policy advisory committees, and she remains involved with our advisory council, offering practical support and advice on aged care issues.
A core focus throughout her career has been on improving the quality of aged care, an area for which she received the national individual award for excellence from Aged and Community Services Australia. She has also served as an external assessor with the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency.
However, Jan acknowledges that significant challenges persist in the aged care sector. Providers grapple with financial viability and staff shortages, while staff are often “overworked and probably underpaid”.
She highlights the critical need for “trained and caring empathetic staff”, especially when dealing with residents who cannot communicate or may exhibit challenging behaviour associated with dementia.
“It takes a very special sort of person to be able to work in that environment,” she says. “[They need] to be able to calm people down, to be able to know how to handle someone when they become aggressive, which some people with dementia do. You’ve got to deal with it.”
Jan says the big issue for many older people is gaining access to quality care that they can afford. Seniors are concerned about the assets assessment under the new Support at Home scheme.
Jan’s PhD research explored broader issues, including the economics and housing of elderly people living permanently in caravan parks, revealing their “very, very tenuous situation”.
Jan says her commitment to improving aged care outcomes remains undimmed, describing it as “just part of my being”.
Through her ongoing dedication and extensive practical experience, Jan remains a valuable contributor to NSA and the aged care community.
