
We feel the care home has skillfully managed all the difficulties of the pandemiCraig T(Son of Resident/Service User)

Mum speaks highly of the meals provided saying that there is plenty of variationRaymond C(Son of Resident/Service User)


We feel the care home has skillfully managed all the difficulties of the pandemiCraig T(Son of Resident/Service User)

Mum speaks highly of the meals provided saying that there is plenty of variationRaymond C(Son of Resident/Service User)


Located in the heart of rural Aberdeenshire, just off the A96, Drumdarroch House Care Home is a one storey, purpose-built care facility with a homely atmosphere for 41 clients. Drumdarroch enjoys an open aspect on the edge of the village of Insch with fantastic views of woodland, Dunnydeer Hill and the remains of the Dunnydeer Hill Fort.
The home has close links with the village and the surrounding areas - these...
Care Provided by Drumdarroch House Care Home
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
- Physical Disability
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Residential Care
- Nursing Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- Dementia Nursing Care
- For a maximum of 41 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
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- Smoking not permitted
- Close to Local shops
- Near Public Transport
- Minibus or other transport
- Wheelchair Access
- Ground Floor Accommodation only
- Gardens
- Residents Kitchenette
- Phone Point in own room
- Television point in own room
- Residents Internet Access
Funding & Fees
Contact Drumdarroch House 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
Good to Know
Group / Owner
- Priority Care
- Private Owned
Person in charge
- Wendy Stephen(Home Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Ages 65+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: Yes
- Year Purpose Built: 2000
- Last Refurbishment: 2020
- Number of floors: 1
Room Information
- Single Rooms (37)
- Couples/Companion Rooms (2)
Parking
- Free Parking on-site
Drumdarroch House Care Home Reviews (75)
Drumdarroch House Care Home has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.864) out of 10, based on 36 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Drumdarroch House Care Home has 75 reviews.
I am very happy with the care that my mother has received here over the years. She has always been treated with patience and respect and seems content and happy these days. As her dementia and physical capabilities have worsened, the staff have increased the level of support to keep her safe and comfortable.
Kindest Regards.
My experience to date at Drumdarroch House Care Home has largely been positive with a reasonable amount of care and attention being applied by staff. The level of cleanliness is good and the food is to a good standard. Activities are interesting and at times fun to take part in. The only real area for improvement is the outlook from Mum's room which currently looks at bin storage. I have asked the question more than once about relocation to another room when one becomes available but this has not happened despite there being several departures from the home.
Thank you for taking the time to review Drumdarroch Care Home. I am glad your experience to date has been largely positive. I am very sorry to hear you are not happy with the outlook of your mum's room. As you will be aware, the bin storage area is screened with 6 ft fencing. Following some...
All staff management and volunteers are doing a marvellous job tending to residents and more so during the stressful times of covid. They are always very helpful when I visit. I certainly couldn't cope if I was to take on the job of caring even for my family member. I thank them one and all, very much.
Kindest Regards, the director.
Mum was in Drumdarroch Care Home for around fifteen months until her death in December 2022. Mum always looked clean and tidy when we visited her and we, as a family, would say she blossomed in the care of the staff there. She was encouraged to take part in a variety of activities and enjoyed being in the company of the other residents. The staff were always smiling and friendly and they endeavored to make sure all Mum’s needs were met. During Mum’s final days, the care and kindness extended to Mum and our family was second to none. The nurses, carers and managers took care of us as well as Mum so well. First Class! We are so pleased that Mum got a place in Drumdarroch.
Thank you very much for completing your review of Drumdarroch Care Home. It's honestly one of the nicest reviews we have received as a group. We are immensely proud of the hard work our managers and staff do every single day. Comments like yours truly make everything they do so worthwhile. I too am...
Well done to you all.
Residents are grateful and happy to be seeing family.
The couple of outings on the bus have been a great lifter of spirits.
