Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Carshalton House Hostel is 3.71 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
Food enjoyment improved in the latest survey
85% positive in 2026, compared with 46% in 2025: 39 percentage points higher.
Enjoying the food is above the survey average
85% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 67.3% across other homes.
Residents’ experience rating exceeds the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 3.62 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Worth a closer look
Reported care time falls short of a staffing target
Total care: 175 vs 182 minutes; registered nurses: 48 vs 38 minutes per resident per day.
Staffing rating trails the national average
2 out of 5, compared with 3.18 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Fewer residents feel they have a say in daily life
85% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 92.7% 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 | 96.25% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.07% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.42% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.08% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.15% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.25% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.32% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.21% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.41% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.71% | 1080 |
How much care and nursing does Carshalton House Hostel provide?
Carshalton House Hostel reported 175 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 7 minutes below its target of 182 minutes. Of those minutes, 48 came from registered nurses, 10 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 38.
In two of the last four quarters, Carshalton House Hostel met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 173 to 182.
Who provides that care?
Per resident per day, personal care workers provided 120 minutes, followed by registered nurses (48 minutes) and enrolled nurses (6 minutes). Carshalton House Hostel also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers in the same quarter.
What is the food like at Carshalton House Hostel?
When residents surveyed at Carshalton House Hostel for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 85% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 17.7 percentage points above the average of 67.3% across other homes. The share rose from 46% in 2025. Another 15% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
Food spending at Carshalton House Hostel in January to March 2026 was $17 per resident per day, 6% above the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.86 per resident per day, 207% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to Carshalton House Hostel, 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”.
85% 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 Carshalton House Hostel?
When residents surveyed at Carshalton House Hostel for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether the home is well run, 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 11.9 percentage points above the average of 88.1% across other homes. When residents were asked whether staff explain things to them (92% against 80.2%) and whether staff know what they are doing (100% against 89.1%), answers were also above the average for other homes.
The largest gap below other homes was when residents were asked whether they have a say in their daily activities: 85% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 92.7%. In all, answers on 3 of the 10 questions other than food were at least 3 percentage points below the average for other homes.
What should you ask about on a visit?
On a visit, you can ask about how residents have a say in daily activities. When residents were asked whether they have a say in their daily activities, 54% answered “always”, 31% “most of the time” and 15% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
When residents surveyed at Carshalton House Hostel were asked whether they feel safe, 69% answered “always” and 23% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 54% answered “always” and 46% “most of the time”.
How does Carshalton House Hostel spend on resident care?
Total spending at Carshalton House Hostel in the 2024–25 financial year was $458.26 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 52.5% of it. Care and nursing spending of $240.38 was 9% below 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 ($90.72), administration ($48.86), and cleaning and laundry ($24.19) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($117.60) and registered nurses ($69.51).
