Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Bolton Clarke Rowes Bay is 4.08 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
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.
Staff communication is a relative strength
90% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 81.8% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Food enjoyment fell in the latest survey
50% positive in 2025, compared with 80% in 2024: 30 percentage points lower.
Enjoying the food is below the survey average
50% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 70.3% across other homes.
Support for independence is below the survey average
80% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 88.6% 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 | 3.06 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.87% | 1354 |
| Feeling safe | 96.45% | 1354 |
| How well the home is run | 89.33% | 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 | 70.28% | 1354 |
| Following up concerns | 85.19% | 1354 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.96% | 1354 |
| Having a say in daily life | 93.20% | 1354 |
What is the food like at Bolton Clarke Rowes Bay?
When residents surveyed at Bolton Clarke Rowes Bay for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 50% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 20.3 percentage points below the average of 70.3% across other homes. The share fell from 80% in 2024. Another 40% answered “some of the time” and 10% “never”.
In January to March 2026, Bolton Clarke Rowes Bay spent $19 per resident per day on food, 19% above the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.61 per resident per day, 118% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Bolton Clarke Rowes Bay 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”.
50% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How much care and nursing does Bolton Clarke Rowes Bay provide?
In January to March 2026, Bolton Clarke Rowes Bay reported 222 minutes of care per resident per day, 9 minutes above its target of 213 minutes. Of those minutes, 45 came from registered nurses, 2 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 43.
Bolton Clarke Rowes Bay met both its total and registered-nurse targets in two of the last four quarters. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 212 to 235.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 177 minutes per resident per day, followed by registered nurses (45 minutes) and enrolled nurses (1 minute). In the same quarter, Bolton Clarke Rowes Bay also reported spending on podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
What do residents say about Bolton Clarke Rowes Bay?
In the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey, 80% of residents surveyed at Bolton Clarke Rowes Bay answered “always” or “most of the time” when asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves, 8.6 percentage points below the average of 88.6% across other homes. Answers were also below the average for other homes when residents were asked whether they have a say in their daily activities (85% against 93.2%) and whether staff treat them with respect (90% against 95.9%).
The widest gap above other homes came when residents were asked whether staff explain things to them: 90% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 81.8%. Altogether, answers on 3 of the 10 questions other than food were at least 3 percentage points above the average for other homes.
What should you ask about on a visit?
On a visit, you can ask about how staff support residents to do things for themselves. Of residents asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves, 60% answered “always”, 20% “most of the time”, 10% “some of the time” and 10% “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
Asked whether they feel safe, 75% of residents surveyed at Bolton Clarke Rowes Bay answered “always” and 25% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 70% answered “always” and 30% “most of the time”.
How does Bolton Clarke Rowes Bay spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Bolton Clarke Rowes Bay spent $393.54 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 63.9% of it. Care and nursing spending of $251.34 was 5% 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?
Spending on other categories included accommodation and maintenance ($42.45), administration ($40.33), and cleaning and laundry ($26.85) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($159.21) and registered nurses ($72.78).
