
I am so grateful for the care and dignity that was given to Mum right to the endMandy C(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

no criticism only praiseJayne S(Niece of Resident/Service User)

the care and support offered to my friend was outstanding.A H(Friend of Resident/Service User)

I am so grateful for the care and dignity that was given to Mum right to the endMandy C(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

no criticism only praiseJayne S(Niece of Resident/Service User)

the care and support offered to my friend was outstanding.A H(Friend of Resident/Service User)

At Heron Hill Care Home, the team take pride in a service that focuses on great care, all tailored to your loved one's needs.
The Care Home is conveniently located in Kendal, an historic town which stands at the entrance to the beautiful English Lake District that has excellent access to road, rail and bus links.
The 24/7 dedicated care team of experienced nurses, carers and support staff work to deliver...
Care Provided by Heron Hill Care Home
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
- Mental Health Condition
- Physical Disability
- Visual / Hearing Impairment
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Nursing Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- Dementia Nursing Care
- For a maximum of 86 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
- Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
Accreditations
- The National Dementia Care Accreditation Scheme (NaDCAS)
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- Pet Friendly (or by arrangement)
- Smoking not permitted
- Close to Local shops
- Near Public Transport
- Minibus or other transport
- Lift
- Stairlift
- Wheelchair Access
- Ground Floor Accommodation only
- Gardens
- Bar/Café
- Residents Kitchenette
- Phone Point in own room
- Television point in own room
- Residents Internet Access
Funding & Fees
Weekly Charges per Person
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact Heron Hill Care Home for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact Heron Hill 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
- Abbey Healthcare
- Private Owned
Person in charge
- Nicola Spedding(Manager)
Admission Information
- Mixed with male-only unit(s)
- Ages 50+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: Yes
- Year Purpose Built: 2004
- Last Refurbishment: 2024
- Number of floors: 3
Room Information
- Single Rooms (86)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (86)
Visiting
- Currently have no visiting restrictions, although please avoid meal times.
Parking
- On site parking
Heron Hill Care Home Reviews (86)
Heron Hill Care Home has a Review Score of 9.6 (9.649) out of 10, based on 21 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Heron Hill Care Home has 86 reviews.
The food is very average and we were very upset with the very poor quality of the Christmas offerings in 23. The food had obviously been cooked the day or so before and just heated up on Christmas Day.
I appreciate that the catering staff like to spend this time with families. However, the food was almost inedible on this occasion which is very unfair on the residents. Improvement here is required.
There appears a lack of management staff at the weekends leading to several slips in what is a very good system. The library is being used as a restroom at weekends though there is a staff room. Perhaps some money may be made available to improve the quality of the staff room and make it more attractive for staff to use.
I would like to thank you for taking the time to share your experience, as all feedback received is positive as we can continually improve the support provided and whilst it is disappointing to hear that you felt the food was average I would like to offer you our assurance that the overall dining...
This is my second parent here, moved both from other homes. My only regret is I didn't do it sooner. As an ex-nurse, I am more aware of care standards and can't recommend this home highly enough. The staff faced huge challenges with mother-in-law due to frailty of pressure sores that she arrived with. With their excellent care they healed and no more development. The atmosphere in the home is always welcoming and helpful. The staff obviously enjoy their work, take pride in it. Work as a family and care deeply. My mother-in-law was treated with respect and dignity at all times, as were the family. The entertainment staff were amazing with their imaginative activities, trips and visitors. Love the fact residents eat in a dining room, so homely.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience of Heron Hill, it is always such a pleasure to share your views with the staff team who continue to do their very best for everyone within the home.
Dad was a resident of Heron Hill Care Home for over six years. He was cared for by some excellent staff, who treated him as if he were their own. Dad, due to behavioural issues caused by Dementia, was accommodated on the male only unit. This was difficult for the family to grasp, as Dad was always kind, friendly, understanding, and loving. Due to his Dementia, Dad changed, not only at the beginning of his Dementia journey but continually, day to day. This made caring for him a huge challenge, but was a challenge the staff were more than up to. The permanent staff treated Dad with dignity, empathy, and understanding and did their best to calm and reassure him, and were there when he was scared, confused, and even violent. The nursing care Dad received was excellent, regularly reviewed, and we were consulted on any concerns or changes to his needs. At Dad's passing, everything was done how he wanted, with respect and thoughtfulness, nothing was too much trouble. Thank you.
Thank you for your kind words. Dad was a pleasure to care for and we miss him and all your family visits.
Thank you all so much for the care you provide.
Thank you so much for taking the time to review Heron Hill, all our staff will be delighted to read your experience on the kindness and care taken to support your loved one.
The staff are always so welcoming and polite, and I can tell they genuinely have my mother’s best interests at heart.
Thank you for your kind words. The team love caring for your mum. I will pass on your kind words to the team that provides Mum's care.
Nothing was too much trouble, kept me updated on all of the care they were giving.
I would recommend this home to anyone looking at finding a caring understanding home for their loved ones.
Thank you very much indeed for taking the time to share your thoughts and kind words, based on your personal experience of Heron Hill. The staff will be truly delighted to receive this feedback.
I have always been welcomed at the home and kept informed regularly if need be by phone. The staff are always pleasant and patient in their caring of the residents in what must be difficult circumstances at times.
