Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Southern Cross Care Chinchilla - Illoura Village is 3.38 out of 5, against 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
100% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 93.2% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Reported care time falls short of a staffing target
Total care: 217 vs 216 minutes; registered nurses: 43 vs 44 minutes per resident per day.
Confidence in staff skills is below the survey average
53% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 89.5% across other homes.
Fewer residents say staff explain things consistently
53% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 81.8% 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 | 96.46% | 1354 |
| How well the home is run | 89.34% | 1354 |
| Getting needed care | 94.48% | 1354 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.51% | 1354 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 88.59% | 1354 |
| Staff explaining things | 81.84% | 1354 |
| Enjoying the food | 70.26% | 1354 |
| Following up concerns | 85.21% | 1354 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.97% | 1354 |
| Having a say in daily life | 93.19% | 1354 |
What do residents say about Southern Cross Care Chinchilla - Illoura Village?
Asked in the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey whether staff know what they are doing, 53% of residents surveyed at Southern Cross Care Chinchilla - Illoura Village answered “always” or “most of the time”, 36.5 percentage points below the average of 89.5% across other homes. Answers were also below the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff explain things to them (53% against 81.8%) and whether staff follow up when they raise things (60% against 85.2%).
The widest gap above other homes came when residents were asked whether they have a say in their daily activities: 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 93.2%.
What should you ask about on a visit?
On a visit, you can ask about the training staff receive. When residents were asked whether staff know what they are doing, 33% answered “always”, 20% “most of the time”, 40% “some of the time” and 7% “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
Asked whether they feel safe, 67% of residents surveyed at Southern Cross Care Chinchilla - Illoura Village answered “always” and 20% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 47% answered “always” and 33% “most of the time”.
How does Southern Cross Care Chinchilla - Illoura Village spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Southern Cross Care Chinchilla - Illoura Village spent $231.74 per resident per day on care and nursing, 13% below the sector median of $264.85. Spending across all categories was $454.56 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?
Other categories included administration ($92.09), accommodation and maintenance ($52.73), and cleaning and laundry ($32.54) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($141.99) and registered nurses ($58.04).
What is the food like at Southern Cross Care Chinchilla - Illoura Village?
When residents surveyed at Southern Cross Care Chinchilla - Illoura Village for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 66% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 4.3 percentage points below the average of 70.3% across other homes. The share fell from 80% in 2024. Another 33% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
In January to March 2026, Southern Cross Care Chinchilla - Illoura Village spent $17 per resident per day on food, 6% above the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.62 per resident per day, 121% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to Southern Cross Care Chinchilla - Illoura 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”.
66% 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 Southern Cross Care Chinchilla - Illoura Village provide?
In January to March 2026, Southern Cross Care Chinchilla - Illoura Village reported 217 minutes of care per resident per day, 1 minute above its target of 216 minutes. Of those minutes, 43 came from registered nurses, 1 minute below the registered-nurse target of 44.
In none of the last four quarters did Southern Cross Care Chinchilla - Illoura Village meet both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 201 to 217.
Who provides that care?
Of the 217 minutes, personal care workers provided 174 (80.2%), followed by registered nurses (43 minutes, 19.8%). In the same quarter, Southern Cross Care Chinchilla - Illoura Village also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
