






The Briars is proud to be one of the longest-standing and most respected care homes on the island, rated Good overall and Outstanding in Responsive category by the CQC (April 2021).
The Briars offers high-quality residential care in a warm, welcoming environment just moments from the coast. As part of the Greensleeves Care charity, every penny is reinvested into exceptional care – not profit. Thanks to the charity’s Home for Life...
Care Provided by The Briars
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
- Mental Health Condition
- Physical Disability
- Visual / Hearing Impairment
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Residential Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- For a maximum of 38 Service Users
Dementia Care TypesMild Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "mild dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Memory problems such as misplacing items and not be able to recall recent events (however, in some forms of dementia a person's memory may be unchanged)
- Difficulties thinking through problems and planning, making decisions
- Language and communication issues such as finding it difficult to recall the appropriate word in a conversation or following a conversation
- Poor orientation, getting lost in areas previously familiar to them
- Difficulty judging distances (more falls than usual)
- Changes in their normal mood including anxiety and depression
- In certain types of dementia, personality and behaviour changes may be present alongside or instead of issues with memory or concentration.
Moderate Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "moderate dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Worsened memory problems. Not always recognising own family members and friends. Repeating the same questions over and over again
- Worsened language and communication issues, forgetting what they are saying mid-sentence. Not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- More frequent confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Advanced Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "severe dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Severe memory problems. Not recognising family members and friends. Not being able to recall their own name
- Severe language and communication issues, not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- Severe confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Verbally or physically aggressive behaviour
If your loved one displays this type of behaviour you may need a care home that has specially trained staff. Verbal/physical aggression is often defined:
- Consistent shouting and screaming
- Verbal abuse
- Physical abuse
How we define Dementia Care Types
Mild Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "mild dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Memory problems such as misplacing items and not be able to recall recent events (however, in some forms of dementia a person's memory may be unchanged)
- Difficulties thinking through problems and planning, making decisions
- Language and communication issues such as finding it difficult to recall the appropriate word in a conversation or following a conversation
- Poor orientation, getting lost in areas previously familiar to them
- Difficulty judging distances (more falls than usual)
- Changes in their normal mood including anxiety and depression
- In certain types of dementia, personality and behaviour changes may be present alongside or instead of issues with memory or concentration.
Moderate Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "moderate dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Worsened memory problems. Not always recognising own family members and friends. Repeating the same questions over and over again
- Worsened language and communication issues, forgetting what they are saying mid-sentence. Not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- More frequent confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Advanced Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "severe dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Severe memory problems. Not recognising family members and friends. Not being able to recall their own name
- Severe language and communication issues, not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- Severe confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Verbally or physically aggressive behaviour
If your loved one displays this type of behaviour you may need a care home that has specially trained staff. Verbal/physical aggression is often defined:
- Consistent shouting and screaming
- Verbal abuse
- Physical abuse
How we define Dementia Care Types
- Mild Dementia
- Moderate Dementia
Other Care Provided
- Parkinson's Disease
- Stroke
- Palliative / End of Life Care
- Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
- Day Care
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- Pet Friendly (or by arrangement)
- Smoking not permitted
- Close to Local shops
- Near Public Transport
- Minibus or other transport
- Lift
- Stairlift
- Wheelchair Access
- Gardens
- Phone Point in own room
- Television point in own room
Funding & Fees
Weekly Charges per Person
Fees are set based on the specific care needs of each individual. Fees come with Greensleeves Care's unique Home for Life financial assurance and, as a not-for-profit home, every penny goes towards high-quality care, never shareholders. Give the home a call today for more details.
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact The Briars for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact The Briars to confirm what's included and get a personalised quote:
Funding Types Accepted
- Self-Funding (Private)
- Local Authority with Top-up
- Local Authority
- NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC)
Good to Know
Group / Owner
- Greensleeves Care
- Voluntary / Not for Profit Owned
Person in charge
- Lesley Shaw(Home Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Ages 65+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: No
- Last Refurbishment: 2012
Room Information
- Single Rooms (38)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (12)
Visiting
- There are no restrictions on visiting Loved Ones. The Briars is the resident's home and therefore visitors are welcome anytime.
Parking
- Like most other facilities on the Isle of Wight, The Briars Care Home does not have large parking availability. Some time ago the home took a decision, for the benefit of its resident, to convert previously allocated car parking space into a lovely communal outdoor facility for the residents to enjoy. Residents, families and visitors are unanimous in supporting this decision and the benefits of it are evident every day in the resident's wellbeing and happiness. This part of the reason the home achieved Outstanding at the last CQC inspection. Visitors are therefore advised to make use of the plentiful on-road car parking space that is available around the home.
The Briars Reviews (61)
The Briars has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.781) out of 10, based on 20 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time The Briars has 61 reviews.
From the moment of my first contact with The Briars to enquire about the availability of a room, through the assessment process and first visit to the home and carers, managers, cooks etc have shown great compassion and understanding about how hard it is when a relative has to move into a care home which has really helped us to deal with the difficult early days of the transition. Thank you very much.
Dear Rachel, thank you for your wonderful review. At The Briars we always strive to welcome new residents and make the process of coming into care comfortable and stress-free for all concerned and I am pleased we have been able to support you and your family through this time, and your dad has settled so well.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 19 March 2020Good
- CaringGood
- EffectiveGood
- ResponsiveOutstanding
- SafeGood
- Well-ledGood
Inspection ratings
We rate most services according to how safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led they are, using four levels:
- Outstanding - The service is performing exceptionally well.
- Good - The service is performing well and meeting our expectations.
- Requires Improvement - The service isn't performing as well as it should and we have told the service how it must improve.
- Inadequate - The service is performing badly and we've taken action against the person or organisation that runs it.
- Not rated - we have not yet rated this area of the service, this is normally because the assessments we have carried out have been focused on other key questions.
Bed Vacancies
Please contact us for latest vacancies.
News (9) & Events (0)
- 12 Jun 2026
We're proud to share that Greensleeves Care has been named among the Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2026. With more than 60 colleagues currently undertaking apprenticeships across our homes,...
- 02 Mar 2026
Greensleeves Care has once again been recognised in the carehome.co.uk Top 20 Large Care Home Groups in England for 2026 – a remarkable milestone and the organisation’s ninth consecutive year...
- 04 Dec 2025
Greensleeves Care is celebrating a milestone achievement — with three of its care homes, Lavender Fields in Sevenoaks, The Manor in Windsor, and Broadlands in Suffolk, becoming the first in...
There are no upcoming events for The Briars.
Awards / Recognitions (19)
- 30 Jan 2026Recipient: Greensleeves Care
- 31 Jan 2025Recipient: Greensleeves Care
- 31 Jan 2024Recipient: Greensleeves Care
Meet the Team (7)

