Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Fronditha Anesi Aged Care Services - Thornbury is 3.6 out of 5, compared with a national average of 3.81. One finding stands out as positive, and three are worth a closer look.
Things we noticed
Positive standouts
More residents consistently feel safe
100% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 96.2% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Reported care time falls short of a staffing target
Total care: 225 vs 224 minutes; registered nurses: 40 vs 45 minutes per resident per day.
Residents’ experience rating trails the national average
3 out of 5, compared with 3.62 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Getting needed care is below the survey average
83% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 94.4% 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 | 88.08% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.43% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.10% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.15% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.27% | 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 Fronditha Anesi Aged Care Services - Thornbury?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 83% of residents surveyed at Fronditha Anesi Aged Care Services - Thornbury answered “always” or “most of the time” when asked whether they get the care they need, 11.4 percentage points below the average of 94.4% across other homes. When residents were asked whether staff know what they are doing (79% against 89.1%) and whether staff explain things to them (71% against 80.3%), answers were also below the average for other homes.
The widest gap above other homes came when residents were asked whether they feel safe: 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 96.2%.
What should you ask about on a visit?
On a visit, you can ask about how care plans are reviewed and changed. When residents were asked whether they get the care they need, 58% answered “always”, 25% “most of the time”, 13% “some of the time” and 4% “never”.
Do residents have a say in daily life?
On choice and independence at Fronditha Anesi Aged Care Services - Thornbury, the share answering “always” or “most of the time” was 88% when asked whether they have a say in their daily activities and 88% when asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves.
What is the food like at Fronditha Anesi Aged Care Services - Thornbury?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 58% of residents surveyed at Fronditha Anesi Aged Care Services - Thornbury said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 9.3 percentage points below the average of 67.3% across other homes. The share fell from 65% in 2025. Another 38% answered “some of the time” and 4% “never”.
In January to March 2026, Fronditha Anesi Aged Care Services - Thornbury spent $15 per resident per day on food, 6% below the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.37 per resident per day, 32% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Fronditha Anesi Aged Care Services - Thornbury 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”.
58% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How does Fronditha Anesi Aged Care Services - Thornbury spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Fronditha Anesi Aged Care Services - Thornbury spent $398.09 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 71.6% of it. Care and nursing spending of $285.13 was 8% 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 cleaning and laundry ($28.80), accommodation and maintenance ($27.24) and administration ($13.61) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($183.75) and registered nurses ($51.60).
How much care and nursing does Fronditha Anesi Aged Care Services - Thornbury provide?
In January to March 2026, Fronditha Anesi Aged Care Services - Thornbury reported 225 minutes of care per resident per day, 1 minute above its target of 224 minutes. Registered nurses provided 40 of those minutes, 5 minutes below the registered-nurse target of 45.
In none of the last four quarters did Fronditha Anesi Aged Care Services - Thornbury meet both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 214 to 225.
Who provides that care?
Per resident per day, personal care workers provided 174 minutes, followed by registered nurses (40 minutes) and enrolled nurses (10 minutes). Fronditha Anesi Aged Care Services - Thornbury also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers in the same quarter.
