
The home is always spotlessly clean. It is a very well-run home.Judith A(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

She has the best view and a comfortable room. The facilities are lovelyS T(Granddaughter of Resident/Service User)

major transformations to make it even more ‘dementia friendly’S D(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

The home is always spotlessly clean. It is a very well-run home.Judith A(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

She has the best view and a comfortable room. The facilities are lovelyS T(Granddaughter of Resident/Service User)

major transformations to make it even more ‘dementia friendly’S D(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

Derwent Care Home is situated in the Derwent Valley, within the hamlet of Low Westwood immediately to the west of Hamsterley in County Durham. The River Derwent flows at the bottom of the valley, over which the care home benefits from wide-ranging and stunning views.
The care home offers residential care, dementia care and respite care. The modern and spacious home, located over three floors, has forty-four purpose-built and attractively decorated...
Care Provided by Derwent Care Home
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
- Mental Health Condition
- Physical Disability
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Residential Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- For a maximum of 45 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
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
- Bar/Café
- Residents Kitchenette
- Phone Point in own room
- Television point in own room
- Residents Internet Access
Funding & Fees
Contact Derwent 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
- Mariposa
- Private Owned
Person in charge
- Julie Baron(Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Ages 65+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: Yes
- Last Refurbishment: 2024
- Number of floors: 3
Room Information
- Single Rooms (45)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (1)
Visiting
- Visitors are always welcome at Derwent. Please visit the main reception area on entry to the home, and a member of friendly staff will be able to assist you.
Parking
- Dedicated parking at the rear of the building. Vehicles and belongings are left at owners own risk.
Derwent Care Home Reviews (119)
Derwent Care Home has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.911) out of 10, based on 56 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Derwent Care Home has 119 reviews.
Mum has been a resident at Derwent for 4 years and has been cared for with a great deal of care, respect, and compassion. Knowing that she is in a safe environment is invaluable to the family. The staff do a fantastic job, in what can be very challenging circumstances at times. The new Manager has implemented lots of changes since coming into the post, all of which are improvements to the care home environment, both internally and externally. Currently the ‘home’ is undergoing major transformations to make it even more ‘dementia friendly’, for all residents/carers/visitors, which is a huge bonus.
Thank you so much for these lovely comments I will pass these on to my staff. These are very exciting times for the residents, their families, and staff we are all looking forward to seeing the end results of our Dementia care refurb.
All staff are very friendly, lovely people, always asking about my well-being, which is lovely! The manager is a beautiful woman who goes out of her way to check in on everyone! I am happy and at ease with my mother's care, and think the activities and experiences they provide are great! Thank you!
Thank you so much for this lovely review; I will ensure these kind words are passed on to all my lovely staff.
My friend is happy and well cared for by friendly and experienced staff. Her meals are of good quality and are well presented. Her room is clean and her laundry is always returned appropriately. The building itself is clean and is always heated well.
Thankyou so much for these lovely comments I will pass these over to the staff
Staff are always helpful and friendly. They are very kind to my mother. They seem to work well as a team. The home is always spotlessly clean. It is a very well-run home. The food could be a little more varied.
Staff always appear caring, polite and welcoming occasionally appear to be short-staffed but do make time to meet resident's needs. The menu at times is repetitive with limited choices. I feel at times staff are not kept updated on residents on going medical problems.
I would like to thank you for your kind comments and I will pass these on to the staff members. We do have a four-week seasonal menu and an alternative menu to choose from but I will ask the chef to review this. I will look into the other comments and address them where necessary.
Recently we had the opportunity to attend a session with a singer in Derwent Care Home. She was fantastic with the residents and families, smiling and encouraging all to join in. She also had a really good voice with great choice of songs for us all to sing along to. I want to tell you and whoever organised it how much we appreciate having the opportunity to make special memories today and remember the old ways we used to enjoy our time together. Looking around I think we were not the only ones. I also wanted to say how brilliant the staff were and how they enthusiastically encouraged and supported people to come and join in, they too joined in with so much compassion and care with dancing and singing, pride and emotion! Let's have more of this, it is invaluable therapy and the normalisation of the strange, frightening world our loved ones live in. What an event! What a staff team. Thank you from a very tearful but happy and lucky daughter.
I am very happy my grandmother is at Drewent. She has the best view and a comfortable room. The facilities are lovely and the activities if she wanted to join in are varied. The staff are amazing and friendly and dedicated to their jobs. I don't know where we would be without them.
