Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Courtlands Aged Care Facility is 3.3 out of 5, compared with a national average of 3.81. Two 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 223 minutes against a 218-minute daily care target; RN time is 48 against 44.
Residents report stronger support for independence
91% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 87.1% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Food enjoyment fell in the latest survey
45% positive in 2026, compared with 68% in 2025: 23 percentage points lower.
Enjoying the food is below the survey average
45% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 67.4% across other homes.
Compliance rating trails the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 4.83 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
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 | 88.09% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.43% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.10% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.15% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.26% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.36% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.22% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.42% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.72% | 1080 |
What is the food like at Courtlands Aged Care Facility?
When residents surveyed at Courtlands Aged Care Facility for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 45% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 22.4 percentage points below the average of 67.4% across other homes. The share fell from 68% in 2025. Another 32% answered “some of the time” and 23% “never”.
Food spending at Courtlands Aged Care Facility in January to March 2026 was $16 per resident per day, in line with the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.20 per resident per day, 29% below the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Courtlands Aged Care Facility 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”.
45% 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 Courtlands Aged Care Facility?
When residents surveyed at Courtlands Aged Care Facility for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they have a say in their daily activities, 78% answered “always” or “most of the time”, below the 92.7% average across other homes by 14.7 percentage points. Answers were also below the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff know what they are doing (78% against 89.1%) and whether the home is well run (77% against 88.1%).
The largest gap above other homes was when residents were asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves: 91% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 87.1%.
What should you ask about on a visit?
A visit is a chance to ask about how residents have a say in daily activities. Of residents asked whether they have a say in their daily activities, 55% answered “always”, 23% “most of the time”, 14% “some of the time” and 9% “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
Asked whether they feel safe, 77% of residents surveyed at Courtlands Aged Care Facility answered “always” and 18% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 55% answered “always” and 32% “most of the time”.
How much care and nursing does Courtlands Aged Care Facility provide?
In January to March 2026, Courtlands Aged Care Facility reported 223 minutes of care per resident per day, 5 minutes above its target of 218 minutes. Registered nurses provided 48 of those minutes, 4 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 44.
In each of the last four quarters, Courtlands Aged Care Facility met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 216 to 223.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 175 of the 223 minutes (78.5%), followed by registered nurses (48 minutes, 21.5%). In the same quarter, Courtlands Aged Care Facility also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
How does Courtlands Aged Care Facility spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Courtlands Aged Care Facility spent $453.59 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 62.2% of it. Care and nursing spending of $282.30 was 7% above 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 ($54.38), accommodation and maintenance ($43.77), and cleaning and laundry ($30.87) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($163.92) and registered nurses ($59.88).
