Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Middle Swan Residential Care is 4.3 out of 5, against a national average of 3.81. Three findings stand out as positive, and one is worth a closer look.
Things we noticed
Positive standouts
Food enjoyment improved in the latest survey
60% positive in 2026, compared with 50% in 2025: 10 percentage points higher.
Quality measures rating exceeds the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 3.06 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Staffing rating exceeds the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 3.18 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Worth a closer look
Enjoying the food is below the survey average
60% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 67.3% 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: 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 | 3.06 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.35% | 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 | 87.15% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.25% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.35% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.22% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.42% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.70% | 1080 |
What do residents say about Middle Swan Residential Care?
When residents surveyed at Middle Swan Residential Care for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether the home is well run, 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, above the 88.1% average across other homes by 11.9 percentage points. Answers were also above the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff explain things to them (88% against 80.2%) and whether they have a say in their daily activities (100% against 92.7%).
On 6 of the 10 questions other than food, answers at Middle Swan Residential Care were at least 3 percentage points above the average for other homes, and on the rest they were within 3 percentage points.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
When residents surveyed at Middle Swan Residential Care were asked whether they feel safe, 84% answered “always” and 16% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 68% answered “always” and 28% “most of the time”.
Do residents have a say in daily life?
For choice and independence, the share of “always” or “most of the time” answers at Middle Swan Residential Care was 88% when asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves.
How does Middle Swan Residential Care spend on resident care?
Total spending at Middle Swan Residential Care in the 2024–25 financial year was $412.77 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 58.6% of it. Care and nursing spending of $242.06 was 9% below the sector median of $264.85. 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 accommodation and maintenance ($61.70), cleaning and laundry ($36.35) and administration ($31.27) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($136.55) and registered nurses ($62.08).
How much care and nursing does Middle Swan Residential Care provide?
In January to March 2026, Middle Swan Residential Care reported 215 minutes of care per resident per day, 3 minutes above its target of 212 minutes. Registered nurses provided 44 of those minutes, 1 minute above the registered-nurse target of 43.
In three of the last four quarters, Middle Swan Residential Care met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 207 to 215.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 163 of the 215 minutes (75.8%), followed by registered nurses (44 minutes, 20.5%) and enrolled nurses (8 minutes, 3.7%). Middle Swan Residential Care also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers in the same quarter.
What is the food like at Middle Swan Residential Care?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 60% of residents surveyed at Middle Swan Residential Care said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 7.3 percentage points below the average of 67.3% across other homes. The share rose from 50% in 2025. Another 36% answered “some of the time” and 4% “never”.
Food spending at Middle Swan Residential Care in January to March 2026 was $16 per resident per day, in line with the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.08 per resident per day, 71% below the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Middle Swan Residential 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”.
60% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
