
Little touches like daffodils on St Davids' day showed how much staff listened and understoodKeith B(Son of Resident/Service User)

We know our mum is safe, cared for, happy and in her ever after home. Thank you.J C(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

The staff are kind, helpful and jolly, which makes the place homely.Sandy E(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

Little touches like daffodils on St Davids' day showed how much staff listened and understoodKeith B(Son of Resident/Service User)

We know our mum is safe, cared for, happy and in her ever after home. Thank you.J C(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

The staff are kind, helpful and jolly, which makes the place homely.Sandy E(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

Gainsborough Care Home offers a home for life in Swanage, providing affordable residential, respite and dementia care. Gainsborough is set in a picturesque Purbeck seaside town, just a stone’s throw from Dorset’s stunning Jurassic Coast.
After being completely refurbished to a very high standard Gainsborough is fully equipped to deal with a range of needs and requirements. Gainsborough has three comfortable lounges and the dining room mean there is plenty of...
Care Provided by Gainsborough Care Home
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
- Mental Health Condition
- Physical Disability
- Visual / Hearing Impairment
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Residential Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- For a maximum of 48 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
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- Pet Friendly (or by arrangement)
- Smoking not permitted
- Near Public Transport
- Minibus or other transport
- Lift
- Wheelchair Access
- Gardens
- Phone Point in own room
- Television point in own room
- Residents Internet Access
Funding & Fees
Weekly Charges per Person
- Meals
- Activities
- Designated care advisor
- Support with funding
- 24-hour care updates via our app
- Housekeeping
- Laundry
- And more.
In fact, we have NO HIDDEN FEES and will never ask you to pay more than your agreed weekly fee.
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact Gainsborough Care Home for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact Gainsborough 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
- Agincare Homes Holdings Ltd
- Private Owned
Person in charge
- Vicky Boursnell-Brooks (Home Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Ages 65+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: No
- Last Refurbishment: 2014
Room Information
- Single Rooms (48)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (48)
Visiting
- Visitors welcome anytime
Parking
- Ample parking
Gainsborough Care Home Reviews (60)
Gainsborough Care Home has a Review Score of 9.5 (9.492) out of 10, based on 14 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Gainsborough Care Home has 60 reviews.
Caring, helpful staff alongside bright friendly rooms and regular entertainment. Social media postings are both reassuring and nice to receive.
This is another wonderful and reflective review of our home and staff. We are striving to do our best in all areas to ensure the residents and staff have a better environment to live and work in.
Staff are always welcoming. My relative always looks presentable. Overall, the appearance of the home is good.
This wonderful resident has been with us since 2016. It has been a pleasure to be part of his journey. Our team work very hard to make the home a comfortable place and they care for every resident with the same dignity and respect they deserve.
Mum is cared for very well and we are always kept informed of her care and welfare. The staff are very caring and very friendly and Mum likes them all.
This is a really true reflection of our home and team. Thank you. It is lovely for the team to read how appreciated they are.
Mum was swiftly admitted for respite care, with much kindness. All staff members treated her with care and kindness throughout her three-week stay.
It is really good for the team to have such positive comments. They all do their very best to deliver care to our residents in a dignified and respectful way, whilst building good relationships with them and their families.
The staff have been wonderful, attentive and caring and can't praise them highly enough.
When Dad, unfortunately, passed away over Christmas, it was peaceful and dignified and the staff were so helpful. They had the Doctor to attend just when needed and also kept us informed and updated.
There is no doubt this home is a credit - kept clean and tidy and the staff a credit to the caring profession.
Thank you to you all.
Thank you so much for such a wonderful review, which is truly reflective of the hard work and dedication of all the team here at Gainsborough Care Home.
Through shortages of staff, PPE and groceries etc, the team at Gainsborough Care Home have coped admirably and with a smile. 10/10 for their attitude through adversity. Thank you all on behalf of my mum and her family for doing such a great job.
Thank you very much for your kind comments about Gainsborough. We really appreciate your review, we will share with all the team which I'm sure will mean a lot to them.
All staff have been friendly and helpful.
We are lucky to have a very good team at Gainsborough, who have worked very hard during Covid. We have always done our best to deliver an excellent service to our residents and their families and have done all we can through this difficult time to ensure the residents have our best attention at all times.
My father has been a resident at Gainsborough Care Home for the past year. He has a lovely clean, bright room with everything he needs. The staff are kind, caring and treat him with dignity and respect. He also enjoys all the tasty home-cooked meals which are provided.
This is a very welcomed review, thank you. We are constantly reviewing the service we provide to ensure Gainsborough Care Home has a good reputation and high standards in all areas. We are very lucky to have a great team who strive to make our home a wonderful place to live in, and clearly, our efforts are being welcomed, thank you.
