Reviews and Testimonials

Linden House is simply wonderful.  When a parent needs to go into full time dementia care it can be very painful for the family.  Dad was in assisted living for a year and I would leave him after a visit so worried that he would fall or go missing.  Then he went to Linden House.  When I left for a visit last week I realised I was happy.  Although he is declining of course, I have total confidence in the staff that he is safe, happy, well-fed and well dressed.  When I visited last week and they didn't know I was coming, Dad was beautifully dressed.  We sat in the sum with coffee and a promise of a beer with lunch.  He waved me off without looking back and I left happy. You cannot ask for more than that.

Son of Resident at Linden House

My mother has a diagnosis of Alzheimers.  I chose Linden House in Lymington for her because it is an outstanding specialist dementia home close to where I live.  From several visits to the home and throughout the admission process leading to her eventual arrival in February 2022, the staff were helpful and provided all the information I needed in a very timely manner and were supportive of me and my decision. My mother's room and ensuite was prepared to a very high standard ready for her arrival.  It is bright, cheerful, very clean and smart.  From the outset it was clear that she liked it.  On arrival the Senior Health Care Assistant supported my mother with expertise and kindness and answered all my questions as we settled her in.  The staff are always very welcoming and really update me without any prompting, which I really appreciate.  They care for her in a very positive, highly professional, warm and caring manner.  It is clear the staff have an understanding of dementia and how best to help the resident and their relatives.  Whenever I visit my mother is clean, smart, her room is always tidy and her possessions are respected. It is evident that their teamwork has a very positive impact on the residents for whom they care.

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

Linden House is a truly wonderful place.  Each and every one of the staff can only be described as amazing.  They are welcoming, friendly, professional and caring to an extreme. The staff are what make Linden House such an exceptional care home and a place to live.  Communication from the Chief Executive, the Home Manager and all the staff is open, honest and frequent. Regular high quality newsletters highlight the activities undertaken and showcase the successes of the residents which the team themselves seem truly proud of. We entrusted our family members care to Linden House and they have gone above and beyond to ensure my brother achieves his potential, has a great life and lives in a warm, welcoming, friendly environment, free from worries and concerns.  As a family this means so much to know he is happy and well cared for. The home itself is well maintained and very clean and tidy.  Visiting the home is as enjoyable as visiting my brother himself as all the staff feel like friends to us.  I cannot thank Linden House enough and no words I can express can truly convey what an amazing place this is.

Sister of Resident at Linden House

My mother's care is outstanding and has been beyond my expectations.  Her individual needs are always well catered for in a caring and compassionate way.  Although my father was a resident for only a few weeks, the way his deterioration and end of life care was managed was remarkable.  The support for family members is very welcome.

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

Linden House has an amazing team. They all looked after my father during some extremely difficult times due to the Covid pandemic.  My father was always happy, incredibly well looked after and engaged in many activities.  Thank you.

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

You have all maintained such an exceptional caring and safe environment under what has been such difficult and demanding circumstances and I cannot thank you enough for doing so.  For family members the unbelievable care and dedication you provide is so reassuring and you are all truly amazing.

Family of Resident at Linden House

Thanks for being such a good manager and helping with Mum.  You always take the time to listen to relatives and make yourself available.  Linden House is an excellently run home so you should be very proud. 

Family of Resident at Linden House

I just wanted to say thank you for the agile way you respond to Covid, keeping homes open for visits wherever possible while doing your upmost to avoid infection.  Every time I visit my mother they are completely up to date with the latest requirements.  That is on top of the kind, loving care that is always in place for her and the friendly personal welcome we always get when we visit.  Thank you for the wonderful work you all do. 

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

I have found all the staff very helpful and friendly. The facilities are excellent, as is the care.  Where information or advice has been asked for, this has been promptly provided and found to be very useful. 

Son of Resident at Linden House

My husband has settled in very well.  Everyone has been very kind and caring.  Both of us are happy that we made the decision to move him to such a comfortable and supportive home.  He is really enjoying the food.

Wife of Resident at Linden House

I and my family would like to thank you all very much indeed for your care of Richard.  It was so good for us to know that he was so well and affectionately looked after during his time with you.  Please pass on our thanks to all the nurses, carers, companions and your lovely reception team who have patiently helped us with the Covid restrictions.

Family of Resident at Linden House

To Maria, Deborah and Hayley, thank you to all of you for the kindness and professionalism that you showed Mum, myself and my family during the time with you. Always noticed, appreciated and valued.  Please never underestimate the importance of your roles and yourselves as individuals in the quality, safety and experience of Linden House residents and their families. You were and are magnificent and wonderful.  Thank you for bringing your uniqueness to Mum's time with you. Thank you again.

