Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Aegis Karalee is 4.37 out of 5, against a national average of 3.81. Three findings stand out as positive, and three are worth a closer look.
Things we noticed
Positive standouts
Care and registered-nurse targets met in four reported quarters
The latest quarter records 229 minutes against a 218-minute daily care target; RN time is 50 against 44.
Staffing rating exceeds the national average
5 out of 5, compared with 3.18 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Food enjoyment improved in the latest survey
61% positive in 2026, compared with 31% in 2025: 30 percentage points higher.
Worth a closer look
Following up concerns is below the survey average
70% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 84.2% across other homes.
Respectful treatment is below the survey average
85% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 95.4% across other homes.
Enjoying the food is below the survey average
61% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 67.3% across other homes.
Sources and Explanation
This is a programmatic interpretation of published data, not an in-person inspection or a separate expert-assigned score. The figures are the Elderberry Index and its four government component ratings; a measure the home has no published rating for is left out. Our rating methodology.
Ratings: August 2026. Survey comparisons: 2026 interview responses from that extract. Other Australian homes in the same ratings extract; survey comparisons also require the same interview year. Each eligible home has equal weight; missing/invalid values excluded. These are descriptive comparisons, not resident-weighted or adjusted for differences in care needs.
How findings are selected
Survey gaps of at least 3 percentage points, rating gaps of at least 0.3 stars, and changes of at least 10 percentage points can qualify. These are editorial selection thresholds, not tests of statistical significance. Benchmarks need at least 30 homes. Each side shows up to three eligible findings; missing values never become negative findings. Specific combined food evidence and sustained care-target results are prioritised, then larger differences. Respect and caring are grouped when both qualify.
Food spending uses the My Aged Care sector median for Jan–Mar 2026; resident enjoyment comes from the 2026 survey. The combined finding reports two separate observations from different reporting periods; it does not establish that spending caused the survey result. Year-to-year survey samples may differ and respondent counts are unavailable. Care consistency uses the latest four submitted, quality-checked care-minute records and direct RN minutes without EN top-up.
A lower compliance rating is a comparison with other homes, not a claim of an active sanction. Higher expenditure alone is not treated as better care. Unadjusted clinical incident measures are not used to rank quality here.
My Aged Care home profile · Government Star Ratings extract
Benchmark populations
| Measure | Mean | Other homes |
|---|---|---|
| Elderberry Index | 3.81 | 2365 |
| Residents’ experience | 3.62 | 2434 |
| Compliance | 4.83 | 2395 |
| Staffing | 3.18 | 2454 |
| Quality measures | 3.07 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.37% | 1080 |
| Feeling safe | 96.24% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.08% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.42% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.09% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.15% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.25% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.34% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.23% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.42% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.70% | 1080 |
How much care and nursing does Aegis Karalee provide?
Aegis Karalee reported 229 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 11 minutes above its target of 218 minutes. Of those minutes, 50 came from registered nurses, 6 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 44.
In each of the last four quarters, Aegis Karalee met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 229 to 231.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 179 of the 229 minutes (78.2%), followed by registered nurses (50 minutes, 21.8%). In the same quarter, Aegis Karalee also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
What is the food like at Aegis Karalee?
When residents surveyed at Aegis Karalee for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 61% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 6.3 percentage points below the average of 67.3% across other homes. The share rose from 31% in 2025. Another 31% answered “some of the time” and 8% “never”.
In January to March 2026, Aegis Karalee spent $16 per resident per day on food, in line with the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.23 per resident per day, 18% below the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Aegis Karalee reports that breakfast, lunch and dinner are all cooked fresh. All meals are prepared on site.
Do residents enjoy the food?
Residents who answered “Always” or “Most of the time”.
61% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
What do residents say about Aegis Karalee?
When residents surveyed at Aegis Karalee for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things, 70% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 14.2 percentage points below the average of 84.2% across other homes. When residents were asked whether staff treat them with respect (85% against 95.4%) and whether staff know what they are doing (85% against 89.1%), answers were also below the average for other homes.
The widest gap above other homes came when residents were asked whether they have a say in their daily activities: 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 92.7%. In all, answers on 4 of the 10 questions other than food were at least 3 percentage points above the average for other homes.
What should you ask about on a visit?
A visit is a chance to ask about how the home records and follows up concerns. When residents were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things, 62% answered “always”, 8% “most of the time”, 23% “some of the time” and 8% “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
When residents surveyed at Aegis Karalee were asked whether they feel safe, 85% answered “always” and 15% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 85% answered “always” and 8% “most of the time”.
How does Aegis Karalee spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Aegis Karalee spent $440.84 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 62.0% of it. Care and nursing spending of $273.48 was 3% above the sector median of $264.85. These amounts are the home’s costs, not the fees a resident pays.
Where does the rest of the spending go?
Spending on other categories included accommodation and maintenance ($55.31), administration ($36.37), and cleaning and laundry ($29.33) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($144.55) and registered nurses ($74.23).
