






Summerhill Care Home offers a welcoming and comfortable environment for older adults seeking residential and dementia care in the heart of West Moors, Dorset. Set in a charming Edwardian property with modern extensions, the home features fifteen spacious single bedrooms, each with its own ensuite wet room to support privacy and dignity. The team is dedicated to creating a safe and homely atmosphere, where every resident is treated with compassion...
Care Provided by Summerhill Residential Home
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 15 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
- Palliative / End of Life Care
- Day Care
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- Smoking not permitted
- Close to Local shops
- Near Public Transport
- Minibus or other transport
- Lift
- Stairlift
- Wheelchair Access
- Gardens
- Phone Point in own room
- Television point in own room
- Residents Internet Access
Funding & Fees
Weekly Charges per Person
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact Summerhill Residential Home for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact Summerhill Residential Home 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
- Summerhill Care (Dorset) Ltd
- Private Owned
Person in charge
- Denise Hayward(Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Ages 65+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: Yes
- Last Refurbishment: 2001
Room Information
- Single Rooms (15)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (15)
Summerhill Residential Home Reviews (38)
Summerhill Residential Home has a Review Score of 9.3 (9.335) out of 10, based on 7 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Summerhill Residential Home has 38 reviews.
Staff are the best! Couldn't be nicer. Highly recommend.. Very well run by Denise and her team, couldn't be happier with Mum's care. It has taken alot of the worries out of our lives knowing she is well looked after.
My Mother suffers with dementia and has been a resident since April 2025. The home has been very helpful from the beginning and provides excellent care for her. She remains content and secure in their hospitality and the rest of her family are very pleased with the service they provide. I don't think we could have found a better placement for her. They look after her medical needs with the same quality and attention as the general provision of day to day needs. The food provided is equally superb. The residents have input to care needs so they feel involved, which contributes to an atmosphere that is happy and homely. Well done and thank you to the owners and staff of Summerhill.
Thank you very much for your kind words, we are very pleased you are happy with the services provided at Summerhill.
Our father has been a resident at Summerhill since March 2023. The standard of care he has received has been everything we could have hoped for. We have always been kept well informed and any requests made have been dealt with swiftly.The staff are wonderful, kind, compassionate, patient, knowledgeable and fun! Summerhill is a real home from home, it is well run and is a very happy environment. We know our dad, granddad, great granddad is safe, well looked after which we are very grateful for. thank you Summerhill!
Thank you for your lovely review of Summerhill Residential Home. xx
I came in for 2 weeks respite care in October but just after a short stay in hospital I returned back to the home to convalesce. The staff have looked after me extremely well. They are helpful and friendly and always available for a chat.
Thank you for your lovely review of Summerhill Residential Home.
The management is excellent, any queries or concerns I have are always addressed promptly. Mum is cared for as an individual and although often reluctant to join in with activities, she is given encouragement but never forced to take part.
This is a happy, homely, very well run care home and I am so glad to have found it for mum.
Aw, thank you for your lovely review of Summerhill, the team will be best pleased with such feedback.
We visited our friend on the 27th of Dec 2024 who sadly had suffered a serious incident on the 24th. But made a remarkable recovery due we are sure to impeccable care. Whilst his memory is affected. His speech eyesight and sense of humour are in no way impaired. He looked ten years younger than when he was admitted initially for respite in December 2023. Well fed, clean, tidy, and very much enjoying his new life in Summerhill. Long may it continue.
All the family are really happy that Mother-in-law is doing very well at Summerhill. Mum is certainly well cared for. The staff are lovely and very caring. Mum has come on leaps and bounds since moving into the home. She is always chatty with the staff and has a little laugh with them. Can't fault at all how they care for Mum. The manager and her staff are exceptional.
Thank you for your lovely review of Summerhill Residential Home.
I cannot praise the staff enough in this residence. They are always so cheerful and helpful regardless of what is happening in the home. From the cook and kitchen staff who are wonderful to all the carers. The manager is so gentle, kind and understanding. I cannot say enough about the wonderful care my mum receives even though she is very difficult to deal with.
Thank you so kindly for this lovely review of Summerhill, they will be best pleased to read your kind words. Thank you.
