Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Amber Aged Care is 4.12 out of 5, compared with 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 231 minutes against a 221-minute daily care target; RN time is 50 against 44.
Quality measures rating exceeds the national average
5 out of 5, compared with 3.06 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Food enjoyment improved in the latest survey
77% positive in 2025, compared with 67% in 2024: 10 percentage points higher.
Worth a closer look
Fewer residents say staff explain things consistently
54% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 81.8% across other homes.
Residents’ experience rating trails the national average
3 out of 5, compared with 3.62 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Support for independence is below the survey average
84% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 88.6% 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 | 95.86% | 1354 |
| Feeling safe | 96.45% | 1354 |
| How well the home is run | 89.33% | 1354 |
| Getting needed care | 94.47% | 1354 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.47% | 1354 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 88.60% | 1354 |
| Staff explaining things | 81.83% | 1354 |
| Enjoying the food | 70.26% | 1354 |
| Following up concerns | 85.19% | 1354 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.96% | 1354 |
| Having a say in daily life | 93.19% | 1354 |
How much care and nursing does Amber Aged Care provide?
In January to March 2026, Amber Aged Care reported 231 minutes of care per resident per day, 10 minutes above its target of 221 minutes. Registered nurses provided 50 of those minutes, 6 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 44.
In each of the last four quarters, Amber Aged Care met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 221 to 231 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Per resident per day, personal care workers provided 148 minutes, followed by registered nurses (50 minutes) and enrolled nurses (34 minutes). Amber Aged Care also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers in the same quarter.
What do residents say about Amber Aged Care?
Asked in the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey whether staff know what they are doing, 100% of residents surveyed at Amber Aged Care answered “always” or “most of the time”, above the 89.5% average across other homes by 10.5 percentage points. When residents were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things (93% against 85.2%) and whether they have a say in their daily activities (100% against 93.2%), answers were also above the average for other homes.
The widest gap below other homes came when residents were asked whether staff explain things to them: 54% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 81.8%. In all, answers on 4 of the 10 questions other than food were at least 3 percentage points below the average for other homes.
What should you ask about on a visit?
On a visit, you can ask about how staff explain changes to care. Of residents asked whether staff explain things to them, 31% answered “always”, 23% “most of the time” and 46% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
Asked whether they feel safe, 69% of residents surveyed at Amber Aged Care answered “always” and 31% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 69% answered “always” and 31% “most of the time”.
What is the food like at Amber Aged Care?
When residents surveyed at Amber Aged Care for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 77% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 6.7 percentage points above the average of 70.3% across other homes. The share rose from 67% in 2024. Another 15% answered “some of the time” and 8% “never”.
Food spending at Amber Aged Care in January to March 2026 was $17 per resident per day, 6% above the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.50 per resident per day, 79% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Amber Aged Care 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”.
77% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How does Amber Aged Care spend on resident care?
Total spending at Amber Aged Care in the 2024–25 financial year was $450.41 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 56.5% of it. Care and nursing spending of $254.44 was 4% below 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 ($55.01), accommodation and maintenance ($54.61), and cleaning and laundry ($32.16) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($115.88) and registered nurses ($47.52).
