Gainsborough Care Home

53 Ulwell Road, Swanage BH19 1LQ
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9.4 53 Reviews
  • Gainsborough Care Home, Swanage
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 space for group activities, or somewhere to find a quieter spot.

Residents and visitors are welcome to use the free Gainsborough wi-fi. Visitors often bring in their own devices and use the wi-fi to show loved ones videos and photos, and to play games.

There are bedrooms on the ground floor and the first floor. The first floor is fully accessible, by stairs or a lift.

All rooms have en-suites or a washbasin in the room. Some rooms have en-suite wet rooms. The rooms without en-suites have accessible bathrooms or wet rooms nearby.

Residents are encouraged to personalise their rooms with their own photos and furniture. Personal possessions help residents feel Gainsborough is a home-from-home, and provide extra stimulation and time for reminiscence.
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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 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

  • Self-Funded Residential Care: £1100 – £1400
  • Self-Funded Residential Dementia Care: £1200 – £1500
  • RESPITE Self-Funded Residential Care: £1300 – £1600
  • RESPITE Self-Funded Residential Dementia Care: £1400 – £1700

Our Care Home fees are all-inclusive. This includes, but is not limited to:
- 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.

These prices are only a guideline, please contact Gainsborough Care Home to find out the exact price for your requirements.

Funding Types Accepted

  • Self Funding (Private)
  • Local Authority with Top Up
  • Local Authority
  • NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC)

Good to Know

Person in charge

  • Dawn Hand (Home Manager)

Local Authority / Social Services

Admission Criteria

  • 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 (53)

9.4

Gainsborough Care Home has a Review Score of 9.4 (9.433) out of 10, based on 8 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Gainsborough Care Home has 53 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Date Published
  • 53
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Reviewer Connection to Gainsborough Care Home
  • 22
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Total of 53, showing 41-53
Review from P D (Friend of Resident) published on 14 August 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Over the past few months, the staff have been far more friendly. The used dishes from lunch etc have been removed before my pm visit and I feel the staff do a very good job, even though there is a lack of staff.
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Review from Una F (Friend of Resident) published on 12 August 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
When I visit the staff are always very friendly and helpful. The place is clean and my friend says the food is good and certainly plentiful.
Although she is confined to her room because of her mobility. There is usually some activity going on downstairs when I visit.
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Review from Paul C (Husband of Resident) published on 30 July 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5
Despite my wife and I having to live separately, she settled quickly into her new environment and is happy as possible.
She is very outgoing and misses the interaction with other residents due to their incapacity but her own concentration level is lacking. I am concerned that she gets no exercise being
confined to a wheelchair. Consequently, her weight has increased so needs less fattening food.
I am concerned also that communication from NHS services is poor. Finally long term; her clearly marked laundry still goes missing.
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Review from Nora B (Resident) assisted by family/friend published on 30 July 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Excellent care and friendly staff.
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Review from Margaret C (Daughter of Resident) published on 27 March 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Since mum has been a resident she is a different person so happy and looks well and is well. She loves the company and eats well.
I feel happy every time I see mum because I know she is well looked after.
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Review from Paul A (Husband of Resident) published on 31 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Gainsborough Care Home, where my wife spent the last 32 months of her life, was a 40 mile round trip from the home of our 50 year marriage, but after daily witnessing the compassionate caring which she received from the dedicated team there at Swanage, and the always friendly environment, I never once
considered requesting that she be moved any closer. (If it's not broke, don't fix it!) When I left her there every evening, I was confident that she was in the best possible hands, receiving the best possible care, for which I shall ever be grateful.
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Review from L H (Relative of Resident) published on 18 January 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 1.0 out of 5
The cutlery was filthy (asked them to clean and they said the dishwasher was broken). Room was vacant for four days following urgent hospital treatment, came back to dirty tissues etc including bloody tissues.
My aunt was in for respite and fell out of bed, called for help and no one came. We took
a call from her while on holiday and then had to phone the home to get someone to help her. TV and internet not available. Appalling home.
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Review from M C (Son of Resident) published on 10 January 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My mother has been at this care home for six years and apart from a large turnover of staff and management her treatment by staff has been good and the care and support have been good and she is treated with great dignity.
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Review from S M (Daughter of Resident) published on 20 July 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
This dementia care home is lacking in daily activities and staff.
All staff members are very approachable and friendly.
The care home is in need of TLC and staff need to have their own private area to be able to step away from their work.
The care home is currently under a new management team - unable
to make comments about this.
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Review from Suzanne M (Daughter of Resident) published on 16 July 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
The staff are very friendly, extremely helpful and caring not only to the residents but to their friends, family and visitors. The care given to the patients that I have experienced over the last 18 months has been amazing. The patience and kindness shown to the residents is amazing. The home, in my
opinion, is run like a hotel. The food, catering,m variety of menu is excellent. The home always smells pleasant and a delight to visit.
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Review from Susan F (Daughter of Resident) published on 2 July 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I am very pleased with the standard of care shown to Mum. The staff have been so kind and caring to Mum, which has enabled her to settle in well in the home and I have seen a completely positive change in her. The staff has assessed Mum and help her with eating and personal care. Every staff member
has been very friendly to relatives visiting, who are able to visit any time. There is an activity every day and the afternoon tea with homemade cakes are excellent!
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Review from Avril N (Daughter of Resident) published on 28 June 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Very satisfied with overall care. I visit most days and have only experienced caring and dignified treatment administered with a smile or kind word, even in difficult circumstances. I am always kept informed and any problems dealt with promptly. Mum is happy and safe.
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Review from Sarah H (Daughter-in-law of Resident) published on 12 October 2015 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We could not be happier with this home. We have found our relative to be clean, well fed and happy. The staff are warm, caring and professional. There is an atmosphere of calm even when they are handling difficult behaviours.
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Current Review Score: 9.4 (9.433)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.4 (9.433) out of 10 for Gainsborough Care Home is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.8 out of 5 from 8 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.6 out of 5 from 8 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Care Home is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.800 for Gainsborough Care Home is calculated as follows: ( (73 Excellents x 5) + (16 Goods x 4) + (1 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 90 Ratings = 4.8
  2. 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5'). The 4.633 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Gainsborough Care Home is based on 8 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 3.8
    2. 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the registered maximum number of service users in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Care Home registered for a maximum of 50 service users has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 48 registered maximum number of service users is 9.6. 8 Positive Reviews ÷ 9.6 = 0.833
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. If a Care Home does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Regulatory Rating

Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating

Date: 21 May 2025

Overall Good

  • Caring Good
  • Effective Good
  • Responsive Good
  • Safe Good
  • Well-led Good
Care Quality Commission is responsible for the registration and inspection of social care services in England. View Latest Report

Bed Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

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Awards / Recognitions (0)

Meet the Team (1)

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Juliet Porter

Job Title: Deputy Manager Joined: 2017

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.