






The Orchards Care Home is a not-for-profit care home in Ely.
The home provides person-centred residential, dementia and respite care in a safe and secure environment. The Orchards has modern facilities including spacious bedrooms with ensuite facilities, cinema, salon and an array of lounges and quiet spaces.
As part of Greensleeves Care, a respected UK charity, The Orchards puts people before profit.
Located within a new residential development and beside a...
Care Provided by The Orchards
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
- Physical Disability
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Residential Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- For a maximum of 66 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
- Parkinson's Disease
- Stroke
- Palliative / End of Life Care
- Convalescent Care
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- Pet Friendly (or by arrangement)
- Near Public Transport
- Lift
- Wheelchair Access
- Gardens
- Bar/Café
- Residents Kitchenette
- Phone Point in own room
- Television point in own room
- Residents Internet Access
Funding & Fees
Weekly Charges per Person
Fees are set based on the specific care needs of each individual. Fees come with Greensleeves Care's unique Home for Life financial assurance and, as a not-for-profit home, every penny goes towards high-quality care, never shareholders. Give the home a call today for more details.
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact The Orchards for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact The Orchards 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
- Greensleeves Care
- Voluntary / Not for Profit Owned
Person in charge
- Christine Short(General Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Ages 65+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: Yes
- Year Purpose Built: 2019
- Number of floors: 3
Room Information
- Single Rooms (66)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (66)
The Orchards Reviews (51)
The Orchards has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.775) out of 10, based on 29 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time The Orchards has 51 reviews.
My husband first visited The Orchards for two weeks of respite care some months before becoming a resident. We were delighted with the friendliness, care and compassion that both of us received. When his dementia and increased frailty became too much for me to manage at home, he entered The Orchards as a permanent resident. I have nothing but praise for the staff who are so kind and nothing is too much trouble. They seem to enjoy working at The Orchards and appear to have very few changes. They always have time to speak to me if I wish to discuss a situation and make me feel we are managing my husband's illness together. The new building is spacious, warm and welcoming with communal lounges and quieter rooms for those who wish for privacy. My husband has settled in well and is relaxed and contented because of the loving care of the staff. I am completely satisfied with The Orchards.
The first thing to say is that the frontline staff are amazing. They are relaxed and good-humoured and our friend sees them as her friends.
Secondly, The Orchards has taken great pains to set up protocols which keep the residents safe. These have been successful.
Thirdly, the care home itself is very like a top hotel. The facilities are excellent and the garden room, cinema, library and dining rooms are excellent.
Fourthly, the emergency procedures and medical care are faultless. Our friend has, unfortunately, had to have short hospital stays whilst in The Orchards. Things have been handled very efficiently with no fuss.
A care home is only as good as its staff. Excellent.
An elderly friend of mine was living at home with carers going in and out 4 times a day, had not been out of bed since Christmas and was been given drinks out of cups with lids etc. After 10 days in Ely I went to see her yesterday and found her up in a wheelchair, dressed and spotlessly clean drinking coffee from a cup and saucer. It was wonderful to see that some of her dignity is being given back to her and to notice that everyone knew her name, all about her and was treating her with kindness and empathy.
However, I feel that a lot of promises were made as to the facilities on offer that have not been lived up to. Furthermore, there have been and still are a lot of issues with the home that cause me concern. I am hopeful that these issues will be resolved with the new management.
As far as actual care goes the carers themselves are lovely and treat mum with the utmost respect and kindness. I am truly grateful to them.
Dear Anne, thank you for your feedback. We greatly appreciate your comments and we will take on board what you have suggested. I am glad you are happy with the suggested outcomes which we covered during our chat and look forward to making the home even better for our residents.
Every time I visit my father, he tells me how happy he is to be in such a lovely, friendly place. All the carers are kind and cheerful and he values their upbeat conversation. He chooses to spend much of his time in his room which has a door directly into the garden. The room and en-suite are always beautifully clean. He is invited to all the social events and activities but has not been well enough to go to many. The maintenance team recently helped me to install a Hearing Loop that improves the TV sound through his hearing aids. I visit frequently and always feel welcome.
My Mum took time to settle in due to her dementia, but the staff were very patient and caring from day one. She has been there eighteen months now and I couldn't be happier with the standard of care etc that she is getting.
My parents both went into the Orchards in March 2021. My dad was suffering from terminal cancer and my mum from dementia. Unfortunately, my dad's condition deteriorated quickly but he couldn't have been better cared for in this difficult time. He died just over 6 weeks after he arrived. The staff were great, in the final few days they held his hand day and night when we were unable to be at his bedside. Following his death they have been taking good care of my Mum, urging her to join in any activities. They supported Mum on the day of the funeral, doing her hair and makeup so she could look her best for the day. I am very pleased that we chose the Orchards and would certainly recommend them.
The whole admittance procedure was masterminded by the family liaison manager, who is wonderful at her job and couldn't have been more sensitive and helpful in what was a difficult transition for us both.
Since he has been at The Orchards, my husband has been cared for with great kindness, and attention to all his needs; he has settled in well to his new way of life. I feel that he has rapidly become a member of a large loving family.
The Orchards is a lovely place for him to be, and I have been met with nothing but kindness on all occasions.
Dear Elizabeth, thank you very much for your lovely review and kind words. We will share your nice comments with our staff.
Last August I had to find a care home for my mother-in-law, and after a lot of searching found, The Orchards. The home is very new and has the highest standard and facilities. The standard of cleanliness is exceptional. The in-house chef prepares a wide range of freshly prepared food to meet the resident's needs. During the last months as I have got to know the staff, they have impressed me. They treat the residents with respect and care. (As a person, not just a number). When I was able to visit my mother-in-law, she was always smartly dressed and looked well cared for. They keep the relatives fully informed of the weekly activities by way of an email and a newsletter keeping you up to date with what is happening in the home. During the lockdown, I have been able to phone and enquire how she is, and nothing has been too much trouble. If they were not available, they will always call back. The manager has an open-door policy and will always speak to you. To sum it up, well done, The Orchard!
Dear Peter, thank you very much for your lovely review and kind words. We will share your nice comments with our staff.
Although my father was only resident here for a little over a week - unfortunately, he became poorly and passed away - he truly had a wonderful few days in The Orchards. He settled in immediately, the staff were wonderful, Dad said (after a day), I should have moved here weeks ago!
Thank you for your lovely review. We will share your kind comments with our staff at The Orchards.
The Orchards Ely is a lovely home, staff are all so welcoming and caring towards the residents and visitors. The care my Grandad receives is amazing they couldn’t have cared for him better. They have many areas in the home that you can go sit in a tea room, cinema room, hairdressers, bar room, a garden room and lovely outside areas to sit in. Great activities are offered too. The home is kept really clean and tidy. Thank you for all you do. I highly recommend to anyone that is looking for a care home.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 15 August 2025Requires improvement
- CaringGood
- EffectiveGood
- ResponsiveGood
- SafeRequires improvement
- Well-ledRequires improvement
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 (8) & Events (0)
- 12 Jun 2026
We're proud to share that Greensleeves Care has been named among the Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2026. With more than 60 colleagues currently undertaking apprenticeships across our homes,...
- 02 Mar 2026
Greensleeves Care has once again been recognised in the carehome.co.uk Top 20 Large Care Home Groups in England for 2026 – a remarkable milestone and the organisation’s ninth consecutive year...
- 04 Dec 2025
The Orchards Care Home, a Greensleeves Care home in Ely, has become the first residential and dementia care home in the area to achieve the prestigious Gold Standards Framework (GSF)...
There are no upcoming events for The Orchards.
Awards / Recognitions (11)
- 30 Jan 2026Recipient: Greensleeves Care
- 31 Jan 2025Recipient: Greensleeves Care
- 31 Jan 2024Recipient: Greensleeves Care
Accreditations
There are no accreditations posted yet for The Orchards.
Meet the Team (9)

