Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Carrum Downs Private Nursing Home is 4.37 out of 5, against a national average of 3.81. Three findings stand out as positive, and three are worth a closer look.
Things we noticed
Positive standouts
Staffing rating exceeds the national average
5 out of 5, compared with 3.18 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
85% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 80.3% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Fewer residents consistently feel safe
61% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 96.3% across other homes.
Food enjoyment fell in the latest survey
69% positive in 2026, compared with 92% in 2025: 23 percentage points lower.
Support for independence is below the survey average
69% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 87.2% 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 | 3.07 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.36% | 1080 |
| Feeling safe | 96.28% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.09% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.42% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.09% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.17% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.25% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.34% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.23% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.41% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.71% | 1080 |
What do residents say about Carrum Downs Private Nursing Home?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 61% of residents surveyed at Carrum Downs Private Nursing Home answered “always” or “most of the time” when asked whether they feel safe, 35.3 percentage points below the average of 96.3% across other homes. When residents were asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves (69% against 87.2%) and whether staff follow up when they raise things (69% against 84.2%), answers were also below the average for other homes.
The largest gap above other homes was when residents were asked whether staff explain things to them: 85% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 80.3%. Altogether, answers on 2 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?
A visit is a chance to ask about what the home does when a resident says they feel unsafe. Of residents asked whether they feel safe, 38% answered “always”, 23% “most of the time” and 38% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents get the care they need?
When residents surveyed at Carrum Downs Private Nursing Home were asked whether they get the care they need, 77% answered “always” and 15% “most of the time”.
How much care and nursing does Carrum Downs Private Nursing Home provide?
In January to March 2026, Carrum Downs Private Nursing Home reported 238 minutes of care per resident per day, 18 minutes above its target of 220 minutes. Of those minutes, 49 came from registered nurses, 5 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 44.
In three of the last four quarters, Carrum Downs Private Nursing Home met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 219 to 238 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 160 of the 238 minutes (67.2%), followed by registered nurses (49 minutes, 20.6%) and enrolled nurses (29 minutes, 12.2%). Carrum Downs Private Nursing Home also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers in the same quarter.
What is the food like at Carrum Downs Private Nursing Home?
When residents surveyed at Carrum Downs Private Nursing Home for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 69% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 23 percentage points lower than the 92% recorded in 2025. Another 31% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
Food spending at Carrum Downs Private Nursing Home in January to March 2026 was $14 per resident per day, 13% below the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.46 per resident per day, 64% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Carrum Downs Private Nursing Home 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”.
69% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How does Carrum Downs Private Nursing Home spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Carrum Downs Private Nursing Home spent $422.88 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 63.5% of it. Care and nursing spending of $268.45 was 1% above the sector median of $264.85. These amounts 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 ($56.89), administration ($31.75), and cleaning and laundry ($24.90) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($142.50) and registered nurses ($66.30).