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

Dear Lorraine, what an amazing home you run.  I know that it takes a strong and kind team to make places like Linden House special but it needs an extraordinary and skilled Manager to keep all the balls in the air to enable people to do what they do best.  It was clear to me that if Mum had to go into a Dementia Home, then we would not find better.  We were right. I would like to thank you and all the staff, from the wonderful welcoming reception staff, to the smiling cleaners who keep everything spotless, to the lovely laundry ladies (one of whom was teaching me a little sign language), the cooks and catering staff, the facilities chaps and the gardener. The carers and companions to whom nothing was too much trouble and the Nurses who kept Mum going and made sure that, at the end, she was peaceful. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

Since February 2021, during a pandemic, my mum has been very well looked after.  Her physical, emotional, medical and mental needs have all been met with experienced and caring understanding. Communication to and from all staff is excellent and very appreciated.  Their approach is friendly, always respectful and very helpful no matter the situation.  The carers and nursing staff have a lovely relationship with my mum and have a good understanding of her dementia and the anxieties it brings her.  The facilities are lovely and the activities interesting giving mum a sense of home.  Thank you to everyone.  

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

We are writing to say thank you to the whole team at Linden House for the care that you provided for Mum over the last few years. Our thanks to the staff for the personal and genuinely caring way they looked after her.  Through the pandemic Linden House facilitated contact on Skype pretty much every day and even when Mum didn't want to say much herself, she always said she loved to hear her children with cameo appearances from her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Linden has a family feel to it.  Any day and any time from the moment you arrive or phone in friendly voices and faces greet you.  The facilities and gardens are beautiful.  It is a nice place to be in and every member of the team makes eye contact, smiles and are welcoming.  Activities are individualised to each person. Mum spent many happy hours joining in poetry, limericks, music, scrabble, hymns and prayers. When she could not go to activities they came to her. The care provided by the companionship team, carers and registered nurses was compassionate, knowledgeable and person centred.  Mum felt safe with you and we trusted you to care for her.  The relationship between us as a family and you as the care home felt like a team working together for the best possible physical, emotional and spiritual care for Mum. Thank you again.

Family of Resident at Linden House

I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all of you for looking after my dad with such care, love and compassion over the last few months.  We could never say thank you enough for everything. 

Family of Resident at Linden House

I love the way the staff at Linden House are looking after my stepmother.  The care is faultless and I have a happy heart knowing she is in the best place possible for her needs. She is very settled and at peace, despite her ongoing battle with dementia. 

Stepdaughter of Resident at Linden House

I am writing on behalf of my family to express our sincere thanks and gratitude for the wonderful care we have all received over the past 4 years. Having worked in both primary and secondary health care for over 35 years I feel I can speak with some experience.  The nursing care both my parents have received has been not only faultless and thorough but is given with a degree of understanding and compassion which is truly exemplary. This holistic approach has been extended to our entire family over the years and especially over the past month or so. To name individuals would almost certainly leave somebody out and every member of staff both nursing and reception has been exceptional and a credit to your company.

Son of Resident at Linden House

Linden House has looked after and cared for my beloved mum for over two years.  Words will never be adequate to express my gratitude to all the staff involved.  There are too many to name personally but I thank them all.  The manager has gone out of her way to ensure that we've been able to spend these last precious moments with her.

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

The staff are committed, patient, kind, caring and professional, from the management and administrators to nurses and carers.  They are all excellent. The building is modern, light and spacious with a lovely garden.  The food is good and great care was taken to make my husband's meals gluten free.

Wife of Resident at Linden House

Just to let you know that all your care shown to my Uncle David is very much appreciated, especially with all the extra precautions and stress involved during the Covid epidemic, on top of the normal day to day duties that is quite demanding.  I worked in a nursing home for years, now retired, and I have an understanding of how much care is involved in ensuring the best health and happiness for the residents.  Anytime I phoned Linden House the staff were always pleasant and easy to talk to.  Thanks again.

Nephew of Resident at Linden House

Thank you and your team for looking after Dad so beautifully for the 7 weeks he was with you.  It was a surprise to us that his time with you was so short but it is a huge comfort to me that he was in such capable and kind hands for that last chapter of his life. Until the end of life stage, I mainly had contact with the Companionship Team.  There were all so kind when they helped Dad have Skype calls with us, as well as the two screen visits I had with him. In the last days the nurses and carers were all so gentle and kind to Dad.  I found it very moving.  Please thank everyone involved.  I am also grateful to you for the time you took to talk to each of us as the end approached.  I know it was not easy for us as a family and you were very supportive. Thank you. 

