Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Calvary Barongarook Gardens is 3.85 out of 5, against a national average of 3.81. Three findings stand out as positive, and two 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.
Enjoying the food is above the survey average
92% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 70.2% across other homes.
Staffing rating exceeds the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 3.18 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Worth a closer look
Compliance rating trails the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 4.83 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Support for independence is below the survey average
84% 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 | 3.07 | 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 | 70.24% | 1354 |
| Following up concerns | 85.19% | 1354 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.96% | 1354 |
| Having a say in daily life | 93.19% | 1354 |
What is the food like at Calvary Barongarook Gardens?
In the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey, 92% of residents surveyed at Calvary Barongarook Gardens said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 21.8 percentage points above the average of 70.2% across other homes. Another 8% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
In January to March 2026, Calvary Barongarook Gardens spent $16 per resident per day on food, in line with the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.28 per resident per day, in line with the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to Calvary Barongarook Gardens, 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”.
92% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
What do residents say about Calvary Barongarook Gardens?
In the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey, 100% of residents surveyed at Calvary Barongarook Gardens answered “always” or “most of the time” when asked whether they have a say in their daily activities, 6.8 percentage points above the average of 93.2% across other homes. Answers were also above the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things (92% against 85.2%) and whether they get the care they need (100% against 94.5%).
The largest gap below other homes was when residents were asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves: 84% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 88.6%.
What should you ask about on a visit?
On a visit, you can ask about how staff support residents to do things for themselves. When residents were asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves, 38% answered “always”, 46% “most of the time” and 15% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe?
When residents surveyed at Calvary Barongarook Gardens were asked whether they feel safe, 92% answered “always” and 8% “most of the time”.
How much care and nursing does Calvary Barongarook Gardens provide?
Calvary Barongarook Gardens reported 215 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, matching its target of 215 minutes. Registered nurses provided 46 of those minutes, 2 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 44.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 164 of the 215 minutes (76.3%), followed by registered nurses (46 minutes, 21.4%) and enrolled nurses (5 minutes, 2.3%). In the same quarter, Calvary Barongarook Gardens also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
