Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Villa Maria Catholic Homes Willowbrooke Aged Care Residence is 4.26 out of 5, compared with a national average of 3.81. One finding stands out as positive.
Elderberry Index
4.26 / 5
Residents’ experience
5 / 5
Compliance
5 / 5
Staffing
3 / 5
Quality measures
3 / 5
Things we noticed
Positive standouts
Residents’ experience rating exceeds the national average
5 out of 5, compared with 3.62 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 | 96.24% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.07% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.42% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.09% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.14% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.25% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.32% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.20% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.41% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.70% | 1080 |
How much does Villa Maria Catholic Homes Willowbrooke Aged Care Residence spend on food?
In January to March 2026, Villa Maria Catholic Homes Willowbrooke Aged Care Residence spent $10 per resident per day on food, 38% below the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.70 per resident per day, 150% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Villa Maria Catholic Homes Willowbrooke Aged Care Residence reports that breakfast, lunch and dinner are all cooked fresh. All meals are prepared on site.
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How does Villa Maria Catholic Homes Willowbrooke Aged Care Residence spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Villa Maria Catholic Homes Willowbrooke Aged Care Residence spent $406.02 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 68.3% of it. Care and nursing spending of $277.32 was 5% 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 ($41.93), cleaning and laundry ($21.65), and accommodation and maintenance ($17.59) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($147.53) and registered nurses ($70.77).
