Aeralife Watergardens
352 Sydenham Road, Sydenham VIC 3037
Official Star Rating
Source: Australian Government Star Ratings quarterly extract, May 2026. Ratings are published by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, not by CareShortlist.
Considering this home?
A Star Rating is a starting point, not an answer. Get a free shortlist that puts Aeralife Watergardens side by side with other options near Sydenham: ratings, room availability signals, and the questions worth asking on a tour.
We will put Aeralife Watergardens at the top of a shortlist beside the other options near Sydenham, and can introduce you to the home if you would like.
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What residents say about Aeralife Watergardens
These are not online reviews. The Australian Government interviews residents of Aeralife Watergardens face to face and publishes what they said. Below is the share who answered “always” to each question, from the 2025 survey round. It is the closest thing to hearing from the people who actually live there.
Where residents rate it lower
- Has a say: 35% said always, against a national average of 72%. Worth asking about on a visit.
- Feels like home: 35% said always, against a national average of 64%. Worth asking about on a visit.
- Gets the care needed: 38% said always, against a national average of 65%. Worth asking about on a visit.
| What residents were asked | Said “always” | Positive overall | National average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do staff treat you with respect? | 62% | 89% always or mostly | 68% |
| Are staff kind and caring toward you? | 69% | 96% always or mostly | 69% |
| Do you feel safe here? | 62% | 93% always or mostly | 78% |
| Do you get the care you need? | 38% | 88% always or mostly | 65% |
| Do staff know what they are doing? | 31% | 69% always or mostly | 44% |
| Do you feel at home here? | 35% | 77% always or mostly | 64% |
| Do staff explain things to you? | 23% | 65% always or mostly | 46% |
| Do staff follow up when you raise something? | 23% | 85% always or mostly | 48% |
| Do you have a say in your daily life? | 35% | 85% always or mostly | 72% |
| Are you encouraged to do things for yourself? | 38% | 73% always or mostly | 60% |
| Is this place well run? | 38% | 76% always or mostly | 46% |
| Do you like the food here? | 12% | 39% always or mostly | 28% |
Source: Residents’ Experience survey, Australian Government Star Ratings (May 2026 extract), interviews conducted in 2025. Percentages are of residents interviewed at this home, not of all residents. CareShortlist does not edit, weight or rank these answers.
How Aeralife Watergardens compares
Aeralife Watergardens holds an overall Star Rating of 3 out of 5. That is below the VIC average of 3.84, and below the national average of 3.83. Nationally, 0% of rated homes score lower and 78% score higher, with the rest level with it. Most homes cluster on the same few scores, so a single star of difference is a bigger gap than it looks. With 137 funded places it is larger than most (the national average is about 82).
Its strongest measure is compliance at 5 out of 5. Its weakest is quality measures at 2, which covers clinical outcomes the home reports, such as pressure injuries, falls, medication management and unplanned weight loss. That is the area worth probing on a visit, and we have turned it into specific questions below.
| Measure | Aeralife Watergardens | National average |
|---|---|---|
| Residents' experience | 3 | 3.63 |
| Compliance | 5 | 4.82 |
| Staffing | 3 | 3.25 |
| Quality measures | 2 | 3.04 |
Other homes near Aeralife Watergardens
Families almost never choose the first home they look at, and they should not have to. These are the closest alternatives to Aeralife Watergardens, with their official ratings beside them. 5 of them currently rate higher.
| Home | Suburb | Distance | Rating | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arcare Sydenham | Sydenham | 0.9 km | 4 | 120 |
| Arcare Hillside | Sydenham | 1.5 km | 4 | 70 |
| Royal Freemasons Springtime | Sydenham | 2.4 km | 4 | 50 |
| Kalyna Care | Delahey | 2.5 km | 4 | 146 |
| Rosary Home | Keilor Downs | 3 km | Not yet rated | 50 |
| Mekong Cairnlea Vietnamese Aged Care | Cairnlea | 6.1 km | 4 | 60 |
Ordered by distance, not by preference. No home pays to appear on this list.
Questions worth asking Aeralife Watergardens
Tailored to this home’s own published scores rather than a generic checklist. Take them with you.
- What are your current rates for falls, pressure injuries and unplanned weight loss, and what are you doing to improve them?
- What is the total weekly cost for someone with my family member's care needs, itemised, including extras?
- Who would be their main carer day to day, and what happens on nights and weekends?
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Common questions about Aeralife Watergardens
What is the Star Rating of Aeralife Watergardens?
Aeralife Watergardens has an overall Star Rating of 3 out of 5 in the May 2026 Australian Government extract, against a national average of 3.83. The rating combines residents' experience, compliance, staffing and quality measures.
Where is Aeralife Watergardens located?
Aeralife Watergardens is at 352 Sydenham Road, Sydenham, VIC 3037. You can see every other home nearby on our Sydenham page.
How many residents does Aeralife Watergardens have?
Aeralife Watergardens has 137 government-funded residential places, compared with a national average of about 82 per home. Size affects the feel of a home and the staffing ratios you should ask about.
Who owns Aeralife Watergardens?
Aeralife Watergardens is operated by Heritage Care Pty Ltd (private incorporated body). Standards and pricing structures often travel across a provider group, so it is worth looking at their other homes too.
How do I arrange a place at Aeralife Watergardens?
You need an aged care assessment through My Aged Care (myagedcare.gov.au or 1800 200 422) before a government-funded place can be offered. Once approved, contact the home directly to ask about availability and to arrange a visit. We can also introduce you and put Aeralife Watergardens side by side with other options near Sydenham, free.