






MHA Norwood has been a welcoming home for older people since 1979, offering residential and dementia care for 45 residents in a warm, community-focused environment. Housed in the historic old bishop’s palace, dating back to 1895, it blends charm with comfort. Every room offers picturesque views of Christchurch Park or beautifully landscaped gardens, while a lively kitchen and engaging activities like music therapy, interactive ‘magic tables,’ and group events enrich...
Care Provided by Norwood
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Residential Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- For a maximum of 46 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
- Palliative / End of Life Care
- COPD/Pulmonary Disease
- Bariatric Care/Obesity
- Convalescent Care
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- Near Public Transport
- Lift
- Wheelchair Access
- Gardens
- Residents Kitchenette
- Phone Point in own room
- Television point in own room
Funding & Fees
Weekly Charges per Person
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact Norwood for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact Norwood 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
- MHA
- Voluntary / Not for Profit Owned
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Ages 55+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: Yes
Room Information
- Single Rooms (44)
- Couples/Companion Rooms (1)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (44)
Norwood Reviews (116)
Norwood has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.768) out of 10, based on 25 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Norwood has 116 reviews.
The wonderful staff at Norwood always looked after Mum with such compassion, patience and respect. The care was outstanding and made Mum's final days peaceful, and we will never forget it. They also showed great kindness and consideration to our family.
Thank you so much for your lovely review of Norwood, and thank you for choosing us. Your Mum was very much part of our community, and it was our pleasure to support her to live her later life well.
In the last few weeks of our mother's life, she was treated with such tenderness and sympathetic care that we came to think of them as angels. They also supported us amazingly through her last few weeks and for that we will be forever grateful.
Norwood is a homely care home where the residents really feel the care and the staff go above and beyond.
Thank you so much for your lovely review of Norwood. Tt was our pleasure to care for your mother, and we are so grateful that you chose us. I will make sure your comments are shared with the whole team.
As with many people l found myself needing to find a suitable care home for my elderly mum who could no longer remain in her flat. Situation was urgent. I researched numerous care homes in the area and visited a few. Whilst most were adequate they all seemed to be missing that personal touch and sincerity. On visiting Norwood l found exactly what l was looking for for mum. A welcoming home with a truly dedicated management team and 1st rate carers. All the staff helped me organise mums move. Everyone went and continues to go that 'extra mile'. Mum has settled in well and whilst it is a big change for her she appreciates the attention she receives (& the amazing food). I have no hesitation in recommending Norwood House to any new potential residents.
Thank you for your kind review. We are delighted that your Mum has transitioned so smoothly into the home. We are very proud of the excellent care and support the team at Norwood provides every day.
The staff at Norwood have been very good with her, patiently encouraging her to eat and get up and shower. It has taken a few weeks for her to adjust to her new environment but she is so much better now and the transformation in her is wonderful.
She now enjoys talking to the other residents, playing games and has gained weight.
I am so grateful to the staff for all their help and support and would very much recommend Norwood to anyone considering residential care for their parents.
Thank you so much for your review, we are so glad your Mum is settling at Norwood. I will pass on your comments to the whole team.
My husband received excellent care throughout the eighteen months of his stay in 2025-26. He was comfortable and well looked after by all the carers, the meals were good and he never had any complaints. Entertainments were provided every week after lunch in the comfortable lounge downstairs, which he usually attended.
Thank you so much for providing us with such positive feedback. It really does mean a lot, and I will be sure to share your comments with the team. It was such a pleasure getting to know you and your husband.
I think the care home is comfortable, safe, and the staff prioritise the care and happiness of the residents. I am very pleased that my mother is being cared for and looked after by the care team, and encouraged to participate in the daily activities.
Thank you so much for taking the time to review our overall service. Your 5-star review is gratefully received and I will be sure to share your feedback with the team.
This is a home where residents are valued and well looked after, where the home's Christian ethos shines strongly, and where the carers are always friendly and helpful. The rooms are comfortable although sometimes not large, and are at a good temperature.Catering is very good and varied, and residents are encouraged and supported to eat together. There is a good variety of activities to maintain interest. Administration appears to be efficient.
