
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.
The staff were very kind and helpful.
I believe mum gets well looked after, she seems happy. Staff are cheerful and helpful.
I would not want my mum anywhere else.
Thank you for all your hard work, care and support. This is where I would like to be when my time comes. Fantastic.
Nana seems very happy and well looked after. We enjoy visiting.
Great staff who are always helpful.
The home is clean and presented well.
The staff are helpful and always happy to help with any problems.
I feel it is a very safe place for my mum to live and be cared for.
Mum is looked after well and seems settled and happy. Staff are friendly and helpful. Very confident she is safe.
Residents are happy.
Very friendly, welcoming atmosphere. Clean and pleasant surroundings. Our friend is very happy here. Lovely choice of meals and healthy activities. For residents. Pleased to hear that residents have an opportunity to meet management and have their say. Very good all round.
I enjoyed my visit and the staff were very helpful. The system seemed to work well and the meals were good.
It is also nice that nothing is too much trouble if you speak to them about anything. A very good home.
Residents have good sized rooms with toilets. They have plenty of room to sit about and chat with each other and they have a good variety of food to eat at meal times and their medication is supplied at meal times.
Carers are always on hand to help the residents.
The manager and her staff went out of their way to ensure a quick and seamless transition for my parents. They have been extremely courteous and kind. As a family, we know they are being well cared for. They settled in far better than we could have anticipated and are very happy.
During this time he had excellent care from all staff who were there for him at all times. He was kept clean and comfortable at all times. The food was good and he was consulted as to what he fancied when eating was a problem.
As well as his care the whole family were greeted with a smile and a friendly word which meant a great deal in difficult situations.
He enjoys the activities provided, the food, the company of other residents and the independence afforded him in his own room when he needs it.
I cannot praise the staff (on all levels) enough.
They are a credit to this home in all aspects of their work.
The highest praise I could give them is to say I actually feel part of a team all working with one aim in mind.
To make all people welcome and involved in the care on every level. (I love these people.)
It is an excellent care home. From the minute you walk in the door, you feel the cosiness, a welcoming feeling with my husband getting the very best of all care. I cannot praise or thank all the staff enough for the excellent care and kindness which is given to my husband.
This is a very well run nursing home with excellent caring care. I would recommend to anyone the value of this caring home.
I was very impressed with St Mary's when compared to other homes checked by my wife and I. I have been very happy since my mother moved there with all aspects of staffing and care, everybody is really helpful and caring. Keep up the good work!
Mum who is 93, a coeliac and suffers from osteoarthritis, came to St Mary's following a month in hospital, resulting from poor management of her coeliac condition at her previous home. We had been aware of St Marys through a previous stay for respite care, and we had been pleased with the care provided. She has now been in St Mary's for 4 months and her health, mobility and spirit are improved beyond our hopes and expectations.
The attention to managing her gluten-free diet, providing stimulation by way of the activities, care of personal hygiene and interaction with the management and staff, has given mum a renewed zest for life. The chef regularly discusses her diet and ensures that she has a choice and varied meals at all times. We can not praise the St Marys staff enough for giving back mum her dignity, and her family peace of mind she is in safe and caring hands.
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.