On arrival at Drumdarroch, the staff were excellent at welcoming him to his new home, during an emotional and confusing time for him. Conversations with Dad over the following weeks proved he was settled, comfortable, and well attended to. The staff at Drumdarroch were good with updates on his wellbeing in the period before family visits resumed. We feel the care home has skillfully managed all the difficulties of the pandemic.
We have found the pod visits to be as safe and relaxed as possible. Currently, visits are becoming more frequent and flexible and are a good focus in his weekly schedule.
He is enjoying the meals and looks better for it. Minibus outings have also recently resumed and he enjoys these very much.
The staff are experienced in the challenges of dementia and our family are heartened that Dad is now in this safe, caring environment.
Thank you very much for your very kind words about Drumdarroch Care Home. We are very proud of all our staff and the way in which they make everyone welcome and feel part of the home while giving you the confidence your Dad is treated with the utmost care and respect. It has been a very difficult...
Visiting has been difficult at times to fit in around my work but, when possible, I have been offered alternative time slots which was appreciated. The set-up for visiting is well thought out and has met with all the government regulations on social distancing, hand hygiene and PPE.
Drumdarroch seems to have been a bit slower in opening up to visitors than other care homes in the area. I feel my mother has been kept safer because of this. Although unaware mostly of what is going on around her, she is content and has been looked after in a way I am happy with. I would highly recommend Drumdarroch House Care Home!
The residents enjoy good meals and the introduction of ‘snack boxes’ has gone down well. The re-introduction of a dedicated activities person has been greatly beneficial. The revival of outings on the nursing home bus has recreated a bit of excitement. Residents are looking forward to the day when outside entertainment can be accommodated.
Overall, I would imagine, from a resident’s perspective, that Drumdarroch House Care Home is a good place to be.
Drumdarroch is well organised and have good systems in place for keeping relatives and friends updated on all aspects of what's going on. They have worked exceptionally hard during Covid keeping all residents and relatives safe and updated at all times.
Well done to all at Drumdarroch, keep up the good work.
Because of Covid, I have not been inside the home, so I am unable to comment on those facilities or the food.
I have marked them good as I had to make a choice.
Thank you for your very positive review of Drumdarroch. We are very proud of our team and their dedication during these very difficult times. Your thanks to all of the team is hugely appreciated and they are made aware of your comments. Your positive feedback is appreciated especially during these...
The nurses, carers and everyone at Drumdarroch Care Home cannot be praised highly enough for their attention to our Mother during her 3 years stay. The very highest level of respect and dignity were shown to her and us as a family in her final hours and no amount of effort was spared to make her as comfortable as could be. We are forever thankful to you for looking after her so well. We should also praise everyone at Drumdarroch for their sterling efforts in keeping COVID-19 out of the facility during the pandemic.
Thank you so much for your kind words. We are extremely proud of the outstanding care the team at Drumdarroch provides. As you said in your comments, the efforts made throughout the pandemic truly are incredible. Care Home staff across the country deserve this kind of recognition more than ever. Kindest regards.
My mum has been a resident since Dec 2019 and we wanted to pass on a huge thanks to the team at Drumdarroch for all the care and attention they give to mum, especially with the added pressures of the lockdown restrictions. They always ensure that we have been able to keep in touch via FaceTime calls and when possible I was able to visit in person (with strict safety controls in place). This past year has been exceptionally difficult for everyone but especially for those working in healthcare. We can only imagine how hard things have been and the difficulties they have faced, but we feel the care given at Drumdarroch is exceptional and we can’t speak highly enough of what they all do. We have nothing but admiration and respect for all the team at Drumdarroch and know that everyone resident there is in the best of hands.
Thank you so much for your incredibly positive review of Drumdarroch. Your thanks to all of the team is hugely appreciated. Especially during such difficult times for all staff working in the care sector. They do such an excellent job every single day and it makes it all worthwhile when you hear such words of praise from a family member.
