






Ashlea Lodge Care Home in Sunderland provides residential care, respite care and specialist dementia care in a comfortable, homely setting.
Part of Orchard Healthcare Group, the home offers cosy en-suite bedrooms, inviting lounges and secure gardens. Its Reconnect dementia community delivers personalised, person-centred care for people living with dementia, focused on promoting independence and wellbeing. The Reconnect dementia community is ideal for people living with all types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s...
Care Provided by Ashlea Lodge Care Home
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
- Physical Disability
- Visual / Hearing Impairment
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Residential Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- Dementia Nursing Care
- For a maximum of 38 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
- Convalescent Care
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- Pet Friendly (or by arrangement)
- Close to Local shops
- Near Public Transport
- Minibus or other transport
- Lift
- Wheelchair Access
- Gardens
- Residents Kitchenette
- Phone Point in own room
- Television point in own room
- Residents Internet Access
Funding & Fees
Contact Ashlea Lodge Care 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
Group / Owner
- Orchard Healthcare Group
- Private Owned
Person in charge
- Gillian Varley (Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Ages 60+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: Yes
- Year Purpose Built: -1
- Last Refurbishment: 2019
- Number of floors: 2
Room Information
- Single Rooms (38)
Visiting
- Visitors welcome anytime.
Parking
- Free on-site parking.
Ashlea Lodge Care Home Reviews (70)
Ashlea Lodge Care Home has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.849) out of 10, based on 29 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Ashlea Lodge Care Home has 70 reviews.
My first visit to this care home today and I was impressed with the friendliness of the staff and also the number of staff in the area I was visiting. Security to get into the home was good and staff were very obliging and my family member was well cared for.
Thank you for this kind review. I will share this with the staff team here at Ashlea Lodge.
After being cared for by Ashlea Lodge Care Home (reconnect unit) for 4 years my wife unfortunately passed away peacefully in December 2024, the staff at the home, in particular the reconnect unit, are without exception the most dedicated, caring, patient and well-trained personnel you could possibly ask for. Their love and dedication to the residents is difficult to express in words and I cannot thank them enough for how they looked after my wife and how they also helped me in so many ways.
Thank you for your kind review. We are all dedicated to all our people and their families at Ashlea Lodge and our specialised staff on reconnect are a team we are very proud of.
Excellent provision provided for my Mam, all of the staff are amazing. My mother's wishes and personality are considered in every aspect of her care and well-being. The manager and her team have a professional but friendly approach which helps family members feel at ease about their relative's time in the care home. Each member of the team contributes to a loving and well-organised place for the residents to be safe and well cared for.
Thank you Julie, I will pass this on to all the staff. Your mother is very well thought of and her care and well-being are very important to us all. I appreciate you taking the time to provide a review.
Always find the staff to be really pleasant and helpful every time we call to see my aunty. Nothing is too much trouble and they always offer me a brew after my long journey, the place is very clean and tidy.
Thank you for your kind review. I will pass your lovely comments to all the staff.
All Staff go above and beyond. Good variety of entertainment. Meals are very good and my sister enjoys them, everything is nice and clean.
Thanks for looking after her.
Thank you Julie for your kind review. I'm glad that you feel the friendly welcoming atmosphere within the home and staff are all friendly. Your sister is a pleasure to care for.
My auntie has been in the home for just over 1 year, previously my nanna, her mam, was a resident in Ashlea Lodge. The staff are amazing they genuinely care for the residents. The home is always clean and everyone is so friendly. When my auntie needed the care we didn't hesitate in putting her here as she was familiar with the staff and they were amazing. Thank you for all you guys do for her.
Thank you Lindsey for your kind review. Your Aunt has a very special place in the hearts of care staff as we knew her when she visited her Mother here. Thank you for choosing Ashlea Lodge when your Aunt needed more care and support than her husband could manage himself.
All of the staff are the most caring and patient people I have ever come across, sometimes in the most difficult circumstances. I have witnessed some really abusive behaviour from some of the residents which has been met with a calming and caring attitude. I cannot praise them highly enough.
Thank you Frances for your kind words. Staff are trained in de-escalating techniques which I'm pleased they are using effectively. I'm pleased our staff provide a calm and caring environment for all our people living in Ashlea Lodge.
Based on the visits made I've found the home to be of a very good standard. My uncle seems happy in the home, he is well-dressed and seems content. On every visit, the staff are friendly and attentive to the residents. I have found nothing negative in the visits I've made.
Thank you for your lovely review. I am pleased your Uncle seems happy within Ashlea Lodge and staff are friendly and attentive to our residents and their families.
The care that my mam has received since moving to Ashlea Lodge in the summer has been amazing. The staff are so perceptive to my mam's needs and treat her with respect and dignity. The home feels like a family home and the staff are becoming like family to us too! We could not wish for a better home and would recommend it without reservation to anyone considering moving a loved one into a care home.
Thank you for such a lovely review. Our reconnect staff work really hard to achieve the best outcomes for our people who live within the home. We are very proud of what we are able to achieve within the reconnect community and we believe our families play a vital part in this journey.
