






St Denis Lodge in Shaftesbury offers residential care in a spacious and elegant Georgian house.
Staff care for older people who are no longer able to cope safely or who have become lonely in their own home environment.
The care home offers a warm and welcoming atmosphere and residents are encouraged to be as independent as possible.
Their spacious, en-suite rooms are bright and airy with plenty of sunlight and lovely countryside...
Care Provided by St Denis Lodge
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 21 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
- Advanced/Complex Dementia
Other Care Provided
- Parkinson's Disease
- Stroke
- Palliative / End of Life Care
- COPD/Pulmonary Disease
- Bariatric Care/Obesity
- Convalescent Care
Facilities
- Smoking not permitted
- Close to Local shops
- Near Public Transport
- Lift
- Wheelchair Access
- Gardens
- Phone Point in own room
- Television point in own room
- Residents Internet Access
Funding & Fees
Weekly Charges per Person
- 24-hour Routine care within the Home
- Utilities (heating/lighting & water)
- Meals (choice of menus), snacks & drinks
- Laundry services
- Liaison with relevant outside agencies such as medical practitioners and district nurses
- Scheduled Activities
- Wi-fi access
- TV Licence
- Annual testing of residence own personal electrical equipment
- Ongoing care reviews
- Hairdressing
- Newspapers
- Personal dry cleaning
- Private use of taxi services
- Toiletries
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact St Denis Lodge for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact St Denis Lodge 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
Owner
- St Denis Lodge Residential Home Ltd
- Private Owned
Person in charge
- Victoria Elesmore(Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Mixed (no single-gender units)
- Ages 65+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: No
- Last Refurbishment: 2019
- Number of floors: 2
Room Information
- Single Rooms (21)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (21)
Visiting
- Visits by friends and family are encouraged and therefore visiting times are unrestricted. However, should you wish to visit during the hours of 10pm - 9am, the Registered manager should be notified in advance.
Parking
- Parking is available on site, at the front and the side of the building for visitors.
St Denis Lodge Reviews (37)
St Denis Lodge has a Review Score of 9.4 (9.407) out of 10, based on 7 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time St Denis Lodge has 37 reviews.
A superb care home, with a very well led, caring and well organised team.
The leadership are very hands-on, do everything they expect their staff to do, and achieve high standards.
The carers are excellent and very kind, all local, and go well beyond their required tasks treating residents in an individual way.
There are lots of activities, and a regular rhythm to the day.
It provides a country club atmosphere for residents who are individual characters, and are frequently visited by family members who are also made to feel at home.
I have taught at London medical schools for 40 years, and highly recommend this place.
Thank you for your lovely review! We are very pleased to hear you have had a positive experience with us x
Huge thanks to the staff at St Denis for looking after mum so incredibly well. She couldn't have been loved and cared for more. She settled in quickly and found comfort and compassion through a very difficult time. The whole family were supported along the way and mums passing was calm and in a very loving, compassionate environment.
Every single member of staff goes above and beyond to make sure their residents, and anyone who visits, are happy and have all they need. The food is homemade and nutritious (even though mum insisted on Heinz soup, which they got in specially for her!) and nothing is too much trouble for the kitchen staff. The rooms are spacious, clean, light and airy, as is the lounge and orangery. The gardens are beautiful, and easily accessible.
If you are looking for the best in care, then look no further.
St Denis is a very lovely care home. It is small and personal. Mum was well cared for and nothing was too much trouble. A number of the care staff would spent time talking to mum later in the evenings which she loved. Thank you to all of you.
I cannot recommend St. Denis more highly. They have a dedicated, caring and responsive care team who cared for my uncle until his passing. The team ensured my uncle received first-class, empathetic and loving care in his last few weeks and supported his family at this difficult time. If you're concerned about care for a relative look no further.
St Denis Lodge is excellent. We had to move my mother from a different care home as she was not being properly cared for. Saint Denis Lodge was immediately so much better. The staff are lovely, friendly and care deeply for their residents. The food is excellent home cooked on site. There are regular visits by staff from the local GP practise. The atmosphere in the home is warm, friendly, supportive and caring. The staff go the extra mile to look after their residents. My mother settled very quickly and feels happy and at home there. Thank you to all staff at Saint Denis Lodge.
Quite apart from standards provided as indicated in the ratings. Mum was helped to fell so at home at St Denis Lodge, to do all that she was still able to do with her worsening dementia, to continue feeling like the woman she was, was treated in the manner that she would wish for and made to feel special and loved as an individual. Especially appreciated was that St Denis beautifully accommodated the family situation (with both Mum's next kin living overseas) and my brother and I were still able to keep in regular contact with her. That was Mum's wish. Thank you all.