Thank you for your positive review and kind words. I will ensure these are shared with the team.
Mum has a great view of the park and finds the conservatory and kitchenette a real bonus, especially when she has friends visit her.
Mum enjoys the food and joins in many of the activities. Medical care is first class with medication managed and appointments made when required.
Mum was always very sociable and had a very active life before her mobility slowed her down. It feels as though we are getting our old mum back now that she has people to talk to and activities to do. We really couldn't be happier with her care.
Thank you so much for your kind words, we are really happy that your Mum chose Norwood. I will share your review with the team.
My Dad has been at Norwood since early August, first as a trial and now as a fully-fledged resident. The staff have been absolutely brilliant, and it's clear that care for the residents, and immediate family, is first and foremost in their minds. Great care was taken with my Dad as we moved from a trial period to discussing with my Dad the need for him to stay full time. No problem is too small, and staff always have time to talk. Although my Dad is a bit of a loner, the staff are supporting my Mum's efforts to slowly but surely integrate him into the home community. My Mum can visit Dad at any time, with joint Sunday lunches a regular fixture. I've been able to borrow an electric powered wheelchair from the home to take my Dad out into Christchurch Park. The setting is great, and my Dad loves the food. Sarah and Mario have been very helpful in discussing the more practical aspects of care, from obtaining suitable furniture to council funding of Dad's place in the future.
Thank you so much for your review, we are all so happy that your Dad has settled in well and your Mum enjoys her time with us. I will share your kind words with the whole team.
The Care and willingness shown to enable my Mum to be mobile (having been fully bedbound) has been superb and a lot of time and thought has been put into making this happen.
Everything is very personal for each resident it seems.
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback, looking after Mum has been our absolute pleasure. I will pass on this feedback to the whole team.
Very good. My only quibble would be occasional missed communications with staff, and occasional lack of interest, it seemed, in those communications. Otherwise, it seems very good, and not unhappy or cursorily run.
Thank you for your review, all feedback is important to us. I will share your comments with the Team.
We were always very happy with how she was treated, looked after and helped to be involved in the various activities on offer.
She had a very cheery disposition, always singing (sometimes just to herself!), which probably endeared her to many of the staff and residents.
We found all the staff to be very helpful, friendly and approachable - whenever there was an issue, it was always dealt with speedily and satisfactorily.
On the experience we have had, we have recommended the setting to friends who have been looking for local care home recommendations.
The choice exceeded our expectations for so many reasons, from the initial home visit by a manager and senior carer through to my mother-in-law becoming a settled resident and so pleased to be living at Norwood.
All the staff and managers have been fantastic. What is most striking is the calmness, care and compassion shown, with care and personal needs tailored to her health and personality.
The freshly cooked and prepared food has been very well received, helping to maintain a well balanced diet with all the health benefits.
The room is clean and spacious. It had been freshly decorated for her arrival and we had the opportunity to personalise it which assisted her with the change.
The location is excellent. There is a conservatory that overlooks Christchurch Park, as does a wonderful veranda. Sitting in either location you feel in touch with the wider community.
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback, your experience of Norwood and the staff. We are so glad you chose us. I will make sure your comments are shared with the whole team.
Mum has been at Norwood 8 weeks and we are very impressed with the care she receives and the number of staff on shift at any given time. The staff are all very helpful and are so good with the residents. The communication with relatives is excellent and we are so happy to have found such a lovely home for mum
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience, we are so glad Mum has made Norwood her home. I will share this lovely feedback with the team.
Mum managed to make some friends during her stay, and was fairly sociable. Dad is a bit of a stick-in-the-mud and was happy to stay in their room for most of the time, despite efforts from me and the staff to get him to join in with everyone else.
The staff at the home are excellent; they engaged with my parents very well, and always had time to have a chat and a joke with them.
They don't get much of a mention, but the managers at the home work very hard, ensuring everything runs smoothly and joining in with the day-to-day care of the residents.