My mother-in-law has been in Ashlea Lodge Care Home for a few years. She has always been looked after so well in the past few weeks her health deteriorated quite rapidly. We had agreed that she could stay in the care of the home rather than go to the hospital and we are so glad we did. The care they provided her in the last week of her life was second to none. It was a comfort to see her safe and tucked up in her own bed and familiar surroundings whilst on-site. District and palliative care nurses kept her pain-free. To all the staff I'd like to give my thanks and gratitude. You cared for her like your own mother.
My mam's health may be deteriorating but she is always happy. She loves the staff here and they treat her wonderfully. She has some ups and downs with her weight but the staff monitor that issue really well. When I phone the home the staff are always lovely and keep me up to date and don't care how many times a week I call, nothing is too much bother. The staff are always friendly and I know they care about my mam and it's a relief for me to know she is safe and well cared for.
Thank you for you kind review. All the staff are very grateful for you review.
My dad is safe and thriving at Ashlea Lodge. I have peace of mind knowing that he is receiving all the help and support he requires to enjoy life. The staff are welcoming and supportive to me, which is much appreciated as caring for elderly parents with such differing needs is tough.
Thank you for your kind review. I will share this with the team here at Ashlea Lodge.
This is the best place for my Mam and that's down to the staff and management.
Thank you for your lovely, kind review. I will pass this on to all the staff. I am pleased that you are reassured that your Mum is being well looked after by the team here at Ashlea Lodge.
Mam had been in Ashlea Lodge for several months where she was cared for by the lovely staff who maintained Mam's dignity to her dying day. The care staff do become like family seeing us at our most vulnerable times, and the support we all received was outstanding and made life that bit easier for the whole family as well as Mam. We will be eternally grateful for the love and care shown to our family.
Thank you for your kind review. If we are helping both our residents and their families to manage a very difficult time in their lives then we are doing something right. All the staff really appreciated each individual thank you card. That was such a lovely gesture from you all. Our home prides...
My dad has vascular dementia and has been at Ashlea Lodge for a couple of years. I am so pleased we found this care home as the care my dad has received couldn't be better. It's clean and bright with plenty of staff always around. Lots of activities organised. The staff are amazing, truly compassionate, genuinely caring and always have my dad chuckling. They all do a fantastic job and I cannot thank them enough for the kindness and care they show my dad.
Thank you for your lovely review. We all truly appreciate you taking the time to review the home.
I’ve found the staff brilliant and go the extra mile. Everyone is cheerful which makes for a friendly, fun atmosphere. Makes the best of a bad situation for people like myself. Regular tea and coffee breaks and always a choice at meal times.
Thank you for your kind, positive feedback. I will inform the team of the positive impact they are having on you when caring for your wife.
During a week's respite she enjoyed her stay, she said the food was lovely and more than enough, the staff were all very caring and made her feel safe, welcome and at home. Her room was very pleasant and she loved looking onto the road watching the world go by, the standard of cleanliness was obviously of a very high standard. The only that could have been improved was the TV in her room didn't work. Overall, her experience was a very enjoyable and positive one, for my own review I felt very happy knowing she was in a safe and caring environment and hope this can be repeated in the future.
Thank you very much for taking the time to give our home a positive review. This is a lovely review and I will pass on all the good feedback to staff.
Ashlea Lodge Care Home is excellent in every way. My husband is a resident and is receiving dementia and Alzheimer's care. The care home is excellent in care from staff, cleanliness, all meals and respect for patients.
Thank you, Eileen, for your kind review. I will share this with all the team within Ashlea Lodge.
However, it was great to find her in a safe and very friendly environment.
Soon realised she had formed great relationships with other residents and particularly staff.
She was thriving in the environment and routine.
Overall excellent
Thank you all.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review Richard. We are thrilled that you feel that your mother is cared for and thriving. What a wonderful testimonial for Ashlea Lodge. I will pass on your comments to all staff and may I thank you again for taking the time to review our service.
The staff have done a fantastic job settling my mam into Ashlea Lodge. They treat her with compassion and kindness. I can go to bed on a night knowing my mam is safe and well looked after. Thank you!
Thank you for your kind review. Staff are dedicated to treating all our people with kindness, respect, compassion and empathy.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 08 September 2023Good
- 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 (2) & Events (0)
- 19 Mar 2025
Ashlea Lodge Care Home in Sunderland is full of successful women, and given that it’s Women’s History Month we thought it a perfect time to share resident Sylvia’s fascinating story!...
- 28 Feb 2025
We're thrilled to announce that Orchard Care Homes has been selected as a finalist in not one, but two prestigious categories at the HealthInvestor Awards! As finalists in ‘Specialist Care...
There are no upcoming events for Ashlea Lodge Care Home.
Awards / Recognitions (5)
- 31 Jan 2025Recipient: Ashlea Lodge Care Home
- 15 Jun 2024Recipient: Orchard Healthcare Group
- 31 Jan 2024Recipient: Ashlea Lodge Care Home
Accreditations
There are no accreditations posted yet for Ashlea Lodge Care Home.
Meet the Team (1)

My name is Gillian Varley, and I am the Home Manager here at Ashlea Lodge Care Home in Sunderland, I have been the Manager of this Home since November 2016.
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