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

Linden House is a wonderfully caring, dedicated dementia care home. Every member of staff showed a genuine interest in my mum, I found them all to be excellent and I felt part of the Linden House "family" whenever I visited her, which outside of lockdown was at least three times a week. The companionship team and music therapist were fantastic and a great source of motivation and stimulation for my mum which was very important as she had been a regular churchgoer and loved to sing in the Linden Voices choir. The home is always very clean and tidy and also has a wonderful garden and roof terrace as well as private lounges. The food menu is always varied and of an excellent standard with the staff going out of their way to provide another option if required.  My mum was expertly and lovingly cared for over two and half years and I will be ever grateful for everyone making the latter years of her life as comfortable and as normal as possible. 

Son of Resident at Linden House

A wonderful home where everyone is treated with kindness and respect. Staff go out of their way to keep you informed about your loved one.  It is run with efficiency and protocol but also with compassion and concern.

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

A wonderful home where everyone is treated with kindness and respect. Staff go out of their way to keep you informed about your loved one.  It is run with efficiency and protocol but also with compassion and concern.

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

First of all, a HUGE thank you to EVERY member of the Linden House teams who have so caringly looked after Mum for over two and half years.  The love and care you have all shown her and myself during the time she was with you is immeasurable. I was so lucky to be with Mum when she passed away and for that I will be eternally grateful. Thank you again for all the love and support you showed us both whilst Mum was in your wonderful care.

Son of Resident at Linden House

I know how much thought, attention and effort that you and the team put into your roles and I and all of us so appreciate it.  It really is a testament of the expertise and experience that you bring to all that you do.  

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

We would like to thank every single of of you for making mum feel loved and at home for the final years of her life.  You all contributed to her wellbeing in your own special ways.  I don't recall mum being so contented in a very long time, quite a feat for a proud, independent lady coming to grips with dementia and I do hope some of mum's enthusiasm for life, love and music enriched your lives too.

Son of Resident at Linden House

After caring for my husband for the last three years with Parkinson's, and through Covid, I really needed a break.  It was the hardest decision I have ever had to make, but as I am 84 years old, my husband needed professional carers.  From making the first phone call to the home, I knew he would be in good hands.  They took time to listen, with a kind, unhurried and empathetic approach.  The admission process was not only about my husband but how they can involve and support me too.  The nurses and carers were so wonderful, keeping me updated and giving my husband a wet shave, which was so important to his day to day routine.  The activities team sent me photographs, messages and even got him singing, which he has not done in years.  My husband has always enjoyed his food and could not speak highly enough of the variety and quality on offer.  I could not have wished for better care, support and kindness at the time when we needed it most.

Wife of Resident at Linden House

Just wanted to say a big thank you for the surprise card you sent with the photo of Mum, she looks very happy, which I can only thank you all very much for your ongoing hard work that you've all be enduring this very difficult time.  Once again, I thank you.

Son of Resident at Linden House

Many thanks for your kind email, I have been very pleased with Linden House. It was such a relief to know that my mother was so well taken care of. Kind regards

Residents at Linden House

Thank you so much to all at Linden House who give the care and support to my husband. Love from all.

Residents at Linden House

Thank you all so much each and every one of you for all your hard work over the past year.  It really is much appreciated by us all.  You have all worked so hard to keep Linden House a safe place to be.

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

I would like to thank you all for the wonderful care you give to my Mum and everyone there.  Although it has been so hard for everyone, I am relieved that Mum is safe and looked after so well.

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

Thank you so much for all your help, advice and understanding this year.  You work so hard to make me feel welcome at Linden House.  Nothing is too much trouble for you.

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

You are simply amazing and I am so grateful for all you are doing for my Dad.

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

To all the wonderful team at Linden House you are complete stars in our eyes.  In such difficult times you have cared with grace, kindness and skill.  Always noticed, always appreciated, always valued.

Resident and her family at Linden House

Thank you all for the superb quality of care that Colin is receiving and I am so impressed with and grateful for the wonderful level of communication provided by Cat and the rest of Colin's care team. They are always so approachable and upbeat, in what must be a very difficult and worrying time for everyone, not to mention exhausting. I would also like to take this opportunity to pass on my appreciation to Mark Aitchison for his regular Bulletins, which are so thorough and up to the minute and do go a long way towards helping me get through separation.

