Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Bolton Clarke Bayside (VIC) is 3.74 out of 5, against a national average of 3.81. Two findings stand out as positive, and three are worth a closer look.
Things we noticed
Positive standouts
Care and registered-nurse targets met in four reported quarters
The latest quarter records 253 minutes against a 232-minute daily care target; RN time is 56 against 46.
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
1 out of 5, compared with 3.07 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Fewer residents say staff explain things consistently
55% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 80.3% across other homes.
Food enjoyment fell in the latest survey
55% positive in 2026, compared with 75% in 2025: 20 percentage points lower.
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 | 95.37% | 1080 |
| Feeling safe | 96.26% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.10% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.43% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.09% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.17% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.28% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.35% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.22% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.42% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.71% | 1080 |
What do residents say about Bolton Clarke Bayside (VIC)?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 55% of residents surveyed at Bolton Clarke Bayside (VIC) answered “always” or “most of the time” when asked whether staff explain things to them, below the 80.3% average across other homes by 25.3 percentage points. Answers were also below the average for other homes when residents were asked whether the home is well run (67% against 88.1%) and whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves (67% against 87.2%).
At Bolton Clarke Bayside (VIC), answers were at least 3 percentage points below the average for other homes on 9 of the 10 questions other than food, and within 3 percentage points on the rest.
What should you ask about on a visit?
On a visit, you can ask about how staff explain changes to care. When residents were asked whether staff explain things to them, 44% answered “always”, 11% “most of the time” and 44% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
When residents surveyed at Bolton Clarke Bayside (VIC) were asked whether they feel safe, 56% answered “always” and 22% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 89% answered “always”.
How much care and nursing does Bolton Clarke Bayside (VIC) provide?
In January to March 2026, Bolton Clarke Bayside (VIC) reported 253 minutes of care per resident per day, 21 minutes above its target of 232 minutes. Registered nurses provided 56 of those minutes, 10 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 46.
Bolton Clarke Bayside (VIC) met both its total and registered-nurse targets in each of the last four quarters. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 247 to 255 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 197 of the 253 minutes (77.9%), followed by registered nurses (56 minutes, 22.1%). In the same quarter, Bolton Clarke Bayside (VIC) also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
How does Bolton Clarke Bayside (VIC) spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Bolton Clarke Bayside (VIC) spent $311.70 per resident per day on care and nursing, 18% above the sector median of $264.85. Spending across all categories was $456.72 per resident per day. 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 ($47.42), accommodation and maintenance ($31.37), and cleaning and laundry ($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 ($188.85) and registered nurses ($88.97).
What is the food like at Bolton Clarke Bayside (VIC)?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 55% of residents surveyed at Bolton Clarke Bayside (VIC) said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 12.3 percentage points below the average of 67.3% across other homes. The share fell from 75% in 2025. Another 44% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
In January to March 2026, Bolton Clarke Bayside (VIC) spent $15 per resident per day on food, 6% below the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.21 per resident per day, 25% below the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Bolton Clarke Bayside (VIC) 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”.
55% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
