
The staff are always polite and helpful. Mum is happy to join in with activities and staff help herH B(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

my mother-in-law has been very happy, feels very safe and thinks the staff are very friendlyD R(Son-in-law of Resident/Service User)

Pleasant staff. Clean and tidy facilities.K B(Son of Resident/Service User)

The staff are always polite and helpful. Mum is happy to join in with activities and staff help herH B(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

my mother-in-law has been very happy, feels very safe and thinks the staff are very friendlyD R(Son-in-law of Resident/Service User)

Pleasant staff. Clean and tidy facilities.K B(Son of Resident/Service User)

Townsend House is a forty-five capacity care home situated in the Headington area of Oxford in peaceful and beautifully tended grounds. Townsend is dedicated to person-centred methods and offering quality residential, early-stage dementia and respite care for older people.
This traditional home from home has some lovely newly refurbished communal lounges where you can enjoy the company of others, take part in activities or simply sit down and read a good...
Care Provided by Townsend House
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 45 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
Other Care Provided
- Parkinson's Disease
- Stroke
- Day Care
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- Close to Local shops
- Near Public Transport
- Lift
- Wheelchair Access
- Gardens
- Television point in own room
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 Townsend House for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact Townsend House 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
- Lisa Oliver (Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Ages 65+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: No
- Last Refurbishment: 1995
- Number of floors: 1
Room Information
- Single Rooms (45)
Townsend House Reviews (91)
Townsend House has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.771) out of 10, based on 24 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Townsend House has 91 reviews.
My aunt has been in Townsend House for 7 years, was about to go into her eighth year but sadly died on 02/11/2024. She was very happy and really enjoyed her home. Carers have been wonderful along with the other staff. Me and my cousins are so pleased Aunty was happy, thanks to the care she received. A very good recommendation from us.
We are all so sorry for your loss. It was an honour to care for your aunt, and she will be missed by everyone at Townsend House. Please don't hesitate to ask if there is anything more we can do to support your family. We appreciate you taking the time to write us a review and sharing your experiences of our home.
Dad had a week's respite. He found the staff and care team friendly and nothing was too much trouble. He enjoyed a couple of baths and one of the care team even played Irish music. Dad enjoyed the food, porridge for breakfast, kitchen staff friendly and chatty. Dad didn't partake in any activities during his weeks stay. Overall dad enjoyed his week, bit of culture shock as he's very independent and currently lives on his own and cares for himself. His bedroom and ensuite suited him well.
Thank you so much for leaving us such a great review of your dad's respite stay with us. It was a pleasure caring for him. I will pass on your comments to our staff. We'd love to see your dad again, he's more than welcome to join us for our monthly coffee morning or at one of our events. Our next event is December 14th, and our Christmas bazaar. All welcome. Thanks!
Mum has only been here for a few weeks but she has settled in really quickly. She seems happy and well looked after. Good range of activities, along with hairdresser and podiatrist. Lovely conservatory if there are a lot of visitors. The staff are lovely.
Thank you so much for your review, we really appreciate it. It's great to hear that your mum has settled in so well. It's a pleasure caring for her. We have a few events happening at Townsend over the next few weeks, we'd love to see you if you can make them. Very best wishes.
Friendly staff, helpful and attentive.
Thank you so much for your review, we are really grateful for your very kind words. We pride ourselves on friendly, caring staff and for you to acknowledge this means the world.
Mum has been here for about two years now. The staff are always polite and helpful. Mum is happy to join in with activities and staff help her when she is unsure. We are able to visit often and it is convenient at various times.
Thank you so much for leaving us a lovely review. It's a pleasure caring for your mum and it's great to see her getting involved with our activities and socialising with others. Do come and say hello next time you are visiting.
The carers have shown kindness and care throughout Mum's stay at the home. The room is kept immaculately clean and Mum's things are well looked after. The staff have been more than willing to answer questions. The meals are well-prepared and nutritious. Mum has been making friends and enjoying her stay. I am very grateful to everyone at Townsend House.
We are so grateful for your lovely review, thank you. We love having your mum reside with us, she is a great asset to our home and gets on well with the residents and staff. We pride ourselves on our facilities, care and housekeeping. Do come and say hello next time you are visiting.
The staff have provided an excellent level of care and attentiveness and treated my grandmother with dignity as she now resides at the home permanently; a decision reached by how well the care home initially supported and catered to my grandmother's needs.
I have visited several care homes over the years when visiting relatives and this one ranks amongst the best I have been to, the activities are engaging and the staff are welcoming and provide a lovely environment for when family visits.
Thank you for your great review of our home; we really appreciate it. It's an absolute pleasure caring for your grandmother, and we love how she has settled her since coming for respite. Our staff will be so thrilled to read how highly you rate the care we provide, and the activities we put on, as...
Since moving to the home, my mother-in-law has been very happy, feels very safe and thinks the staff are very friendly and supportive.
Thanks so much for your review, we really appreciate it. It's great caring for your mother-in-law, she's settled in well and always looks so happy. Please come and say hello next time you're visiting us.
Pleasant staff. Clean and tidy facilities.
Thank you for reviewing our home and facilities, we greatly appreciate it.
Lovely, kind-hearted staff.
Thanks so much for your kind review. It's great to hear how highly you rate our staff. We think they're pretty great too!
What can I say? The home is basic, clean and tidy but the staff are far from it. The staff are very kind, warm and caring and go out of their way to make everyone happy, including us, the visitors. My mother-in-law seems to love it there; she is happier than ever, which is great to see. Thank you to all the staff for being so good.
Thanks so much for leaving this amazing review! We are so proud of our staff; they really do go above and beyond for our residents. It's not just a job to them. It's lovely to hear and see how happy your mum is; we love having her here at Townsend! Thank you.
My mum has been moved to Townsend House for a temporary situation. I really love the staff, they are funny, and nothing is too much trouble. One member of staff is lovely. We can come anytime, and you can see they all really care.
Thank you for reviewing our home; we greatly appreciate it. Our staff really are great, and nothing is too much trouble. Thank you!
My mother has been here for one year now. I live quite local so I can call into the home at any time. The staff are very accommodating, their job is a very demanding one. When fully staffed, the home runs very smoothly. What I see going on, I would think goes on in every home. My mum is as happy as a dementia person can be, I think this home is a good one. I'm happy with the carers - they have plenty to deal with.
Thank you for taking the time to review our home, we greatly appreciate it. We're pleased to hear that your mum is settled and enjoying her life at Townsend House.
The home is nice and the care is fine - sometimes the food is not always suitable for old people with small appetites. A little fish in parsley sauce and small sausages instead of the big ones. The meat is not always tender, but mostly it's fine. The activities lady has left, will she be replaced as she did a lot of different things with the residents?
Thank you for your feedback and for taking the time to fill out a review card. Yes, we have a new activities coordinator in post as we know how important it is to have a varied programme that all residents can get involved in.
Overall, very happy with the care home.
Thank you for taking the time to write us a review. I will share your feedback with the team as I know they appreciate it.
The care is not adequate certainly for dementia (either led to the lounge or back to bedrooms) and activities have gone downhill since no activities lead. Every time we visited the residents are just sat around in a big circle sleeping or staring into space.
Food-wise, a lot of residents moan about the quality and they have given mum (coeliac) gluten a few times by mistake or she has demanded the same food as others and they have given it to her which has resulted in a bad stomach many times.
They have mixed up hospital appointments, given her the wrong dose of medication and just seem so disorganised when you ask to check anything.
Can't wait to get out of here.
Thank you for your feedback. I’m sorry that your experience of our home has fallen short of the high standards we expect from ourselves. I will raise the points you’ve shared with our operations team so they can address the concerns you have raised.
Mum is always well cared for, happy and comfortable when we visit. She has a lovely relationship with the carers, who are always kind and considerate.
I have reviewed before, but re-iterate that the love and care from everybody involved in the care of my parents whilst in their care was exemplary. As a new experience, at first, it was daunting on visiting, but the staff are so caring and helpful with all the problems that they face they are amazing and always friendly. Could not recommend Townsend House highly enough. Thank you all.
I find that the staff are very good in their care of residents. In trying times, ie Covid, they do an excellent job with the pressures they have had to deal with on a daily basis and I cannot thank them enough.
Thank you to all of you for looking after our dear Mum.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 30 May 2024Good
- CaringGood
- EffectiveGood
- ResponsiveGood
- 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 Townsend House.
There are no upcoming events for Townsend House.
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 Townsend House.
Meet the Team (3)

