What makes Fernhill different from other dementia care homes in Ferndown?

Fernhill is a dedicated dementia care home designed solely for people living with dementia. Our experienced team offers 24-hour nursing care in a calm, purpose-built environment. With household living groups, familiar faces, and thoughtful daily routines, care is tailored to each individual’s needs, personality, and preferences.

Can I visit Fernhill before making a decision?

Yes, we warmly invite you to tour Fernhill in person. It’s the best way to experience our home, meet the team, and ask any questions—whether you're just starting to explore care options or looking for urgent support. We'll guide you gently and at your pace, with no pressure.

What types of dementia do you support?

Our team is experienced in supporting all major types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. Each resident has a personalised care plan, and our nurses, carers, and specialists adapt care thoughtfully as needs evolve.

How do you involve families in the care journey?

Fernhill has an open and welcoming culture. Families are encouraged to visit often—whether to join an activity, have tea with a loved one, or chat with the team. We see care as a partnership, and your insight is always valued. Well-behaved dogs are welcome too, adding comfort and familiarity to the day.

What’s included in daily life at Fernhill?

Each day at Fernhill follows a gentle, familiar rhythm. Residents may enjoy music, arts and crafts, baking, gardening, or time outdoors in our secure garden spaces. All meals are freshly cooked with care, and every interaction is shaped by compassion and calm understanding.

HOME / OUR CARE HOMES / DORSET / FERNDOWN / FERNHILL / HOME

Fernhill Dementia Care Home in Ferndown, Dorset

Fernhill is a dedicated dementia care home in Longham, near Ferndown in Dorset, designed specifically for people living with dementia.

Dementia brings changes that can feel difficult to anticipate, with confusion increasing, behaviour shifting and familiar aspects of personality seeming less certain. For families, this uncertainty can be exhausting, particularly when daily life no longer feels predictable.

At Fernhill, everything within the home is arranged around these realities. The environment, routines and team structure are built to support people living with dementia, with consistent staff who understand how memory loss influences mood, communication and confidence and who respond in a way that promotes calm and stability.

When support is aligned carefully and surroundings remain steady, families often notice a greater sense of reassurance returning, as anxiety reduces and the person they know begins to feel more settled within a setting created entirely for their needs.

As part of Colten Care, Fernhill draws on more than forty-five years of experience in organising care properly, with clear leadership within the home and oversight that ensure standards remain consistent over time.

Our dementia care at Fernhill

Care at Fernhill is built entirely around dementia. The home is arranged to support clarity, familiarity and calm, with consistent routines and teams who understand how memory change influences daily life.

Nurses are present day and night, and responsibility for decisions remains within the home. Support is assessed carefully and reviewed regularly, allowing residents to remain settled in familiar surroundings as needs increase.

Dedicated dementia care

Long-term support structured around individual history, preferences and stage of memory change.

View care details

Nursing care

On-site nurses, trained specifically in dementia, are present day and night for residents whose needs require ongoing clinical oversight.

View care details

Admiral Nurse support

Our Admiral Nurse provides specialist dementia guidance, strengthening the support already in place for residents and families.

View support details

End of life care

Comfort-focused support delivered with dignity, steady communication and nursing presence throughout.

View care details

Short stays and respite

Flexible stays that provide structured dementia support for families who need a period of rest or assessment.

View care details

Hospital discharge support

A carefully managed transition following hospital treatment, with dementia nursing in place from the first day.

View care details

Life at Fernhill

Life here is shaped around what remains familiar and meaningful.

Daily routines are structured but unhurried, allowing residents to move at a pace that feels comfortable and reassuring. Meals are prepared in the home and served in a way that supports independence and dignity. Some residents enjoy music, conversation and shared activity, while others prefer quieter time in smaller groups or with visiting family.

Situated in Longham, close to Ferndown, the home allows residents to remain connected to familiar surroundings and established community connections. Inside the home, clear design, accessible gardens and consistent surroundings help reduce confusion and support confidence.

Living well with dementia at Fernhill means care that protects safety while preserving identity.

Life at Fernhill

Meet the team

Fernhill is led by an experienced Home Manager supported by a professional dementia nursing and care team. Leadership within the home provides consistency for residents and clarity for families.

Team members take time to understand personal history, preferences and routines so that support remains individual as needs evolve. Changes are recognised early and discussed openly, ensuring families remain informed and involved at every stage.

Meet the team

Have confidence in our care

Choosing a dementia care home requires clarity as well as trust. Fernhill is rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, following independent inspection of our leadership, clinical standards and day-to-day delivery of care.

This rating reflects how the home is organised and led, and the consistency families can expect over time.

CQC Rating: Outstanding

Fernhill

CQC Overall Rating

Outstanding

31 October 2019

View the Report

What families say about Fernhill

Alongside formal inspection, we value the perspective of families who experience daily life at Fernhill. Their feedback reflects how care is organised, how communication is handled and how standards are maintained over time.

You can read individual reviews below, or learn more about why families choose Fernhill.

Why families choose us

Latest moments from Fernhill

Each week, our Companionship Team organises dementia friendly experiences and gatherings that reflect residents’ interests, preferences and routines. Some are quiet and familiar. Others bring the home together. All are thoughtfully planned and carefully delivered, with individual choice at the centre.

Below are a few recent moments from life at Fernhill.

View highlights

Other Colten Care homes near Ferndown

If you are considering care in neighbouring areas, our other homes in Ferndown, West Moors, and Bournemouth operate within the same structured framework, leadership oversight and clinical governance as Fernhill. While each home offers a different setting and care specialism, standards of organisation, continuity and accountability remain consistent across the Colten Care group.

We can help you identify the right home for your circumstances and preferred location.

Amberwood House, Ferndown

Residential and nursing care

Brook View, West Moors

Residential and nursing care

Bourne View, Poole

Residential and nursing care

Canford Chase, Poole

Residential and nursing care

The Aldbury, Poole

Dedicated dementia care

Avon Cliff, Bournemouth

Residential and nursing care

Avon Reach, Christchurch

Residential and nursing care

Fernhill is a purpose-built dementia care home in Ferndown, Dorset. We offer 24-hour nursing care, specialist dementia support, and short-stay respite care. Every resident benefits from tailored care plans, familiar surroundings, and a team trained in understanding complex dementia needs.

Choosing a care home is a deeply personal decision. Many families come to us when home support is no longer meeting their loved one’s needs, or when safety, routine, and emotional wellbeing become harder to manage alone. If you’re unsure, our team is here to listen and guide you through your options with clarity and compassion.

Life at Fernhill is calm, purposeful, and engaging. Residents enjoy familiar routines, meaningful activities, time in the garden, and companionship tailored to their interests and abilities. Our gentle, unhurried approach helps each person feel recognised and at ease. Read more about daily life at Fernhill

Absolutely. Fernhill has an open and welcoming culture. Families are encouraged to visit regularly, whether to join an activity, share tea with a loved one, or simply pop in for a chat with our team. We see care as a partnership and value your ongoing involvement and insight.

Well-behaved four-legged friends are welcome too, many of our residents enjoy visits from family dogs, and we know how comforting those familiar faces can be too.

Yes. Fernhill is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and rated Outstanding. Our permanent team of carers and nurses follow best practice standards and are trained specifically in dementia care.

You’re very welcome to visit Fernhill for a personal tour. It’s the best way to experience our environment and meet the team. We’ll answer your questions, explain the next steps, and give you space to make the right decision. Book a visit today.

Fernhill Dementia Care Home in Ferndown, Dorset