Thank you so much for your kind words, we are so pleased that Mum & Dad have now made Norwood their forever home following their respite stay with us. I will ensure you comments are shared with the team here.
All the staff are pleasant and efficient and do their utmost to make life interesting and comfortable
for the residents.
The home is well-run and clean and the menus are varied, nutritious and suitable.
I have no worries or concerns when leaving after a visit that she will be well looked after and happy.
Many thanks for all your dedication.
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review of your experience, we are so pleased that you chose us to take care of your wife. I will share your comments with the team, thank you again.
My daughter has been equally impressed by the consideration you have given to my sister and how it has been the little things that have helped her to live as active a life as possible with her eyesight problems as she reached the end of her life on earth.
I know that she could be a rather 'fussy' person with strong views but despite that, I know that she was appreciative of your care and I want to add my thanks to all of the staff who had contact with her.
Thank you so much for your kind review, we spent many years caring for your sister, she was very much part of our community, I will share this with the whole team, we are very grateful.
Throughout Mum's stay at Norwood, she had always been treated extremely well and she never complained about anything, which we were very pleasantly surprised at!
Well done Norwood, you should be very proud.
Thank you so much for your lovely review, it is really appreciated. I will be sure to pass your message on to the care team.
My wife has suffered from Alzheimer's for many years and is now a resident at Norwood. She is quite contented living there and is well looked after. Whenever I visit there are always staff around to help if needed and my wife is always kept clean. The staff are all very friendly and helpful. There are entertainments and activities throughout the week.
Thank you so much for your review. I would be very grateful if you could visit somebody from the management team during your next visit. I would like the opportunity to discuss how improvements can be made following your review in relation to Safety/Security, Rooms and Value for Money.
He likes to sit and watch TV all day, which to be honest is all he did at home, so he is happy that he can continue to do that. I would prefer that he walked more and joined in the various activities of which there are many, suited to all interests, but he has never been very sociable and persuading him to do something he doesn't want to do has always been an uphill battle.
Thank you so much for your review. I would be very grateful if you could visit somebody from the management team during your next visit. I would like the opportunity to discuss how improvements can be made following your review in relation to Overall Experience, Safety/Security, Rooms and Value for Money.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 16 December 2025Good
- 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 (4) & Events (0)
- 30 Jan 2025
There’s nothing like MHA at Christmas. Our care homes, retirement living schemes, and communities are filled with tinsel, Christmas trees, and lights - a burst of light in the gloom...
- 30 Jan 2025
Working in social care is not for the faint hearted. Long hours, challenging circumstances and dealing with vulnerable individuals would put plenty of people off. Despite all this, 19-year-old Olivia...
- 30 Jan 2025
A 24-year-old care assistant working at MHA Heather Grange care home has been recognised for her tremendous work ethic and attitude and has been awarded the home's employee of the...
There are no upcoming events for Norwood.
Meet the Team (1)

Sarah Clayborough is a long-serving and deeply respected care home Manager at MHA Norwood, where she has dedicated the past 20 years of her life to supporting residents and leading her team with care and compassion. Her journey at Norwood began as a night support worker and progressed through roles as an admin assistant and deputy manager before becoming the home’s manager 12 years ago. Sarah is known for her fair, supportive leadership style and her deep commitment to creating a respectful, nurturing environment for both staff and residents.
Frequently Asked Questions about Norwood
What types of Care is Norwood registered for?
Older Person Care, Dementia are the registered (by the Care Quality Commission) categories of Care.
How many Rooms does Norwood have?
There are 44 Single Rooms and 1 Couples/Companion Room.
What are the Facilities & Services at Norwood?
Own Furniture if required, Near Public Transport, Lift, Wheelchair Access, Gardens, Residents Kitchenette, Phone Point in own room, Television point in own room are some of the Facilities & Services.
How far is Norwood to the centre of Ipswich?
0.7 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.
Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of carehome.co.uk. Please contact Norwood to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Norwood has an Enhanced Service -more info.