Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Prospect Residences is 3.6 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
Food enjoyment improved in the latest survey
77% positive in 2026, compared with 62% in 2025: 15 percentage points higher.
Enjoying the food is above the survey average
77% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 67.3% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Reported care time falls short of a staffing target
Total care: 221 vs 218 minutes; registered nurses: 40 vs 44 minutes per resident per day.
Following up concerns is below the survey average
53% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 84.2% across other homes.
Fewer residents say staff explain things consistently
53% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 80.3% 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 | 3.07 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.36% | 1080 |
| Feeling safe | 96.25% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.11% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.43% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.09% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.16% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.28% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.33% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.24% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.42% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.73% | 1080 |
What do residents say about Prospect Residences?
When residents surveyed at Prospect Residences for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things, 53% answered “always” or “most of the time”, below the 84.2% average across other homes by 31.2 percentage points. When residents were asked whether staff explain things to them (53% against 80.3%) and whether the home is well run (61% against 88.1%), answers were also below the average for other homes.
On 7 of the 10 questions other than food, answers at Prospect Residences were at least 3 percentage points below the average for other homes, and on the rest they were within 3 percentage points.
What should you ask about on a visit?
A visit is a chance to ask about how the home records and follows up concerns. When residents were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things, 15% answered “always”, 38% “most of the time”, 31% “some of the time” and 15% “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
When residents surveyed at Prospect Residences were asked whether they feel safe, 54% answered “always” and 38% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 38% answered “always” and 46% “most of the time”.
What is the food like at Prospect Residences?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 77% of residents surveyed at Prospect Residences said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 9.7 percentage points above the average of 67.3% across other homes. The share rose from 62% in 2025. Another 23% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
In January to March 2026, Prospect Residences spent $20 per resident per day on food, 25% above the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.57 per resident per day, 104% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to Prospect Residences, 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.
Sources and Explanation
How much care and nursing does Prospect Residences provide?
In January to March 2026, Prospect Residences reported 221 minutes of care per resident per day, 3 minutes above its target of 218 minutes. Registered nurses provided 40 of those minutes, 4 minutes below the registered-nurse target of 44.
In two of the last four quarters, Prospect Residences met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 220 to 232.
Who provides that care?
Per resident per day, personal care workers provided 153 minutes, followed by registered nurses (40 minutes) and enrolled nurses (27 minutes). In the same quarter, Prospect Residences also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
How does Prospect Residences spend on resident care?
Total spending at Prospect Residences in the 2024–25 financial year was $426.10 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 63.3% of it. Care and nursing spending of $269.75 was 2% 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 ($48.34), accommodation and maintenance ($44.47), and cleaning and laundry ($25.37) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($144.07) and registered nurses ($53.40).
