Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Racecourse Grange Residential Care is 3.53 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 95.4% and 95.4% across other homes.
Food enjoyment improved in the latest survey
56% positive in 2026, compared with 32% in 2025: 24 percentage points higher.
Quality measures rating exceeds the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 3.06 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Worth a closer look
Reported care time falls short of a staffing target
Total care: 198 vs 199 minutes; registered nurses: 42 vs 41 minutes per resident per day.
Staffing rating trails the national average
2 out of 5, compared with 3.18 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Confidence in staff skills is below the survey average
72% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 89.1% 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 | 3.06 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.35% | 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 | 89.10% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.16% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.26% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.35% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.22% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.41% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.70% | 1080 |
What do residents say about Racecourse Grange Residential Care?
Asked in the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey whether staff know what they are doing, 72% of residents surveyed at Racecourse Grange Residential Care answered “always” or “most of the time”, below the 89.1% average across other homes by 17.1 percentage points. Answers were also below the average for other homes when residents were asked whether the home is well run (76% against 88.1%) and whether staff explain things to them (72% against 80.3%).
The largest gap above other homes was when residents were asked whether staff treat them with respect: 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 95.4%. Altogether, answers on 4 of the 10 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 the training staff receive. Of residents asked whether staff know what they are doing, 28% answered “always”, 44% “most of the time”, 24% “some of the time” and 4% “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
When residents surveyed at Racecourse Grange Residential Care were asked whether they feel safe, 84% answered “always” and 16% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 80% answered “always” and 16% “most of the time”.
What is the food like at Racecourse Grange Residential Care?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 56% of residents surveyed at Racecourse Grange Residential Care said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 11.3 percentage points below the average of 67.3% across other homes. The share rose from 32% in 2025. Another 36% answered “some of the time” and 8% “never”.
In January to March 2026, Racecourse Grange Residential Care spent $15 per resident per day on food, 6% below the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.41 per resident per day, 46% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Racecourse Grange Residential Care 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”.
56% 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 Racecourse Grange Residential Care provide?
In January to March 2026, Racecourse Grange Residential Care reported 198 minutes of care per resident per day, 1 minute below its target of 199 minutes. Of those minutes, 42 came from registered nurses, 1 minute above the registered-nurse target of 41.
In none of the last four quarters did Racecourse Grange Residential Care meet both its total and registered-nurse targets. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 185 to 198 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 153 of the 198 minutes (77.3%), followed by registered nurses (42 minutes, 21.2%) and enrolled nurses (3 minutes, 1.5%). In the same quarter, Racecourse Grange Residential Care also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
How does Racecourse Grange Residential Care spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Racecourse Grange Residential Care spent $440.37 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 55.3% of it. Care and nursing spending of $243.42 was 8% below 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 ($71.25), accommodation and maintenance ($39.40), and cleaning and laundry ($29.25) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($120.98) and registered nurses ($50.93).
