Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Bethsalem Care is 3.93 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
Residents consistently describe respectful, caring staff
100% positive on respect and 100% on caring staff, versus 95.9% and 96.0% across other homes.
Residents’ experience rating exceeds the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 3.62 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Staff communication is a relative strength
88% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 81.8% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Reported care time falls short of a staffing target
Total care: 230 vs 223 minutes; registered nurses: 42 vs 44 minutes per resident per day.
Following up concerns is below the survey average
66% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 85.2% across other homes.
Fewer residents feel they have a say in daily life
83% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 93.2% 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 | 3.07 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.86% | 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 | 88.60% | 1354 |
| Staff explaining things | 81.81% | 1354 |
| Enjoying the food | 70.26% | 1354 |
| Following up concerns | 85.21% | 1354 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.96% | 1354 |
| Having a say in daily life | 93.20% | 1354 |
How much care and nursing does Bethsalem Care provide?
In January to March 2026, Bethsalem Care reported 230 minutes of care per resident per day, 7 minutes above its target of 223 minutes. Of those minutes, 42 came from registered nurses, 2 minutes below the registered-nurse target of 44.
In two of the last four quarters, Bethsalem Care met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 216 to 230.
Who provides that care?
Of the 230 minutes, personal care workers provided 162 (70.4%), followed by registered nurses (42 minutes, 18.3%) and enrolled nurses (26 minutes, 11.3%). Bethsalem Care also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers in the same quarter.
What do residents say about Bethsalem Care?
In the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey, 88% of residents surveyed at Bethsalem Care answered “always” or “most of the time” when asked whether staff explain things to them, 6.2 percentage points above the average of 81.8% across other homes. When residents were asked whether they get the care they need (100% against 94.5%) and whether the home is well run (94% against 89.3%), answers were also above the average for other homes.
The largest gap below other homes was when residents were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things: 66% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 85.2%. 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?
A visit is a chance to ask about how the home records and follows up concerns. Of residents asked whether staff follow up when they raise things, 44% answered “always”, 22% “most of the time” and 33% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe?
When residents surveyed at Bethsalem Care were asked whether they feel safe, 83% answered “always” and 11% “most of the time”.
What is the food like at Bethsalem Care?
In the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey, 67% of residents surveyed at Bethsalem Care said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 3.3 percentage points below the average of 70.3% across other homes. The share rose from 60% in 2024. Another 33% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
Food spending at Bethsalem Care in January to March 2026 was $16 per resident per day, in line with the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.13 per resident per day, 54% below the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Bethsalem 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”.
67% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How does Bethsalem Care spend on resident care?
Total spending at Bethsalem Care in the 2024–25 financial year was $421.90 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 61.7% of it. Care and nursing spending of $260.40 was 2% below the sector median of $264.85. These figures are the home’s costs, not the fees a resident pays.
Where does the rest of the spending go?
Other categories included administration ($56.99), cleaning and laundry ($31.12), and accommodation and maintenance ($29.52) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($134.26) and registered nurses ($48.57).