Hello, my name is Lesley Shaw and I am proud to be the manager of The Briars.
We are based in the seaside town of Sandown on the Isle of Wight. The Briars is a specialised dementia home where the residents always come first. Our aim is to provide high quality care, in a safe and friendly environment, which respects the rights, dignity and privacy for all who live here.
Being a specialised dementia home my staff are highly qualified and dedicated ensuring everyone can live their life to the fullest. It is a privilege to be part of the team. I am a qualified, experienced manager, I believe in openness and transparency and always have time for a cup of tea and a chat. At The Briars we have strong links to our local community and always welcome new friends.

My role at The Briars is to offer support and advice to families who are looking for care for their loved ones. There is no greater reward for me than helping people on this journey into finding the right home. Away from work, I love to spend time with my family and friends.

I have worked in care for 30 years in a variety of settings and positions. I joined the team at the Briars in December 2015. Supporting and caring for residents living with dementia is an integral part of my role that I find full-filling and each day brings new experiences.

I joined The Briars 5 years ago as a Care Assistant and have now progressed to a Senior Carer. My residents here are very important to me and I will always take time out of my shift to chat to them and check they are doing OK. Outside of work, I love spending time with my family and paddleboarding, weather permitting.

I feel very privileged to work at The Briars, the staff and residents are what make the home such a nice place to be. I enjoy my job knowing that the job I do makes a difference to the team and residents. Out of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and walking my three terrier style dogs.

I have worked in the catering sector of residential care for just over 10 years. I have previously worked as a Cook in holiday camps and public houses. I enjoy spending time with the residents and finding out about their likes and dislikes in terms of food. In my private time, I enjoy kayaking, swimming and spending time with my family.

I enjoy my role as no two days are the same, for example, one day I could be changing fire doors, the next making a wooden birthday cake! In my spare time, I like to go kayaking with my sons and dog in tow! We enjoy exploring the Isle of Wight with plenty of walks and trips to the beach.
Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of carehome.co.uk. Please contact The Briars to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. The Briars has an Enhanced Service -more info.