Dovehaven Lodge

The room was in need of repairs: the plug socket needed plastering around, and holes in the wall where things had been removed. The door handle had clearly been moved several times, the cupboards were tatty and the doors didn’t shut properly. The wrong type of bed in the room. Staff constantly on phones whilst working. Residents are not encouraged to participate in activities or to shower. Very unwelcoming staff. The staff did not knock on the room doors before entering. The general impression I got was that staff would do the absolute minimum to justify their days' work.

Meals are very good, balanced and nutritious.

Very supportive management team. Unexpected move out of area, however Dad was treated with dignity and respect. Put us at ease, very informative and kept in the loop constantly. Thank you for caring and looking after Dad.

My mother has been a resident of Dovehaven since January 2023 after having a stroke. There have been several health issues relating to my mother's stroke and the communication we have experienced with management and staff has been helpful and supportive. Many of the staff have been employed at Dovehaven for years which is really helpful for the residents with dementia to see familiar faces. It also highlights good management. I cannot speak highly enough of the staff, they are kind, compassionate and respectful to all the residents. I would not have any hesitation in recommending them.

After a bad experience with my dad's previous care home, Dovehaven Lodge is a breath of fresh air. Their standards of care has put our faith in care homes again. My dad has been so happy with Dovehaven Lodge, but due to distance for my mum, we are transferring her to another of their care homes within the same company. We, as a family, thank you with all our hearts for all the care and compassion you have shown to my dad. You have fantastic staff and are covid safe.

Mum was very challenging when discharged from the hospital to Dovehaven Lodge and made life very difficult for her carers. That said, they cared for her very compassionately and never lost their sense of humour and now Mum is most settled, she enjoys a cuddle with them. All members of the team are included in my praise from the domestic and laundry team to the carers and nursing team.

Dad has been at Dovehaven for several weeks. His care has been very good. Happy Dad is moving on and all his needs have been met at Dovehaven. All care staff and management have helped me and my sister greatly. Thank you so much.

They have a lovely garden too.

My mum had been a resident since 2014 and the care she received until she passed away in April 2022 was wonderful. She was always happy there and didn't want to leave. She loved the staff and was always singing and smiling and telling everyone how much she loved them. Mum couldn't have been in a better place in her old age. She loved company and the attention she received from the staff. Mum was in the best place for her which made the family satisfied knowing she was settled, cared for and very content. Thank you so much to the staff on Elm Unit and Rowan Unit for looking after Mum and making her so happy. You are all angels!

When Dad was dying we felt confident in his care and we also felt cared for by the whole team. This continued at his funeral when the nursing sisters attended which meant so much to us all.

My father-in-law went in for last-minute respite care whilst having work completed at his home. The staff were extremely accommodating and caring and helped him settle in quickly. They had plenty of activities that helped keep him engaged and entertained.

Thank you to the amazing staff who are doing such a great job.

Myself and family have no worries about the care my husband is having, he is kept clean and comfortable and the staff are very caring towards him.

I can't thank the staff of Dovehaven Lodge enough. Our lovely father recently passed away in the care of the wonderful staff here. He was always happy and well cared for. From the conversations my sister and I had with numerous members of staff, it was very obvious just how well they knew Dad and his quirky nature. Right until the very end, the staff treated him with loving care and dignity. Dementia is a cruel illness that makes it hard to care for the resident. Well done, and thank you for everything. Keep doing what you are doing as your residents always look happy and well cared for. Once again, thank you to all staff. You are a credit to the care community. Well done!

My uncle has been with Dovehaven Lodge for approximately five years. He has always been very well looked after and his care needs have always been met. He’s always happy and joining in with activities that the home carry out. Whenever I have visited, he’s always been freshly shaven and looking very smart. Part of his everyday life was always him looking smart, so it’s lovely to see that this has been up kept. The staff are always polite and ensure we are welcomed as a family when visiting our uncle. Lockdown was an extremely hard time for everyone, however, it was very difficult for families with loved ones in care homes. Calling the home to speak with our loved ones was always met and being provided with updates was great! Social media was a great tool during the lockdown, seeing the smiles on their faces. Well done Dovehaven Lodge and your team. The care team are a credit to your company.

I would like to thank all staff within the home for their hard work during these hard times.

We have a family friend in Dovehaven Lodge, every time we visit we are very pleased with the care he is receiving. He always looks happy, I would highly recommend this home to anybody and all staff are always pleasant.

I can only describe my brother's room as a "prison cell". When he was first admitted in July the night staff spoke to my brother very abruptly and some didn't even understand English. I don't think he had even been washed or had his teeth brushed. I feel like he was just in the wrong environment for his condition and did not have any care. I also believe that his stay in this home had contributed to his death. I did not receive any calls offering condolences.

We were very disappointed with my father's care at this home. We had to repeatedly bring the same issues around personal care to the attention of management without any resulting improvement. Examples of this: Dad being dressed in pyjama top/bottoms during the day when there was a plentiful supply of good quality daywear available in his room. The bed being made with dirty linen, when there was clean linen available in his room. Dad left unshaven/teeth not cleaned. What I could only describe as ‘dog towels' used to dry Dad when there was a supply of good soft bath sheets. This care home has been rated ‘requires improvement’ by CQC in two areas: Safety and Leadership. I would fully concur with this as our family’s experience. Although some individuals at the home treated Dad with kindness and respect there were many more who failed in their duty to provide the most basic personal care.

Thank you for everything you do!