Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Macquarie Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre is 3.45 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
Getting needed care is above the survey average
100% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 94.5% across other homes.
Enjoying the food is above the survey average
74% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 70.3% across other homes.
More residents consistently feel safe
100% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 96.4% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Quality measures rating trails the national average
2 out of 5, compared with 3.07 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Residents’ experience rating trails the national average
3 out of 5, compared with 3.62 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Fewer residents say staff explain things consistently
74% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 81.8% 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 | 3.07 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.86% | 1354 |
| Feeling safe | 96.45% | 1354 |
| How well the home is run | 89.33% | 1354 |
| Getting needed care | 94.47% | 1354 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.48% | 1354 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 88.60% | 1354 |
| Staff explaining things | 81.82% | 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 Macquarie Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre provide?
Macquarie Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre reported 237 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 9 minutes above its target of 228 minutes. Of those minutes, 47 came from registered nurses, 2 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 45.
Macquarie Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre met both its total and registered-nurse targets in three of the last four quarters. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 230 to 241 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Of the 237 minutes, personal care workers provided 190 (80.2%), followed by registered nurses (47 minutes, 19.8%). In the same quarter, Macquarie Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
What do residents say about Macquarie Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre?
When residents surveyed at Macquarie Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether staff explain things to them, 74% answered “always” or “most of the time”, below the 81.8% average across other homes by 7.8 percentage points. Answers were also below the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff know what they are doing (83% against 89.5%) and whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves (83% against 88.6%).
The widest gap above other homes came when residents were asked whether they get the care they need: 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 94.5%. Altogether, 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?
On a visit, you can ask about how staff explain changes to care. Of residents asked whether staff explain things to them, 39% answered “always”, 35% “most of the time” and 26% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe?
When residents surveyed at Macquarie Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre were asked whether they feel safe, 74% answered “always” and 26% “most of the time”.
What is the food like at Macquarie Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre?
In the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey, 74% of residents surveyed at Macquarie Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 3.7 percentage points above the average of 70.3% across other homes. The share fell from 80% in 2024. Another 26% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
Food spending at Macquarie Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre in January to March 2026 was $15 per resident per day, 6% below the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.14 per resident per day, 50% below the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to Macquarie Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre, 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”.
74% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How does Macquarie Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre spend on resident care?
Total spending at Macquarie Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre in the 2024–25 financial year was $406.95 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 66.7% of it. Care and nursing spending of $271.28 was 2% above the sector median of $264.85. These figures 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 ($41.43), accommodation and maintenance ($39.54), and cleaning and laundry ($12.29) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($172.96) and registered nurses ($70.29).
