Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The residents’ experience rating for Blue Care Bundaberg Riverlea Aged Care Facility is 4 out of 5, against a national average of 3.62. Three findings stand out as positive, and three are worth a closer look.
Things we noticed
Positive standouts
Food enjoyment is above average, with lower reported spending
76% enjoy meals vs 67.3% across other homes; spending is $12 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.
Following up concerns is above the survey average
100% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 84.2% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Staffing rating trails the national average
2 out of 5, compared with 3.18 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Quality measures rating trails the national average
2 out of 5, compared with 3.07 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Confidence in staff skills is below the survey average
86% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 89.1% 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 | 2366 |
| Residents’ experience | 3.62 | 2434 |
| Compliance | 4.83 | 2396 |
| Staffing | 3.18 | 2454 |
| Quality measures | 3.07 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.35% | 1080 |
| Feeling safe | 96.25% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.08% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.42% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.09% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.15% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.25% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.33% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.20% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.41% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.70% | 1080 |
How much care and nursing does Blue Care Bundaberg Riverlea Aged Care Facility provide?
In January to March 2026, Blue Care Bundaberg Riverlea Aged Care Facility reported 222 minutes of care per resident per day, 3 minutes below its target of 225 minutes. Registered nurses provided 42 of those minutes, 3 minutes below the registered-nurse target of 45.
Who provides that care?
Of the 222 minutes, personal care workers provided 175 (78.8%), followed by registered nurses (42 minutes, 18.9%) and enrolled nurses (5 minutes, 2.3%). In the same quarter, Blue Care Bundaberg Riverlea Aged Care Facility also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
What do residents say about Blue Care Bundaberg Riverlea Aged Care Facility?
When residents surveyed at Blue Care Bundaberg Riverlea Aged Care Facility for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things, 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, above the 84.2% average across other homes by 15.8 percentage points. Answers were also above the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff explain things to them (91% against 80.2%) and whether they have a say in their daily activities (100% against 92.7%).
The widest gap below other homes came when residents were asked whether staff know what they are doing: 86% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 89.1%.
What should you ask about on a visit?
On a visit, you can ask about the training staff receive. When residents were asked whether staff know what they are doing, 48% answered “always”, 38% “most of the time” and 14% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
Asked whether they feel safe, 71% of residents surveyed at Blue Care Bundaberg Riverlea Aged Care Facility answered “always” and 24% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 57% answered “always” and 38% “most of the time”.
What is the food like at Blue Care Bundaberg Riverlea Aged Care Facility?
When residents surveyed at Blue Care Bundaberg Riverlea Aged Care Facility for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 76% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 8.7 percentage points above the average of 67.3% across other homes. Another 19% answered “some of the time” and 5% “never”.
Food spending at Blue Care Bundaberg Riverlea Aged Care Facility in January to March 2026 was $12 per resident per day, 25% below the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, Blue Care Bundaberg Riverlea Aged Care Facility reported no spending on dietitians, against a sector median of $0.28 per resident per day.
How are meals prepared?
Blue Care Bundaberg Riverlea Aged Care Facility reports that breakfast, lunch and dinner are all prepared by the cook-chill method. Of all meals, 62% are prepared on site and the rest off site.
Do residents enjoy the food?
Residents who answered “Always” or “Most of the time”.
76% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
