Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care is 4.08 out of 5, against a national average of 3.81. Three findings stand out as positive, and two 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 95.9% and 96.0% across other homes.
Care and registered-nurse targets met in four reported quarters
The latest quarter records 208 minutes against a 203-minute daily care target; RN time is 44 against 42.
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
Food spending and enjoyment both fall below their benchmarks
$11 a day vs a $16 sector median; 66% enjoy meals vs 70.3% across other homes.
Food enjoyment fell in the latest survey
66% positive in 2025, compared with 85% in 2024: 19 percentage points lower.
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 | 3.06 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.86% | 1354 |
| Feeling safe | 96.45% | 1354 |
| How well the home is run | 89.32% | 1354 |
| Getting needed care | 94.47% | 1354 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.47% | 1354 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 88.59% | 1354 |
| Staff explaining things | 81.80% | 1354 |
| Enjoying the food | 70.26% | 1354 |
| Following up concerns | 85.18% | 1354 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.96% | 1354 |
| Having a say in daily life | 93.19% | 1354 |
What do residents say about Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care?
When residents surveyed at Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether staff explain things to them, 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 18.2 percentage points above the average of 81.8% across other homes. Answers were also above the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things (100% against 85.2%) and whether staff know what they are doing (100% against 89.5%).
At Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care, answers were at least 3 percentage points above the average for other homes on all 10 questions other than food.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
When residents surveyed at Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care were asked whether they feel safe, 87% answered “always” and 13% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 73% answered “always” and 27% “most of the time”.
Do residents have a say in daily life?
For choice and independence, the share of “always” or “most of the time” answers at Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care was 100% when asked whether they have a say in their daily activities and 94% when asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves.
How much care and nursing does Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care provide?
Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care reported 208 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 5 minutes above its target of 203 minutes. Of those minutes, 44 came from registered nurses, 2 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 42.
In each of the last four quarters, Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 204 to 208.
Who provides that care?
Of the 208 minutes, personal care workers provided 164 (78.8%), followed by registered nurses (44 minutes, 21.2%). Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, and lifestyle and recreation workers in the same quarter.
What is the food like at Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care?
When residents surveyed at Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care 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 85% in 2024. Another 13% answered “some of the time” and 20% “never”.
In January to March 2026, Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care spent $11 per resident per day on food, 31% below the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care reported no spending on dietitians, against a sector median of $0.28 per resident per day.
How are meals prepared?
According to Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care, 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 does Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care spent $447.05 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 59.5% of it. Care and nursing spending of $266.11 was in line with 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?
Other categories included administration ($70.64), accommodation and maintenance ($45.12), and cleaning and laundry ($23.04) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($169.32) and registered nurses ($53.59).
