Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Churches of Christ Little Mountain Aged Care Service is 3.82 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
Care and registered-nurse targets met in four reported quarters
The latest quarter records 199 minutes against a 198-minute daily care target; RN time is 45 against 40.
Food enjoyment improved in the latest survey
60% positive in 2026, compared with 47% in 2025: 13 percentage points higher.
Staffing rating exceeds the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 3.18 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Worth a closer look
Residents’ experience rating trails the national average
3 out of 5, compared with 3.62 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
How well the home is run is below the survey average
75% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 88.1% across other homes.
Following up concerns is below the survey average
75% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 84.2% 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 | 96.24% | 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 | 87.16% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.24% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.35% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.22% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.42% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.71% | 1080 |
What do residents say about Churches of Christ Little Mountain Aged Care Service?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 75% of residents surveyed at Churches of Christ Little Mountain Aged Care Service answered “always” or “most of the time” when asked whether the home is well run, 13.1 percentage points below the average of 88.1% across other homes. Answers were also below the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things (75% against 84.2%) and whether they have a say in their daily activities (85% against 92.7%).
The widest gap above other homes came when residents were asked whether staff explain things to them: 95% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 80.2%. 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 who runs the home day to day and how changes are communicated. Of residents asked whether the home is well run, 40% answered “always”, 35% “most of the time”, 20% “some of the time” and 5% “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
When residents surveyed at Churches of Christ Little Mountain Aged Care Service were asked whether they feel safe, 75% answered “always” and 25% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 45% answered “always” and 50% “most of the time”.
How does Churches of Christ Little Mountain Aged Care Service spend on resident care?
Total spending at Churches of Christ Little Mountain Aged Care Service in the 2024–25 financial year was $400.58 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 61.3% of it. Care and nursing spending of $245.72 was 7% 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 ($48.39), accommodation and maintenance ($44.28), and cleaning and laundry ($15.74) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($147.10) and registered nurses ($65.54).
What is the food like at Churches of Christ Little Mountain Aged Care Service?
When residents surveyed at Churches of Christ Little Mountain Aged Care Service for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 60% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 7.3 percentage points below the average of 67.3% across other homes. The share rose from 47% in 2025. Another 30% answered “some of the time” and 10% “never”.
In January to March 2026, Churches of Christ Little Mountain Aged Care Service spent $16 per resident per day on food, in line with the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.43 per resident per day, 54% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to Churches of Christ Little Mountain 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”.
60% 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 Churches of Christ Little Mountain Aged Care Service provide?
In January to March 2026, Churches of Christ Little Mountain Aged Care Service reported 199 minutes of care per resident per day, 1 minute above its target of 198 minutes. Registered nurses provided 45 of those minutes, 5 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 40.
In each of the last four quarters, Churches of Christ Little Mountain Aged Care Service met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 197 to 209.
Who provides that care?
Of the 199 minutes, personal care workers provided 153 (76.9%), followed by registered nurses (45 minutes, 22.6%) and enrolled nurses (1 minute, 0.5%). In the same quarter, Churches of Christ Little Mountain Aged Care Service also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
