Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for McLean Care Ltd is 3.71 out of 5, against a national average of 3.81. Two findings stand out as positive, and three are worth a closer look.
Things we noticed
Positive standouts
Residents’ experience rating exceeds the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 3.62 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Residents report stronger support for independence
100% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 88.6% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Reported care time falls short of a staffing target
Total care: 246 vs 223 minutes; registered nurses: 35 vs 45 minutes per resident per day.
Staffing rating trails the national average
2 out of 5, compared with 3.18 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Fewer residents say staff explain things consistently
63% 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 | 88.58% | 1354 |
| Staff explaining things | 81.83% | 1354 |
| Enjoying the food | 70.27% | 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 McLean Care Ltd provide?
In January to March 2026, McLean Care Ltd reported 246 minutes of care per resident per day, 23 minutes above its target of 223 minutes. Registered nurses provided 35 of those minutes, 10 minutes below the registered-nurse target of 45.
In two of the last four quarters, McLean Care Ltd met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 243 to 267.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 195 of the 246 minutes (79.3%), followed by registered nurses (35 minutes, 14.2%) and enrolled nurses (16 minutes, 6.5%). McLean Care Ltd also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, and lifestyle and recreation workers in the same quarter.
How does McLean Care Ltd spend on resident care?
Spending on care and nursing at McLean Care Ltd in the 2024–25 financial year was $321.88 per resident per day, 22% above the sector median of $264.85. Total spending was $509 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 ($75.33), accommodation and maintenance ($45.35), and cleaning and laundry ($31.62) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($201.52) and registered nurses ($70.92).
What do residents say about McLean Care Ltd?
Asked in the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey whether staff explain things to them, 63% of residents surveyed at McLean Care Ltd answered “always” or “most of the time”, below the 81.8% average across other homes by 18.8 percentage points. Answers were also below the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things (73% against 85.2%) and whether the home is well run (81% against 89.3%).
The widest gap above other homes came when residents were asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves: 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 88.6%.
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, 45% answered “always”, 18% “most of the time”, 27% “some of the time” and 9% “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
When residents surveyed at McLean Care Ltd were asked whether they feel safe, 91% answered “always” and 5% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 77% answered “always” and 18% “most of the time”.
What is the food like at McLean Care Ltd?
When residents surveyed at McLean Care Ltd for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 59% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 11.3 percentage points below the average of 70.3% across other homes. The share fell from 61% in 2024. Another 14% answered “some of the time” and 27% “never”.
Food spending at McLean Care Ltd in January to March 2026 was $20 per resident per day, 25% above the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, McLean Care Ltd reported no spending on dietitians, against a sector median of $0.28 per resident per day.
How are meals prepared?
According to McLean Care Ltd, 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”.
59% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
