KINDNESS has never felt more needed, especially in health and aged care, where staff, patients, and residents face some of life’s most challenging moments every day.

The good news is that kindness works for everyone involved.

When Professor Catherine Crock AM founded the Hush Foundation more than 25 years ago, and the Gathering of Kindness a decade ago, she was a rare voice calling for kindness and the arts in healthcare.

Now it’s a global movement, with grassroots practitioner networks and integrated patient advocacy.

In July 2025, Safe Work Australia released a national model Code of Practice for the healthcare and social assistance industry, Australia’s largest sector, with more than two million workers and the highest number of work-related injuries.

“Codes of practice and zero-tolerance policies are essential, but on their own they can’t create a culture of care. Kindness is a simple but powerful way to sustain the healthcare sector, tapping into people’s intrinsic desire to be part of a supportive community. A strong sense of community improves staff wellbeing and performance, reduces errors, and improves patient safety and experience. When kindness is at work, everyone thrives!” Prof Crock said.

Music is one of the simplest ways to bring kindness into care, easing anxiety and creating moments of calm in hospitals and aged care homes for patients, residents, families and staff.

Research shows that kindness and music make a meaningful difference:

Witnessing acts of kindness can increase happiness;

People underestimate how much their small acts of kindness mean to others;

Being kind to others is linked to healthier stress-related gene activity in immune cells;

Music before, during or after surgery reduces pain, anxiety and pain-relief use, and;

Music-based therapy probably reduces depressive symptoms in people with dementia.

“Small acts of kindness, a warm word, a moment of calm or a beautiful piece of music can transform how a hospital or aged care home feels for patients, residents and staff alike. And the research tells us kindness benefits the giver just as much as the receiver,” Prof Crock said.

‘Ideas into Action’ draws on 10 years of Gatherings, but this year it’s a week to act, not just listen. Each one-hour session pairs 30 minutes of highlights from past Gatherings with 30 minutes of hands-on activity, as teams find ways to make their workplace kinder – to themselves, their colleagues and the people they care for.

Health and aged care workers already have extensive knowledge and experience and know what is and isn’t working. This is an opportunity to harness those ideas and turn them into much-needed change.

“If we can be a small catalyst, we’ve done our job,” Prof Crock said.

“As Hugh Mackay told us, ‘revolutions never start at the top’. Change may start small, but together, as teams and organisations, we can truly shape the culture of care.”

World Kindness Day is Friday, November 13.

For more information, visit: https://hush.org.au/gathering-of-kindness-2026/