Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Alkira Lodge is 4.22 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 242 minutes against a 208-minute daily care target; RN time is 50 against 43.
Staffing rating exceeds the national average
5 out of 5, compared with 3.18 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Quality measures rating exceeds the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 3.06 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Worth a closer look
Food enjoyment fell in the latest survey
64% positive in 2025, compared with 86% in 2024: 22 percentage points lower.
Compliance rating trails the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 4.83 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Kind and caring staff is below the survey average
86% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 96.0% 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: 2025 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 2025 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 | 3.06 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.87% | 1354 |
| Feeling safe | 96.45% | 1354 |
| How well the home is run | 89.32% | 1354 |
| Getting needed care | 94.47% | 1354 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.48% | 1354 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 88.59% | 1354 |
| Staff explaining things | 81.81% | 1354 |
| Enjoying the food | 70.27% | 1354 |
| Following up concerns | 85.19% | 1354 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.97% | 1354 |
| Having a say in daily life | 93.19% | 1354 |
How much care and nursing does Alkira Lodge provide?
In January to March 2026, Alkira Lodge reported 242 minutes of care per resident per day, 34 minutes above its target of 208 minutes. Of those minutes, 50 came from registered nurses, 7 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 43.
In each of the last four quarters, Alkira Lodge met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 228 to 242.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 181 of the 242 minutes (74.8%), followed by registered nurses (50 minutes, 20.7%) and enrolled nurses (11 minutes, 4.5%). In the same quarter, Alkira Lodge also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
What do residents say about Alkira Lodge?
In the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey, 86% of residents surveyed at Alkira Lodge answered “always” or “most of the time” when asked whether staff are kind and caring, below the 96.0% average across other homes by 10 percentage points. Answers were also below the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff treat them with respect (86% against 95.9%) and whether staff know what they are doing (85% against 89.5%).
The widest gap above other homes came when residents were asked whether they get the care they need: 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 94.5%. Altogether, answers on 3 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 staff get to know each resident. When residents were asked whether staff are kind and caring, 79% answered “always”, 7% “most of the time” and 14% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe?
Asked whether they feel safe, 86% of residents surveyed at Alkira Lodge answered “always” and 7% “most of the time”.
What is the food like at Alkira Lodge?
When residents surveyed at Alkira Lodge for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 64% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 6.3 percentage points below the average of 70.3% across other homes. The share fell from 86% in 2024. Another 21% answered “some of the time” and 14% “never”.
In January to March 2026, Alkira Lodge spent $18 per resident per day on food, 13% above the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.08 per resident per day, 71% below the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to Alkira Lodge, breakfast, lunch and dinner are all prepared by the cook-chill method. All meals are prepared off site.
Do residents enjoy the food?
Residents who answered “Always” or “Most of the time”.
64% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How does Alkira Lodge spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Alkira Lodge spent $453.14 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 61.6% of it. Care and nursing spending of $279.16 was 5% 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 administration ($61.34), accommodation and maintenance ($32.27), and cleaning and laundry ($25.69) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($164) and registered nurses ($73.53).