I can't speak highly enough of the care my mother received here. I have been in many care and nursing homes and this is the best I have seen. what stands out is friendliness and dedication of the staff who always have the interests of the residents uppermost. The end of life care my mother received was excellent. She could not have been better cared for. Our family were always made very welcome and the communication was also of a very high standard. I have already been recommending St Denis Lodge as an example of the highest level of care.
What I really like about this care home is the friendly welcome I always receive when visiting my grandparents and nothing is too much trouble when my grandparents want or need anything.
The home is fantastic - my grandparents have improved so much since being under the care of St Denis Lodge. The manager is always around and on hand to talk to you. Food is to a high standard. The manager and deputy manager are both fantastic and it's wonderful to see Mum so present around the home.
We are fortunate that we found St Denis Lodge and our mother spent over a year here and has been happy and well cared for. The staff went the extra mile to make her comfortable and relaxed; we can’t thank them enough. She loved the quizzes and often won prizes, which she thought was great. Meals are served to tables of four people in a relaxed restaurant-like settling, and Mum loved sitting in the conservatory watching the birds. When she was well, she fed the birds in the gardens, and staff made sure there was always bird food available. Last summer, Mum planted vegetable seeds in a raised bed and enjoyed showing us around the accessible gardens during our visits. When Mum was unwell, the district nurse arrived within ten minutes on one occasion, and medical care was accessible and reassuring. We don’t hesitate to recommend St Denis Lodge and the kind and professional team.
St Dennis Lodge is an incredible place. The staff are genuinely caring and take the time to get to know residents as friends, and have been incredibly supportive to my grandmother and my family throughout the last year. Her health has taken a turn since the start of the year, and they have been nothing but kind and reassuring to her and us throughout this period. The staff painted her nails, came and discussed her old home in Spain (which makes her smile!) and allowed my family to come and visit whenever she is unwell or we feel nervous for her. All in all, an exceptional home run by lovely people who genuinely make a difference to their residents.
My mum has lived at St Denis Lodge for four months. It has a very homely feel, and being small, the staff really get to know the residents and vice versa. The orangery room is a bright space, and easy access to a lovely level garden was very important to us. Her individual preferences, such as a late breakfast and bedtime bath, have been totally accommodated. Visiting is comfortable and relaxed. Humour, care and respect for the individual are very evident.
Mum has been at the home for a couple of years now. The staff are always very friendly and helpful, and I feel they really care about the residents. There are numerous activities for the residents to take part in if they wish. On the whole, we feel that Mum is really well cared for and is enjoying her time at the home.
My father says that St Denis Lodge is everything he could want and the staff are helpful, kind, reliable, and respectful and his room is airy, clean, comfortable, and large. He enjoys the activities, quizzes, exercises, etc. As his daughter, I totally agree.
I'm very comfortable. I have everything I want or need. The staff are caring and understand me.
Wow, what a home! The care and empathy given by the staff are truly inspiring. The home has a lovely welcoming feel about it, and in the summer the gardens, are a peaceful, enjoyable place to be. Residents are shown respect and encouraged to be a part of their care planning. As a family, we felt appropriately informed and supported; we are truly grateful to the manager and her team for never making us feel that anything was too much. The food and entertainment are also of high quality.
My aunt was a resident at St Denis Lodge for over 12 years. The love and care given to her by the wonderful staff could not possibly have been better. She had the best years of her life at St Denis Lodge which is a wonderful home.
My mother moved to St denis Lodge in early January this year. The staff were brilliant in helping her to cope with the 10 days of quarantine required to prevent any risk of COVID-19 spread. She has since settled into her new home and is enjoying the company and community of the whole home. It has been a great comfort to all of us that such a superb residential home exists.
This care home is very comfortable, and all staff very pleasant and friendly; they are also very helpful.
Good medical attention and caring staff are very kind. I would like more variety in the activities.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 06 January 2026Good
- 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 St Denis Lodge.
There are no upcoming events for St Denis Lodge.
Awards / Recognitions (1)
- 28 Sep 2018Recipient: St Denis Lodge
Accreditations
There are no accreditations posted yet for St Denis Lodge.
Meet the Team (0)
There are no Team Members posted yet.
Frequently Asked Questions about St Denis Lodge
What types of Care is St Denis Lodge registered for?
Older Person Care, Dementia are the registered (by the Care Quality Commission) categories of Care.
How many Rooms does St Denis Lodge have?
There are 21 Single Rooms.
What are the Facilities & Services at St Denis Lodge?
Smoking not permitted, Close to Local shops, Near Public Transport, Lift, Wheelchair Access, Gardens, Phone Point in own room, Television point in own room, Residents Internet Access are some of the Facilities & Services.
How far is St Denis Lodge to the centre of Shaftesbury?
0.8 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 St Denis Lodge to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. St Denis Lodge has an Enhanced Service -more info.