Entered into: Best Host of a Television Format 2024




Produced by: Artemis Media

Distributed by: ABC Commercial

For: Australian Broadcasting Corporation



Spurred by shocking findings from the 2021 Aged Care Royal Commission which exposed extraordinarily high levels of neglect, social isolation and malnutrition in elderly Australians living in aged care, national food icon Maggie Beer OA led an ambitious world-first social experiment to transform the meals and dining experience at an aged care home - restoring health and joy to the residents and carers.

Being named Senior Australian of the Year in 2010 set Maggie on the pathway to establishing a Foundation to advocate, educate, facilitate and conduct research - aiming to ensure health and happiness for every older Australian.

Artemis Media is an award-winning production company, telling great stories with passion, integrity and style. With a background in Social Impact documentary, Artemis Media teamed up for ‘Maggie Beer’s Big Mission’ to create national and international conversation and to spark nationwide change.

The stakes are high. A new rights-based Aged Care Act is currently being drafted for the Australian parliament. The series is strategically timed not only to drive critical conversation amongst audiences and to spark nationwide change, it also provides practical examples of best practice person-centred care and good nutrition.

Over 4 months, the series tracks Maggie and her team of experts. With her mantra ‘make every mouthful count’, Maggie worked closely with a speech pathologist, a dietitian, and the home’s Executive Chef, to introduce new recipes high in protein and full of flavour.

Food for the elderly has numerous complications, and the team faced many challenges in breaking down barriers and encouraging culturally diverse residents, staff and management to try new ways and think differently.

Under the guidance of care change consultants, an occupational therapist and a registered nurse, the dining rooms were renovated to provide a beautiful environment. The shared garden was redesigned to encourage residents, families and staff to spend time outdoors.

Alongside this the entire care model was re-vamped, taking best practice from existing care models and ways of working, a unique person-centred model of care was developed with a focus on the needs and abilities of each individual resident. Residents were encouraged to ‘do more’ with the introduction of resident roles, giving them purpose, dignity, increased social connection and tackling institutional loneliness.

Staff were upskilled and empowered, improving the way they cared for residents and increasing their job satisfaction.

For the home CEO, it was a brave endeavour to be open to such a big transformation. Optimistic and hopeful that, together with Maggie’s team, his staff would be able to roll out the new changes – and if successful, he committed to rolling the changes to not only the rest of the home, but to the other aged care homes in the region.

The Aged Care Minister arrives to witness and celebrate the project’s success, gaining an understanding of what it takes to make sustainable wholesale change to an industry plagued with issues.

Maggie‘s most ambitious project is the one she’s proudest of - providing a roadmap for a new model of care.