






Rated Good in every single area of their Care Quality Commission report (February 2025), Dovecote has a wonderful team of staff who are devoted to enriching the lives of their residents. They provide residential, dementia and respite care, which can be pre-booked.
A warm and welcoming home, it is surrounded by stunning large gardens with wheelchair friendly pathways.
The bedrooms and communal spaces, including light and airy lounges and dining...
Care Provided by Dovecote Residential Care 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 61 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
- 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
- Television point in own room
Funding & Fees
Weekly Charges per Person
Our weekly fees are individual to each of our residents and are subject to a pre-admission assessment, which is required to understand the level of care and support needed. Our 2025 weekly care fees for residential care start from £1161, but may be in the region of 30% more*. This depends on your care needs and the type of bedroom that is right for you, from our standard rooms through to our premium bedroom options.
*If you require more specialist care such as 1-2-1 support, your weekly fee could be higher.
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact Dovecote Residential Care Home for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact Dovecote Residential 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
- Sanctuary Care Ltd
- Voluntary / Not for Profit Owned
Person in charge
- Lesley Dawson(Home Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Ages 65+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: No
Room Information
- Single Rooms (61)
Dovecote Residential Care Home Reviews (90)
Dovecote Residential Care Home has a Review Score of 9.6 (9.568) out of 10, based on 16 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Dovecote Residential Care Home has 90 reviews.
Brilliant staff!
We are beyond grateful for the love and care Mum receives in Dovecote. Importantly not only is Mum well taken care of, the support for us as a family is unwavering. The activities are well thought out, keeping the residents engaged and stimulated. Mum is happy there. The carers are truly 'carers'. The whole team are great, just 'nice' people.
Thank you for such kind words about our home - it is really appreciated by the whole team. Best wishes, Fae
My wife has been very happy with the care she has received on her week-long visit for respite care. The food is good and the staff helpful. The only negative has been that both times she has been in for respite care, head office has got the bill wrong. Overall I have been happy with her care and have booked for next time.
Thank you for your kind words about our team and our home. I am sorry to hear of the error and am more than happy to feed this back to them. I am sure the staff are looking forward to seeing your wife again. Best wishes, Fae.
He has been treated with dignity and kindness and as for myself I have been very well looked after and given a lot of support. I am very glad I chose the home for him. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for nursing care/residential care for themselves or relatives.
The care my mam receives is excellent. It makes me very happy when my mam tells me she is happy at Dovecote.
In reception with chicken and rabbits. Lots of fun. Staff friendly and committed.
Dear Paul, thank you for your kind words, our residents and staff love the animals we keep. I will be sure to pass your kind words on. Best wishes, Fae.
My Father in law has been in Dovecote for a number of years now, in this time our family have never worried about any aspect of his care. Due to his illness, he is not the easiest of patients but he is treated with the utmost respect as are all of the residents. A lovely nurse showed me the new tea room they are creating along with other areas filled with memorabilia to make the residents feel more happy and relaxed. Most of the work is completed by the staff in their own time and the cost is being met by donations and fundraising.
Keep up the good work Dovecote from a very grateful daughter in law.
Dear Pam, thank you for your kind words - your feedback truly is invaluable to our team and the care they provide. Best wishes.
The appearance and cleanliness of the rooms is excellent.
We have the security of knowing she is being well looked after.
Dear Alan, thank you for feedback. It is wonderful to hear how well you feel your mother is cared for and how the family has peace of mind her being in our care. I will be sure to pass this onto the team, it'll be much appreciated. Best wishes,
Enjoy every day, not hard to please, no concerns with anything in this care provider.
Dear Joan, thank you so much for your lovely feedback - we are so pleased how content you are with us here. Best wishes, Fae.
My Nanna initially went into Dovecote in September 2018 for end of life care. She was always slightly feisty with the staff but the staff were brilliant with her. When it came to her end, the staff were amazing with me and all of my family, very caring, and gave us the support we needed at that very difficult time. I would highly recommend Dovecote to anyone, as the staff are brilliant, management great, facilities and cleanliness is outstanding.
Dear Louise, thank you so much for your kind feedback. Whilst I am very sorry to hear of the passing of your Nanna, I am pleased to hear how satisfied you are with the care she received, and in turn, the support given to your family at such a difficult time. I will be sure to pass this onto the team. Best wishes, Fae.
Excellent service, friendly and experienced staff. Dignity and respect always shown to residents. Would recommend.
Thank you for your kind words. It is great to hear that you would recommend our home. Best wishes.
Fantastic staff, wonderful food. My sister lives at Dovecote and she gets the best care. She loves it. The manager is very friendly.
Hello Paul, many thanks for your wonderful review of Dovecote, it's lovely to hear you are very happy with all aspects of your sister's care.
I find the staff are very caring and considerate. They give my wife lots of attention and help.
Dear James, thank you for your review - it's very good to hear that you're pleased with the care our team provide to your wife. Best wishes, Fae
I found the staff very friendly and helpful. They took very good care of my wife and treated her with great respect.
Mother has been in Dovecote Residential & Nursing Home for the past four years and during this period I can only praise the level of care she has received.
I have found the staff extremely helpful and very patient which at times must be difficult. Overall I find everyone brilliant.
My family have always found the regular staff to be very caring. Any issues we have been listened to and usually resolved quickly. All issues we have had have all been relatively minor and we are very happy with things as they are at the moment.
I am happy that my husband is treated with respect and care by all staff who are lovely, caring and compassionate with him. It means a lot to me not to have to worry about his care as I know he would not be better looked after.
My experience with the staff is always a very positive one. Any small problem dealt with quickly.
After a six week stay in hospital we managed to get her back to Dovecote for her last few days before she died.
I was with her in Dovecote on the day she died and the staff were brilliant and them being there did a lot to get me through her last hours. I was pleased she died there amongst people she knew and who cared about her.
Thank you Dovecote
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 22 October 2024Good
- 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)
- 14 Oct 2025
Residents, their loved ones and staff from Dovecote Residential Care Home in High Spen recently held a community party to celebrate the home's 30th anniversary. The home was filled with...
- 27 Feb 2025
Dovecote has just celebrated a milestone achievement following an impressive report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). In the recent inspection, our home was graded ‘good’ across five quality indicators:...
There are no upcoming events for Dovecote Residential Care Home.
Awards / Recognitions (9)
- 30 Jan 2026Recipient: Sanctuary Care Ltd
- 31 Jan 2025Recipient: Sanctuary Care Ltd
- 31 Jan 2024Recipient: Sanctuary Care Ltd
Accreditations
There are no accreditations posted yet for Dovecote Residential Care Home.
Meet the Team (8)

I have worked at Dovecote for 7 years and I love the residents. We are a really good team that work so well together.

Working here gives me so much back - it’s very rewarding. I have a good rapport with the residents and it’s great to be part of the team here. I am a very approachable person, and I always have a smile on my face!

Lynne has worked for us at Dovecote since 2021 and 'loves being a part of a big team and being around and spending time with our residents'.

It’s so lovely to laugh with the residents and make them happy. Everyone at Dovecote is so friendly - and the staff are just brilliant to work with.

I absolutely love the home and the residents. It is a lovely place to work and such a happy environment.

I love working for our residents, it’s like an extended family.

I like working with the residents and staff, they are wonderful it’s a lovely place to work.

I love working here. Dovecote is a fabulous place to work - the residents, the job and the staff, it’s all amazing!
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