Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Huon Eldercare is 4.52 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
Food enjoyment is above average, with lower reported spending
76% enjoy meals vs 70.3% across other homes; spending is $13 vs a $16 sector median.
Care and registered-nurse targets met in four reported quarters
The latest quarter records 234 minutes against a 203-minute daily care target; RN time is 51 against 42.
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
Respectful treatment is below the survey average
82% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 95.9% across other homes.
Following up concerns is below the survey average
82% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 85.2% 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 | 95.87% | 1354 |
| Feeling safe | 96.45% | 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 | 81.81% | 1354 |
| Enjoying the food | 70.26% | 1354 |
| Following up concerns | 85.20% | 1354 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.96% | 1354 |
| Having a say in daily life | 93.19% | 1354 |
How much care and nursing does Huon Eldercare provide?
Huon Eldercare reported 234 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 31 minutes above its target of 203 minutes. Of those minutes, 51 came from registered nurses, 9 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 42.
In each of the last four quarters, Huon Eldercare met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 213 to 234 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Of the 234 minutes, personal care workers provided 152 (65.0%), followed by registered nurses (51 minutes, 21.8%) and enrolled nurses (31 minutes, 13.2%). In the same quarter, Huon Eldercare also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
How does Huon Eldercare spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Huon Eldercare spent $308.76 per resident per day on care and nursing, 17% above the sector median of $264.85. Spending across all categories was $493.31 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?
Other categories included administration ($59.66), cleaning and laundry ($37.37), and accommodation and maintenance ($30.20) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($134.01) and registered nurses ($80.92).
What do residents say about Huon Eldercare?
In the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey, 100% of residents surveyed at Huon Eldercare answered “always” or “most of the time” when asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves, above the 88.6% average across other homes by 11.4 percentage points. Answers were also above the average for other homes when residents were asked whether they have a say in their daily activities (100% against 93.2%) and whether staff explain things to them (87% against 81.8%).
The largest gap below other homes was when residents were asked whether staff treat them with respect: 82% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 95.9%. In all, 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 are expected to treat residents. Of residents asked whether staff treat them with respect, 69% answered “always”, 13% “most of the time” and 19% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
Asked whether they feel safe, 75% of residents surveyed at Huon Eldercare answered “always” and 25% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 69% answered “always” and 25% “most of the time”.
What is the food like at Huon Eldercare?
When residents surveyed at Huon Eldercare for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 76% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 5.7 percentage points above the average of 70.3% across other homes. The share rose from 50% in 2024. Another 25% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
Food spending at Huon Eldercare in January to March 2026 was $13 per resident per day, 19% below the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.35 per resident per day, 25% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Huon Eldercare 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”.
76% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
