Reviews for Dudwell St Mary Care Home

"Overall I feel the care is excellent. The staff are always willing to help and make suggestions for on going care. I think that the entertainment Activities coordinators work tirelessly to please the residents and to provide activities to meet everyones needs. They need to be recognised for the huge contribution they make."

"Mum has been a resident at Dudwell St Mary for a year and a half now. During that time she has settled and made some lovely friends. The social element is a big part of life at Dudwell St Mary, a lot of thought goes into social interactions and activities. The care continues to be of a very high standard and communication is very good with me as family."

My Mum, who will be 103 next month, has been at Dudwell for almost two years. We had looked around at several care homes and this is the best we found. The staff are amazing - they all make time to talk to the residents and make them feel loved. When I returned from a long trip, Mum told me not to worry about her, as all her friends had been to visit her while I was away. I discovered that she was talking about all the lovely staff! There are a lot of varied activities on offer, and Mum particularly enjoys the religious meetings and the visits from school children. Nowhere is perfect, but the few issues we have had, have been quickly resolved. The lift is unfortunately a recurring problem as it is out of order from time to time, which can be a problem for those not on the ground floor. Overall, we would not want Mum to be anywhere else and would like to thank all the staff for their outstanding care.

I cannot possibly say enough wonderful things about this care home. My mother is currently close to life end with dementia and I travelled from the USA to visit her last week. The staff are so kind and the facilities are clean. Each time I enter to visit I am offered a cup of tea which includes a little cake or cookie and then I am taken up to her room. My mum is treated with such love and kindness by the staff. The staff are international yet so closely connected with the selfless purpose of caring for their patients. Sadly today I will say my goodbyes to my mother and return to my family overseas but will do so knowing she is surrounded by love and quality care. Mum looks very comfortable and happy which brings comfort to all the children. It’s never easy for children to be at this phase of life with parents dying but I cannot possibly think of a better place for her. I am so appreciative to all of the wonderful caregivers who are like angels!

"Friendly greeting in reception. Most staff good, some warmer than others to Mum (& myself) A few 'really' understood/knew Mum. Those who did - thankyou so much. Motto 'tailored to individual needs' not always implemented. If residents are unable to speak up for themselves, they need a relative to speak on their behalf. Even ie how Mum liked her tea - many times I politely said to carers, also spoke to nurses about it, yet rarely did Mum get tea to her liking. A little thing, but an important one to residents. Mum was there 4yrs. Management/nurses are happy to talk with you to try resolving issues, and discuss anything about your loved one. More carers on floor 1 would benefit for more time on individual care to be given, and talking. Value for money - satisfactoryish. Care/support/dignity between satisfactory/good. Sometimes excellent. Excellent activities - wide variety, excellent activities team. Lovely that housekeeping & maintenance teams interact with residents. High security, I always felt Mum was safe. Very good end of life care for Mum (& Dad) Both were in the right place. Positively, overall is good. Thank you Dudwell"

"Dudwell has provided brilliant care for my Dad , who became a resident in June . He looks so well- he's put on weight after enjoying the delicious meals provided. It's such a good atmosphere, with the dining room and lounge being such a nice place to socialise. My family has been through a dementia loss , as my husband passed away 3 years ago and our 3 young children were left quite traumatised after experiencing this . My youngest daughter, who is 15 would not visit her Grandad to begin with as it brought too many memories back , but now she visits him on a regular basis- a real testament to Dudwell! Not only has the home looked after Dad , but the biggest gift they have given us , has been to reunite my Dad with Mum . They bent over backwards to get mum a space in St Mary's ( building adjacent to Dudwell ) , so that they could be together after 60 years of marriage,. Mum doesn't have dementia, so it's an ideal solution, as she can visit Dad whenever she wants."

"Mum and Dad have both been in Dudwells for almost three years now and they have been treated with kindness and compassion. They both appreciate the family atmosphere and how the carers take the time to really get to know them and personalise their care and nursing support. Dad has been very ill over the past months and as a family we really appreciate the high quality of nursing care that he has received and the support given to Mum throughout this time"

We have been working with Dudwell St Mary for a few months now and when we first arrived the scenery was stunning. The staff have been nothing but helpful and there is a really good energy about the place. The home is clean and seems to be plenty activities for the residents to join in with. What a lovely place!

"For my mother and for me too actually. Barchester St Mary is like home from home. Everyone is very kind, caring and friendly and the atmosphere uplifting, positive and fun! I love visiting my mum and the St. Mary's team always make me feel very welcome. And Mum is so happy!"

My mum has been living at Dudwell St Mary for about 18 months and from the moment we were lucky enough to find a place for her there, at pretty short notice, our experience has been excellent. Without exception the staff are all wonderful, it has been a delight to get to know many of them. Her room and the facilities are all fantastically maintained, and the food offering in the lovely restaurant is varied and appropriate to the guests needs. Mum settled in so well and is happy in this very caring environment. Thank you so much to Emma and her great team.

I am so happy with the care mum receives at Dudwell St Mary’s. When doing my research for the best and most appropriate residential setting for mum, I decided this is the only home I would be happy to live in so that’s how I made the decision. All the staff are lovely and genuinely care. They take time to really get to know residents and meet their needs in all regards.

"Apart from a very well kept facility, the thing that makes this home so wonderful is the staff who I describe as angels. They are loving, caring and very attentive. Great communication if needed with me too. I am always very grateful for this."

Very welcoming staff, home is laid out lovely and is decorated to a high standard! Nothing is too much for the staff to help you with. Management and staff are always on hand to offer advice, we had been to visit to get an idea of what living in a care home would involve for our loved one. Without a doubt we would pick this home

"A huge thank you to all the staff at the Dudwell who have helped my 98 year old mother adjust to a new life -following the very recent death of my father and a move South. We love the atmosphere, all the staff are so friendly and approachable. It is so good to know she is in the safe hands of such kind and caring staff."

"Dudwell St Mary's is extremely welcoming and the nursing care from my experience is excellent. The staff are very empathetic towards the person they are caring for whilst the cleanliness and general appearance is very good. Admin is efficient. I have absolutely no concerns and have complete faith in their ability to care for my friend."

"My Mum who is a pretty straight talker always praises the staff, the views and her room. And she is definitely eating well. The staff here really seem to care and the ethos from management downwards seems to be to consider the best interests of the resident at every decision point. It's very reassuring to know that Mum is being properly looked after."

"I have a friend who lives at Dudwell St Mary Care Home and I am so impressed in the way she is looked after . The people looking after her are amazing and she feels like home being there. The staff made great efforts to help her settle and now I am so happy to see her thriving each time I visit, I couldn't recommend the place enough."