Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Victoria by the Park is 4.52 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
Care and registered-nurse targets met in four reported quarters
The latest quarter records 227 minutes against a 204-minute daily care target; RN time is 49 against 42.
Staffing rating exceeds the national average
5 out of 5, compared with 3.18 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
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
Fewer residents feel they have a say in daily life
77% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 93.2% across other homes.
Support for independence is below the survey average
77% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 88.6% 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 | 3.06 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.86% | 1354 |
| Feeling safe | 96.45% | 1354 |
| How well the home is run | 89.33% | 1354 |
| Getting needed care | 94.47% | 1354 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.47% | 1354 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 88.60% | 1354 |
| Staff explaining things | 81.81% | 1354 |
| Enjoying the food | 70.25% | 1354 |
| Following up concerns | 85.19% | 1354 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.96% | 1354 |
| Having a say in daily life | 93.21% | 1354 |
How much care and nursing does Victoria by the Park provide?
In January to March 2026, Victoria by the Park reported 227 minutes of care per resident per day, 23 minutes above its target of 204 minutes. Of those minutes, 49 came from registered nurses, 7 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 42.
In each of the last four quarters, Victoria by the Park met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 202 to 227 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 170 minutes per resident per day, followed by registered nurses (49 minutes) and enrolled nurses (7 minutes). Victoria by the Park also reported spending on physiotherapists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers in the same quarter.
What is the food like at Victoria by the Park?
In the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey, 85% of residents surveyed at Victoria by the Park said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 14.8 percentage points above the average of 70.2% across other homes. The share was also 85% in 2024. Another 15% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
In January to March 2026, Victoria by the Park spent $24 per resident per day on food, 50% above the sector median of $16. In the same quarter, spending on dietitians was $0.56 per resident per day, 100% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to Victoria by the Park, 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”.
85% 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 Victoria by the Park?
Asked in the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey whether they have a say in their daily activities, 77% of residents surveyed at Victoria by the Park answered “always” or “most of the time”, below the 93.2% average across other homes by 16.2 percentage points. When residents were asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves (77% against 88.6%) and whether the home is well run (84% against 89.3%), answers were also below the average for other homes.
The widest gap above other homes came when residents were asked whether staff know what they are doing: 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 89.5%. In all, answers on 4 of the 10 questions other than food were at least 3 percentage points above the average for other homes.
What should you ask about on a visit?
On a visit, you can ask about how residents have a say in daily activities. When residents were asked whether they have a say in their daily activities, 77% answered “always” and 23% “some of the time”; none answered “most of the time” or “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
Asked whether they feel safe, 92% of residents surveyed at Victoria by the Park answered “always” and 8% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 77% answered “always” and 23% “most of the time”.
How does Victoria by the Park spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Victoria by the Park spent $412.39 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 58.1% of it. Care and nursing spending of $239.68 was 10% below 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?
Spending on other categories included administration ($47.81), cleaning and laundry ($38.90), and accommodation and maintenance ($32.59) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($112.48) and registered nurses ($68.69).
