Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Churches of Christ Golden Age Aged Care Service is 4.15 out of 5, compared with a national average of 3.81. Three findings stand out as positive, and one is worth a closer look.
Things we noticed
Positive standouts
Staffing rating exceeds the national average
4 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
94% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 81.8% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Following up concerns is below the survey average
75% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 85.2% 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: 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 | 89.32% | 1354 |
| Getting needed care | 94.47% | 1354 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.47% | 1354 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 88.59% | 1354 |
| Staff explaining things | 81.81% | 1354 |
| Enjoying the food | 70.26% | 1354 |
| Following up concerns | 85.20% | 1354 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.96% | 1354 |
| Having a say in daily life | 93.19% | 1354 |
What do residents say about Churches of Christ Golden Age Aged Care Service?
When residents surveyed at Churches of Christ Golden Age Aged Care Service for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether staff explain things to them, 94% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 12.2 percentage points above the average of 81.8% across other homes. When residents were asked whether the home is well run (100% against 89.3%) and whether they have a say in their daily activities (100% against 93.2%), answers were also above the average for other homes.
The widest gap below other homes came when residents were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things: 75% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 85.2%.
What should you ask about on a visit?
On a visit, you can ask about how the home records and follows up concerns. Of residents asked whether staff follow up when they raise things, 69% answered “always”, 6% “most of the time”, 19% “some of the time” and 6% “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
Asked whether they feel safe, 88% of residents surveyed at Churches of Christ Golden Age Aged Care Service answered “always” and 13% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 69% answered “always” and 31% “most of the time”.
How does Churches of Christ Golden Age Aged Care Service spend on resident care?
Total spending at Churches of Christ Golden Age Aged Care Service in the 2024–25 financial year was $401.28 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 60.9% of it. Care and nursing spending of $244.22 was 8% 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?
Other categories included administration ($52.97), accommodation and maintenance ($34.55), and cleaning and laundry ($24.56) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($149.18) and registered nurses ($56.32).
How much care and nursing does Churches of Christ Golden Age Aged Care Service provide?
Churches of Christ Golden Age Aged Care Service reported 222 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 2 minutes above its target of 220 minutes. Of those minutes, 46 came from registered nurses, 2 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 44.
Churches of Christ Golden Age Aged Care Service met both its total and registered-nurse targets in three of the last four quarters. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 213 to 228 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 173 of the 222 minutes (77.9%), followed by registered nurses (46 minutes, 20.7%) and enrolled nurses (3 minutes, 1.4%). In the same quarter, Churches of Christ Golden Age Aged Care Service also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
What is the food like at Churches of Christ Golden Age Aged Care Service?
In the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey, 69% of residents surveyed at Churches of Christ Golden Age Aged Care Service said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, within 3 percentage points of the 70.3% average across other homes. The share fell from 73% in 2024. Another 19% answered “some of the time” and 13% “never”.
In January to March 2026, Churches of Christ Golden Age Aged Care Service spent $16 per resident per day on food, in line with the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.42 per resident per day, 50% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to Churches of Christ Golden Age Aged Care Service, 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.