Staff are all so caring and dedicated. Nothing is too much trouble for them. The home is very clean, meals always look appetising. Activities are good and always encourage people to get involved.
Thank you for your lovely review of Summerhill Residential Home.
My mother has been in this care home for almost six years, and throughout this period, her care has been excellent. The management and staff treat her (and all residents) with dignity and kindness and often go the extra mile. It is of great comfort to me that my mum is safe and well looked after. I cannot praise the team highly enough.
Thank you kindly for your lovely review of Summerhill Residential Home.
I have found Summerhill and staff very good in all aspects of my contact with them.
Thank you for your kind review of Summerhill, we hope we've reassured you with safety and security.
Overall, very good and happy.
Thank you, for the lovely review of Summerhill, we're pleased you feel safe and happy
Friendly, helpful, caring and informative.
Thank you for your lovely review of Summerhill
My family member is happy and well cared for. The home reports have not been refurbished since 2001 and the manager recognises maintenance is now very much needed and a maintenance employee is about to join the team.
I am so pleased to have found this gem of a care home. My dad has settled in well, and I have peace knowing that he is in good and kind hands. The management makes a point of getting to know him, and likewise, everyone treats him with respect. They get to know Dad's particular needs, his likes and dislikes, and they always endeavour to deal with all this in the best way possible. Dad has a lovely room with access to the garden. The room has all the necessary equipment and his own personal items. The food served is very good, and the chefs/cooks make an effort to know what he does and doesn't like to eat. All the staff are hospitable to us whenever we visit, but most importantly, Dad is very well cared for.
Thank you so much for your kind words and review of Summerhill Residential Home.
The room was lovely, looking out onto the garden. All staff, I just couldn't fault any of them - a great team. Nothing was a problem. Having just come from the hospital for a week's rehab and not so confident in my walking/balance, having 24-hour care, especially at night knowing someone's there, brought my confidence up a notch. My care was brilliant - thank you!
Thank you so much for your kind words and review of Summerhill Residential Home and the staff who have helped you during your stay.
All staff try really hard in all areas.
Thank you so much for your review of Summerhill Residential Home.
My dear mum spent a week in rehab, and what a difference from her leaving the hospital to leaving the care home in a week! I cannot praise the care, kindness and hardwork from a lovely team caring for my mum. Thank you.
Thank you so much for your review of Summerhill Residential Home.
The staff are extremely patient and helpful. The cook makes good food and is always helpful when there is a food I don't like. The carers always help me keep my room tidy and the cleanliness, in general, is good. I have a lot of freedom here, and I enjoy the garden. I am very happy here.
I am very pleased and impressed by the wonderful care that my mum is receiving at Summerhill Residential Home. Mum has dementia and has settled in wonderfully to her new environment. The staff at Summerhill Residential Home are very friendly and keep me fully informed about all aspects of Mum's health, behaviour and activities that she has been doing. I am always welcome to visit Mum in the home and to take her out for lunches. I would happily recommend Summerhill Residential Home to friends.
Bed Vacancies
Please contact us for latest vacancies.
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Awards / Recognitions (0)
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Accreditations
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Meet the Team (1)

Denise has extensive experience working in residential care and is passionate about providing a safe, supportive, and homely environment for every resident at Summerhill Residential Home. As Manager, she leads the team with warmth and professionalism, ensuring that person-centred care is delivered to the highest standard. Denise is dedicated to building positive relationships with residents, families, and staff, and is always focused on promoting dignity, independence, and well-being. Through her approachable leadership style, she encourages continuous training and development, empowering her team to offer compassionate and responsive support. Denise believes in open communication and is committed to maintaining an inclusive atmosphere where everyone feels valued and respected.
Frequently Asked Questions about Summerhill Residential Home
What types of Care is Summerhill Residential Home registered for?
Older Person Care, Dementia are the registered (by the Care Quality Commission) categories of Care.
How many Rooms does Summerhill Residential Home have?
There are 15 Single Rooms.
What are the Facilities & Services at Summerhill Residential Home?
Own Furniture if required, Smoking not permitted, Close to Local shops, Near Public Transport, Minibus or other transport, Lift, Stairlift, 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 Summerhill Residential Home to the centre of Ferndown?
1.3 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.
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