
The staff and facilities are some of the best I’ve seen in a care homeRoger S(Friend of Resident/Service User)

There is only one word to describe Fern Brook Lodge... OutstandingA B(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

The carers who look after Mums are always cheerful, friendly and patientA H(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

The staff and facilities are some of the best I’ve seen in a care homeRoger S(Friend of Resident/Service User)

There is only one word to describe Fern Brook Lodge... OutstandingA B(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

The carers who look after Mums are always cheerful, friendly and patientA H(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

Fern Brook Lodge in Gillingham, Dorset is a friendly, warm and welcoming residential home, where residents living with dementia are treated with dignity and respect. Individuals enjoy a safe, caring environment with all the home comforts and 24-hour specialist care from professionally trained staff.
Staff at Fern Brook Lodge pride themselves on providing the best possible care alongside relevant health and social care professionals tailored for individuals and their families.
Residents...
Care Provided by Fern Brook Lodge
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Residential Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- For a maximum of 75 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
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- Smoking not permitted
- Near Public Transport
- Wheelchair Access
- Gardens
- Television point in own room
Funding & Fees
Weekly Charges per Person
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact Fern Brook Lodge for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact Fern Brook Lodge 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
- Care South
- Voluntary / Not for Profit Owned
Person in charge
- Sara Maynard (Home Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Mixed with both male-only and female-only unit(s)
- Ages 65+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: Yes
Room Information
- Single Rooms (75)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (75)
Fern Brook Lodge Reviews (77)
Fern Brook Lodge has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.753) out of 10, based on 32 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Fern Brook Lodge has 77 reviews.
Each resident is known individually and treated respectfully and are made to feel at home. Activities are co-ordinated well.
Thank you for your thoughtful review. We're so pleased to hear that you feel our team provides kind, respectful, and person-centred care. Your recognition of our staff and activities means a great deal to us, and we're grateful for your support.
During my short stay of two weeks, the staff made me most welcome and couldn't do enough.
Thank you for your lovely review. We are delighted to hear that you felt so welcome during your two-week stay. Our team takes great pride in providing attentive and friendly service, and it's wonderful to know that their efforts made a positive impression. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back again in the future.
Mum has been at Fern Brook for almost a year. We have found the staff to be kind and caring and treat mum so well. The food is lovely and the home well maintained and always very clean, it is a pleasure to visit mum and she is being well looked after.
Thank you so much for your kind words. It truly means a great deal to us to hear that your mum feels well cared for and that you've had such a positive experience with our team. We're proud to provide a warm, clean, and welcoming environment, and it's wonderful to know that this has made your...
Very obliging. Staff helpful.
Thank you so much for your wonderful 5-star review across all areas, including your overall experience, care and support, cleanliness, dignity, food and drink, activities, management, rooms, and value for money.
We're especially pleased to hear that you find our team obliging and helpful - your kind words mean a great deal to us. Thank you once again.
When we arrived, we were made to feel very welcome, and nothing was too much trouble when showing us around. Room looked lovely, everywhere was very clean and tidy. We felt all the staff we met were very friendly and helpful.
Thank you so much for your lovely review. We're delighted to hear that you felt so welcome from the moment you arrived. It's great to know you appreciated the cleanliness of the room and the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff. Your kind words mean a lot to us, and we'll be sure to share them with the team. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back again soon.
I enjoy living at Fern Brook Lodge. The staff and management are so friendly and helpful. I enjoy the activities and made some wonderful friends.
Thank you so much for your lovely review. Such kind words, I will share this with the whole team as I know they will be very grateful. Thank you once again, it means a lot.
He is very disabled due to a stroke many years ago; however, the care he received was amazing.
Thank you so much for your kind review. I will share your feedback with the whole team, I know it'll be greatly appreciated. Many thanks once again, it means a lot.
Thank you for all you do. You are all wonderful.
Thank you for your wonderful review, it's so lovely to read that you have found every staff member to be kind, caring and supportive. I'll share this with the whole team as I know it will be greatly appreciated.
Lovely, caring, clean and the food tops every time I have come to you. Staff always welcoming and even on the phone. You look after everyone so good and take good care of my mum. So lovely, all of you. Gold star/five gold stars.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review. I am so pleased to read that you find Fern Brook Lodge to be lovely, caring and clean. I'll pass your great feedback onto the whole team, the chef will be especially pleased. Thank you once again, it means a lot to receive such great feedback.
Regular trips out are arranged for residents. Fun activities are arranged for residents to participate in on a daily basis. These activities are inclusive, and positive comments and praise are given to all residents, which helps boost morale and wellbeing.
Lovely to see the smiling faces and hear the laughter! Definitely 5* to the activities team!
Thank you so much for your review. It's great to read that you find the staff at Fern Brook Lodge to be friendly and caring and the environment to be a warm and welcoming one. I will pass on your feedback to the whole teas as I know it will be greatly appreciated, thank you once again.
As I was admitted in a semi-conscious state, I have no memory of admission, but on going conscious felt a sense of well-being with calm care by all the staff. I felt safe and optimistic about my condition. My room was pleasing and comfortable. Facilities were adequate, food nourishing but unimaginative, drinks adequate but not varied enough, activities available, enjoyable, but due to infections, few patients attended. I actually felt sorry for the hardworking staff because of the poor attendance due to infections. I really enjoyed myself. I'm still enjoying it!
Many thanks for your review. I am so pleased that you feel safe, that you are enjoying your stay and your room is pleasing and comfortable. I will pass your valued feedback on to the team as I know it will be greatly appreciated. Many thanks again.
I'm very happy living here. All staff are kind and caring. I would recommend Fern Brook Lodge to anyone.
Thank you so much for your lovely review. It's great to know that you are very happy at Fern Brook Lodge and you would recommend our home. I will share your very kind words with the team, I know it means a lot to them to receive such a great review. Thank you again.
I am more than pleased with the way my husband has been welcomed, the staff and facilities are so warm and comfortable, compared to where my husband was before I am over the moon. Thank you to Deb, Claire and all the staff.
Thank you so much for your lovely review, I am so pleased that you are over the moon, and that you are more than pleased with the welcome, staff and facilities at Fern Brook Lodge. I will be sure to share your kind words with the team, I know it means a lot. Thank you again.
My mum came to Fern Brook Lodge for a short period of respite care whilst we attended a funeral and visited other family. She was very well cared for bu the team who were extremely patient and caring when helping her to settle. It's such a beautiful place and the staff were wonderful. Special thanks to a particular member of staff who helped us get this organised and introduced us to this lovely home.
Thank you so much for your review, we are so pleased that you feel Mum was very well cared for. Your kind words will be passed on and I know they will be gratefully received. Thank you again, it means a lot.
Fern Brook Lodge always feels welcoming both the staff and the building itself. It is a clean safe environment and my partner has benefitted hugely from the care and kindness he has received here. He has gained weight because the staff encourage him to eat and drink and help him choose meals he can manage and enjoy. The attention to detail is noticeable as is the positive of the staff to my partners health and wellbeing.
Thank you so much for your review. It's great to read that you find the staff and surroundings welcoming and positive. I'll be sure to pass on your kind words, I know it'll be greatly appreciated. Thank you again, it means a lot.
My mum was in hospital and unfortunately she wasn't going to recover so palliative care was started. The care home were pleased to have mum back in her room for the final two weeks of her life. The staff were so caring towards her and I was so grateful that she spend her final days in the home she had lived in for 3 years. Fern Brook Lodge is lucky to have such caring and devoted staff, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this care home in the future to anyone looking to go into a care home.
Thank you so much for your kind words. We're deeply sorry for your loss, and it was our privilege to care for your mum.
Exceptional staffing for care. Physically and mentally for residents.
Thank you for your 5* review - we look forward to sharing this with the team.
I am an 81-year-old here for recuperation after total revision surgery on my left hip. The medical care provided has been totally understanding and professional, and personal care has been sympathetic, thoughtful and dignified. The room and facilities are of the highest standards of user friendliness, and activities are well varied and appropriate to the needs and abilities of all residents. Food is well-balanced and nutritious, and of the highest order. My stay here has fulfilled all of my needs and expectations, and I would have no hesitation in recommending Fern Brook Lodge as a perfectly caring care home. Heartfelt thanks.
We're honoured you chose us for your recuperation and delighted that we've met your expectations in every way. Your thoughtful reflections on the care, environment, food and activities mean so much to the team, and we wish you continued strength in your recovery.
Thank you so much for looking after Mum for 2 weeks, you have all been amazing - we are so grateful.
Thank you for your lovely feedback. We're so pleased we could be there for your mum and provide the care she needed. The team at Fern Brook will be delighted to hear your kind words - it truly means a lot to them.
The staff are exceptionally competent and caring. I cannot speak more highly of their professionalism and ability. I am fortunate to be here.
Thank you for your review and the comments about the team we will be sure to share this feedback with them.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 04 March 2020Good
- 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 (48) & Events (0)
- 02 Jun 2026
Dorset care home residents delighted in a memorable musical afternoon created especially for them by the BSO, Care South and JPMorganChase. Hosted at JPMorganChase’s Bournemouth campus, the midweek event included...
- 27 May 2026
Communities across the south of England gathered at Care South’s care homes to share experiences and raise awareness during Dementia Action Week. Karen Hodges, Group Dementia Lead for Care South,...
- 16 Apr 2026
Fern Brook Lodge residents embraced the spirit of spring with a colourful lavender-themed crafting session. Residents at the care home on Fern Brook Lane in Gillingham were pleased to welcome...
There are no upcoming events for Fern Brook Lodge.
Awards / Recognitions (6)
- 30 Jan 2026Recipient: Care South
- 31 Jan 2025Recipient: Care South
- 31 Jan 2024Recipient: Care South
Accreditations
There are no accreditations posted yet for Fern Brook Lodge.
Meet the Team (1)

