
'Caring' and 'homely' are the best words to describe this wonderful place.W B(Son of Resident/Service User)

After just the first few days I am impressed by the way the friendly caring staff have helpedKeith D(Husband of Resident/Service User)

I'm truly amazed at how well she has settled in and now sees it as her home. It makes visiting a joyD M(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

'Caring' and 'homely' are the best words to describe this wonderful place.W B(Son of Resident/Service User)

After just the first few days I am impressed by the way the friendly caring staff have helpedKeith D(Husband of Resident/Service User)

I'm truly amazed at how well she has settled in and now sees it as her home. It makes visiting a joyD M(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

Stirlings offers compassionate, individualised residential, early-stage dementia and respite care for up to 40 residents. It has a strong connection with the local community, and has been serving the local and wider Oxfordshire residents for over 50 years. Set in peaceful and beautifully tended grounds, the home is located in a quiet residential location, near to the historic centre of Wantage.
Activities and wellbeing
The dedicated Activities Coordinator is there to...
Care Provided by Stirlings
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
- Physical Disability
- Visual / Hearing Impairment
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Residential Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- For a maximum of 40 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
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- Pet Friendly (or by arrangement)
- Close to Local shops
- Near Public Transport
- Lift
- Wheelchair Access
- Gardens
- Bar/Café
- Residents Kitchenette
- Television point in own room
- Residents Internet Access
Funding & Fees
Weekly Charges per Person
These services are: Personal care, accommodation,
utilities, use of communal areas, meals, drinks and
snacks, laundry (excluding dry cleaning),
housekeeping, maintenance and activities run by the
home.
physiotherapy, occupational therapy, opticians, hairdressing,
medications, toiletries, clothing, newspapers/magazines.
During your stay, you may need to purchase additional goods
and services. If they are able to provide such goods and
services, they will tell you how much these goods and services
will cost and they expect that you will pay for these goods and
services at the time you request them.
They can accompany loved ones to private appointments,
however the fee attached to this is £21 per hour. Where private taxi
services are used for transportation to appointments the cost should
be paid for by yourself.
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact Stirlings for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact Stirlings 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
- The Orders of St John Care Trust
- Voluntary / Not for Profit Owned
Person in charge
- Catherine Barthe (Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Ages 65+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: No
Room Information
- Single Rooms (40)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (40)
Stirlings Reviews (104)
Stirlings has a Review Score of 9.7 (9.683) out of 10, based on 27 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Stirlings has 104 reviews.
We have been very happy with the care provided over the last 15 months. My relative has settled extremely well, and my issues addressed promptly. Staff are exceptionally welcoming and friendly, there's always lots going on and it feels like a real home from home.
Thank you so much for your kind words - we are very grateful. At Stirlings we strive for a home from home ambience and we're so pleased you mentioned this. If we can be of further assistance, please let us know.
I have been visiting a friend in Stirlings since January 2025, the staff are friendly and the residents are always treated with dignity. Everybody encouraged to join in the varied activities. My friend says the food is good, her room is spotless! And most importantly she is very happy in Stirlings.
Thank you so much for leaving us a lovely review. It's so nice seeing you visiting your friend and joining in with us. We are so glad to read how happy your friend is living here, that has made our day.
It is a very happy and uplifting place to visit and if I had a relative that required full-time care, I would have no hesitation in having them living at Stirlings Care Home. So much warmth and good feeling shown by all the carers I have met.
Thank you so much for your lovely review and recommendation of our care home. - this means the world to us. Hope to see you again soon.
I was totally satisfied with the care team that cared for my mum on all counts.
Thank you for giving us a 5 star review of our home, it's greatly appreciated. It was a pleasure caring for your mum and we are so grateful to hear how satisfied you were with the care your mum received. This means the world to us.
Visited to see a dear old friend. Lovely friendly staff. Clean, tidy and warm. Residents all very happy and have everything they need. Afternoon tea was delicious.
The afternoon teas are great, aren't they!? So glad you joined us when you visited your friend staying with us. Please do come again, you're always welcome! Thank you for your kind words about our home, we really appreciate it.
The staff keeps an eye on me to make sure I'm fine.
The staff goes the extra mile, like coming in even on their days off.
Thank you so much for a lovely review. We absolute love caring for you, you always make us smile. Please let us know if there are any activities you'd like us to do with you.
'Caring' and 'homely' are the best words to describe this wonderful place. If you want the very best for your loved ones, please seriously consider Stirlings.
Thank you so much for your lovely review, we greatly appreciate it. We strive to ensure that Stirlings is both caring and homely, so the fact you mentioned these two words in your review, means the world to us.
From the moment you step into Stirlings, you are met with smiles and welcomes from all staff. Every staff member talks softly with huge kindness to the ladies and gentlemen they are caring for. Nothing is too much trouble to make residents feel happy and at home, comfort is a priority and it shows, it is like a big happy family, all our family are so pleased their father is being cared for so well. It has taken a huge burden of care off my shoulders (wife). I was so frightened of leaving my husband with strangers but strangers they are not. Whatever they earn, it is not enough, we love them all.
Thank you for leaving us such an amazing review - we are so grateful. At Stirlings, we pride ourselves on being one happy bonus family and we are so pleased this is felt by you and your family. We understand that making a decision to move a loved one into a care home can be difficult. We absolutely...
After just the first few days I am impressed by the way the friendly caring staff have helped my wife to adapt to her very different new life.
Many thanks for leaving a review for us, we are very grateful. The staff will be thrilled to read how highly you have rated the care your wife has received here. We absolutely love having your wife reside here, she has fitted in very well. Thank you.
From day one, she has been so happy.
All the staff are very professional as well as cheery and nice.
I'm truly amazed at how well she has settled in and now sees it as her home. It makes visiting a joy.
We are so pleased to read how happy you are with your mother's care and that she is happy living with us. We love having her here. Do let us know if there is anything else we can do for her.
Mum is very happy in Stirlings. Treated with great care and dignity. Although she doesn't take part in much there is always plenty of activity going on.
Thank you for your review. It's great to hear that your mum is happy living with us - we love having her here. Do let us know if there are any activities she would like us to put on, so she can join us if she wants to.
I have lived here for six months and have found them all very helpful and friendly. The food is excellent and a good variety. The activities are good and always something to do.
Hi! Thank you for your kind words. It's great to hear that you've enjoyed living with us for the last six months; it's been a pleasure getting to know you. I will pass on your compliments to the staff - the chef will be particularly pleased to hear you are enjoying the food.
My mother-in-law is genuinely like a different person since coming to Stirlings. She is loving the staff, the food and the companionship. She absolutely adores all the staff and the hairdressing facility is a firm favourite.
Thank you so much for your review. We are thrilled to read how happy your mother-in-law is in our home. We love having her here and, like you said, she has really come into her own since arriving here. If there's anything else we can do for her, please let us know.
Friendly staff. We were made to feel very welcome. Our friend is settled and very happy at Stirlings.
We are so pleased to hear that your friend is enjoying living with us and that he or she is happy. You are always welcome here, so do say hello next time you are visiting. Many thanks.
Home is always very clean and fresh.
Patients always look happy, also nice and clean.
Keep up all of the work you do.
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. I will pass on your kind words to our team.
Because Mum was able to choose to come into Stirlings, it made the "big" decision of care much easier. She hasn't been disappointed, and neither has her family. She is well cared for and enjoys her new life there. Her carers look after her really well. Nothing is too much trouble. She enjoys her food, particularly liver and bacon, as she told the cook today! Full marks for the Christmas party today, with delicious tea and an entertainer!
Thank you for your lovely comment. I am delighted that your Mum is enjoying life at Stirlings and is especially enjoying the food! I will pass on your feedback to our team.
The staff do a brilliant job, but we do feel there should be more of them because, at times, it can be very stressful for them to do everything that is demanded of them.
Thank you for your kind feedback. I will pass on your comments to our team.
Nothing in life is as hard as watching your father decline so rapidly with this awful disease called dementia, but I can honestly say the greeting, smile, kindness and helpfulness from all Stirlings staff at every visit at any time of the day or night makes it a whole lot easier to endure.
The team at Stirlings do a wonderful job of keeping residents active and entertained. I would just like to mention how important mixing with others socially and having musical entertainment is. I really hope that all restrictions on visitors and mixing in communal areas can be lifted soon.
Thank you for organising 90th Birthday party for my mother-in-law. Very well and professionally run party including many of the mobile residents who joined in with smiles, happiness and lots of joy. Care home staff did an amazing job of encouraging residents to sing along with the music. We all had a lovely time. Thank you again, to all the staff.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 18 July 2019Good
- 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 (0) & Events (0)
There are no news items for Stirlings.
There are no upcoming events for Stirlings.
Awards / Recognitions (9)
- 30 Jan 2026Recipient: The Orders of St John Care Trust
- 31 Jan 2024Recipient: The Orders of St John Care Trust
- 28 Feb 2023Recipient: The Orders of St John Care Trust
Accreditations
There are no accreditations posted yet for Stirlings.
Meet the Team (3)

