Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Matthew Flinders Home Inc 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
Staffing rating exceeds the national average
5 out of 5, compared with 3.18 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Enjoying the food is above the survey average
85% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 70.2% across other homes.
Following up concerns is above the survey average
93% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 85.2% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Getting needed care is below the survey average
78% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 94.5% 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.
Confidence in staff skills is below the survey average
78% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 89.5% 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 | 3.07 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.87% | 1354 |
| Feeling safe | 96.45% | 1354 |
| How well the home is run | 89.32% | 1354 |
| Getting needed care | 94.48% | 1354 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.49% | 1354 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 88.59% | 1354 |
| Staff explaining things | 81.81% | 1354 |
| Enjoying the food | 70.25% | 1354 |
| Following up concerns | 85.19% | 1354 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.96% | 1354 |
| Having a say in daily life | 93.20% | 1354 |
How much care and nursing does Matthew Flinders Home Inc provide?
Matthew Flinders Home Inc reported 253 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 38 minutes above its target of 215 minutes. Registered nurses provided 56 of those minutes, 12 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 44.
In three of the last four quarters, Matthew Flinders Home Inc met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 210 to 257 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 157 of the 253 minutes (62.1%), followed by registered nurses (56 minutes, 22.1%) and enrolled nurses (40 minutes, 15.8%). In the same quarter, Matthew Flinders Home Inc also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
What do residents say about Matthew Flinders Home Inc?
When residents surveyed at Matthew Flinders Home Inc for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they get the care they need, 78% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 16.5 percentage points below the average of 94.5% across other homes. Answers were also below the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff know what they are doing (78% against 89.5%) and whether staff treat them with respect (86% against 95.9%).
The largest gap above other homes was when residents were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things: 93% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 85.2%. Altogether, answers on 3 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 care plans are reviewed and changed. When residents were asked whether they get the care they need, 71% answered “always”, 7% “most of the time” and 21% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe?
When residents surveyed at Matthew Flinders Home Inc were asked whether they feel safe, 71% answered “always” and 21% “most of the time”.
What is the food like at Matthew Flinders Home Inc?
When residents surveyed at Matthew Flinders Home Inc for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 85% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 14.8 percentage points above the average of 70.2% across other homes. The share rose from 79% in 2024. Another 14% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
In January to March 2026, Matthew Flinders Home Inc spent $20 per resident per day on food, 25% above the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, Matthew Flinders Home Inc reported no spending on dietitians, against a sector median of $0.28 per resident per day.
How are meals prepared?
According to Matthew Flinders Home Inc, breakfast and lunch are cooked fresh, while dinner is prepared by the cook-chill method. All meals are prepared on site.
Do residents enjoy the food?
Residents who answered “Always” or “Most of the time”.
85% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How does Matthew Flinders Home Inc spend on resident care?
Spending on care and nursing at Matthew Flinders Home Inc in the 2024–25 financial year was $294.80 per resident per day, 11% above the sector median of $264.85. Spending across all categories was $458.25 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 administration ($52.18), cleaning and laundry ($36.25), and accommodation and maintenance ($30.85) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($112.71) and registered nurses ($91.54).