It is now a year since my 91-year-old aunt went to stay at Drumdarroch House. She has been treated exceptionally well, and this has given our family great peace of mind. We have been particularly impressed by how the staff at the home have coped with Covid-19 lockdown. They have done everything possible to keep residents safe while offering virtual access to families to maintain those important bonds. It can’t be easy to keep the ship afloat at such difficult times, knowing that one misjudgment could have terrible consequences, but Drumdarroch House has not put a foot wrong throughout. We continue to be impressed and reassured.
My dad was in Drumdarroch for just under a year. Throughout the time that he was there, he received excellent care. ALL the staff (nurses, care assistants, support staff, kitchen, laundry, cleaning and management) were wonderful to dad and to us throughout dad's time there. Recently dad had a big, unsurvivable medical event, he went into hospital acutely but returned to Drumdarroch for palliative care where he and we were exceptionally well supported throughout his final days. Everyone was wonderful to us and to Dad, he couldn't have been better cared for. Having had the experience of a number of care homes both in this country and abroad, I am so thankful that my Dad was at Drumdarroch, everyone there was genuinely caring and compassionate; thank you all so much.
I found the matron a pleasure to deal with at all times. I found her very caring and compassionate. My sister, being a very private person, did not participate in the many activities on offer in the home, but it was obvious the activities co-ordinator tried very hard to engage with the residents. The final end-stage care was very good thanks to the dedicated night staff.
My father-in-law moved to Drumdarroch last year and we have noticed a great improvement in him. He is very well looked after and the staff are very welcoming and friendly and we feel relaxed knowing he is getting the best of care. Would highly recommend to anyone thinking of looking for a family-friendly care home.
No concerns. Everything clean and tidy. Staff very helpful and caring. There are plenty of activities for the residents to do. The food is excellent with a range of healthy options. It's easy for friends and family to come and go as they wish. We are also offered a cup of tea or coffee and a biscuit at fly times. Very relaxed atmosphere.
I found the quality of care was exceptional with adequate facilities and well located in the village. The thing I really liked about the home was the professionalism and friendly staff. The staff had built very genuine and personal relationships with my parents and this meant a great deal to them.
I have found Drumdarroch staff ever so helpful and caring and trying to make the residents feel comfortable and at home as much as possible. Trying very hard to keep everyone entertained and occupying their time when possible.
Everything is up to standard.
Regulatory Rating
Care Inspectorate (CI) Rating
Date: 24 March 2026- How well do we support people's wellbeing?Good
(4)
- How good is our leadership?Good
(4)
- How good is our staff team?Good
(4)
- How good is our setting?Good
(4)
- How well is care and support planned?Good
(4)
Bed Vacancies
Please contact us for latest vacancies.
News (0) & Events (0)
There are no news items for Drumdarroch House Care Home.
There are no upcoming events for Drumdarroch House Care Home.
Awards / Recognitions (1)
- 01 Feb 2018Recipient: Drumdarroch House Care Home
Accreditations
There are no accreditations posted yet for Drumdarroch House Care Home.
Meet the Team (1)

Hello, I'm Wendy Stephen, the Home Manager at Drumdarroch Care Home.
I qualified as a State Enrolled Nurse many years ago in Oldham, Lancashire, and worked as a night nurse in the local hospital.
I continued my career in nursing working for the MS Society for almost 10 years, which is when I started my journey within the care home environment, as a staff nurse working up to Home Manager Peripatetic Manager Quality Management and latterly Regional Support Manager. During this time I completed a conversion course to a first-level nurse followed by a degree in Nursing.
During my career, I have experienced working with a variety of homes which have been under focus and require support to improve standards to allow them to improve their grades and also homes which have good grades to ensure that they maintain the required standards.
I bring my years of experience to Drumdarroch and share this to ensure that I continue to support staff, residents and relatives whilst supporting staff to maintain the standards already embedded.
Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of carehome.co.uk. Please contact Drumdarroch House Care Home to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Drumdarroch House Care Home has an Enhanced Service -more info.