Alastair’s career began in the British Armed Forces (1988–1992), followed by a role in quality assurance (1992–1997), before dedicating 14 years (1997–2011) to caring for his wife and bringing up his children. This life experience continues to shape his values with empathy, dignity, and respect at the heart of everything he does.
Since moving into care as a profession in 2011, Alastair has progressed from Healthcare Assistant to General Manager, gaining hands-on experience at every level. Most recently, he led Kingfisher House Care Home in Newmarket, where he built a stable, supportive team and enhanced daily life for residents as well as securing seventy 5-star reviews on carehome.co.uk, elevating the home to a phenomenal 9.9 score and placing it as the No.1 care home in West Suffolk.
Prior to this, Alastair achieved an Outstanding CQC rating at St Peter’s House in Bury St Edmunds (2017–2020) and successfully improved standards at Norwood House in Saxmundham, Suffolk (2020–2022).

I enjoy getting to know the residents and I enjoy that I can speak to several residents in French.
Knowing that you are making a difference in a person's daily life is always rewarding.

We have a good team working together to care for the residents.

A good place to work

I like to make sure their needs are met.
I am devoted to my job.

I like caring for people

I work in a family-style environment, also the job role covered my skills in compliance and maintenance.

I love working at The Orchards because of the great team that I am part of.
My background in teaching was with Health and Social Care so this seemed a natural progression.
I enjoy the varied nature of each day of working with the wonderful residents.
I enjoy being active and involved in their everyday lives.

I enjoy working at The Orchards because it is a great space to learn new things.
It is interesting to hear about our lovely resident's life stories and not to mention how good the team here is.
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