Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Catholic Healthcare Macquarie Care Centre is 4.15 out of 5, compared with a national average of 3.81. Three findings stand out as positive, and three are worth a closer look.
Things we noticed
Positive standouts
Staff communication is a relative strength
100% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 81.8% 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.
Following up concerns is above the survey average
100% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 85.2% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Enjoying the food is below the survey average
46% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 70.3% across other homes.
Respectful treatment is below the survey average
92% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 95.9% across other homes.
Fewer residents consistently feel safe
93% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 96.5% 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 | 89.33% | 1354 |
| Getting needed care | 94.47% | 1354 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.48% | 1354 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 88.58% | 1354 |
| Staff explaining things | 81.80% | 1354 |
| Enjoying the food | 70.28% | 1354 |
| Following up concerns | 85.18% | 1354 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.96% | 1354 |
| Having a say in daily life | 93.19% | 1354 |
What do residents say about Catholic Healthcare Macquarie Care Centre?
When residents surveyed at Catholic Healthcare Macquarie Care Centre for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether staff explain things to them, 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 18.2 percentage points above the average of 81.8% across other homes. Answers were also above the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things (100% against 85.2%) and whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves (100% against 88.6%).
The widest gap below other homes came when residents were asked whether staff treat them with respect: 92% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 95.9%. In all, answers on 2 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 staff are expected to treat residents. Of residents asked whether staff treat them with respect, 46% answered “always”, 46% “most of the time” and 8% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
Asked whether they feel safe, 62% of residents surveyed at Catholic Healthcare Macquarie Care Centre answered “always” and 31% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 69% answered “always” and 31% “most of the time”.
What is the food like at Catholic Healthcare Macquarie Care Centre?
When residents surveyed at Catholic Healthcare Macquarie Care Centre for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 46% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 24.3 percentage points below the average of 70.3% across other homes. The share fell from 54% in 2024. Another 54% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
Food spending at Catholic Healthcare Macquarie Care Centre in January to March 2026 was $15 per resident per day, 6% below the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, Catholic Healthcare Macquarie Care Centre reported no spending on dietitians, against a sector median of $0.28 per resident per day.
How are meals prepared?
Catholic Healthcare Macquarie Care Centre reports that breakfast, lunch and dinner are all prepared by the cook-chill method. All meals are prepared off site.
Do residents enjoy the food?
Residents who answered “Always” or “Most of the time”.
46% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How much care and nursing does Catholic Healthcare Macquarie Care Centre provide?
Catholic Healthcare Macquarie Care Centre reported 227 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 4 minutes above its target of 223 minutes. Of those minutes, 46 came from registered nurses, 2 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 44.
In one of the last four quarters, Catholic Healthcare Macquarie Care Centre met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 199 to 227 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Of the 227 minutes, personal care workers provided 176 (77.5%), followed by registered nurses (46 minutes, 20.3%) and enrolled nurses (5 minutes, 2.2%). In the same quarter, Catholic Healthcare Macquarie Care Centre also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
How does Catholic Healthcare Macquarie Care Centre spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Catholic Healthcare Macquarie Care Centre spent $409.23 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 58.6% of it. Care and nursing spending of $239.91 was 9% below 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 administration ($72.55), accommodation and maintenance ($33.01), 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 ($139.18) and registered nurses ($66.92).
