Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Grasmere Terrace 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
Care and registered-nurse targets met in four reported quarters
The latest quarter records 217 minutes against a 213-minute daily care target; RN time is 44 against 43.
Following up concerns is above the survey average
100% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 84.2% across other homes.
Residents report stronger support for independence
100% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 87.1% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Fewer residents say staff explain things consistently
44% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 80.3% across other homes.
Food enjoyment fell in the latest survey
55% positive in 2026, compared with 73% in 2025: 18 percentage points lower.
Residents’ experience rating trails the national average
3 out of 5, compared with 3.62 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 | 96.24% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.09% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.42% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.08% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.14% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.29% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.35% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.20% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.41% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.70% | 1080 |
What do residents say about Grasmere Terrace?
Asked in the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey whether staff follow up when they raise things, 100% of residents surveyed at Grasmere Terrace answered “always” or “most of the time”, above the 84.2% average across other homes by 15.8 percentage points. Answers were also above the average for other homes when residents were asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves (100% against 87.1%) and whether staff know what they are doing (95% against 89.1%).
The widest gap below other homes came when residents were asked whether staff explain things to them: 44% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 80.3%. Altogether, answers on 2 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?
A visit is a chance to ask about how staff explain changes to care. When residents were asked whether staff explain things to them, 11% answered “always”, 33% “most of the time”, 39% “some of the time” and 17% “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
Asked whether they feel safe, 94% of residents surveyed at Grasmere Terrace answered “always” and 6% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 56% answered “always” and 44% “most of the time”.
How much care and nursing does Grasmere Terrace provide?
Grasmere Terrace reported 217 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 4 minutes above its target of 213 minutes. Registered nurses provided 44 of those minutes, 1 minute above the registered-nurse target of 43.
In each of the last four quarters, Grasmere Terrace met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 214 to 240.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 173 of the 217 minutes (79.7%), followed by registered nurses (44 minutes, 20.3%). In the same quarter, Grasmere Terrace also reported spending on podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
What is the food like at Grasmere Terrace?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 55% of residents surveyed at Grasmere Terrace said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 12.3 percentage points below the average of 67.3% across other homes. The share fell from 73% in 2025. Another 22% answered “some of the time” and 22% “never”.
In January to March 2026, Grasmere Terrace spent $17 per resident per day on food, 6% above the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.30 per resident per day, 7% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Grasmere Terrace 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”.
55% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How does Grasmere Terrace spend on resident care?
Spending on care and nursing at Grasmere Terrace in the 2024–25 financial year was $227.73 per resident per day, 14% below the sector median of $264.85. Spending across all categories was $373.11 per resident per day. 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 ($54.31), accommodation and maintenance ($29.27), and cleaning and laundry ($22.29) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($153.71) and registered nurses ($52.92).
