Castlemaine Care Home

My mother became a resident from the end of January of this year. Before moving here my mother would seldom eat any meal offered or provided. If she did they were tiny amounts. She slept sometimes as much as two days at a time. Her care here has been excellent. She has regular meals and is encouraged to spend the day outside of her room. She converses with other residents too. The home is spacious and bright. Events are laid on regularly for the residents. The staff are exceptional and will always cater to all of their needs. I can safely say I am at peace knowing that my mother has the best care possible. Every time we visit her she is always smiling and comes across as a very happy lady.

Since my Mum has been admitted to Castlemaine, I have been truly impressed by the care she has received. Her move into care was necessitated by advancing Dementia and complex care needs. Since she has moved in, her overall health and well being has greatly improved. The care of the staff team has enabled a serious and longstanding health issue to be almost completely resolved, something I did not believe was possible. Penny in particular has been very understanding of my Mums needs and has been an invaluable support to me as I try to navigate the huge changes that occur when someone you love needs permanent care. Every communication I have had with Penny, Jeeva and the rest of the wonderful staff team, has been clear, compassionate and professional. I have witnessed first hand the care, knowledge and patience the team have in supporting my Mum and the other residents there. I finally feel like my Mum is in safe hands.

My wife is a completely different person after just a week at Castlemaine. She is sleeping well again and looks relaxed and smiles. Unable to communicate just a few days ago, she is now able to converse. Staff can oversee her all day long and she has space to wander as she does each evening in safety. I made the decision to place my wife here based on the great care I saw and the great attitude of the manager.

My father has been a resident of Castlemaine since summer 2021. The care has been consistent and kind all the way through with the core staff remaining the same. The facilities and activities have much improved over time, as has the general upkeep of the home. Despite my father's declining and challenging mental health needs, the staff have remained diligent and kind.

My husband has been in the Care Home for 6 years now. I have always thought the staff and management to be very friendly and very helpful. My husband seems to be very happy.

My partner has had a good experience settling in, he has good rapport with all staff and management. He is treated very well and help offered when needed. I can visit any time of the day or night if needed. Food is home cooked daily and is a varied diet to suit everone.

This was my first visit to the care home there was a nice atmosphere and friendly staff, the general care of my friend seemed good. The surroundings seemed homely too.

The staff at Castlemaine Care Home work very hard & are respectful and caring towards the residents, however, it seems at some times (for example weekends) that there are insufficient staff to adequately deal with residents! The home management look to provide new interests for residents ef the chickens.

Staff very caring, friendly. My friend is very well looked after.

My mum stayed here on a respite basis. Many of the residents have quite extreme needs, and the staff cope well with challenging behaviour. Staff always appeared to be kind to the residents. The fabric of the building is very much in need of some attention, and my mum's room was quite chilly, even in late summer. The room was also quite small, but serviceable in terms of furnishings and always seemed clean. Overall, the home seemed clean but often smelled unpleasant. The garden is very uninspiring and could be made much nicer at low cost. The food seemed good and varied. We had to raise with them that some of mum's personal care needs were not being sufficiently met (not regular enough hair washing, for example). I wasn't really aware of much in terms of activities, although there is a television in the lounge area, and the seating is arranged to encourage small groups to socialise. The home is very safe, with entry and exit points requiring number pad entry to pass through.

The environment is clean and food choice is varied.

The staff are very caring and know the individual residents very well. It is easy to contact the home if you have any queries or wish to speak to a resident. Residents are treated with respect and dignity.

Anyone looking to place a loved one into care please steer well clear of this dreadful home, all rooms are shabby communal areas are cold and the unwelcoming manager is less than caring. There is a total lack of funding from the owners which is reflected in the home's appearance, obviously only interested in lining their own pockets. Staff cannot be retained, one admitting to being embarrassed to let the resident's relations enter the building. Overall a quite horrendous experience. Please see the current CQC report if you are considering homing a loved one here it's very damning.