Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Calvary Brighton-Le-Sands is 3.34 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
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
94% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 80.2% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Staffing rating trails the national average
1 out of 5, compared with 3.19 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Compliance rating trails the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 4.83 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
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 | 3.19 | 2454 |
| Quality measures | 3.06 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.35% | 1080 |
| Feeling safe | 96.24% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.08% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.42% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.08% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.15% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.24% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.33% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.21% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.42% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.70% | 1080 |
What do residents say about Calvary Brighton-Le-Sands?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 94% of residents surveyed at Calvary Brighton-Le-Sands answered “always” or “most of the time” when asked whether staff explain things to them, above the 80.2% average across other homes by 13.8 percentage points. When residents were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things (94% against 84.2%) and whether they have a say in their daily activities (100% against 92.7%), answers were also above the average for other homes.
At Calvary Brighton-Le-Sands, answers were at least 3 percentage points above the average for other homes on 7 of the 10 questions other than food, and within 3 percentage points on the rest.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
Asked whether they feel safe, 69% of residents surveyed at Calvary Brighton-Le-Sands answered “always” and 31% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 69% answered “always” and 25% “most of the time”.
Do residents have a say in daily life?
For choice and independence, the share of “always” or “most of the time” answers at Calvary Brighton-Le-Sands was 94% when asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves.
How much care and nursing does Calvary Brighton-Le-Sands provide?
In January to March 2026, Calvary Brighton-Le-Sands reported 222 minutes of care per resident per day, 2 minutes below its target of 224 minutes. Registered nurses provided 44 of those minutes, 1 minute below the registered-nurse target of 45.
Who provides that care?
Per resident per day, personal care workers provided 177 minutes, followed by registered nurses (44 minutes). In the same quarter, Calvary Brighton-Le-Sands also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
What is the food like at Calvary Brighton-Le-Sands?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 75% of residents surveyed at Calvary Brighton-Le-Sands said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 7.7 percentage points above the average of 67.3% across other homes. Another 25% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
Food spending at Calvary Brighton-Le-Sands in January to March 2026 was $16 per resident per day, in line with the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.15 per resident per day, 46% below the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Calvary Brighton-Le-Sands 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”.
75% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
