Care Homes in Dorset
Quality among care homes in Dorset reads well on paper, which makes the choice a question of fit rather than of avoiding the worst. Sixty five are rated Good by the Care Quality Commission and three are rated Outstanding, while five are rated Requires Improvement and one is rated Inadequate. Six have not yet been rated, which normally means no inspection has taken place since registration. Eighty residential care homes match this search altogether, all of them registered to provide accommodation together with personal care rather than nursing. Dorset Council is the body that carries out a care needs assessment and decides what funded support a person qualifies for, so contacting its adult social care team early is sensible even when a family expects to meet the fees itself. The profiles below carry the full inspection findings for each home, and working through two or three of them properly will tell you more than a morning of telephone calls.
Planning and paying for care in Dorset
The search and the money tend to have to be handled at once, and starting with an assessment gives the rest of it a foundation. It produces a written account of what your relative needs, which homes will ask to see and which any funding decision is measured against. It is also the moment to record how much a relative or neighbour is already doing, rather than letting that support be quietly assumed to continue.
Arranging a care needs assessment
Anyone who appears to need care and support can request an assessment, whatever their savings, and no charge is made. Dorset Council is responsible for carrying it out and for deciding what support it will fund, so its adult social care team is the right first contact. A practitioner will consider how someone manages day to day and what level of care is needed, and a financial assessment then looks at income, savings and property. Even where a family intends to pay privately the process is worth completing, because the record of need is useful evidence and circumstances rarely stay the same.
Fees, contributions and property
Weekly fees vary with the home, the room and the level of support, so ask for the current figure in writing and for a clear list of anything charged on top. Where the council funds all or part of a placement it pays up to the amount it considers appropriate for assessed needs, and a third party may be asked to top up if a more expensive home is preferred. Where a property is owned, ask about deferred payment agreements, which let fees be met later from its value rather than forcing a sale under time pressure. Check the notice period and what happens to the fee during a stay in hospital before signing anything.
Choosing a provider and what to check in Dorset
Reading the inspection picture
Every home here is registered with the Care Quality Commission, and sixty five are rated Good with three rated Outstanding. Five are rated Requires Improvement, one is rated Inadequate and six are not yet rated. Ratings describe what inspectors found on particular days, so open the report and read the comments on safety, staffing and leadership, and note how long ago the visit took place. A strong grade from several years ago under a different manager is not the same as a strong grade from last month, and it is entirely reasonable to ask what has changed since.
What to look for on the day
Visit at a busy time, ideally around a meal, because that is when staffing levels and patience show themselves. Listen to how staff speak to residents who cannot easily speak back, and notice whether anyone has been left in the same chair for the length of your visit. Ask how long the registered manager has been in post, how much agency cover is used, and what the home does when a resident becomes distressed overnight. Ask what happens if needs increase, since a home that cannot continue to care for your relative means a further move later.
80 care homes in Dorset (showing 1–50)
- Kings Park Care Home · 14 Church Road, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 9EU
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Barchester Healthcare Homes Limited
Kings Park Care Home is a residential care home in Ferndown, Dorset. We provide accommodation and personal care for older people and for younger adults, including people living with dementia, and we offer respite stays for those who need...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Millbrook House · Child Okeford, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 8EY
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Millbrook House (Dorset) Limited
Millbrook House is a residential care home in Blandford Forum, Dorset, caring for older people who need some help with everyday life. We provide permanent residential care and shorter respite stays. Some people come to us because managing...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care - Mile Oak Rest Home · 2 The Acorns, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 2EW
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Hillview Care Limited
Here at Mile Oak Rest Home in Wimborne, Dorset, we provide a warm and homely environment where older people can feel genuinely comfortable, safe and well looked after. We are proud to have received a "Good" rating from the Care Quality...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care - Walc House · 1 Springfield Road, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 1HD
Care home · CQC Good · Run by WALC Limited
Here at Walc House, we provide residential care for younger adults with learning disabilities and autism, in the heart of Swanage, Dorset. We are proud to have received a "Good" rating from the Care Quality Commission, which reflects the...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Anglebury Court · 21 Bonnetts Lane, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 4HB
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Care Dorset Limited
We at Anglebury Court are proud to offer compassionate residential care in the historic market town of Wareham, Dorset. As a residential care home nestled in the heart of the South West, we provide a welcoming and supportive environment...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Holmwood Rest Home · 39 Chine Walk, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 8PR
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Margaret Anne Gallagher
We at Holmwood Rest Home are proud to offer warm, dedicated residential care in the peaceful town of Ferndown, Dorset. As a well established residential care home specialising in support for older people, we provide a true home from home...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care - Culliford House · Icen Way, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1ET
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Mrs Suzanne Jackson
Culliford House is a residential care home in Dorchester for older people who need help with daily living. We support people living with dementia and people with mental health needs, and we offer respite stays as well as permanent places....
