
St Mary's you are amazing!Kevin B(Son of Resident/Service User)

Whenever we have visited St Marys, the staff are always very helpful and friendly.Jill C(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

You will always hold a special place in our hearts. Keep doing the wonderful job you do.C G(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

St Mary's you are amazing!Kevin B(Son of Resident/Service User)

Whenever we have visited St Marys, the staff are always very helpful and friendly.Jill C(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

You will always hold a special place in our hearts. Keep doing the wonderful job you do.C G(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

St Marys, in Ipswich supports up to 60 older people to live a comfortable lifestyle, as well as offering dementia care. It is located in an idyllic peninsula setting in the village of Holbrook.
The home continues to welcome new residents for a range of residential care services, including convalescence care, respite care, trial stays, and long term care for those who can no longer look after themselves.
The St Marys care...
Care Provided by St Marys
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 60 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
- Convalescent Care
Facilities
- Pet Friendly (or by arrangement)
- Close to Local shops
- 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
Fees can vary depending on care needs and other factors. Colleagues at St Marys will be happy to discuss our weekly fees with you and what our fees include.
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact St Marys for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact St Marys 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
- Anchor
- Voluntary / Not for Profit Owned
Person in charge
- Anna Dabrowska (Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Mixed (no single-gender units)
- Ages 65+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: Yes
Room Information
- Single Rooms (60)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (59)
Visiting
- Visitors are welcome at St Marys.
Parking
- Onsite parking is available, including disabled spaces.
St Marys Reviews (157)
St Marys has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.811) out of 10, based on 28 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time St Marys has 157 reviews.
Since my husband moved to St Marys (one week) the staff have been incredibly caring, kind and the communication is excellent. I feel they know my husband and how best to support him. They are also very helpful and supportive to me.
The home is clean and well designed with several little snugs to make it more homely. There are regular activities, sing songs, quizzes, flower arranging and seasonal activities.
The food is excellent.
Our mum has been at St Mary's for 4 years and we're really pleased and relieved that she's there.
Thank you to all the staff.
Wonderful care, setting our minds at ease since we (brother and two nieces of resident) are not able to visit often (we live abroad). Staff and management are very supportive and caring. We appreciate the high staff-resident ratio, allowing for personalised care and frequent interaction with residents. Very satisfied overall.
Lovely welcoming atmosphere. The staff are so friendly and good home cooked food. Clean and nothing too much trouble.
Very satisfied with the care home. The staff are friendly and very caring.
Beach party on the 23rd of August 2024 at St Marys. What a wonderful day, Dad and friends really enjoyed themselves. All staff were welcoming and included all residents who all liked they were having fun. As a family we had all age groups with us, it was lovely to see Dad enjoying himself, dancing, listening to music and good food. Thank you all at St Marys, a truly lovely day.
We went to St Mary's garden party. What a wonderful day, the residents were so happy, with great music and food. Residents up and dancing. So lovely to see my dad dancing and smiling. The staff were amazing and so helpful and welcoming. This is by far the most amazing home. Dad has made a best friend there. He feels safe and so happy he is always saying how he likes living there. Well done St Mary's.
My 96-year-old friend was admitted to St Marys at short notice from the hospital. At this stressful time, all the staff acted quickly to make my friend comfortable. With incredible humanity, professionalism, support and kindness, they all rallied around my friend to settle her in. It was a humbling experience to see first-hand the compassion and love they showed my friend. Throughout my friend's respite care, every single member of staff, without exception has shown devotion, interest and support towards her. It's been a privilege for me to witness the dedicated team effort applied to my friend's well-being, peace of mind, security, and personal dignity by everyone at St Marys. From the manager downwards, everyone here deserves a gold medal.
The regular staff understood her communication problems following her initial stroke and took time to find out what she wanted. The staff were friendly and supportive to me and I always felt welcome when I visited. She was treated with dignity at the end of her life as were her relatives. I would recommend St Marys to others.
Always a pleasure to visit Mum at St Marys. She is well looked after and cared for. We are always informed fo any issues or concerns. Great staff all round.
The staff are really helpful and I am pleased they have helped me by putting pictures up on my wall. They help me to enjoy activities, especially playing the piano and gardening. All the staff are really nice and friendly.
It has a welcoming and homely environment. Everyone we had contact with was friendly and helpful and seemed to enjoy their working environment.
