Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Arcare Knox is 3.6 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
Food enjoyment improved in the latest survey
79% positive in 2026, compared with 64% in 2025: 15 percentage points higher.
Enjoying the food is above the survey average
79% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 67.3% across other homes.
Residents report stronger support for independence
93% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 87.1% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Reported care time falls short of a staffing target
Total care: 217 vs 215 minutes; registered nurses: 40 vs 43 minutes per resident per day.
Residents’ experience rating trails the national average
3 out of 5, compared with 3.62 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Fewer residents feel they have a say in daily life
85% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 92.7% 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 | 95.36% | 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 | 89.08% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.15% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.25% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.33% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.21% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.42% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.71% | 1080 |
What is the food like at Arcare Knox?
When residents surveyed at Arcare Knox for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 79% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 11.7 percentage points above the average of 67.3% across other homes. The share rose from 64% in 2025. Another 21% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
Food spending at Arcare Knox 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 $0.17 per resident per day, 39% below the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Arcare Knox 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”.
79% 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 Arcare Knox?
Asked in the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves, 93% of residents surveyed at Arcare Knox answered “always” or “most of the time”, 5.9 percentage points above the average of 87.1% across other homes. Answers were also above the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff explain things to them (86% against 80.3%) and whether they get the care they need (100% against 94.4%).
The largest gap below other homes was when residents were asked whether they have a say in their daily activities: 85% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 92.7%.
What should you ask about on a visit?
A visit is a chance to ask about how residents have a say in daily activities. When residents were asked whether they have a say in their daily activities, 39% answered “always”, 46% “most of the time”, 11% “some of the time” and 4% “never”.
Do residents feel safe?
When residents surveyed at Arcare Knox were asked whether they feel safe, 79% answered “always” and 21% “most of the time”.
How much care and nursing does Arcare Knox provide?
Arcare Knox reported 217 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 2 minutes above its target of 215 minutes. Of those minutes, 40 came from registered nurses, 3 minutes below the registered-nurse target of 43.
Arcare Knox met both its total and registered-nurse targets in none of the last four quarters. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 216 to 218.
Who provides that care?
Of the 217 minutes, personal care workers provided 162 (74.7%), followed by registered nurses (40 minutes, 18.4%) and enrolled nurses (15 minutes, 6.9%). Arcare Knox also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers in the same quarter.
How does Arcare Knox spend on resident care?
Total spending at Arcare Knox in the 2024–25 financial year was $407.72 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 64.5% of it. Care and nursing spending of $262.90 was 1% 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?
Other categories included administration ($45.25), cleaning and laundry ($30.40), and accommodation and maintenance ($27.29) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($142.46) and registered nurses ($60.90).