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Respite Care - Dragonfly Care Home · 56 High Street, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 3HB
Care home · Run by Trusted Care Homes Limited
We are Dragonfly, a residential care home in Swanage caring for older people, including many who are living with dementia. We have tried to keep the feel of a house rather than an institution. People bring their own furniture and pictures,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care - The Hyde Care Home · The Hyde Walditch, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 4LB
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Kenmore Care Holding Ltd
The Hyde Care Home is a residential home in Bridport, Dorset. We support older people and younger adults living here, including many people living with dementia, people with a physical disability and people with a visual or hearing...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care - The Evergreens Lodge · Westbury, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3QZ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Nazareth Lodge Limited
At The Evergreens Lodge, we provide residential and dementia care for older people, younger adults, and those who need a shorter stay for respite, right in the heart of Sherborne, Dorset. This is a place where people come to feel settled,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Fairfield House Residential Care Home · Fairfield House, Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3HH
Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Fairfield House Healthcare Limited
Fairfield House is a residential care home in Lyme Regis, Dorset. We look after older people who need help through the day, including people living with dementia and people with a physical disability, and some younger adults. Respite stays...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Wolfeton Manor · 16 East Hill, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 9QL
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Wolfeton Manor Healthcare Limited
Wolfeton Manor is a residential care home in Dorchester, Dorset, providing a home for older people who would rather not manage on their own any longer. Our residents arrive for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes the house had become too much...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care - Larks Leas · Milldown Road, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 7DE
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Royal Bay Care Homes Ltd
Here at Larks Leas, we are a care home based in the heart of Blandford Forum, Dorset, and we take genuine pride in the community we have built within our walls. We specialise in Older Person Care, Residential Care and Respite Care,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care - Encompass Care Specialist Mental Health Services Elsadene · 1 Verne Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 0RX
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Encompass Care Organisation UK
Here at Elsadene, we are a care home based in Weymouth, Dorset, providing residential support to people with a range of needs including mental health conditions, physical disabilities and the complexities that can come with older age. We...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Kingsley Court · 28 Dorchester Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 7JU
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Friary Care Limited
We are Kingsley Court, a residential care home in Weymouth, Dorset, supporting older people who need help with everyday living, including people living with dementia. We think of this as somebody's home rather than as a facility, and that...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care - Buxton House · 423B Radipole Lane, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 0QJ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Care South
Here at Buxton House, we provide residential care for older adults in the heart of Weymouth, Dorset. We are proud to have received a "good" rating from the Care Quality Commission, which reflects the effort our whole team puts in every day...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Rodlands Care Home · 4 Ullswater Crescent, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 5HE
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Mrs Norma Peters and Mrs Claire Hunt
We at Rodlands Care Home are proud to offer warm, dedicated residential care for older people in the heart of Weymouth, Dorset. Our home has been thoughtfully created as a place where later life is met with kindness, dignity, and the...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care - Hyacinth House Care Home · 179-181, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 2DJ
Care home · Run by Barchester Healthcare Homes Limited
Hyacinth House Care Home is a residential home in Wimborne, Dorset. We provide care for older people and younger adults, including people living with dementia, and we offer respite stays alongside permanent places. We aim to be a home...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Danmor Lodge · Danmor Lodge, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 7QH
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Danmor Lodge Ltd
Danmor Lodge is a residential care home in Weymouth. We care for older people who need support with daily living, including those living with dementia and those whose physical disability means they need help to move about safely. We also...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Abbey Rose · Cedar Avenue, Ringwood, Dorset, BH24 2QG
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Serene Care (UK) Ltd
Abbey Rose is a residential care home in Ringwood, Dorset. We look after older people who need support with everyday living, including people living with dementia, people managing mental health conditions, people with physical disabilities...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care - Denewood House Care Home · 12-14 Denewood Road, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 0LX
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Samily Care Ltd
We at Denewood House Care Home are proud to offer a warm and welcoming residential care home in the heart of Ferndown, Dorset, where older people receive compassionate support tailored to their individual needs. Nestled within this...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care - Legh House · Legh House, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9QB
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Legh House Limited
Legh House is a residential care home in Weymouth providing care for older people, along with shorter respite stays. We are a straightforward place. There is no elaborate philosophy behind what we do beyond looking after people properly...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care - Fairlawn · St Marys Road, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 9HB
