Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Jesmond Aged Care is 3.97 out of 5, compared with 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
100% enjoy meals vs 67.3% across other homes; spending is $13 vs a $16 sector median.
Residents’ experience rating exceeds the national average
5 out of 5, compared with 3.62 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Food enjoyment improved in the latest survey
100% positive in 2026, compared with 84% in 2025: 16 percentage points higher.
Worth a closer look
Reported care time falls short of a staffing target
Total care: 217 vs 223 minutes; registered nurses: 44 vs 45 minutes per resident per day.
Staffing rating trails the national average
1 out of 5, compared with 3.19 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 | 3.19 | 2454 |
| Quality measures | 3.06 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.36% | 1080 |
| Feeling safe | 96.24% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.07% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.42% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.08% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.14% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.24% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.31% | 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 Jesmond Aged Care?
Asked in the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey whether staff explain things to them, 100% of residents surveyed at Jesmond Aged Care answered “always” or “most of the time”, 19.8 percentage points above the average of 80.2% across other homes. When residents were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things (100% against 84.2%) and whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves (100% against 87.1%), answers were also above the average for other homes.
At Jesmond Aged Care, answers were at least 3 percentage points above the average for other homes on 9 of the 10 questions other than food, and within 3 percentage points on the rest.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
When residents surveyed at Jesmond Aged Care were asked whether they feel safe, 100% answered “always”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 100% answered “always”.
Do residents have a say in daily life?
For choice and independence, the share of “always” or “most of the time” answers at Jesmond Aged Care was 100% when asked whether they have a say in their daily activities.
What is the food like at Jesmond Aged Care?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 100% of residents surveyed at Jesmond Aged Care said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 32.7 percentage points above the average of 67.3% across other homes. The share rose from 84% in 2025.
In January to March 2026, Jesmond Aged Care spent $13 per resident per day on food, 19% below the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.44 per resident per day, 57% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Jesmond Aged Care 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”.
100% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How much care and nursing does Jesmond Aged Care provide?
In January to March 2026, Jesmond Aged Care reported 217 minutes of care per resident per day, 6 minutes below its target of 223 minutes. Of those minutes, 44 came from registered nurses, 1 minute below the registered-nurse target of 45.
Jesmond Aged Care met both its total and registered-nurse targets in none of the last four quarters. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 209 to 217.
Who provides that care?
Of the 217 minutes, personal care workers provided 173 (79.7%), followed by registered nurses (44 minutes, 20.3%). In the same quarter, Jesmond Aged Care also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
How does Jesmond Aged Care spend on resident care?
Spending on care and nursing at Jesmond Aged Care in the 2024–25 financial year was $216.54 per resident per day, 18% below the sector median of $264.85. Total spending was $427.66 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 ($117.38), accommodation and maintenance ($35.37), and cleaning and laundry ($21.04) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($132.33) and registered nurses ($58.88).
