Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Pleasant Valley Aged Care Service is 3.74 out of 5, compared with a national average of 3.81. Two findings stand 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.
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
Compliance rating trails the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 4.83 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Residents’ experience rating trails the national average
3 out of 5, compared with 3.62 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Kind and caring staff is below the survey average
82% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 96.0% 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 | 95.87% | 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 | 81.82% | 1354 |
| Enjoying the food | 70.26% | 1354 |
| Following up concerns | 85.20% | 1354 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.97% | 1354 |
| Having a say in daily life | 93.19% | 1354 |
How much care and nursing does Pleasant Valley Aged Care Service provide?
In January to March 2026, Pleasant Valley Aged Care Service reported 280 minutes of care per resident per day, 62 minutes above its target of 218 minutes. Registered nurses provided 62 of those minutes, 17 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 45.
Who provides that care?
Of the 280 minutes, personal care workers provided 117 (41.8%), followed by enrolled nurses (101 minutes, 36.1%) and registered nurses (62 minutes, 22.1%). In the same quarter, Pleasant Valley Aged Care Service also reported spending on speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
What do residents say about Pleasant Valley Aged Care Service?
When residents surveyed at Pleasant Valley Aged Care Service for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether staff are kind and caring, 82% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 14 percentage points below the average of 96.0% across other homes. When residents were asked whether staff explain things to them (72% against 81.8%) and whether staff treat them with respect (90% against 95.9%), answers were also below the average for other homes.
The largest gap above other homes was 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?
A visit is a chance to ask about how staff get to know each resident. Of residents asked whether staff are kind and caring, 55% answered “always”, 27% “most of the time” and 18% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
When residents surveyed at Pleasant Valley Aged Care Service were asked whether they feel safe, 73% answered “always” and 18% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 64% answered “always” and 27% “most of the time”.
What is the food like at Pleasant Valley Aged Care Service?
In the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey, 72% of residents surveyed at Pleasant Valley Aged Care Service said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, within 3 percentage points of the 70.3% average across other homes. Another 27% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
In January to March 2026, Pleasant Valley Aged Care Service spent $15 per resident per day on food, 6% below the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.51 per resident per day, 82% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Pleasant Valley Aged Care Service 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”.
72% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