Lisa joined OSJCT as Home Manager for Townsend House in December 2024. She holds Level 2 and 3 qualifications in Health and Social Care, as well as a qualification in Leadership and Management of Care Services.
With a strong background in the care sector, Lisa is passionate about providing high-quality care and is excited to bring her experience and leadership skills to Townsend House. She looks forward to getting to know her team and making a positive impact within the home.
Outside of work, Lisa enjoys spending time with her family and taking part in outdoor activities. She values the importance of relaxation and reflection in her personal time.

Chris has an NVQ Level 3 in Administration, ILM 1 and 2 in Team Work and Management and has an EU Computer Driving Licence.
Chris was introduced to the care industry through a family member who worked for the Trust. Chris loves the diversity of her role as she gets to meet residents, elderly people and their families.
A particularly fond memory of Chris’s with the residents was when she did a memory walk in the gardens of Oxford which she absolutely loved.
Chris’s hobbies include crochet, barbequing, doing jigsaw puzzles and going for long walks. She also loved caravanning with her children when they were younger and growing vegetables with them.

Jessica joined the Trust at Townsend House in November 2025 as a Kitchen Assistant before progressing to the role of Activities Coordinator in May 2026. She is passionate about bringing people together and creating meaningful experiences that enrich residents' lives. Jessica enjoys planning and delivering a wide range of engaging activities and themed events that encourage connection, promote wellbeing, and create lasting memories.
She is looking forward to strengthening community links, introducing new experiences that cater to a variety of interests and abilities, and helping residents maintain their independence while enjoying a fulfilling lifestyle. Outside of work, Jessica enjoys baking, cooking, attending festivals, playing bingo, getting creative, and meeting new people from all walks of life.
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