The staff were always kind and caring and treated her, and from what I saw the other residents, as individuals. Little touches like daffodils on St Davids' day showed how much staff listened and understood what was important to the residents.
It is always nice to read such a positive review. The staff at Gainsborough Care Home do all they can to make the residents feel at home. The staff always listen to the needs of the residents and our activities coordinators always make sure we celebrate calendared events and indeed work very hard in organising entertainment and other activities and outings for the residents.
As soon as my mum said 'can I go home now?' (to Gainsborough) we knew she was settled and happy. Of course, she has blips as in missing her house, but then she will compare the care, attention and life at Gainsborough as she would imagine what life would be like being on a cruise liner. We know our mum is safe, cared for, happy and in her ever after home. Thank you.
We pride ourselves in having a homely, caring atmosphere and I am so pleased Mum feels at home here at Gainsborough.
Having promised my mother I would never send her to a care home, we could no longer care for her so we chose Gainsborough. We were so impressed with the care and attention given to her, and she soon settled in and we were happy knowing she was being well cared for and loved. The staff were always available to discuss any problems that arose.
It was an absolute pleasure to care for Mum.
Throughout Mum's residency at Gainsborough, she has been very happy. Many of the staff have worked there for a long time so they know Mum well, which is important for any resident. The staff are kind, helpful and jolly, which makes the place homely. As visitors, we always feel welcome.
Thank you so much for your kind review. I will share this with the team who all work very hard to ensure all residents feel happy and well cared for.
Under great management and leadership and all the team members. We can highly recommend Gainsborough Carew Home as an excellent Carehome. Our dad was a resident from July 2020 until a few weeks ago. Dad was greeted with the warmest of welcomes and very soon settled into the daily routine with loving care and understanding of all the carers. Dad needed palliative care towards the end of his life and we can only say a massive thank you to you all.
Thank you for your kind words, it means such a lot to the team. It was a real pleasure to care for Dad, he was a big presence in the home and is very much missed.
Not enough staff to give the clients some proper 1-1 time to talk to them. Very, very rare to be offered some fresh fruit.
We are sorry you feel staff don't have one to one time with your mum but I can reassure you that Mum is offered a full activities programme and staff always pop in for a chat. Fresh fruit is always available and I will ensure Mum is aware of this should she want some.
My mother broke her leg in 2019 after the last in a long series of falls. The care home she had been in previously could not accept her back with increased disability, we were offered 2 different care homes within Swanage - I am so glad we chose Gainsborough Care Home! My mother thinks she is in a hotel, the food is wonderful and everyone is so kind. I have also seen how good it is when visiting. I now have no fear of going into care myself if I ever need to.
So happy to hear that you are happy with the care and support your mum receives. Thank you so much for the lovely review and I will enjoy sharing it with the team.
Dad's only been in the home for a short space of time. I love the way the staff treat my dad. I did have one issue with Dad. However, I spoke to management, and it was dealt with and rectified immediately, and I was very happy and satisfied. We undertake the difficulties when items go missing, however, we do feel that more could be done to locate them as we are told his room has been searched, and then we're told they've turned up in his bedroom weeks later. Overall, however, we are very satisfied with the care given to Dad.
Unfortunately, residents do, at times, misplace things, and they turn up some time later.
I am also pleased to hear that management dealt with your issue swiftly, and you were satisfied with the outcome.
The staff and management are always efficient and helpful. The property and rooms are clean and tidy. I have said to my two sons if anything happens to me they are to leave her at this home. She seems content and happy. Also, the grounds are kept very neat and tidy.
It is an absolute pleasure to care for her here at Gainsborough.
My mother isn't the most easiest to please, but she feels at home here due to the compassion and care of the staff.
Thank you for your lovely review, I will share this with the staff.
I would recommend this establishment to anybody wanting a comfortable, safe and relaxing environment. The staff, for the most part, are excellent, led by one of the best people I have ever met.
It's great to hear how happy you are here at Gainsborough.
I find it very hard putting into words how grateful I am to find a place where she is happy and being well cared for. It took a long time to find Gainsborough, as her brief stays in other facilities had not worked out.
We strive to have great relationships with family members and we enjoy reading your lovely emails to mum just as much as she loves receiving them.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 21 May 2025Good
- 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 Gainsborough Care Home.
There are no upcoming events for Gainsborough Care Home.
Awards / Recognitions (0)
There are currently no awards/recognitions posted yet for Gainsborough Care Home.
Accreditations
There are no accreditations posted yet for Gainsborough Care Home.
Meet the Team (1)

Juliet has been working at Gainsborough Care Home since 2017 as an Administrator. During this time, Juliet has grown with the home and has been a valued team member, understanding the needs of the home and the residents.
In 2022 Dawn Hand became the new Registered Manager and appointed Juliet as her Deputy reinforcing the Management Team, new ideas and structure.
Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of carehome.co.uk. Please contact Gainsborough Care Home to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Gainsborough Care Home has an Enhanced Service -more info.