Catherine rejoined the Trust in 2024 as Home Manager at Stirlings.

As Activities Coordinator, Angela is passionate about providing residents at Stirlings with the best possible experiences to enhance their wellbeing. She sees working in care as her calling in life and approaches each day as a new chance to help people.
Angela has almost a decade of experience in coordinating activities in a care environment and has many qualifications supporting her deep knowledge of caring for those with dementia. She takes great satisfaction from helping people to continue with the hobbies and interests they have had their whole lives but equally loves being able to provide them with brand new experiences too.
Whether jumping out of a plane to raise money, completing the Tough Mudder for charity, taking a former ice skater back onto the ice after 50 years, writing poetry with residents or working with Oxford University on a study into therapeutic robots, there is rarely a dull moment in Angela’s line of work. Her great work for the Trust was recognised when Angela was named OSJCT’s Oxfordshire Activity Coordinator of the year in 2016.
Angela finds time to meditate every day and enjoys attending boxing exercise classes and expanding her spiritual interests.

Starting a career in care back in 2016, Odeth embarked on a journey that led her through various roles within different care centres. Initially serving as a caring leader at Avonbourne Care Centre upon joining the trust in 2019, she transitioned to the role of Head of Care (HoC) at Bemerton Lodge in 2021 and later moved to Longlands in 2022 and is now based at Stirlings. Before venturing into the care sector, her professional experience included working as a logistician for the British Army.
Odeth's current role in care is a source of satisfaction, finding it robust and engaging, offering ample opportunities to interact with a diverse multidisciplinary team. Engaging with residents and their families brings them joy, fostering strong connections within their team.
Beyond the professional sphere, Odeth's personal life is centred around family; married with two children, they cherish moments spent together. While she used to play netball, her current passion involves avidly following the sport on television.
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