






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.
It was my mum's 90th birthday and the home were brilliant, they did her a wonderful tea and made her feel so special. Brilliant staff who look after their residents, especially through Covid. Can not rate them high enough.
I am delighted with the care my mum receives at Summerhill. She is so much more healthy than when she moved there in October 2019. I live in Cyprus, so it is a huge relief to know that my mother is safe and well cared for. Thanks to the manager and the team.
I have never seen my mother look so well as she does at Summerhill.
All the staff are very professional and caring.
The food, which is all cooked from scratch, is first class.
I could not be happier with the way my mother is being looked after.
I cannot recommend Summerhills highly enough, the care my elderly nan receives is just wonderful. They have made her feel at home and at ease and due to her Alzheimer's, this has taken time, effort and so much care. The team from the manager down always make sure we are given regular updates on how our nan has been and I have genuinely seen the care and love they show for my nan and the other residents. The Summerhills team have a very special place in our families hearts as we could not have found or wished for a better place for my nan to be looked after. The house is set in a quiet area with a beautiful garden. If you really care for a loved one please make sure you take the time to view for yourselves as you will be put at ease instantly with the professional staff and lovely surroundings.
Since then they have provided great care, with a sympathetic approach to my mother's age and afflictions. Dementia, sight and other health issues affect mum's day to day experiences but the staff seem able to cope in most situations.
Manager and staff are always approachable and are always willing to do what it takes to make life as easy as possible for my mother.
At the time of this review, the home had not had any residents contract Covid 19 whilst in residence.
My mother became a resident in 2019, and we, as a family, cannot praise highly enough the care, compassion and commitment the manager and her team have given her. This past dreadful COVID year has placed an enormous strain on the staff at Summerhill, but all the residents have been safe and securely looked after with the home strictly following all the Government guidelines. We have been kept up to date with developments through regular newsletters in addition to our phone calls. I have witnessed the humour and tenderness offered to the residents in equal measure, and I know that our mother could not be in better hands, and for that, we are truly grateful.
My mother moved into Summerhill in February 2020 with the onset of Vascular Dementia. My brother and I visited many care homes in search of the right placement. As my mother was nearly blind, it was down to us to choose the best we could. We chose Summerhill because as soon as we visited, we were welcomed and made to feel comfortable with our decision. We were shown her room (which was bright and led onto the garden). Perfect for Mum. The staff were polite and cheerful, and we could see from the food that was coming out from the kitchen it was nourishing and more than adequate. Although still apprehensive about Mum moving into a care home, we know we have made the right choice. From the manager down to the assistants, we have found everyone to be open, honest and caring during what has been a very difficult time with COVID 19. I can phone at any time with any concerns or issues and will be reassured.
My mother has been a resident for just over a year, and we have found all the staff to be caring and considerate in the attention they give the residents.
The moment we walked through the front door of Summerhill Residential Home we were met by a lovely warm, friendly, homely atmosphere. The manager and her team are really great. They go out of their way to get to know their residents and meet each personal need professionally and with tremendous kindness - also with a great sense of humour, lots of laughter!
Our mother was so well looked after that she has recovered beyond all our expectations and has been able to return to a more independent way of life, for which we are very grateful.
Thank you Summerhill. We'll miss that tray of good strong tea and delicious homemade cakes and biscuits that welcomed us every time we visited!
My mother was a resident at Summerhill for the last 18 months of her life and now my aunt is a resident there. I have always been enormously impressed by the humanity of Summerhill and its "family feel". It was very reassuring to know that my mother was being so well looked after and was so happy at Summerhill in spite of all the tribulations of old age - and now I can say the same regarding my aunt.
In particular, the home is run with great imagination and humour. A great deal is done to keep the residents stimulated and as active as possible in mind, body and soul. All the staff I have met have been very caring and cheerful, with a very human approach to the residents. The food is excellent - real home cooking! I never heard any kind of complaint about Summerhill from my mother, nor have I from my aunt. I can recommend Summerhill wholeheartedly!
The personalised care and the kindness of staff make this a safe and happy "home" for residents.
There is a good range of activities for residents to join in. Mum especially enjoys the visiting musicians and singers.
As a relative, I always feel welcome and am offered a cuppa and chair as soon as I arrive.
Thank you to the Summerhill team.
My mother was reluctant to go into a home, but when it became necessary for her to do so we looked at various homes. Summerhill Residential Home was definitely the best, most welcoming one. Mum has settled in very well and is exceedingly well looked after. The staff are very caring and it is a very happy place to be.
My Mother spent the last 18 months of her life at Summerhill Home and now my Aunt is also a resident. My Mother was very happy and comfortable with the excellent care that she received at Summerhill. She passed away comfortably with myself and caring staff at her bedside. As a result, it was natural that, when my Aunt needed to enter residential aged care, Summerhill was our choice. She is very happy and comfortable there and receives excellent care. I would have no hesitation in recommending Summerhill Care Home as a very friendly and excellent source of residential aged care. Thank you to the Manager and all the staff.
I cannot praise everyone at Summerhill enough. We had looked at several local care homes for my father when his dementia meant he could no longer live independently. He was unhappy in the first home we found but as soon as we walked into Summerhill the atmosphere was completely different from the other homes. It has a real family home feel, clean and nicely decorated and the staff and friendly and so lovely to my Dad. They have got the balance between professional care and a relaxed home from home feel just right. They have made my Dad feel nothing is too much trouble and he is more positive than he has been for a long time.
My father is 91 and suffering from dementia and has been at Summerhill since November 2016.
As a family we love the friendly staff, warm welcome and very homely feel - this is definitely like your own home and does not have any 'institutional' feeling. The staff are always pleased to accommodate any requests we have and nothing is too much trouble - you really feel that the Manager and all the staff enjoy working here because of the professional but relaxed atmosphere.
But.... that's not the best of it - the best thing is that my Dad really loves Summerhill too. He is happy and relaxed. Loves the food. Finds the staff professional but approachable and kind. Dad has always retained his sense of humour and Summerhill have certainly helped him to do this. When you come through the front door you are normally met by laughter. We definitely, feel this is the best medicine!!!!!
We definitely feel we have found the perfect place for dad to live.
The manager really cares for her residents, almost as if they were family. Her choice of staff is amazing, all the nicest and most caring of girls.
As visitors, we are made most welcome and we're always able to stay as long as we like. There's always a cup of coffee, tea or even a meal available. The food is delicious and there's always a choice. The afternoon activities are varied and great fun.
I know my aunt would agree that the care she receives is 5 star and, living in Scotland, I can rest assured that she is happy and in very safe hands.
Since dad has been here he has recovered so much better from his stroke than we were told he would ever do, and we cant thank the staff, enough for the help they have given him, to gain some independence and more important some dignity back.
We consider ourselves very lucky to have found such a good home for dad, he seems very happy here and we can relax knowing he is in such good hands.
The manager will go out of her way to facilitate events for individual residents. This enabled my mother to attend her granddaughter's wedding with a staff member with her at all times.
Another resident interested in song and dance was escorted to a tea dance.
There is a warm and friendly atmosphere constantly with all (staffs, residents and visitors) being treated like one big family. Visitors are encouraged to join in with all activities.
We had a wonderful Christmas Day with Mum, staff and residents.
Bed Vacancies
Please contact us for latest vacancies.
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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.
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