Wife of Resident at Linden House

My mother has been in Linden House for about 7 months. Moving her to Linden House is the best thing I have ever done. The warmth and care of the staff is excellent. With the Coronavirus outbreak, I have felt that all the residents have been well protected and at all times safe. Colten Care and Linden House have put out regular informative updates and contact with the residents via Skype has never been a problem. I have felt well informed of both the steps that Colten Care have put in place to safeguard the residents as a group and also how Linden House has ensured the residents themselves are protected and occupied. The staff encourage you to raise any issues as they arise and there is also a monthly call from one of the nursing staff with any updates about my mother and an opportunity for me to raise any concerns. I feel that we made the right choice for mum to go to Linden House. I would and have recommended both Colten Care and Linden House to others.

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

I would like to take the opportunity to say thank you to the staff who assisted the Companionship Team over the weekend of 4 and 5 July. It was a very busy weekend but the residents really enjoyed themselves, so thank you once again to all staff concerned.

Companionship Team Leader at Linden House

Thank you so much for the lovely photo - it means more than you could imagine. Just great to see my dear husband again after so long & looking well & cared for. Lock-down has been like a form of bereavement - possibly more for me than Colin I guess. Looking forward to seeing him in reality some time soon - just hope that he remembers me! Our daughter Sadie sends her thanks also. You all do such a fantastic job of keeping us uptodate with everything that is going on & are obviously working very hard. Stay healthy.

Wife of Resident at Linden House

Thank you for the great photo of Dad! He seems so much more settled these days and I hear the visitor meetings have gone well. I am looking forward to seeing Dad at some point, once it is my turn! It is so reassuring to know Dad is with such a wonderful team at Linden. Thank you all.

Son of Resident at Linden House

Linden House is a beautiful home. My Mum was looked after amazingly well. She always said how lovely the staff were and how nothing was too much trouble. I am very grateful to Lorraine and the whole team who became Mum’s family during the pandemic. I am especially grateful to Deborah who showed us round Linden House late afternoon when we just turned up unannounced. I was at rock bottom with Mum struggling at home. Within ten minutes I just knew that Linden House was the place for Mum. Deborah’s friendly calm and compassionate nature shone through immediately. Her kindness and professionalism was just what I needed. We were so impressed with the way she interacted with your other residents. It didn’t stop there as she has been my contact person for all sorts of things in the past few weeks. If I had a nursing home she would be the first person I would head hunt! Thank you to everyone at Colten Ca

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

I arrived at the home in March, late afternoon and unannounced, to request a viewing. I received a very friendly welcome and was shown around straight away by a very caring and kind customer support advisor. All the staff I saw were interacting with the residents in a calm and friendly way. The home was beautiful well equipped and spotless. I knew within 10 minutes of being in the home that this was the place that I wanted my mum to be cared for. I have never once regretted that decision. My mum settled in well and during our many phone calls, she was full of praise for the staff. Comments like "there is always a friendly face at the door, everyone is so kind, they are looking after me beautifully, nothing is too much trouble and I don’t even need to ask they just are there". I can’t explain how reassuring this was when I was unable to visit due to the pandemic. I received lots of photos and I could always get through on the phone to both her and the staff. They also arranged Skype sessions too.

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

I must express my sincere thanks to all those at Linden House who are involved with Jackie’s care, from management, reception, nursing, carers, companions and all other support staff who without exception go out of their way to make a sad and difficult situation for us both a little more bearable. We feel like part of the family.

Son of Residents at Linden House

I would like to add my thanks to all the companions. You have always put together an interesting monthly programme for the residents. From the newsletters I see you’ve really made a huge efforts to entertain at this difficult time.

Daughter of Residents at Linden House

Thanks for helping Mum with the call. Its great so see her so happy and that’s down to all the wonderful care and attention that she gets from you guys.

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

Mum had a lovely day and here are a few photos of her with the cake and presents/cards. All the residents upstairs sang happy birthday at lunchtime, which was lovely.

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

Thank you so much for sending the photos, I really do appreciate it. I must admit I had a few tears, we have never gone this long without seeing each other, but I am so glad that she is at Linden because the care and kindness of everyone there has been unbelievable, I know it is the perfect place for her.

Daughter of Resident at Linden House

I cried yesterday when I heard that Linden House was closing to visitors and I cried again just now when I read your email! My mother has so little left now, but she seems to bask in undivided attention, and I am so please to know that you will be able to give her that time. She loves my kisses and cuddles and seeing her respond gives me a great deal of pleasure, so I have missed that over the weeks. Thank you for taking the time to email me, it was very comforting.

Daughter of Resident at Linden House