






The Firs Residential Care Home is situated in the east of Cambridgeshire, in a stunning historical Parish village of Little Downham (historic name of 'Downham-in-the-Isle'. In the Domesday Book of 1086, the village is called Duneham, and is located 3 miles (5 km) north of the city of Ely.
The Firs Residential Care Home hosts up to 29 residents across two floors. The team encourage residents to customise their rooms....
Care Provided by The Firs Residential Care Home
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
- Mental Health Condition
- Physical Disability
- Visual / Hearing Impairment
- Eating Disorders
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Residential Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- For a maximum of 29 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
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- Pet Friendly (or by arrangement)
- Close to Local shops
- Near Public Transport
- Minibus or other transport
- Lift
- Stairlift
- Wheelchair Access
- Gardens
- Phone Point in own room
- Television point in own room
- Residents Internet Access
Funding & Fees
Weekly Charges per Person
We also run seasonal offers to support families—such as our '2 Weeks on Us' promotion (active in July 2026 ) and our current 25% discount on respite stays booked for more than 6 weeks.
All fees are transparent with no hidden costs, giving you complete peace of mind.
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact The Firs Residential Care Home for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact The Firs 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
Owner
- Barrels UK Care Ltd
- Private Owned
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Ages 65+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: Yes
- Year Purpose Built: 1984
- Last Refurbishment: 2024
- Number of floors: 2
Room Information
- Single Rooms (29)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (3)
Visiting
- There are no visiting restrictions for family members. However, any other visitors who wish to visit the home must inform The Firs office in advance to ensure that someone is available to accompany them
Parking
- Parking available for all visitors.
The Firs Residential Care Home Reviews (15)
The Firs Residential Care Home has a Review Score of 9.4 (9.369) out of 10, based on 14 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time The Firs Residential Care Home has 15 reviews.
My partner has dementia and it became necessary for him to receive some Respite Care at The Firs. First impressions of the outside are that it is a little shabby however I could not fault the care and attention he was given. The staff are attentive and helpful and helped his stay go as smoothly as possible, I would have absolutely no qualms about him staying there again. His visitors were welcomed and given drinks and biscuits, overall it was a very positive experience.
Thank you so much for your lovely review. We are really pleased to hear that your partner was well cared for during his respite stay and that you felt welcomed and supported too. We also appreciate your honest comments about the outside appearance, and we will take these on board.
The level of empathy and attitude of the staff and management to the residents and their profession is second to none.
With a happy and friendly environment from being a smaller care home and has a more of a family approach then the bigger care homes.
Having their meals made from scratch is a Plus, unlike some other homes of having frozen ready meals brought in.
I have a high adoration towards the staff management ( not a job I could do )
PS ; fantastic Christmas party
Kind regards Richard
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. It means a great deal to us that the care, empathy, and dedication of our team stood out to you. We are proud to provide a warm, family-style environment where residents feel valued and supported. Your kind words about our home-cooked meals and...
The staff are very pleasant and always attentive to my sister. Any issues that come up, they try to resolve straight away. They are trying to improve the place; their attitude is very good. Anything that we bring up that is a problem, they try and address it straight away and try and find a fix for it. Overall, the staff are very good, thank you.
Thank you for your kind feedback. We're really pleased to hear that you've found our staff attentive and responsive to any concerns raised. It's important to us that issues are addressed quickly and that families feel listened to and involved. We are also continuing to make improvements across the...
Improvements are being made to the building which will be nice in the future.
Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful review. We understand how important it is to feel confident when placing a loved one into care, and we're really pleased to hear your mum has settled well and feels comfortable and happy at The Firs. It's lovely to hear that she enjoys the activities and that...
Mum needed to go into a care home shortly after Christmas the one thing she'd never let us do so for her safety and welfare you had to make the decision to put mum into care fast forward to April she's settled in wishes she had moved into The Firs sooner really can't fault the care she's getting has made friends the staff fuss over all residents agree can't find anything really to find fault with
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We understand how difficult the transition into care can be, and we're really pleased to hear your relative has settled well and is enjoying being part of the home. It means a lot to our team that you've noticed the care, support and attention...
Mum has settled and is so much more herself now that the Firs have been giving structure to her day and reduced her medication, and now she smiles more. She went with us today and ate a lovely lunch in the dining room. This is the first time mum has felt confident to eat in the dining room, and the staff, chef were very attentive and provided everything she needed. Mum is more animated nowadays and is more curious about things around her. Even if she is more "feisty" now! She also sat in the conservatory today with us.
HiThank you for your kind feedback. Thanks to express how you now feel about your mum's care. We are really appreciate that you recognise our hard work. You feedback make us to go extra mile to support our service users. Thank you again.
My father in law seemed very happy and comfortable. Staff were very friendly.
Hi Thank you for your kind review. Your review give us the opportunity to update o make a change where possible. The room we provided one of the three en-suite room. Our home is not purpose build and we try our best to make all rooms nice, tidy and comfort for our service users. We continue...
We are really happy with the care my dad gets at The Firs. The staff are always happy, caring and willing to help. My dad seem relaxed and at ease and this is down to the care from the staff. The management is good too. Always willing to chat and update. It seems as though its a great place and we always leave happy, knowing my dad is in a nice and caring place.
HiThank you for your review. Your review will help us to develop the area where needed. Our management team will discuss about the review and will find a solution. Thank you you again.
The food is good, and care for residents is first-class. The environment warm and clean. My wife has been here for almost 2 years. Home has improved over time, and food. Care was always good.
Thank you for your kind words and for taking the time to share your experience. We are truly grateful for your continued trust over the past two years. It means a lot to hear that the improvements in food and the overall environment have made a difference. We remain committed to providing high...
My mother has just become a resident of the Firs care home ..I have visited on occasion and find the staff to be very helpful and friendly..The care manager takes his time to inform you of any issues that may arise which sets your mind at ease..A fairly basic home but as long as Mother gets her needs met what more can you ask for..I'm very happy and grateful so far ..Keep up the good work..Well done .
Hi. Thank you for your nice comments. Your feedback will encourage us to go extra miles to support individuals in person-centred ways. We appreciate your kind words
I have always found The Firs Care Home to be most satisfactory for my friend who has been in their care for about three years. Her room is always warm and clean, and I have found all the staff to be pleasant and helpful at all times. I have never heard any complaints about the food she is served, and as far as I am concerned she is quite happily being cared for there.
Hi, Thank you for your kind feedback. Much appreciate your valuable comments. Your comments help us to provide care and support to our loving residents in person-centred care.
My mother recently became a resident of the home. The care she has received so far has been very good. The care staff are very good and treat my mother with dignity, empathy and kindness. They are very attentive to her needs and in a short time have an understanding of her personality and are never judgmental.
Thank you for your kind feedback. We are the home to support individual person centered way with dignity and respect according to individual needs. Thank you.
My mother has not been at the home very long but we are very happy with her care so far. All the carers are very considerate to her needs and she has settled in very well and seems very content. Her room is excellent and the meals are good. We can visit at anytime, without notice, which suits us very well.
Hi Lesley. Thank you for your kind review. We are working on providing the best care in a person-centred way for an individual including your mother to meet their needs. Thank you again.
The Firs Residential Care Home are caring and understanding. They put my father's best interests first. They are always welcoming and happy and do the very best they can to ensure my father is comfortable and his needs are met. The staff always appear happy and make time to talk.
Thank you for your review. This was a nice and reflecting review. you regular visit The Firs to see your dad and you know how we support and care our service users. We appreciate your support. Thank you so much.
Since moving to The Firs she has lost her permanent sense of anxiety. She is still confused, but contented. She believes she is at home and having a lot of visitors.
The environment at The Firs suits her very well. She has been a sheep farmer for 40 years and would feel very out of place in a five-star hotel. There is a very homely 'rough and ready' atmosphere at The Firs (in terms of furnishings not personnel) which suits her perfectly.
The staff monitor her general health with the help of a visiting GP very successfully. She is not very suggestible, but the staff have managed to work with her resistance very successfully.
There is a new manager and a person in charge of activities: hopefully these will provide a good sense of continuity of care.
The facilities are being updated and routine maintenance improved.
The Firs fills a much-needed niche in care home provision. One size does not fit all.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 09 March 2026Good
- 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 (1) & Events (0)
- 16 May 2025
One of our resident is step on 100th birthday in this 15/05/2025. Due to reserve person and family do not wanted any party or pictures, staff members and residents were...
There are no upcoming events for The Firs Residential Care Home.
Awards / Recognitions (0)
There are currently no awards/recognitions posted yet for The Firs Residential Care Home.
Meet the Team (3)