The other residents seemed happy and well cared for. Unfortunately, my father required end-of-life care but this was done with kindness and dignity. There was good communication between the home and the local GP surgery throughout.
I would recommend this home from my recent experiences.
My mother spent two weeks at St Marys for respite care. She had a lovely, bright room which was clean and well appointed. She was made to feel very welcome by all the staff and thrived during her stay. There were lots of activities which she participated in and enjoyed. She seemed very happy with everything, and we are considering making St Marys her permanent home. St Marys is well managed, with staff always around to answer any queries, and they seem to generally care for their residents. St Marys has a very pleasant atmosphere, not to mention a resident cat, and I would be very happy to leave my mother there in the future.
I must say that throughout his stay he was extremely well cared for and was very happy to be living at St Mary's.
The staff are first class. Always attentive and alive to his needs. Communication between our family and the home was always good, and we were always alerted to changes in Dad's health and well-being.
From all the photos of Dad hanging on the walls, it was clear that he was included in the numerous events and activities that were arranged by the home.
The home was always clean and well-presented, and Dad's room was always clean and tidy.
I cannot praise St Mary's enough.
Staff are all really caring and helpful. They are happy and always have a kind word to say. The food is good and the entertainment is there if you want it. The resident cat Amber is a welcome addition. Well done everyone.
You can tell that staff really care for the residents.
Management always ensure that there are plenty of activities and engagement, as well as opening the home for events for families to enjoy.
I am so pleased that my nan is being cared for at St Marys.
The team at St Marys are fantastic, always happy and so helpful. I never worry that my dad isn't looked after, even when he's awkward. When I have a question or need help, I know the manager and the team will do their best to answer quickly.
Mum has been at St Mary's now for just over a year. To use her own words: 'This truly feels like my home now'. Mum finds the staff very caring and cooperative. They are also very perceptive to how she is feeling and will adapt accordingly. Well done all at St Mary's!
Mum is calm and feels safe in this home. She likes the food and her carers. Communication from the home is good in case of any problems and we feel able and welcome to visit at any time.
My father has been resident at St Marys for just two years now. Although nothing can really make up for the loss of independence and the infirmities of very old age, staff at St Marys do their very best to keep residents comfortable and engaged. I certainly feel that my father is kept safe both physically and medically, and my father values the fact that there is 24/7 support available to him. I can also definitely say that he is much more mentally alert than he was when he came to St Marys following several years of increasing immobility and isolation in his own home. Thanks to all at St Marys!
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 23 August 2025Good
- CaringGood
- EffectiveGood
- ResponsiveGood
- SafeGood
- Well-ledOutstanding
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
2 Bed Vacancies
Posted: 27 July 2026We currently have two vacancies for care. Please contact St Marys for further details.
News (7) & Events (0)
- 27 Mar 2026
An Ipswich care home is delighted to have been classed as Good by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the second highest rating possible, as well as being rated Outstanding for...
- 23 Jan 2026
Residents at Anchor’s St Mary's care home in Holbrook have been celebrating the kindness of a local pupil. Emily, a student at Holbrook Academy, has developed a wonderful bond with...
- 19 Dec 2025
Residents and colleagues at Anchor care homes across Suffolk are embracing the festive spirit. From crafting Christmas decorations and singing carols, to decorating trees and baking festive treats, each activity...
There are no upcoming events for St Marys.
Accreditations
There are no accreditations posted yet for St Marys.
Meet the Team (3)

Hi, I’m Anna. I’ve been with Anchor for almost a decade.
My focus as Home Manager has solidified around pioneering dementia care and fostering a people-oriented environment. Our team, through collaborative efforts, has significantly enhanced operational efficiency and resident satisfaction, upholding high standards of care.
With a strong foundation in care management, I've launched initiatives that promote staff development and ensure compliance with healthcare regulations.

Hi, I’m Allison, and I have been the administrator for St Mary’s for over 10 years now.
My role requires a fair few different hats, including reception, payroll, recruitment, purchasing, and finance, to name a few, and I love the variety that the role brings. My main focus, however, is to be approachable for all residents, family and staff. We operate on an open-door policy, so pop in and say hello; there’s always cake and coffee to be found.

Hello, my name is Marco, and I am the Deputy Manager at St Mary´s care home. My goal is to ensure the care we provide is person-centred, loving and caring.
I like to lead my team by example. Having years of experience in rehabilitation and psychiatric hospitals has given me a baggage of tools that I use daily to coach and guide my team to deliver the best care possible and ensure our residents remain safe, healthy, and happy.
Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of carehome.co.uk. Please contact St Marys to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. St Marys has an Enhanced Service -more info.