Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Pacific Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre is 4.23 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
Residents consistently describe respectful, caring staff
100% positive on respect and 100% on caring staff, versus 95.9% and 96.0% across other homes.
Care and registered-nurse targets met in four reported quarters
The latest quarter records 224 minutes against a 212-minute daily care target; RN time is 45 against 43.
Quality measures rating exceeds the national average
5 out of 5, compared with 3.06 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Worth a closer look
Food enjoyment fell in the latest survey
77% positive in 2025, compared with 92% in 2024: 15 percentage points lower.
Fewer residents feel they have a say in daily life
85% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 93.2% across other homes.
Fewer residents say staff explain things consistently
77% 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 | 3.06 | 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 | 89.47% | 1354 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 88.58% | 1354 |
| Staff explaining things | 81.82% | 1354 |
| Enjoying the food | 70.26% | 1354 |
| Following up concerns | 85.18% | 1354 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.96% | 1354 |
| Having a say in daily life | 93.20% | 1354 |
How much care and nursing does Pacific Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre provide?
In January to March 2026, Pacific Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre reported 224 minutes of care per resident per day, 12 minutes above its target of 212 minutes. Of those minutes, 45 came from registered nurses, 2 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 43.
In each of the last four quarters, Pacific Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 208 to 224 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Per resident per day, personal care workers provided 180 minutes, followed by registered nurses (45 minutes). In the same quarter, Pacific Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
What do residents say about Pacific Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre?
When residents surveyed at Pacific Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things, 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, above the 85.2% average across other homes by 14.8 percentage points. When residents were asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves (100% against 88.6%) and whether staff know what they are doing (100% against 89.5%), answers were also above the average for other homes.
The largest gap below other homes was when residents were asked whether they have a say in their daily activities: 85% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 93.2%. In all, answers on 2 of the 10 questions other than food were at least 3 percentage points below the average for other homes.
What should you ask about on a visit?
A visit is a chance to ask about how residents have a say in daily activities. Of residents asked whether they have a say in their daily activities, 85% answered “always” and 15% “some of the time”; none answered “most of the time” or “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
When residents surveyed at Pacific Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre were asked whether they feel safe, 100% answered “always”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 77% answered “always” and 23% “most of the time”.
How does Pacific Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Pacific Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre spent $356.18 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 68.2% of it. Care and nursing spending of $242.92 was 8% 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?
Other categories included administration ($37.40), accommodation and maintenance ($27.73), and cleaning and laundry ($12.31) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($149.19) and registered nurses ($65.54).
What is the food like at Pacific Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre?
When residents surveyed at Pacific Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 77% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 6.7 percentage points above the average of 70.3% across other homes. The share fell from 92% in 2024. Another 23% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
In January to March 2026, Pacific Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre spent $17 per resident per day on food, 6% above the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.48 per resident per day, 71% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to Pacific 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”.
77% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
