Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Uniting AgeWell Manor Lakes is 4.08 out of 5, compared with 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.
Quality measures rating exceeds the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 3.06 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Following up concerns is above the survey average
100% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 85.2% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Reported care time falls short of a staffing target
Total care: 227 vs 223 minutes; registered nurses: 42 vs 45 minutes per resident per day.
Food enjoyment fell in the latest survey
69% positive in 2025, compared with 85% in 2024: 16 percentage points lower.
Confidence in staff skills is below the survey average
84% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 89.5% 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 | 3.06 | 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 | 89.48% | 1354 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 88.58% | 1354 |
| Staff explaining things | 81.81% | 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 Uniting AgeWell Manor Lakes?
When residents surveyed at Uniting AgeWell Manor Lakes for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things, 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 14.8 percentage points above the average of 85.2% across other homes. When residents were asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves (100% against 88.6%) and whether the home is well run (100% against 89.3%), answers were also above the average for other homes.
The widest gap below other homes came when residents were asked whether staff know what they are doing: 84% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 89.5%.
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, 38% answered “always”, 46% “most of the time”, 8% “some of the time” and 8% “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
Asked whether they feel safe, 62% of residents surveyed at Uniting AgeWell Manor Lakes answered “always” and 38% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 85% answered “always” and 15% “most of the time”.
How does Uniting AgeWell Manor Lakes spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Uniting AgeWell Manor Lakes spent $304.05 per resident per day on care and nursing, 15% above the sector median of $264.85. Spending across all categories was $509.21 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?
Other categories included administration ($63.47), accommodation and maintenance ($53.91), and cleaning and laundry ($36.51) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($158.03) and registered nurses ($63.49).
How much care and nursing does Uniting AgeWell Manor Lakes provide?
In January to March 2026, Uniting AgeWell Manor Lakes reported 227 minutes of care per resident per day, 4 minutes above its target of 223 minutes. Of those minutes, 42 came from registered nurses, 3 minutes below the registered-nurse target of 45.
In none of the last four quarters did Uniting AgeWell Manor Lakes meet both its total and registered-nurse targets. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 220 to 229 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 172 of the 227 minutes (75.8%), followed by registered nurses (42 minutes, 18.5%) and enrolled nurses (13 minutes, 5.7%). In the same quarter, Uniting AgeWell Manor Lakes also reported spending on physiotherapists, speech pathologists, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
What is the food like at Uniting AgeWell Manor Lakes?
In the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey, 69% of residents surveyed at Uniting AgeWell Manor Lakes said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 16 percentage points lower than the 85% recorded in 2024. Another 23% answered “some of the time” and 8% “never”.
In January to March 2026, Uniting AgeWell Manor Lakes spent $14 per resident per day on food, 13% below the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, Uniting AgeWell Manor Lakes reported no spending on dietitians, against a sector median of $0.28 per resident per day.
How are meals prepared?
Uniting AgeWell Manor Lakes 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”.
69% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
