Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Bolton Clarke Baycrest is 4.08 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
Quality measures rating exceeds the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 3.06 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Residents’ experience rating exceeds the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 3.62 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
How well the home is run is above the survey average
100% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 88.1% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Reported care time falls short of a staffing target
Total care: 225 vs 212 minutes; registered nurses: 41 vs 43 minutes per resident per day.
Fewer residents say staff explain things consistently
70% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 80.3% across other homes.
Following up concerns is below the survey average
75% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 84.2% 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: 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 | 3.06 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.35% | 1080 |
| Feeling safe | 96.25% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.07% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.42% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.09% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.15% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.27% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.34% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.22% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.42% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.70% | 1080 |
How much care and nursing does Bolton Clarke Baycrest provide?
In January to March 2026, Bolton Clarke Baycrest reported 225 minutes of care per resident per day, 13 minutes above its target of 212 minutes. Registered nurses provided 41 of those minutes, 2 minutes below the registered-nurse target of 43.
In none of the last four quarters did Bolton Clarke Baycrest meet both its total and registered-nurse targets. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 211 to 229 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 181 of the 225 minutes (80.4%), followed by registered nurses (41 minutes, 18.2%) and enrolled nurses (3 minutes, 1.3%). Bolton Clarke Baycrest also reported spending on physiotherapists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers in the same quarter.
What do residents say about Bolton Clarke Baycrest?
When residents surveyed at Bolton Clarke Baycrest for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether the home is well run, 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, above the 88.1% average across other homes by 11.9 percentage points. Answers were also above the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff treat them with respect (100% against 95.4%).
The widest gap below other homes came when residents were asked whether staff explain things to them: 70% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 80.3%. In all, answers on 2 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 staff explain changes to care. When residents were asked whether staff explain things to them, 45% answered “always”, 25% “most of the time” and 30% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
Asked whether they feel safe, 70% of residents surveyed at Bolton Clarke Baycrest answered “always” and 25% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 70% answered “always” and 25% “most of the time”.
How does Bolton Clarke Baycrest spend on resident care?
Total spending at Bolton Clarke Baycrest in the 2024–25 financial year was $403.86 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 60.6% of it. Care and nursing spending of $244.66 was 8% 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 accommodation and maintenance ($61.27), administration ($40.94), and cleaning and laundry ($28.27) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($154.85) and registered nurses ($64).
What is the food like at Bolton Clarke Baycrest?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 70% of residents surveyed at Bolton Clarke Baycrest said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, within 3 percentage points of the 67.3% average across other homes. The share fell from 79% in 2025. Another 30% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
In January to March 2026, Bolton Clarke Baycrest spent $15 per resident per day on food, 6% below the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.46 per resident per day, 64% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to Bolton Clarke Baycrest, breakfast is cooked fresh, while lunch and dinner are prepared by the cook-chill method. Of all meals, 43% are prepared on site and the rest off site.
Do residents enjoy the food?
Residents who answered “Always” or “Most of the time”.
70% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
