Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for RFBI Berry Masonic Village is 3.93 out of 5, compared with 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.
Care and registered-nurse targets met in four reported quarters
The latest quarter records 223 minutes against a 215-minute daily care target; RN time is 48 against 44.
Food enjoyment improved in the latest survey
75% positive in 2026, compared with 42% in 2025: 33 percentage points higher.
Worth a closer look
Fewer residents say staff explain things consistently
66% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 80.3% across other homes.
Confidence in staff skills is below the survey average
75% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 89.1% across other homes.
Fewer residents feel they have a say in daily life
83% 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 | 95.35% | 1080 |
| Feeling safe | 96.24% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.08% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.42% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.10% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.15% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.27% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.33% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.21% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.41% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.71% | 1080 |
How much care and nursing does RFBI Berry Masonic Village provide?
RFBI Berry Masonic Village reported 223 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 8 minutes above its target of 215 minutes. Of those minutes, 48 came from registered nurses, 4 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 44.
In each of the last four quarters, RFBI Berry Masonic Village met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 223 to 237 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 175 of the 223 minutes (78.5%), followed by registered nurses (48 minutes, 21.5%). RFBI Berry Masonic Village also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers in the same quarter.
What do residents say about RFBI Berry Masonic Village?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 92% of residents surveyed at RFBI Berry Masonic Village answered “always” or “most of the time” when asked whether staff follow up when they raise things, 7.8 percentage points above the average of 84.2% across other homes. Answers were also above the average for other homes when residents were asked whether they get the care they need (100% against 94.4%) and whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves (92% against 87.1%).
The widest gap below other homes came when residents were asked whether staff explain things to them: 66% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 80.3%. In all, answers on 3 of the 10 questions other than food were at least 3 percentage points below the average for other homes.
What should you ask about on a visit?
A visit is a chance to ask about how staff explain changes to care. Of residents asked whether staff explain things to them, 58% answered “always”, 8% “most of the time”, 17% “some of the time” and 17% “never”.
Do residents feel safe?
Asked whether they feel safe, 100% of residents surveyed at RFBI Berry Masonic Village answered “always”.
What is the food like at RFBI Berry Masonic Village?
When residents surveyed at RFBI Berry Masonic Village for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 75% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 7.7 percentage points above the average of 67.3% across other homes. The share rose from 42% in 2025. Another 17% answered “some of the time” and 8% “never”.
In January to March 2026, RFBI Berry Masonic Village spent $18 per resident per day on food, 13% above the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.23 per resident per day, 18% below the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to RFBI Berry Masonic Village, 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”.
75% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How does RFBI Berry Masonic Village spend on resident care?
Spending on care and nursing at RFBI Berry Masonic Village in the 2024–25 financial year was $299.32 per resident per day, 13% above the sector median of $264.85. Total spending was $477.20 per resident per day. 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 ($38.83), cleaning and laundry ($35.29), and accommodation and maintenance ($34.21) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($159.77) and registered nurses ($78.66).
