Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Southern Cross Care Kildare Residential Aged Care is 4.3 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
Food enjoyment is above average, with lower reported spending
75% enjoy meals vs 67.3% across other homes; spending is $13 vs a $16 sector median.
Care and registered-nurse targets met in four reported quarters
The latest quarter records 216 minutes against a 211-minute daily care target; RN time is 66 against 44.
Food enjoyment improved in the latest survey
75% positive in 2026, compared with 58% in 2025: 17 percentage points higher.
Worth a closer look
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 say staff explain things consistently
75% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 80.3% across other homes.
How well the home is run is below the survey average
84% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 88.1% 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 | 95.36% | 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 | 87.14% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.26% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.33% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.21% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.42% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.70% | 1080 |
How much care and nursing does Southern Cross Care Kildare Residential Aged Care provide?
Southern Cross Care Kildare Residential Aged Care reported 216 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 5 minutes above its target of 211 minutes. Of those minutes, 66 came from registered nurses, 22 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 44.
Southern Cross Care Kildare Residential Aged Care met both its total and registered-nurse targets in each of the last four quarters. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 216 to 244 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 150 of the 216 minutes (69.4%), followed by registered nurses (66 minutes, 30.6%). In the same quarter, Southern Cross Care Kildare Residential Aged Care also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
What do residents say about Southern Cross Care Kildare Residential Aged Care?
Asked in the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey whether staff know what they are doing, 75% of residents surveyed at Southern Cross Care Kildare Residential Aged Care answered “always” or “most of the time”, below the 89.1% average across other homes by 14.1 percentage points. When residents were asked whether staff explain things to them (75% against 80.3%) and whether the home is well run (84% against 88.1%), answers were also below the average for other homes.
The largest gap above other homes was when residents were asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves: 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 87.1%. 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?
A visit is a chance to ask about the training staff receive. Of residents asked whether staff know what they are doing, 58% answered “always”, 17% “most of the time” and 25% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
When residents surveyed at Southern Cross Care Kildare Residential Aged Care were asked whether they feel safe, 100% answered “always”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 75% answered “always” and 17% “most of the time”.
How does Southern Cross Care Kildare Residential Aged Care spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Southern Cross Care Kildare Residential Aged Care spent $296.32 per resident per day on care and nursing, 12% above the sector median of $264.85. Spending across all categories was $511.51 per resident per day. 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 ($73.71), accommodation and maintenance ($68.79), and cleaning and laundry ($26.60) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($153.07) and registered nurses ($92.38).
What is the food like at Southern Cross Care Kildare Residential Aged Care?
When residents surveyed at Southern Cross Care Kildare Residential Aged Care 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 58% in 2025. Another 25% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
Food spending at Southern Cross Care Kildare Residential Aged Care in January to March 2026 was $13 per resident per day, 19% below the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.22 per resident per day, 21% below the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Southern Cross Care Kildare Residential Aged 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”.
75% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
