






Balgowan House is a well-established nursing home located close to the centre of Saltwood village near Hythe in Kent. The building has been extended and refurbished (completed 2016) to provide warm, welcoming and comfortable accommodation for up to forty residents.
Balgowan House is able to offer single or shared occupancy with the option of en-suite facilities in accommodation provided over two floors with two lifts giving access to all areas.
Residents are...
Care Provided by Balgowan House
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
- Physical Disability
- Visual / Hearing Impairment
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Residential Care
- Nursing Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- Dementia Nursing Care
- For a maximum of 40 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
- Parkinson's Disease
- Stroke
- Palliative / End of Life Care
- Convalescent Care
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- 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
All fees are dependent on care needs assessment.
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact Balgowan House for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact Balgowan House 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)
Support you may be entitled to
- If you chose a care home based in England, you may be eligible for NHS Funded Nursing Care (FNC), which helps cover the cost of nursing. This is worth £267.68 per week and is usually paid directly to the care home.
Good to Know
Group / Owner
- Integrum Care Group
- Private Owned
Person in charge
- Ann-Marie Miles (Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Mixed (no single-gender units)
- Ages 50+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: No
- Last Refurbishment: 2025
- Number of floors: 1
Room Information
- Single Rooms (34)
- Couples/Companion Rooms (3)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (14)
- Couples/Companion Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (1)
Visiting
- Balgowan House welcomes visitors at any time.
Parking
- Parking is available in the car park as well as unrestricted parking in Bartholomew Lane.
Balgowan House Reviews (84)
Balgowan House has a Review Score of 9.7 (9.681) out of 10, based on 22 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Balgowan House has 84 reviews.
Across the board, our mother is well cared for at Balgowan.
Balgowan House is bright and welcoming with a great ambience. My husband's care has been outstanding. Every member of staff, regardless of their role, have been kind, considerate, caring and compassionate and some have a great sense of humour too! He is treated with dignity and respect, and we have both been involved in decisions regarding his care, which is especially important in these difficult times, as is the care and support given to myself and the family.
I have found Balgowan House has a caring, friendly and compassionate atmosphere. The staff and management are helpful and approachable to residents and their families.
Balgowan House is a lovely home. The staff and management are very helpful and very approachable. They all seem happy in their work. They show a lot of compassion with the residence. I'm sure we made the right choice for my mother-in-law.
Excellent home with very friendly excellent staff. The activities lady is excellent.
A warm and welcoming are home with a friendly atmosphere. Excellent care was given to my uncle who relied totally on staff to anticipate and meet all his complex needs. Care was always professional, but given cheerfully with genuine warmth and kindness. Although my uncle was unable to communicate verbally, he trusted the staff, always giving his carers a smile - I knew he was content and comfortable. As a relative, I was always welcomed at any time and kept up to date with his care. The home itself was always clean and tidy, I could find no fault and was very grateful to all staff for making my uncle last year so bearable.
Gound the building spotless, the carers just that, carers kind and friendly.
Balgowan in Saltwood has given my Sister first-class care and nursing for 15 years. Sadly she passed away in March. Balgowan is a bright, clean and tidy place. The accommodation is homely too. Meals were nutritionally balanced and prepared by the chef daily. Staff helped my Sister when she needed support at meal times and to have as much independence as she wanted.
I cannot emphasise enough the fantastic care my mother received during her stay at Balgowan House. Balgowan House has a very family orientated feel as soon as you walk in and the care given to my mother was nothing less than brilliant. The staff as a whole are very dedicated, polite and helpful. I cannot recommend them highly enough.
Balgowan is one of the best care homes I have visited. The staffing levels/patients gives one the impression of continuous attention to their needs and the endeavours with quizes, musical events etc all help to stimulate the residents and keep them involved in daily life.
My father-in-law is treated with kindness and dignity. His complex needs are met and his needs are reviewed regularly. The staff are all kind and respond to each resident.
During the last 12 months that my mother has been in the care of Balgowen House, I have always been able to have peace of mind knowing that any of her needs will have fully been met and catered for. I will have no problem in recommending this residence to others that may require the same.
The laundry is very efficient.
The entertainment is wonderful with musicians and singers and plenty of occupational therapy.
We recently attended the Xmas party for residents, relatives, and friends of residents and day visitors. The staff who are numerous addressed my husband by name and were pleased to see him.
Staff are excellent and very caring and willing to do anything you ask them to.
The manager is brilliant and so approachable, helpful, down to earth and very humorous.
Great atmosphere in the home. The home is clean and no smell.
Both my parents are in Balgowan House
I have total admiration for every staff member who are expertly guided by an excellent management team.
It would be impossible to single out any one person as everyone is so dedicated and hard working.
Thank you.
An excellent home. Cannot fault it.
I looked after my father for 8 years in France and when I arrived in England and saw where he was, I was so happy. What a beautiful place.
My cousin has been cared for since June 2015 and has been very happy in her new home. The care and health monitoring is excellent with constant review and discussion regarding her needs.
The staff are stable and very capable, the home manager is approachable and listens to any concerns.
The home is large but cosy, the food of a good standard and the place sparkles.
But it's the lovely, caring, professional staff that make Balgowan a place I would go in my autumn years.
Thank you Balgowan.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 16 January 2020Good
- 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 Balgowan House.
There are no upcoming events for Balgowan House.
Awards / Recognitions (0)
There are currently no awards/recognitions posted yet for Balgowan House.
Accreditations
There are no accreditations posted yet for Balgowan House.
Meet the Team (5)

