Jill Davidson became Lyndoch's fifth CEO in four months on Thursday, taking over from predecessor Ted Rayment, and said she was aiming high.

"People who know this area very well from a health management point of view say Lyndoch was considered one of the top aged care facilities in Victoria. So that's where we are aiming to go, that's where I want to get to," Ms Davidson said.

She said she believed things were already "shifting".

"The litmus test for me is people applying for jobs. In chaos, where there's a poor reputational state, people never apply for a job when you advertise. What's starting to happen is people are starting to apply for jobs at Lyndoch again," she said.

"That shows me the reputation's on a positive trend."

Ms Davidson, who has signed a six-month contract as interim CEO, also backed the Lyndoch board, which has faced public calls for its dismissal from more than 2000 community members as well as local MP Roma Britnell.

"When I hand the baton on, I'm very confident of this board's ability to ensure that continues, because it is right on the money in so many ways about what needs to happen," she said.

"That's important as a CEO when you've got a board that's strong on not just corporate governance but clinical governance."

Ms Davidson brings a wealth of knowledge as a healthcare executive, director of nursing and nurse educator. Her previous role was as interim CEO and director of nursing turning around a NSW aged care facility "in a much worse position than Lyndoch".

She said the transition in leadership from Mr Rayment to herself would not involve a change in approach, and that Mr Rayment had laid the foundations for success by rebuilding Lyndoch's clinical governance.

Mr Rayment said appointing an interim director of nursing and an infection control coordinator had been cardinal successes in his 10-week tenure.

"Once you get those key positions in place that attracts people to join the organisation," he said, adding that he hoped the interim nursing director would apply for the role long term.

He said while Lyndoch's occupancy had hit a worrying low of 66 per cent last week, it had ticked back up to 68 in recent days and was on track to keep rising.

"We have around eight people who want to be admitted as residents at the moment," he said.

Mr Rayment said WorkSafe had lifted its 'notices of improvement' because of the "significant change" Lyndoch had shown on staff rostering and fatigue management.

He also said an Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission advisor was pleased with the organisation's progress against several failed national standards.

He said Lyndoch had struck a new agreement this week with Deakin University to bring back nursing student placements. Ms Davidson said this was a huge step forward.

"It's such a great buzz for the organisation because students bring so much new knowledge as well as questions. And if you make it a top experience for them they will come back and work for you," she said.

Ms Davidson said she was encouraged by what she had seen in the handover week with Mr Rayment and that previously flagged issues like the monitoring of clinical indicators had been "well and truly enhanced".

"One of the key clinical areas is medication safety, and a group called the medical advisory committee that monitors that," she said.

"The aged care commission advisor attended our medical advisory committee yesterday and said it was the best she had ever seen. That really heartens me, because it's at the heart of the clinical governance for aged care."

Ms Davidson said building Lyndoch's workforce was the biggest challenge she faced, and that was where it was important to restore the faith of the staff and the community.

"It's usually the negative that rises first, and trying to turn around a workforce and management for residential care is all about that positive journey," she said.

"So this is about people feeling confident that there's a vision that will get Lyndoch to where people want it to be."