Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for St Vincent's Care Services Eltham - Eltham Lodge is 4.04 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
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 223 minutes against a 210-minute daily care target; RN time is 51 against 43.
Staffing rating exceeds the national average
5 out of 5, compared with 3.18 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Worth a closer look
Residents’ experience rating trails the national average
3 out of 5, compared with 3.62 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Getting needed care is below the survey average
85% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 94.5% across other homes.
How well the home is run is below the survey average
84% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 89.3% 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 | 95.86% | 1354 |
| Feeling safe | 96.45% | 1354 |
| How well the home is run | 89.33% | 1354 |
| Getting needed care | 94.48% | 1354 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.48% | 1354 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 88.59% | 1354 |
| Staff explaining things | 81.81% | 1354 |
| Enjoying the food | 70.24% | 1354 |
| Following up concerns | 85.19% | 1354 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.96% | 1354 |
| Having a say in daily life | 93.19% | 1354 |
How much care and nursing does St Vincent's Care Services Eltham - Eltham Lodge provide?
In January to March 2026, St Vincent's Care Services Eltham - Eltham Lodge reported 223 minutes of care per resident per day, 13 minutes above its target of 210 minutes. Of those minutes, 51 came from registered nurses, 8 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 43.
In each of the last four quarters, St Vincent's Care Services Eltham - Eltham Lodge met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 214 to 230.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 172 of the 223 minutes (77.1%), followed by registered nurses (51 minutes, 22.9%). St Vincent's Care Services Eltham - Eltham Lodge also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers in the same quarter.
What is the food like at St Vincent's Care Services Eltham - Eltham Lodge?
When residents surveyed at St Vincent's Care Services Eltham - Eltham Lodge for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 92% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 21.8 percentage points above the average of 70.2% across other homes. The share rose from 54% in 2024. Another 8% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
Food spending at St Vincent's Care Services Eltham - Eltham Lodge in January to March 2026 was $18 per resident per day, 13% above the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.24 per resident per day, 14% below the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to St Vincent's Care Services Eltham - Eltham Lodge, 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”.
92% 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 Vincent's Care Services Eltham - Eltham Lodge?
When residents surveyed at St Vincent's Care Services Eltham - Eltham Lodge for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether staff explain things to them, 93% answered “always” or “most of the time”, above the 81.8% average across other homes by 11.2 percentage points. Answers were also above the average for other homes when residents were asked whether staff treat them with respect (100% against 95.9%) and whether staff are kind and caring (100% against 96.0%).
The largest gap below other homes was when residents were asked whether they get the care they need: 85% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 94.5%. Altogether, 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?
On a visit, you can ask about how care plans are reviewed and changed. When residents were asked whether they get the care they need, 54% answered “always”, 31% “most of the time” and 15% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe?
When residents surveyed at St Vincent's Care Services Eltham - Eltham Lodge were asked whether they feel safe, 62% answered “always” and 31% “most of the time”.
How does St Vincent's Care Services Eltham - Eltham Lodge spend on resident care?
Total spending at St Vincent's Care Services Eltham - Eltham Lodge in the 2024–25 financial year was $415.47 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 60.9% of it. Care and nursing spending of $252.91 was 5% below 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?
Other categories included administration ($43.40), accommodation and maintenance ($36.60), and cleaning and laundry ($30.56) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($150.12) and registered nurses ($62.29).
