Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Katherine Hostel is 4.04 out of 5, compared with 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 237 minutes against a 209-minute daily care target; RN time is 48 against 43.
Staffing rating exceeds the national average
5 out of 5, compared with 3.18 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Getting needed care is above the survey average
100% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 94.4% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Enjoying the food is below the survey average
42% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 67.4% across other homes.
Kind and caring staff is below the survey average
75% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 95.4% across other homes.
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 | 95.37% | 1080 |
| Feeling safe | 96.25% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.09% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.42% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.09% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.15% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.27% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.36% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.22% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.44% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.71% | 1080 |
How much care and nursing does Katherine Hostel provide?
In January to March 2026, Katherine Hostel reported 237 minutes of care per resident per day, 28 minutes above its target of 209 minutes. Of those minutes, 48 came from registered nurses, 5 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 43.
In each of the last four quarters, Katherine Hostel met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 225 to 272 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Of the 237 minutes, personal care workers provided 189 (79.7%), followed by registered nurses (48 minutes, 20.3%). In the same quarter, Katherine Hostel also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists and dietitians.
What do residents say about Katherine Hostel?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 75% of residents surveyed at Katherine Hostel answered “always” or “most of the time” when asked whether staff are kind and caring, 20.4 percentage points below the average of 95.4% across other homes. Answers were also below the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff explain things to them (67% against 80.3%) and whether staff treat them with respect (83% against 95.4%).
The largest gap above other homes was when residents were asked whether they get the care they need: 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 94.4%. In all, answers on 2 of the 10 questions other than food were at least 3 percentage points above the average for other homes.
What should you ask about on a visit?
A visit is a chance to ask about how staff get to know each resident. When residents were asked whether staff are kind and caring, 58% answered “always”, 17% “most of the time” and 25% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe?
When residents surveyed at Katherine Hostel were asked whether they feel safe, 50% answered “always” and 42% “most of the time”.
What is the food like at Katherine Hostel?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 42% of residents surveyed at Katherine Hostel said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 25.4 percentage points below the average of 67.4% across other homes. The share rose from 41% in 2025. Another 50% answered “some of the time” and 8% “never”.
Food spending at Katherine Hostel in January to March 2026 was $24 per resident per day, 50% above the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.71 per resident per day, 154% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to Katherine 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”.
42% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How does Katherine Hostel spend on resident care?
Spending on care and nursing at Katherine Hostel in the 2024–25 financial year was $400.61 per resident per day, 51% above the sector median of $264.85. Total spending was $677.01 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 accommodation and maintenance ($94.72), administration ($79.85), and cleaning and laundry ($52.58) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($196.82) and registered nurses ($118.30).
