Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Palm Lake Care Toowoomba is 3.44 out of 5, compared with a national average of 3.81. One finding stands 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.
Worth a closer look
Following up concerns is below the survey average
46% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 84.3% across other homes.
Compliance rating trails the national average
3 out of 5, compared with 4.83 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Fewer residents feel they have a say in daily life
75% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 92.7% 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 | 96.26% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.09% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.43% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.10% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.16% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.27% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.35% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.25% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.42% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.72% | 1080 |
How much care and nursing does Palm Lake Care Toowoomba provide?
In January to March 2026, Palm Lake Care Toowoomba reported 254 minutes of care per resident per day, 47 minutes above its target of 207 minutes. Registered nurses provided 75 of those minutes, 33 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 42.
Palm Lake Care Toowoomba met both its total and registered-nurse targets in three of the last four quarters. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 202 to 254 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Per resident per day, personal care workers provided 173 minutes, followed by registered nurses (75 minutes) and enrolled nurses (7 minutes). Palm Lake Care Toowoomba also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers in the same quarter.
What do residents say about Palm Lake Care Toowoomba?
Asked in the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey whether staff follow up when they raise things, 46% of residents surveyed at Palm Lake Care Toowoomba answered “always” or “most of the time”, 38.3 percentage points below the average of 84.3% across other homes. Answers were also below the average for other homes when residents were asked whether they have a say in their daily activities (75% against 92.7%) and whether staff explain things to them (67% against 80.3%).
At Palm Lake Care Toowoomba, answers were at least 3 percentage points below the average for other homes on all 10 questions other than food.
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, 21% answered “always”, 25% “most of the time”, 42% “some of the time” and 13% “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
When residents surveyed at Palm Lake Care Toowoomba were asked whether they feel safe, 63% answered “always” and 25% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 54% answered “always” and 33% “most of the time”.
What is the food like at Palm Lake Care Toowoomba?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 58% of residents surveyed at Palm Lake Care Toowoomba said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 9.3 percentage points below the average of 67.3% across other homes. The share rose from 55% in 2025. Another 29% answered “some of the time” and 13% “never”.
In January to March 2026, Palm Lake Care Toowoomba spent $23 per resident per day on food, 44% above the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.35 per resident per day, 25% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Palm Lake Care Toowoomba 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”.
58% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How does Palm Lake Care Toowoomba spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Palm Lake Care Toowoomba spent $236.85 per resident per day on care and nursing, 11% below the sector median of $264.85. Spending across all categories was $458.96 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 ($98.04), accommodation and maintenance ($58.61), and cleaning and laundry ($25.40) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($124.21) and registered nurses ($69.96).