Thank you for your kind words, I will ensure that these are passed on to the team.
My husband has been well cared for in the Wheawall unit for a year. Despite very difficult situations, the carers are always respectful, kind and patient with the residents. They have a great understanding of advanced dementia and how to deal with the challenges it brings. All the staff from going through the front door are all very pleasant and go about their work in a kind and caring manner. Myself, our son's and their families and friends have always been made welcome when visiting. Heron Hill has become part of our family and we are grateful that my husband is relatively happy there.
Thank you for your kind words Maureen. I will make sure that the manager and the team are made aware of them.
The staff are very nice and welcoming. The food is awful, choices of food are not meeting my dad's choice ie more traditional meals and are not person-centred. The food supplier needs changing. I am concerned about other clients wandering around in room doorways as my dad is in bed and vulnerable. My dad has lost items of his clothes in the laundry and stuff bought other peoples into his room which do not belong to him. More activities for my who is in bed would be great.
Thank you for your review, if you would like to pop in for a chat to discuss your concerns we would be happy to go through these with you.
Everyone from the front office to the people on my husband's unit are very kind and helpful. My only complaint is that my husband's clothes are always going missing, please can someone try to find them.
Thank you for your kind words, I will make sure that these are passed on to the team.
There was such a lovely warm atmosphere and the staff were so welcoming; they gave me confidence that they would care for my husband.
There's a great programme of activities that would help him to engage and communicate. Nothing is too much trouble. Thank you everyone.
Thank you so much for your kind words, we are so glad that you and your husband are happy with us at Heron. I will make sure the team are aware of your comments.
Rooms got a bit shabby but clean.
Food; vegetarian options are sometimes a bit basic, vegetables are sometimes rather overcooked and not much flavour but varied and my husband is generally content with his food.
Activities; my husband is very limited in what he can do and/or wants to respond to, so not applicable, really.
But overall, very content with care at Heron Hill.
Thank you for your feedback, we will pass this on to the teams and look to rectify some of the areas you have raised.
My sisters and I have been visiting our mother regularly for the past seven years, and feel the home has been very caring and supportive over that time. As our mother's health has declined, she has become unable to take part in any activities so I do not feel able to comment about that aspect. The staff are always very approachable and pleasant, and look after our mother with great care.
Thank you for your kind words, we will pass them on to the team on Cavell.
Many thanks to you all.
Thank you so much for your kind words, we will pass these on to the team.
Initially was nervous about using a larger care home but they have the systems and infrastructure in place to offer strong levels of care. Also really good to see continued investment in the building fabric.
Thank you for your kind feedback, we will pass this on to the team. We also look forward to your visits.
It gives the family peace of mind knowing Dad is being well cared for. The staff are lovely and very helpful.
Hi and thank you for your kind words, I will pass these on to the team.
I would just like to say how well my beloved partner is being looked after. He is always very clean and tidy. His room is always clean and tidy. The staff from reception to the unit are very polite and always greet me with a smile. He looked very happy when I visited him today and he gave me his usual lovely smile and was very pleased to see me with a kiss. I would like to say a big “thank you” to all the staff for all your hard work and wonderful care.
Hi and thank you so much for your kind words, I will share them with the team.
Very pleasant staff on every floor. They are very kind to the residents. Very clean. The dining room is beautiful.
Thank you for your kind comments, I will pass these on to the teams.
My experience of Heron Hill Care Home is excellent. The staff can't do enough for you. They are all very pleasant and helpful. They also have lovely smiles from the carers to the management, maintenance, cleaners etc. They all do a great job, especially considering the difficult nature of the work.
Thank you for your lovely words. We love your visits and the joy you also bring to the unit! I will pass your comments on to the team.
The main downfall to the establishment is laundry and care of. Although clothing is tagged I have had to go to laundry on occasion to find my wife's clothing or have seen other patients wearing items of clothing or found item in unclaimed box or rack even though they are marked. Plus items can go missing from rooms i.e. personal cushions and blankets etc.
Thank you for your comments, we are aware that the laundry systems need reviewing, and value any suggestions that you may have in relation to this.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 24 June 2025Good
- CaringOutstanding
- 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
2 Bed Vacancies
Posted: 28 July 2026Heron Hill currently has 2 bed vacancies and would be delighted to show you around our award winning home.
News (1) & Events (0)
- 28 Apr 2026
As we head into 2026, we are proud to recognise leaders who have made a meaningful impact through their NaDCAS journey. ?? This week, we are delighted to celebrate Nicola...
There are no upcoming events for Heron Hill Care Home.
Awards / Recognitions (18)
- 16 Jun 2025Recipient: Abbey Healthcare
- 06 Jun 2025Recipient: Abbey Healthcare
- 30 Nov 2022Recipient: Heron Hill Care Home
Meet the Team (1)

Nicola started her career in the care sector in 1992 as a carer in a nursing home. She worked her way up to her current position of Registered Home Manager. Along the way, Nicola has studied to gain the knowledge required to become a good home manager. She has her NVQ level 4 in Health and Social Care and Management, along with the Registered Managers level 4 award. Nicola has worked in both residential and nursing homes for the elderly.
Nicola is passionate about promoting a high quality of care for her residents, their families and her team. Nicola supports her team to achieve this through training, supervision and guidance. She also encourages open and honest discussions with her residents and their families to help her and her team perform the best they can.
Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of carehome.co.uk. Please contact Heron Hill Care Home to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Heron Hill Care Home has an Enhanced Service -more info.