Rajbeer Singh is an exceptional and visionary Manager with over six years of dedicated experience in the adult health and social care sector. Combining strategic leadership with hands-on operational expertise, he has built a reputation for delivering measurable improvements, strengthening governance, and cultivating high-performing care teams.
Holding advanced qualifications in Leadership and Management at Levels 5, 6, and 7, and currently progressing through his Level 5 Diploma in Adult Health and Social Care, Rajbeer demonstrates an unwavering commitment to professional excellence and continuous development. As a distinguished graduate of the University of Greenwich, London, he seamlessly integrates academic insight with frontline compassion.
Rajbeer’s leadership was instrumental in the successful transformation of The Firs Residential Care Home, guiding the service to achieve a ‘Good’ CQC rating through strategic restructuring, cultural renewal, robust compliance systems, and enhanced quality assurance frameworks. His approach is defined by clarity, accountability, and empowerment, ensuring teams feel supported, confident, and inspired to deliver their very best.
Renowned for his turnaround capability, operational precision, and people-centred philosophy, Rajbeer champions dignity, independence, and outstanding outcomes for every resident. His leadership style not only drives performance but creates environments where excellence in care becomes the standard, not the aspiration.

I am the Team Leader and Med Champion. I have been working in health and social care for a long time. I enjoy my work and my residents. I create a good relationship with residents and their families.

I`m Luisa Maria. I hold a degree in Occupational Therapy from Colombia, as well as a Master’s degree in Peace Culture, Human Rights, Conflicts, and Education from Spain. I am currently undertaking doctoral studies and am delighted to join the team, where I hope to make a meaningful contribution to enhancing the quality of life of the residents.
Frequently Asked Questions about The Firs Residential Care Home
What types of Care is The Firs Residential Care Home registered for?
Older Person Care, Dementia, Mental Health Condition, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Eating Disorders are the registered (by the Care Quality Commission) categories of Care.
How many Rooms does The Firs Residential Care Home have?
There are 29 Single Rooms.
What are the Facilities & Services at The Firs Residential Care Home?
Own Furniture if required, Pet Friendly (or by arrangement), Close to Local shops, Near Public Transport, Minibus or other transport, Lift, Stairlift, Wheelchair Access, Gardens, Phone Point in own room, Television point in own room, Residents Internet Access are some of the Facilities & Services.
How far is The Firs Residential Care Home to the centre of Ely?
2.6 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.
Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of carehome.co.uk. Please contact The Firs Residential Care Home to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. The Firs Residential Care Home has an Enhanced Service -more info.