I qualified as a State Enrolled Nurse in 1983 and later as a Registered General Nurse in 2002, gaining both clinical and management experience within the NHS in both hospital and district nursing environments.
I was appointed to the position of Registered Home Manager of Balgowan House in May 2018 having previously been Registered Manager at another Kent care home.
My time at Balgowan has been incredible and have an amazing team and wonderful residents.

Lynne started her career in care here at Balgowan House in 2013 as a carer.
In 2017, Lynne left to work at William Harvey Hospital as an HCA on the Acute Medical Unit. After 2 years in the Trust, Lynne went on to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse and qualified in 2021. Lynne continued to work on the Acute Medical Unit at William Harvey Hospital until 2024.
Lynne enjoyed her years spent at Balgowan House before going on to pursue her nursing career, so when the opportunity arose to return to Balgowan as a registered nurse, Lynne was excited to rejoin the team and continue her career.
In April 2026, Lynne became the Deputy Manager here at Balgowan and enjoys working closely with her colleagues to help lead and support the home, ensuring residents and their families receive the highest standards of care and support.

Cassie Williamson started a BTEC National Diploma in Health Studies in 1997, she worked in various roles before joining Balgowan House in March 2000 as a Health Care Assistant (NVQ 3). Cassie very much enjoyed the role and remained in the post for 15 years. In 2015 the Home Manager introduced a new administration role and she was quickly identified as the perfect candidate.
Cassie is a major support to the Home Manager and everything she does is integral to the day-to-day running of the home. The role is extremely busy, but Cassie enjoys the challenges and variety each day brings. Cassie may now be doing the admin work, but she still spends time interacting with the residents and getting involved in the home’s activities and events. She is a very valued member of the Balgowan team.

Mo is the activities Coordinator for Balgowan House.
She ensures that every resident has interaction and activities each day.
All residents are considered when activities are planned - from arts and crafts to music to events.
Outside entertainers are a regular feature here at Balgowan and family and friends are always welcome.

Cathy has worked for Integrum since 2012, first at Saltwood full time, then here at Balgowan full time. She also is bank Chef between all 3 homes as and when required.
Bev has worked for Balgowan since 2016, first as a carer sometimes helping with the cooking, now just cooking part time!
They pride themselves on cooking, fresh home cooked food for the residents.
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