Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Caroline Chisholm Nursing Home is 3.75 out of 5, compared with a national average of 3.81. One finding stands 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.
Worth a closer look
Fewer residents say staff explain things consistently
46% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 80.3% across other homes.
Fewer residents feel they have a say in daily life
61% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 92.7% across other homes.
Confidence in staff skills is below the survey average
62% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 89.1% 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 | 95.37% | 1080 |
| Feeling safe | 96.25% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.09% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.43% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.11% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.18% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.29% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.35% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.24% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.42% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.74% | 1080 |
What do residents say about Caroline Chisholm Nursing Home?
When residents surveyed at Caroline Chisholm Nursing Home for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether staff explain things to them, 46% answered “always” or “most of the time”, below the 80.3% average across other homes by 34.3 percentage points. When residents were asked whether they have a say in their daily activities (61% against 92.7%) and whether staff know what they are doing (62% against 89.1%), answers were also below the average for other homes.
At Caroline Chisholm Nursing Home, answers were at least 3 percentage points below the average for other homes on all 10 questions other than food.
What should you ask about on a visit?
On a visit, you can ask about how staff explain changes to care. Of residents asked whether staff explain things to them, 15% answered “always”, 31% “most of the time”, 46% “some of the time” and 8% “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
Asked whether they feel safe, 46% of residents surveyed at Caroline Chisholm Nursing Home answered “always” and 46% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 46% answered “always” and 38% “most of the time”.
How much care and nursing does Caroline Chisholm Nursing Home provide?
Caroline Chisholm Nursing Home reported 251 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 13 minutes above its target of 238 minutes. Of those minutes, 48 came from registered nurses, 1 minute above the registered-nurse target of 47.
In two of the last four quarters, Caroline Chisholm Nursing Home met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 226 to 251 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Per resident per day, personal care workers provided 204 minutes, followed by registered nurses (48 minutes). Caroline Chisholm Nursing Home also reported spending on physiotherapists, speech pathologists and dietitians in the same quarter.
What is the food like at Caroline Chisholm Nursing Home?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 54% of residents surveyed at Caroline Chisholm Nursing Home said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 13.4 percentage points below the average of 67.4% across other homes. The share rose from 53% in 2025. Another 46% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
Food spending at Caroline Chisholm Nursing Home in January to March 2026 was $15 per resident per day, 6% below the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.89 per resident per day, 218% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to Caroline Chisholm Nursing Home, 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”.
54% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How does Caroline Chisholm Nursing Home spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Caroline Chisholm Nursing Home spent $481.54 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 56.0% of it. Care and nursing spending of $269.49 was 2% above 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 ($90.30), administration ($46.48), and cleaning and laundry ($26.72) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($165.21) and registered nurses ($62.81).