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Care South
Here at Fairlawn, we provide a warm and homely environment in the heart of Ferndown, Dorset, where the people in our care feel genuinely valued and looked after. We are a residential care home supporting a wide range of needs, and we take...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Bosworth Care Home · 6 Southdown Avenue, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 6HR
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Bosworth Care Home (Dorset) Ltd
Bosworth Care Home is a residential home in Weymouth providing care for older people, including those living with dementia and those with a physical disability or with sight or hearing loss. What we try to offer is a home where somebody is...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care - Friary House · 26 Carlton Road North, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 7PY
Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Friary Care Limited
Friary House provides residential care in Weymouth for older people and younger adults, including people living with dementia. We also take planned respite stays. We are a home rather than an institution, and most of what we do is...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Eastbury House · Long Street, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3BZ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Eastbury House (Sherborne) Limited
Eastbury House is a residential care home in Sherborne, Dorset, offering older people a comfortable and settled place to live with support always close at hand. Our ambition is a modest one and, we think, the right one: to get the ordinary...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care - Streets Meadow · Hanham Road, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 1AS
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Care Dorset Limited
Here at Streets Meadow, we are a care home based in the heart of Wimborne, Dorset, and we are proud to offer a warm, homely environment where residents feel genuinely safe, valued and at ease. We support a wide range of needs across our...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Mulberry Court · Mulberry Court, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 4RE
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Salutem LD BidCo IV Limited
At Mulberry Court, we offer residential care for a wide range of people in the heart of Gillingham, Dorset. We support older adults, younger adults, and people living with learning disabilities, autism, physical disabilities, and visual or...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Grassington House · 50 Prince Of Wales Road, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1PP
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Grassington House Care Home Ltd
Grassington House is a residential care home in Dorchester, Dorset, providing a settled home for older people who need support with daily living. We care for residents living with dementia, and we offer respite stays for people who need...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care - Harbour House · George Street, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 4EY
Care home · CQC Outstanding · Run by West Bay Housing Society Limited
We at Harbour House are proud to offer a warm and welcoming residential care home in the coastal town of Bridport, Dorset, where older people receive dedicated support in a setting that truly feels like home. Our community has been...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care - Encompass Care Respite Accommodation and Outreach Service · Encombe, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1PW
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Encompass Care Organisation UK
We at Encompass Care Respite Accommodation and Outreach Service are proud to offer a welcoming residential care home in Dorchester, Dorset, providing specialist support for adults with a wide range of needs. Our home is a place where...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Waterloo Care Home · Ringwood Road, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 6RD
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Waterloo Care Home Limited
We at Waterloo Care Home warmly welcome you to our residential care home in Wimborne, Dorset, where compassionate older person care and specialist dementia support are at the heart of everything we do. Nestled in this historic market town,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care - Ivers · Hains Lane, Sturminster Newton, Dorset, DT10 1JU
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Achieve Together Limited
Here at Ivers, we are a residential care home based in the heart of Sturminster Newton, Dorset. We support adults with learning disabilities and autism, including younger adults who are beginning their journey with us, whether that is for...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care - The Lawns · Fernhill Avenue, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 7QU
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Care Dorset Limited
We are a residential care home in Weymouth, providing a home for older people and younger adults who need help with daily living, including those living with dementia, people with mental health conditions, people with physical disabilities...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Spetisbury Manor · Spetisbury, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 9EB
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Country House Care Limited
Spetisbury Manor is a residential care home near Blandford Forum in Dorset, and we provide a home for older people who need support with daily living. Respite stays are available as well. Most of what makes a care home good is...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care - Gainsborough Care Home · 53 Ulwell Road, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 1LQ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Gainsborough Care Home Limited
Gainsborough Care Home is a residential care home in Swanage providing care for older people, including people living with dementia, people with physical disabilities, people with loss of sight or hearing, and people living with mental...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care - Highgrove Care Home · Stapehill Road, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 7NF
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Samily Care Ltd
Highgrove Care Home is a residential home near Wimborne for older people who are finding it hard to manage alone but who do not need nursing care. We help with washing and dressing, medication, meals and the ordinary business of the day,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care - Primrose Lodge · 121-122 Dorchester Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 7LG
