Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Hope Vale Aged Hostel is 4.67 out of 5, against a national average of 3.81. Three findings stand out as positive, and two are worth a closer look.
Things we noticed
Positive standouts
Residents consistently describe respectful, caring staff
100% positive on respect and 100% on caring staff, versus 95.9% and 96.0% across other homes.
Quality measures rating exceeds the national average
5 out of 5, compared with 3.06 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Staffing rating exceeds the national average
5 out of 5, compared with 3.18 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Worth a closer look
Food spending and enjoyment both fall below their benchmarks
$12 a day vs a $16 sector median; 50% enjoy meals vs 70.3% across other homes.
Fewer residents consistently feel safe
75% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 96.5% 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: 2025 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 2025 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 | 3.06 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.86% | 1354 |
| Feeling safe | 96.47% | 1354 |
| How well the home is run | 89.32% | 1354 |
| Getting needed care | 94.47% | 1354 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.47% | 1354 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 88.58% | 1354 |
| Staff explaining things | 81.80% | 1354 |
| Enjoying the food | 70.28% | 1354 |
| Following up concerns | 85.18% | 1354 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.96% | 1354 |
| Having a say in daily life | 93.19% | 1354 |
How much care and nursing does Hope Vale Aged Hostel provide?
Hope Vale Aged Hostel reported 353 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 175 minutes above its target of 178 minutes. Registered nurses provided 73 of those minutes, 35 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 38.
Who provides that care?
Of the 353 minutes, personal care workers provided 280 (79.3%), followed by registered nurses (73 minutes, 20.7%). In the same quarter, Hope Vale Aged Hostel also reported spending on lifestyle and recreation workers.
What do residents say about Hope Vale Aged Hostel?
Asked in the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey whether staff explain things to them, 100% of residents surveyed at Hope Vale Aged Hostel answered “always” or “most of the time”, 18.2 percentage points above the average of 81.8% across other homes. Answers were also above the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things (100% against 85.2%) and whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves (100% against 88.6%).
The widest gap below other homes came when residents were asked whether they feel safe: 75% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 96.5%.
What should you ask about on a visit?
A visit is a chance to ask about what the home does when a resident says they feel unsafe. Of residents asked whether they feel safe, 75% answered “always” and 25% “some of the time”; none answered “most of the time” or “never”.
Do residents get the care they need?
When residents surveyed at Hope Vale Aged Hostel were asked whether they get the care they need, 75% answered “always” and 25% “most of the time”.
What is the food like at Hope Vale Aged Hostel?
In the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey, 50% of residents surveyed at Hope Vale Aged Hostel said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 20.3 percentage points below the average of 70.3% across other homes. Another 50% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
In January to March 2026, Hope Vale Aged Hostel spent $12 per resident per day on food, 25% below the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, Hope Vale Aged Hostel reported no spending on dietitians, against a sector median of $0.28 per resident per day.
How are meals prepared?
According to Hope Vale Aged Hostel, 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”.
50% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How does Hope Vale Aged Hostel spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Hope Vale Aged Hostel spent $404.80 per resident per day on care and nursing, 53% above the sector median of $264.85. Total spending was $886 per resident per day. These figures are the home’s costs, not the fees a resident pays.
Where does the rest of the spending go?
Other categories included accommodation and maintenance ($240.28), cleaning and laundry ($80.98) and administration ($75.26) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($196.49) and registered nurses ($121.20).
