
their standard of care, compassion and dignity afforded to my Dad was outstanding at all times.Stephen A(Son of Resident/Service User)



their standard of care, compassion and dignity afforded to my Dad was outstanding at all times.Stephen A(Son of Resident/Service User)



Hunters Down is a purpose-built care home, providing nursing and residential person-centred care to adults aged 65 and over including those living with dementia. The home is situated in Huntingdon and offers long term and respite care.
Hunters Down is divided into five units over two floors. Four units are equipped with their own communal lounge, dining area, kitchenette and bathroom facilities, while the fifth unit is a purpose-built unit with...
Care Provided by Excelcare Hunters Down Care Home
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Residential Care
- Nursing Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- Dementia Nursing Care
- For a maximum of 102 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
- Own Furniture if required
- Pet Friendly (or by arrangement)
- Near Public Transport
- Lift
- Wheelchair Access
- Gardens
- Bar/Café
- Residents Kitchenette
- Television point in own room
Funding & Fees
Weekly Charges per Person
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact Excelcare Hunters Down Care Home for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact Excelcare Hunters Down 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)
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
- Excelcare
- Private Owned
Person in charge
- Anca Markley (Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Ages 65+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: Yes
- Year Purpose Built: 2008
- Last Refurbishment: 2025
- Number of floors: 2
Room Information
- Single Rooms (102)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (102)
Parking
- Free parking available
Excelcare Hunters Down Care Home Reviews (84)
Excelcare Hunters Down Care Home has a Review Score of 10 (9.969) out of 10, based on 24 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Excelcare Hunters Down Care Home has 84 reviews.
Staff are always really supportive/helpful when we FaceTime, come in for a garden visit or need to discuss any health concerns. We have been grateful for all their efforts during recent months.
My mother has been in this care home for 8 and a half years and I have always found all staff to be caring, helpful and easy to deal with. I am more than pleased with the level of care my mother receives and the way in which they have dealt with all that has been involved with Covid.
Friendly and caring, the team work so hard. I'm really pleased to be visiting again.
Thank you for your feedback. I am glad to read you feel the team are caring and friendly.
Very best wishes,
Jayne Wardell
We should have made the move a year or so ago as we have never seen her happier.
She is enjoying doing things i never thought in a month of sunday's she would enjoy.
Would highly recommend this home.
Best wishes
Jayne Wardell
My friend lives in Hunters Down and I cannot recommend them highly enough for the care and attention they provide. The visits were facilitated safely during the pandemic and I have received regular updates from Home Manager.
Always a friendly welcome and a cup of tea and a biscuit on arrival. The staff make it feel like you are old friends. Clean home and nothing is too much trouble for them.
We found Hunters Down by chance, but the location and that they had capacity to accommodate my mother were real positives. They couldn’t have been more helpful in facilitating the move for my mother and were thoughtful and sensitive to the needs of both my mother and father.
Almost one year on, we feel so lucky to have found Hunters Down. My mother is happy and well, and so very well cared for. The whole team at Hunters Down are wonderful and I’m incredibly grateful that we’ve found such a kind, thoughtful and loving environment. It’s heartbreaking that my mother’s illness has prevented my parents spending their latter years together, but I really do think we’ve found a wonderful home for my mother.
My mother has been a resident at Hunters Down for a few years. All the staff show her great affection and are very attentive to her needs. There is always a warm and welcoming atmosphere and lots of activities for her to enjoy. So overall, we are very pleased and are happy for her to be there.
On the day he passed away the nurses and care assistants were unbelievably kind and supportive and I am just so glad he was here at Hunters Down where he was treated with the utmost dignity and care. After he passed and we returned to collect his bits, all the staff hugged us and took the time to talk to us and make sure we were ok. I can’t recommend this care home enough, just brilliant!
As soon as Dad was unpacked he felt safe. He loved the staff and always enjoyed chatting and having a joke. His needs were catered for and everyone made him feel comfortable, happy and relaxed. The concern for Dad, by the staff, when he quickly went downhill was lovely and I know they shared our desperate sadness when he passed away. Hunters Down also showed the same care, love and compassion for my Mum, who died in 2012, who suffered with Alzheimer's.
My mother was treated with respect and love at all times.
Staff were always polite to me from admin to carers to management.
I have no hesitation in recommending Hunters Down to anyone with a loved one with dementia.
