Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Warrigal Care Queanbeyan is 3.63 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’ experience rating exceeds the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 3.62 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Residents show greater confidence in staff skills
100% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 89.5% across other homes.
Residents report stronger support for independence
96% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 88.6% across other homes.
Worth a closer look
Compliance rating trails the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 4.83 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Fewer residents say staff explain things consistently
72% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 81.8% across other homes.
Following up concerns is below the survey average
76% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 85.2% 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 | 89.32% | 1354 |
| Getting needed care | 94.47% | 1354 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.47% | 1354 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 88.59% | 1354 |
| Staff explaining things | 81.82% | 1354 |
| Enjoying the food | 70.27% | 1354 |
| Following up concerns | 85.20% | 1354 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.96% | 1354 |
| Having a say in daily life | 93.19% | 1354 |
How much care and nursing does Warrigal Care Queanbeyan provide?
Warrigal Care Queanbeyan reported 225 minutes of care per resident per day in January to March 2026, 18 minutes above its target of 207 minutes. Of those minutes, 44 came from registered nurses, 1 minute above the registered-nurse target of 43.
In three of the last four quarters, Warrigal Care Queanbeyan met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Across those four quarters, minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 217 to 225.
Who provides that care?
Of the 225 minutes, personal care workers provided 181 (80.4%), followed by registered nurses (44 minutes, 19.6%). In the same quarter, Warrigal Care Queanbeyan also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
What do residents say about Warrigal Care Queanbeyan?
When residents surveyed at Warrigal Care Queanbeyan for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether staff know what they are doing, 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, above the 89.5% average across other homes by 10.5 percentage points. When residents were asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves (96% against 88.6%) and whether they have a say in their daily activities (100% against 93.2%), answers were also above the average for other homes.
The largest gap below other homes was when residents were asked whether staff explain things to them: 72% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 81.8%. Altogether, answers on 2 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?
A visit is a chance to ask about how staff explain changes to care. When residents were asked whether staff explain things to them, 52% answered “always”, 20% “most of the time” and 28% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
Asked whether they feel safe, 88% of residents surveyed at Warrigal Care Queanbeyan answered “always” and 12% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 72% answered “always” and 28% “most of the time”.
What is the food like at Warrigal Care Queanbeyan?
In the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey, 64% of residents surveyed at Warrigal Care Queanbeyan said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 6.3 percentage points below the average of 70.3% across other homes. The share fell from 67% in 2024. Another 28% answered “some of the time” and 8% “never”.
In January to March 2026, Warrigal Care Queanbeyan spent $17 per resident per day on food, 6% above the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.43 per resident per day, 54% above the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
According to Warrigal Care Queanbeyan, 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”.
64% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
How does Warrigal Care Queanbeyan spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Warrigal Care Queanbeyan spent $475.80 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 56.9% of it. Care and nursing spending of $270.67 was 2% 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?
Other categories included administration ($75.45), accommodation and maintenance ($44.56), and cleaning and laundry ($34.54) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($166.97) and registered nurses ($65.59).
