Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Mona Tait Gardens is 3.93 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
Residents’ experience rating exceeds the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 3.62 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.
More residents consistently feel safe
100% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 96.2% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Food enjoyment fell in the latest survey
57% positive in 2026, compared with 69% in 2025: 12 percentage points lower.
Enjoying the food is below the survey average
57% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 67.3% across other homes.
Following up concerns is below the survey average
75% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 84.2% 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 | 3.07 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.36% | 1080 |
| Feeling safe | 96.24% | 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 | 87.16% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.26% | 1079 |
| 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 | 92.71% | 1080 |
How much care and nursing does Mona Tait Gardens provide?
Mona Tait Gardens reported 216 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 5 minutes above its target of 211 minutes. Of those minutes, 45 came from registered nurses, 2 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 43.
Mona Tait Gardens met both its total and registered-nurse targets in two of the last four quarters. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 214 to 223.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 171 of the 216 minutes (79.2%), followed by registered nurses (45 minutes, 20.8%). Mona Tait Gardens also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers in the same quarter.
What is the food like at Mona Tait Gardens?
When residents surveyed at Mona Tait Gardens for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 57% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 10.3 percentage points below the average of 67.3% across other homes. The share fell from 69% in 2025. Another 31% answered “some of the time” and 13% “never”.
In January to March 2026, Mona Tait Gardens spent $15 per resident per day on food, 6% below the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.67 per resident per day, 139% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to Mona Tait Gardens, 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”.
57% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
What do residents say about Mona Tait Gardens?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 75% of residents surveyed at Mona Tait Gardens answered “always” or “most of the time” when asked whether staff follow up when they raise things, below the 84.2% average across other homes by 9.2 percentage points. Answers were also below the average for other homes when residents were asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves (81% against 87.2%) and whether the home is well run (82% against 88.1%).
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 94.4%. Altogether, answers on 2 of the 9 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 the home records and follows up concerns. Of residents asked whether staff follow up when they raise things, 56% answered “always”, 19% “most of the time”, 19% “some of the time” and 6% “never”.
Do residents feel safe?
Asked whether they feel safe, 94% of residents surveyed at Mona Tait Gardens answered “always” and 6% “most of the time”.
How does Mona Tait Gardens spend on resident care?
Total spending at Mona Tait Gardens in the 2024–25 financial year was $427.50 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 62.4% of it. Care and nursing spending of $266.74 was 1% 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 ($55.41), accommodation and maintenance ($37.88), and cleaning and laundry ($24.58) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($162.75) and registered nurses ($65.08).
