Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for St Josephs Nursing Home is 3.08 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
Following up concerns is above the survey average
96% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 84.2% across other homes.
Staff communication is a relative strength
91% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 80.2% across other homes.
Enjoying the food is above the survey average
74% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 67.3% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Reported care time falls short of a staffing target
Total care: 214 vs 202 minutes; registered nurses: 31 vs 42 minutes per resident per day.
Quality measures rating trails the national average
1 out of 5, compared with 3.07 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Staffing rating trails the national average
2 out of 5, compared with 3.18 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
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 | 96.25% | 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 | 80.25% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.33% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.20% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.42% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.70% | 1080 |
How much care and nursing does St Josephs Nursing Home provide?
St Josephs Nursing Home reported 214 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 12 minutes above its target of 202 minutes. Registered nurses provided 31 of those minutes, 11 minutes below the registered-nurse target of 42.
In none of the last four quarters did St Josephs Nursing Home meet both its total and registered-nurse targets. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 203 to 270 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Of the 214 minutes, personal care workers provided 180 (84.1%), followed by registered nurses (31 minutes, 14.5%) and enrolled nurses (3 minutes, 1.4%). In the same quarter, St Josephs Nursing Home also reported spending on physiotherapists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
What is the food like at St Josephs Nursing Home?
When residents surveyed at St Josephs Nursing Home for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 74% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 6.7 percentage points above the average of 67.3% across other homes. The share rose from 66% in 2025. Another 26% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
Food spending at St Josephs Nursing Home in January to March 2026 was $21 per resident per day, 31% above the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.16 per resident per day, 43% below the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to St Josephs Nursing Home, 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”.
74% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
What do residents say about St Josephs Nursing Home?
When residents surveyed at St Josephs Nursing Home for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things, 96% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 11.8 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 staff explain things to them (91% against 80.2%) and whether they get the care they need (100% against 94.4%).
The widest gap below other homes came when residents were asked whether staff know what they are doing: 78% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 89.1%.
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, 35% answered “always”, 43% “most of the time” and 22% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe?
Asked whether they feel safe, 65% of residents surveyed at St Josephs Nursing Home answered “always” and 30% “most of the time”.
How does St Josephs Nursing Home spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, St Josephs Nursing Home spent $433.76 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 65.7% of it. Care and nursing spending of $284.87 was 8% above the sector median of $264.85. 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 ($40.05), cleaning and laundry ($33.55), and accommodation and maintenance ($22.15) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($181.82) and registered nurses ($50.07).
