Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Emmaus is 3.6 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
Residents report stronger support for independence
100% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 87.1% across other homes.
Following up concerns is above the survey average
90% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 84.2% across other homes.
Respectful treatment is above the survey average
100% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 95.4% across other homes.
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.
Confidence in staff skills is below the survey average
80% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 89.1% across other homes.
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 | 95.35% | 1080 |
| Feeling safe | 96.24% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.08% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.42% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.10% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.14% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.26% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.35% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.21% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.42% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.71% | 1080 |
What is the food like at Emmaus?
When residents surveyed at Emmaus 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 58% in 2025. Another 40% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
Food spending at Emmaus in January to March 2026 was $39 per resident per day, 144% above the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.31 per resident per day, 11% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Emmaus reports that breakfast, lunch and dinner are all prepared by the cook-chill method. Of all meals, 1% are prepared on site and the rest off 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 Emmaus provide?
Emmaus reported 220 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 5 minutes above its target of 215 minutes. Of those minutes, 44 came from registered nurses, 1 minute above the registered-nurse target of 43.
In three of the last four quarters, Emmaus met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 214 to 220 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 175 minutes per resident per day, followed by registered nurses (44 minutes). In the same quarter, Emmaus also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
What do residents say about Emmaus?
When residents surveyed at Emmaus for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves, 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, above the 87.1% average across other homes by 12.9 percentage points. When residents were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things (90% against 84.2%) and whether staff treat them with respect (100% against 95.4%), answers were also above the average for other homes.
The largest gap below other homes was when residents were asked whether staff know what they are doing: 80% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 89.1%. Altogether, 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 the training staff receive. When residents were asked whether staff know what they are doing, 40% answered “always”, 40% “most of the time”, 15% “some of the time” and 5% “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
Asked whether they feel safe, 70% of residents surveyed at Emmaus answered “always” and 30% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 50% answered “always” and 45% “most of the time”.
How does Emmaus spend on resident care?
Total spending at Emmaus in the 2024–25 financial year was $441.41 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 61.2% of it. Care and nursing spending of $270.23 was 2% above 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 administration ($64.79), accommodation and maintenance ($31.89), and cleaning and laundry ($28.95) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($165.69) and registered nurses ($57.85).
