Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Estia Health Kangaroo Flat is 3.08 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
Residents report stronger support for independence
93% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 87.1% across other homes.
More residents consistently feel safe
100% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 96.2% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Food spending and enjoyment both fall below their benchmarks
$12 a day vs a $16 sector median; 57% enjoy meals vs 67.3% across other homes.
Reported care time falls short of a staffing target
Total care: 219 vs 223 minutes; registered nurses: 44 vs 44 minutes per resident per day.
How well the home is run is below the survey average
57% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 88.1% 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 | 88.11% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.42% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.09% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.15% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.27% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.35% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.23% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.42% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.71% | 1080 |
What do residents say about Estia Health Kangaroo Flat?
When residents surveyed at Estia Health Kangaroo Flat for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether the home is well run, 57% answered “always” or “most of the time”, below the 88.1% average across other homes by 31.1 percentage points. Answers were also below the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things (68% against 84.2%) and whether staff explain things to them (71% against 80.3%).
The widest gap above other homes came when residents were asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves: 93% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 87.1%. In all, 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?
On a visit, you can ask about who runs the home day to day and how changes are communicated. When residents were asked whether the home is well run, 32% answered “always”, 25% “most of the time”, 36% “some of the time” and 7% “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
When residents surveyed at Estia Health Kangaroo Flat were asked whether they feel safe, 79% answered “always” and 21% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 57% answered “always” and 39% “most of the time”.
How much care and nursing does Estia Health Kangaroo Flat provide?
In January to March 2026, Estia Health Kangaroo Flat reported 219 minutes of care per resident per day, 4 minutes below its target of 223 minutes. Registered nurses provided 44 of those minutes, matching the registered-nurse target of 44.
In three of the last four quarters, Estia Health Kangaroo Flat met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 219 to 257.
Who provides that care?
Of the 219 minutes, personal care workers provided 168 (76.7%), followed by registered nurses (44 minutes, 20.1%) and enrolled nurses (7 minutes, 3.2%). In the same quarter, Estia Health Kangaroo Flat also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
What is the food like at Estia Health Kangaroo Flat?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 57% of residents surveyed at Estia Health Kangaroo Flat said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 10.3 percentage points below the average of 67.3% across other homes. The share was also 57% in 2025. Another 25% answered “some of the time” and 18% “never”.
Food spending at Estia Health Kangaroo Flat in January to March 2026 was $12 per resident per day, 25% below the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.45 per resident per day, 61% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to Estia Health Kangaroo Flat, 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”.
57% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How does Estia Health Kangaroo Flat spend on resident care?
Total spending at Estia Health Kangaroo Flat in the 2024–25 financial year was $431.18 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 63.0% of it. Care and nursing spending of $271.84 was 3% 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?
Other categories included administration ($53.53), accommodation and maintenance ($39.36), and cleaning and laundry ($25.98) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($149.07) and registered nurses ($64.90).