Thank you for taking the time to write such a lovely review for us. It really means a lot and I will make sure I share this with the whole team.
As a nurse and an ex home manager, I can not express the outstanding care delivered on a day-to-day basis to our Mam. The staff act on any concerns they may have with health and well-being, seeking medical advice in an efficient timely manner. Our Mam has been there since November and they already know her very well, they are a kind and very caring team providing a high standard of person-centred care. The atmosphere is warm, friendly and homely and Mam says she's happy there and feels safe.
Team Derwent thank you for your wonderful review. We are so happy that you and your mam are satisfied as you are.
My aunt has been cared for in this home since October 2021. During that time she has been more than happy with the care, love and attention she has received. All the staff have treated her with kindness and dignity for which we will always be grateful. The cleanliness has been second to none. Her food was always of a good standard and adjusted to her likes. Please keep up the good work.
We at Derwent really appreciate this lovely review. It was an honour to work with the resident and she is greatly missed. Thank you.
My mother has been a resident of Derwent Care Home for approximately four years and has been happy and content which gives the family great peace of mind. The staff are kind, considerate and very professional in all aspects of their duties. I feel very fortunate for the care my mother is receiving.
Fantastic review, thank you for your comments - much appreciated.
My uncle is happy and found a new lease of life, he is having fun - singing, dancing and eating well.
Great to hear, thank you for your feedback - much appreciated.
The staff followed the necessary process and were very accommodating. I would highly recommend the centre to friends and family.
Thank you very much for completing a review card, much appreciated.
I am very comfortable with the process and control measures taken for visitors in the current climate. I find all the staff most helpful and they are wonderful with Mum.
Your comments are appreciated thank you very much.
Visited following a closure due to the pandemic. The staff are excellent, kind, caring and very helpful. The communication since the start of the pandemic has been excellent. We are updated via social media and a newsletter on events that my mother-in-law has taken part in. She is very happy in the environment she lives in which means her son and I are settled and not worried.
Thank you for completing a review for Derwent, your comments are much appreciated.
My mum has been a resident of Derwent Care Home for over three years. During this time she has been very well cared for. The staff go above and beyond to ensure her needs are met. They treat her as one of their family rather than a resident. The staff are very approachable and caring. The home is kept very clean and overall there is a very welcoming atmosphere from the staff. I am happy that my mum is safe and even during the period of Covid restrictions I was able to enquire about her at any time and feel reassured. I highly recommend Derwent Care Home to anyone looking for first-class residential care.
Brilliant review, thank you very much, all your comments are greatly appreciated.
This home is a lovely place and we are so happy to see our grandma comfortable and at ease. I would recommend Derwent Care Home to anyone in the future. The rooms are fab and the activities are fun for the residents to get involved with.
Thank you for taking the time to complete a review for Derwent, much appreciated.
My mum became a permanent resident in November 2021. She has settled in great and I am so happy with the care she is given. The staff go above and beyond to cater for my mum's needs, and whenever I asked for anything done for my mum, they pull out all stops to do it, if it's doable. I recommend this home to others whom I know are looking for their relatives.
Thank you for your amazing review, this is much appreciated.
I cannot recommend Derwent Care Home enough for the care they provide for my grandma. We were all heartbroken when making the decision that it was time for our grandma/mam to move into a care home and receive 24-hour care but it really feels like a home from home. The home is always spotlessly clean, residents are provided with daily activities and staff are friendly and caring. My grandma is treated with the dignity we always hoped for and she has really settled in well.
Thank you for completing a review on your grandmother's care, your kind comments are appreciated. Thank you.
The home is very clean. Our resident is always clean and clothes and bedding are changed daily. The staff are very caring. The food is varied and suits our resident's taste. Prompt medical attention is given if required.
Thank you for taking the time to complete a review, your comments are greatly appreciated. Thank you.
The resident has been very well looked after for four years now. We appreciate the newsletter although perhaps our family member doesn't join in many.
Thank you for taking the time to complete a review form, your comments are greatly appreciated.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 23 October 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 (0) & Events (0)
There are no news items for Derwent Care Home.
There are no upcoming events for Derwent Care Home.
Awards / Recognitions (1)
- 01 Feb 2018Recipient: Mariposa
Meet the Team (1)

We would like to introduce Julie Baron as the Home Manager at Derwent Care Home. Julie has excellent experience in the health and social care industry and brings with her a wealth of knowledge in the sector. We are delighted to have Julie leading our fantastic team at Derwent Care Home, and looking forward to seeing the impact she makes on the home.
Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of carehome.co.uk. Please contact Derwent Care Home to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Derwent Care Home has an Enhanced Service -more info.