This lady also involves family and friends whenever possible to join their loved one in an activity or outing. She also involves residents and the local community in various projects and activities.
As a family, we are very happy with the nursing care my mother receives. I feel they know her so well - she can be difficult, but they maintain a professional and compassionate approach to her care.
There are great activities provided by a dedicated team which add to my mother's experience as well as a family.
My stay has been extremely good and has all the staff. They have been kind and very considerate. It is a pleasure to have known them all. Many thanks.
Highly professional, caring, welcoming and helpful.
Could not have found a more perfect place for my relative to spend his last few months of life.
All staff are respectful and caring. From the reception through to the cleaning staff. Thank you.
During our 3 1/2 years of your support, it has been most reassuring to have the continued, reliable care you provide. All backed up by your frequent re-assessments ensuring us of the best care possible to alleviate our needs. The stability and teamwork of staff made a really happy atmosphere in the face of the illness. The family remain forever most grateful.
My Dad spent 21 months in Hunters Down before he sadly passed away 3 Aug 18. My Dad's dementia was challenging at times but the staff on Cromwell provided exceptional care, always with dignity and compassion. As my Dad lost the ability to communicate the staff were always trying to find ways to engage him in conversation. I was always informed about his health and any visits by the doctor or health care professionals outside of Hunters Down by regular telephone calls or on my many visits to be with Dad. I was always made to feel welcome on my visits & the nurse in charge always gave me an informed update on my Dad's health, particularly at his end of life and the care he was being provided with. I have seen first hand how hard the staff work but their standard of care, compassion and dignity afforded to my Dad was outstanding at all times.
My father was at Hunters Down for 2 1/2 years before his passing in January 2018. He spent most of this in a nice well-appointed room in Queens. Initially, he joined in the activities such as bingo and quizzes but as his health declined, he remained in his room. He joined the ladies at meal times and especially enjoyed his cooked breakfasts. Staffing levels in Queens were inadequate. His passing was dealt with appropriately in Pepys.
My father was a resident of Hunters Down for 7 years during his time there he was treated with dignity and respect. He spent the last two years mainly in bed due to the progression of his Dementia. The nursing care was extremely good and regular checks were made on his skin for any signs of soreness. I was always contacted regarding Dad’s health i.e. if a Doctor had visited and the outcome. I was told my Dad was end of life at the beginning of March I decided to stay with him during this time. The support Dad and I received was exceptional. The staff made me feel that Dad was part of a big family at Hunters Down. I had stayed during the day and evening for the first week and the night for the last 4 days before he died. During these 11 days, I saw how hard the staff work and also their compassionate nature.
Hunters Down is ideally situated, across the road from a lovely walk by the river. The walk is wheelchair accessible and many benches to sit on.
After losing my wife to dementia fifteen months ago I am frequently invited to attend various entertainments. Saturday for national open day was no exception. The effort given by all staff concerned to make such a memorable event was overwhelming. You have my total respect.
Thank you for your lovely comments.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 12 December 2019Good
- 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 (14) & Events (0)
- 08 Jul 2026
It makes me deeply sad when people default to the stereotype that care homes are lonely, bleak or institutional places. Too often, care homes are spoken about as a last...
- 15 Jun 2026
We recently welcomed a special guest across the Excelcare Group to spread joy in celebration of our Chief Operating Officer, Sam Manning’s birthday. Bailey Bear, our new mascot, travelled to...
- 06 Jan 2026
Members of the Excelcare family welcomed the New Year by sharing their favourite memories from 2025 and their hopes for the year ahead. Taking time to reflect on the past...
There are no upcoming events for Excelcare Hunters Down Care Home.
Awards / Recognitions (9)
- 30 Jan 2026Recipient: Excelcare
- 31 Jan 2025Recipient: Excelcare
- 31 Jan 2024Recipient: Excelcare Hunters Down Care Home
Accreditations
There are no accreditations posted yet for Excelcare Hunters Down Care Home.
Meet the Team (2)

this Anca was manager at one of our sister homes, Buchan House,
Anca has an NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care and a QCF Level 5
in Leadership for Health and Social Care

Myrna is a qualified Nurse and has worked as a General Nurse in hospitals and the community.
Myrna is responsible for the care delivered in the home and running of the home in the absence of the General Manager.
Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of carehome.co.uk. Please contact Excelcare Hunters Down Care Home to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Excelcare Hunters Down Care Home has an Enhanced Service -more info.