Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Benetas St Paul's Terrace is 4.22 out of 5, compared with a national average of 3.81. Three findings stand out as positive, and two are worth a closer look.
Things we noticed
Positive standouts
Food enjoyment is above average, with lower reported spending
94% enjoy meals vs 67.3% across other homes; spending is $13 vs a $16 sector median.
Residents consistently describe respectful, caring staff
100% positive on respect and 100% on caring staff, versus 95.4% and 95.4% across other homes.
Staffing rating exceeds the national average
5 out of 5, compared with 3.18 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Worth a closer look
Quality measures rating trails the national average
2 out of 5, compared with 3.07 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Fewer residents feel they have a say in daily life
87% 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 | 95.35% | 1080 |
| Feeling safe | 96.24% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.07% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.42% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.08% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.15% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.26% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.31% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.21% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.41% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.71% | 1080 |
How much care and nursing does Benetas St Paul's Terrace provide?
In January to March 2026, Benetas St Paul's Terrace reported 229 minutes of care per resident per day, 19 minutes above its target of 210 minutes. Registered nurses provided 45 of those minutes, 2 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 43.
In three of the last four quarters, Benetas St Paul's Terrace met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 210 to 229.
Who provides that care?
Of the 229 minutes, personal care workers provided 153 (66.8%), followed by registered nurses (45 minutes, 19.7%) and enrolled nurses (31 minutes, 13.5%). Benetas St Paul's Terrace also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers in the same quarter.
What is the food like at Benetas St Paul's Terrace?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 94% of residents surveyed at Benetas St Paul's Terrace said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 26.7 percentage points above the average of 67.3% across other homes. The share rose from 92% in 2025. Another 7% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
Food spending at Benetas St Paul's Terrace in January to March 2026 was $13 per resident per day, 19% below the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.05 per resident per day, 82% below the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Benetas St Paul's Terrace 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”.
94% 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 Benetas St Paul's Terrace?
Asked in the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey whether the home is well run, 100% of residents surveyed at Benetas St Paul's Terrace answered “always” or “most of the time”, 11.9 percentage points above the average of 88.1% across other homes. When residents were asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves (93% against 87.1%) and whether staff treat them with respect (100% against 95.4%), answers were also above the average for other homes.
The widest gap below other homes came when residents were asked whether they have a say in their daily activities: 87% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 92.7%.
What should you ask about on a visit?
On a visit, you can ask about how residents have a say in daily activities. When residents were asked whether they have a say in their daily activities, 67% answered “always”, 20% “most of the time” and 13% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
Asked whether they feel safe, 73% of residents surveyed at Benetas St Paul's Terrace answered “always” and 27% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 80% answered “always” and 13% “most of the time”.
How does Benetas St Paul's Terrace spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Benetas St Paul's Terrace spent $413 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 65.0% of it. Care and nursing spending of $268.41 was 1% 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 ($50.60), accommodation and maintenance ($34.14), and cleaning and laundry ($21.93) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($144.40) and registered nurses ($62.55).