“As Manager at Fern Brook Lodge, I believe that our residents must be at the heart of all that we do. By nurturing and developing our team, we can then provide the best possible care, focusing all that we do around the individual's wishes and needs.”
Sara (pronounced Sarah) grew up in North Devon. She completed her nurse training in Cambridge in the 1980s and moved back to North Devon in the 90’s. She is now living locally to Gillingham. She worked in the NHS, mainly specialising in respiratory work and has always been passionate about enabling and giving people a voice.
She has been a care home manager for fourteen years, which has encompassed nursing, residential and dementia homes. Care South are delighted to have secured her talents for leading the team at Fern Brook Lodge and maintaining the levels of excellence this care home provides.
Frequently Asked Questions about Fern Brook Lodge
What types of Care is Fern Brook Lodge registered for?
Older Person Care, Dementia are the registered (by the Care Quality Commission) categories of Care.
How many Rooms does Fern Brook Lodge have?
There are 75 Single Rooms.
What are the Facilities & Services at Fern Brook Lodge?
Own Furniture if required, Smoking not permitted, Near Public Transport, Wheelchair Access, Gardens, Television point in own room are some of the Facilities & Services.
How far is Fern Brook Lodge to the centre of Gillingham?
0.8 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 Fern Brook Lodge to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Fern Brook Lodge has an Enhanced Service -more info.