Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Resthaven Paradise is 3.15 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
More residents feel they have a say in daily life
96% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 92.7% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Reported care time falls short of a staffing target
Total care: 220 vs 217 minutes; registered nurses: 42 vs 44 minutes per resident per day.
Support for independence is below the survey average
58% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 87.2% across other homes.
Fewer residents say staff explain things consistently
54% 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 | 88.09% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.43% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.10% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.18% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.28% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.34% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.22% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.44% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.70% | 1080 |
What do residents say about Resthaven Paradise?
Asked in the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves, 58% of residents surveyed at Resthaven Paradise answered “always” or “most of the time”, below the 87.2% average across other homes by 29.2 percentage points. Answers were also below the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff explain things to them (54% against 80.3%) and whether staff are kind and caring (73% against 95.4%).
The largest gap above other homes was when residents were asked whether they have a say in their daily activities: 96% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 92.7%.
What should you ask about on a visit?
A visit is a chance to ask about how staff support residents to do things for themselves. Of residents asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves, 27% answered “always”, 31% “most of the time”, 27% “some of the time” and 15% “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
When residents surveyed at Resthaven Paradise were asked whether they feel safe, 54% answered “always” and 35% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 38% answered “always” and 46% “most of the time”.
How much care and nursing does Resthaven Paradise provide?
Resthaven Paradise reported 220 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 3 minutes above its target of 217 minutes. Of those minutes, 42 came from registered nurses, 2 minutes below the registered-nurse target of 44.
In none of the last four quarters did Resthaven Paradise meet both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 219 to 222.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 162 of the 220 minutes (73.6%), followed by registered nurses (42 minutes, 19.1%) and enrolled nurses (16 minutes, 7.3%). Resthaven Paradise also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers in the same quarter.
What is the food like at Resthaven Paradise?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 61% of residents surveyed at Resthaven Paradise said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 6.3 percentage points below the average of 67.3% across other homes. The share fell from 73% in 2025. Another 27% answered “some of the time” and 12% “never”.
In January to March 2026, Resthaven Paradise spent $15 per resident per day on food, 6% below the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.15 per resident per day, 46% below the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Resthaven Paradise 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”.
61% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How does Resthaven Paradise spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Resthaven Paradise spent $421.16 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 61.5% of it. Care and nursing spending of $259.16 was 2% 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?
Spending on other categories included administration ($49.77), accommodation and maintenance ($37.04), and cleaning and laundry ($28.91) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($151.41) and registered nurses ($57.23).
