Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for UnitingSA Seaton Aged Care is 4.19 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 260 minutes against a 237-minute daily care target; RN time is 56 against 47.
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
Kind and caring staff is below the survey average
63% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 95.4% across other homes.
Getting needed care is below the survey average
76% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 94.4% across other homes.
Fewer residents feel they have a say in daily life
75% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 92.7% 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 | 96.26% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.09% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.44% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.09% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.16% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.27% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.33% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.22% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.45% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.72% | 1080 |
What do residents say about UnitingSA Seaton Aged Care?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 63% of residents surveyed at UnitingSA Seaton Aged Care answered “always” or “most of the time” when asked whether staff are kind and caring, 32.4 percentage points below the average of 95.4% across other homes. Answers were also below the average for other homes when residents were asked whether they get the care they need (76% against 94.4%) and whether they have a say in their daily activities (75% against 92.7%).
At UnitingSA Seaton Aged Care, answers were at least 3 percentage points below the average for other homes on 9 of the 10 questions other than food, and within 3 percentage points on the rest.
What should you ask about on a visit?
On a visit, you can ask about how staff get to know each resident. When residents were asked whether staff are kind and caring, 38% answered “always”, 25% “most of the time” and 38% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe?
Asked whether they feel safe, 75% of residents surveyed at UnitingSA Seaton Aged Care answered “always” and 13% “most of the time”.
How much care and nursing does UnitingSA Seaton Aged Care provide?
UnitingSA Seaton Aged Care reported 260 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 23 minutes above its target of 237 minutes. Of those minutes, 56 came from registered nurses, 9 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 47.
In each of the last four quarters, UnitingSA Seaton Aged Care met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 249 to 279.
Who provides that care?
Per resident per day, personal care workers provided 168 minutes, followed by registered nurses (56 minutes) and enrolled nurses (37 minutes). In the same quarter, UnitingSA Seaton Aged Care also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
How does UnitingSA Seaton Aged Care spend on resident care?
Spending on care and nursing at UnitingSA Seaton Aged Care in the 2024–25 financial year was $347.25 per resident per day, 31% above the sector median of $264.85. Total spending was $526.04 per resident per day. 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 ($63.74), cleaning and laundry ($41.39), and accommodation and maintenance ($31.18) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($160.30) and registered nurses ($85.54).
What is the food like at UnitingSA Seaton Aged Care?
When residents surveyed at UnitingSA Seaton 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 fell from 84% in 2025. Another 25% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
In January to March 2026, UnitingSA Seaton Aged Care spent $13 per resident per day on food, 19% below the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.35 per resident per day, 25% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to UnitingSA Seaton 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”.
75% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