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Primula Care Limited
Primrose Lodge is a residential care home in Weymouth for older people who are finding it hard to manage alone but who do not need nursing care. We help with washing and dressing, medication, meals and the ordinary business of the day,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care - Maiden Castle House · 12-14 Gloucester Road, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 2NJ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Care South
Maiden Castle House is a residential care home in Dorchester, caring for older people who can no longer manage safely on their own. We aim for the feel of a household rather than an institution, with people keeping their own routines,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care - The Old Vicarage Care Home · The Old Vicarage, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 6HL
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Healthcare Homes Group Limited
The Old Vicarage Care Home is a residential care home in Sherborne, Dorset. We are home to older people who need support with everyday life, including residents with physical disabilities and residents with visual or hearing impairment,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care - Garden House · Garden House Rest Home, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 4HN
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Garden House Rest Home Limited
We are Garden House, a residential care home in Sherborne, Dorset. We are home to older people, and we also welcome people for respite stays when a family carer needs a break or when someone needs care for a short period. We aim for a home...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care - Five Gables Care Home · 268 Station Road, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 0JF
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Paddington Care Ltd
Five Gables Care Home is in Ferndown, Dorset. We provide residential care for older people who need support with daily living, including people living with dementia, people with physical disabilities and people with a visual or hearing...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care - Nazareth Lodge · Penny Street, Sturminster Newton, Dorset, DT10 1DE
Care home · CQC Outstanding · Run by Nazareth Lodge Limited
Nazareth Lodge is a residential care home in Sturminster Newton, Dorset, providing a settled home for older people who have reached the point where living alone has become difficult. Our most recent overall rating from the Care Quality...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care - Crecy Care Home · 45 Spa Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 5EP
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Crecy Care Home Limited
Crecy Care Home is a residential care home in Weymouth, Dorset. We support a notably wide range of people. Older adults live here, including many with dementia. So do people who have managed a mental health condition for years, people with...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care, Alcohol / Drug Misuse - Trafalgar Care Home · 207 Dorchester Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 7LF
Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Trafalgar Care Limited
We are Trafalgar Care Home in Weymouth. We look after older people, including people living with dementia, people managing a mental health condition, and people with a physical disability or a visual or hearing impairment. What we offer is...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care - Selwood House Care Home · Chestnut Road, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 9FN
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Country Court Care Homes 2 Limited
Selwood House Care Home is in Dorchester, providing residential care for older people who can no longer manage safely on their own. We keep the feel of a house rather than a unit, with people keeping their own habits, their own belongings...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Shire House Care Home · Sidmouth Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3ES
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Sentry Care Limited
We are Shire House Care Home in Lyme Regis, Dorset. We look after older people who are finding it difficult to manage at home on their own, and we take respite bookings for shorter stays. We have kept our focus clear rather than trying to...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care - Ingleside Residential Care Home · 648 Dorchester Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 5LG
Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Christopher James Webb
Ingleside Residential Care Home is in Weymouth, caring for older people who need support with everyday life. What we provide is help with the ordinary business of the day: assistance to wash and dress, medication managed properly and on...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care - Chestnuts Residential Care Home · 93b Wyke Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9QS
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Great Oak Tree Healthcare Limited
Chestnuts is a residential care home in Weymouth providing care for older people, including those living with dementia, people managing mental health conditions and people with a physical disability or with sight or hearing loss. Our...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care - The Malthouse Care Home · Bay Road, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 4EW
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Healthcare Homes Group Limited
We are The Malthouse, a residential care home in Gillingham caring for older people. What we offer is residential care done properly rather than anything more elaborate. Help with washing, dressing and moving about safely. Support with...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care
What care costs in South West, per week
| Type of care | What the council pays | What self-funders are typically asked |
|---|---|---|
| Residential care Middle half of prices from 52 South West homes. Median £1,549. | Varies by council | £1,400 to £1,650 |
| Nursing care Middle half of prices from 16 South West homes. Median £1,810. | Varies by council | £1,599 to £1,983 |
| Residential dementia care Middle half of prices from 19 South West homes. Median £1,665. | Not published separately | £1,450 to £1,813 |
| Nursing dementia care England figure, because too few South West homes publish this price. 75 homes. Median £2,050. | Not published separately | £1,890 to £2,221 |
Published prices are often starting prices, and come from homes that publish fees, so treat them as a guide. What a council pays differs from council to council. Ask the home for its own price. Powered by Orrery Intelligence.