
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.
I am grateful for her care.
Any problems I try to deal with immediately.
My concern is the management turnover.
Nobody is long term so there is no bonding with them.
Thank you for taking the time to submit a review, which is appreciated. I hope you will be reassured to know that after a transitional period, we have a new full-time dedicated Manager at Townsend House.
Although my mother was only at Townsend House for a short while, we felt she received excellent care. We were especially appreciative of the way in which she was received even though not in good health and in the way that her individual needs were handled. The staff were always friendly and helpful. We so enjoyed taking mother around the lovely gardens where we visited.
It has recently become apparent that the home is unable to give our dad the care he now requires. We, as a family, are devastated by this as Townsend House is a fantastically friendly, homely home. The staff have been brilliant with Dad and have tried so hard to keep him with them. All the staff at Townsend are caring and supportive with both Dad and us as a family. We are so grateful for all they have done. Thank you!
The staff are always friendly and helpful. They seem to go the extra mile to assist the residents, even collecting a paper for Dad so that he does not have to pay extortionate delivery charges. Dad looks clean and well cared for and the home staff seem to take pride in the work that they do
Excellent care for my mother over the past 10 months. Although not the smartest of homes, the manager, head of care, run a tight ship with the welfare of residents at the heart of their ethos. Very caring staff.
My husband was admitted as an emergency. I called the home at 4.30pm and the manager arrived at 5pm to assess. She new I needed support urgently, everyone is so friendly and caring. I know my husband is well cared for.
I am writing this review on behalf of my husband who was admitted about 18 months ago when he deteriorated due to Alzheimers, which meant I could not care for him at home alone any more, especially due to his lack of mobility. After feeling a lot of guilt for him entering the home, I feel happy to know he is content in his new environment and now enjoy visiting on a regular basis. I always go home knowing he could not be in a better place because of his treatment from his carers and catering staff. I wanted to write this as a special thank you to the team who care for him so well.
My father went into Townsend House in November 2015 for a one month trial to see if the staff could handle him as dad has dementia. He loves it there and that is where he is living now. It was upsetting for me to leave my dad there but the staff were wonderful, put my mind at rest. He is looked after so well, he calls it home which is great for me to hear that. I can't fault anything there. He loves the food.
My wife was very happy in Townsend House during her three and a half months she in the home. The staff were very caring and considerate. The rooms she was in could have been kept cleaner, both my daughter and myself cleaned the room when we visited.
I am extremely grateful that my father is in Townsend House. He is very precious to me and seeing him so well looked after gives me great peace of mind. I cannot thank the staff enough for all they do for him and the other residents. A happy, clean and loving environment. Thank you!
I really love living here, the staff are fantastic and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
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.
Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of carehome.co.uk. Please contact Townsend House to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Townsend House has an Enhanced Service -more info.