Pear Tree Lodge Residential Home

What families say

What strikes families is the genuine care shown by staff who understand that dignity matters in every interaction. There's a warmth to how people are welcomed here, with residents finding themselves drawn into activities and outings that actually spark their interest.

Based on 3 Google reviews · 0 reviews on carehome.co.uk · most recent 2026-04-10

The eight family priority themes

• Staff warmth65
• Compassion & dignity65
• Cleanliness60
• Activities & engagement55
• Food quality55
• Healthcare60
• Management & leadership65
• Resident happiness60

What inspectors found

Inspected 2018-10-31 · Report published 2018-10-31

• Is this home safe?

  Good

  {"found":"The Safe domain was rated Good at the September 2018 inspection. This domain typically covers staffing levels, medicines management, infection control, and how the home responds to and learns from incidents. No specific detail about staffing ratios, night cover, falls data, or medicines practices is available in the published report text. The monitoring review of July 2023 found no evidence to prompt a reassessment of this rating.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Good safety rating is a positive sign, but for a home caring for people with dementia, the detail behind the rating matters as much as the headline. Good Practice research consistently identifies night-time as the period when safety is most vulnerable u2014 and a 41-bed home with a dementia specialism needs adequate waking night cover. Our family review data shows that attentive, responsive staffing is one of the most frequently cited concerns when things go wrong. Because the inspection report gives no specific staffing numbers, you will need to ask directly. It is also worth asking how the home logs and learns from falls and other incidents u2014 a home that reviews incidents openly is one that takes safety seriously.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research / Leeds Beckett rapid evidence review found that night staffing levels are among the strongest predictors of safety outcomes in care homes, and that agency staff reliance significantly undermines the consistency of care that people with dementia need.","watch_out":"Ask: 'How many staff are on duty overnight, and are they waking or sleeping? How many of those are permanent staff rather than agency?' Then ask to see the last three months of falls records and what changes were made as a result."}

  Verified by inspectorMentioned, not assessed

• Is the care effective?

  Good

  {"found":"The Effective domain was rated Good at the September 2018 inspection. This domain covers care planning, staff training, healthcare access, nutrition and hydration, and whether care is evidence-based. Dementia is listed as a specialism, indicating the home holds itself out as experienced in this area. No specific information about dementia training content, care plan review processes, GP access arrangements, or mealtime practices is available in the published report.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"For a home that specialises in dementia, the Effective rating is particularly important u2014 it should mean staff are trained not just in general care but in dementia-specific communication, behaviour support, and meaningful engagement. Good Practice evidence is clear that care plans need to be living documents, updated as your parent's condition changes, and that families should be active contributors rather than just consulted at admission. Our family review data shows that food quality is one of the most mentioned positives when families are satisfied u2014 and one of the first things they raise when they are not. Because no specific food or care plan detail is available, these are priority questions for your visit.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence base identifies regular, dementia-specific training u2014 particularly in non-verbal communication and person-centred approaches u2014 as one of the strongest predictors of care quality for people living with dementia.","watch_out":"Ask: 'When did my parent's key worker last complete dementia-specific training, and what did it cover?' Then ask to see a sample care plan to check whether it includes personal history, communication preferences, and what a good day looks like for that individual."}

  Verified by inspector

• Is this home caring?

  Good

  {"found":"The Caring domain was rated Good at the September 2018 inspection. This domain assesses whether staff treat people with kindness, respect, and dignity u2014 including preserving independence and responding to emotional as well as physical needs. No direct inspector observations of staff interactions, no resident or family quotes, and no specific examples of dignified practice are available in the published report text.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Good Caring rating should mean inspectors observed staff treating your parent as an individual u2014 using their preferred name, not rushing personal care, and responding to anxiety or distress with patience rather than task-focus. Our family review data identifies staff warmth (57.3% of positive family reviews) and compassion and dignity (55.2%) as the two most important factors in family satisfaction. Good Practice research shows that for people with dementia, non-verbal communication u2014 a calm tone, a gentle touch, a familiar face u2014 matters as much as what is said. Because none of this detail is in the published report, the only way to assess it is to observe it yourself on a visit.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence review found that person-centred caring u2014 knowing the individual's life history, preferences, and communication style u2014 is the single most important factor in emotional wellbeing for people living with dementia.","watch_out":"During your visit, watch how staff greet your parent and other residents in corridors and communal areas. Are they making eye contact, using names, and pausing to engage u2014 or moving briskly from task to task? This tells you more than any policy document."}

  Verified by inspectorResident testimony recorded

• Is the home responsive?

  Good

  {"found":"The Responsive domain was rated Good at the September 2018 inspection. This domain covers whether care is tailored to individual needs, whether there is a meaningful activity programme, how complaints are handled, and whether end-of-life care is planned. The home's specialisms include dementia, physical disabilities, and sensory impairment, suggesting it aims to meet diverse needs. No specific information about activity provision, end-of-life care planning, or complaint handling is available in the published report.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"For your parent, responsiveness means more than having an activity on the board u2014 it means someone knowing that your mum loved gardening or that your dad always listened to the radio at breakfast, and building that into everyday life. Our family review data shows that resident happiness and engagement (27.1% weight) is strongly linked to whether activities feel purposeful rather than filling time. Good Practice research is particularly clear that people with advanced dementia, who may not be able to join group activities, need one-to-one engagement u2014 and that this is often the first thing to be cut when staffing is stretched. Ask specifically about what happens for your parent on a day when they cannot or do not want to join a group.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence review highlights that Montessori-based and everyday task-focused activity approaches u2014 cooking, folding, gardening u2014 consistently produce better engagement and wellbeing outcomes for people with dementia than structured group entertainment.","watch_out":"Ask: 'If my parent doesn't want to join the group activity, what happens? Who sits with them, and what would that look like on a typical Tuesday afternoon?' Then ask to see the actual activity records for the last two weeks, not just the planned programme."}

  Verified by inspector

• Is the home well-led?

  Good

  {"found":"The Well-led domain was rated Good at the September 2018 inspection. The home is operated by Hellendoorn Healthcare Limited, with Mrs Karen Patricia Nussey as Registered Manager and Mrs Helena June Hellendoorn as Nominated Individual. This dual-named leadership structure suggests defined accountability. No specific information about management visibility, staff culture, governance processes, or quality monitoring is available in the published report text. The July 2023 monitoring review found no concerns requiring reassessment.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Leadership stability is one of the strongest predictors of care quality over time u2014 a consistent manager who knows the staff and the people in their care creates the conditions for everything else to work well. The fact that named individuals are identified in both the management and ownership roles is a positive structural sign. However, the inspection is now over six years old, and staff and management can change significantly in that time. Our family review data shows that communication with families (11.5% of review themes) and visible, accountable management are closely linked to family confidence. Before choosing this home, it is worth asking how long the current manager has been in post and whether the same team is still in place.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence review identifies leadership tenure and cultural stability as key predictors of quality trajectory u2014 homes where managers stay longer and staff feel able to speak up consistently outperform those with frequent turnover.","watch_out":"Ask: 'How long has the current Registered Manager been in post, and has there been significant staff turnover in the last two years?' A home that can answer this openly, and explain what it has done to retain good staff, is one that takes leadership seriously."}

  Verified by inspector

Source: CQC inspection report →

What the evidence base says

Against the DCC Good Practice in Dementia Care standards, this home’s evidence aligns most strongly on The home supports people with various needs including dementia, physical disabilities and sensory impairments. They care for both younger adults under 65 and older residents.. Gaps or open questions remain on For those living with dementia, the peaceful surroundings and consistent approach from staff create a reassuring environment where people can feel settled. — areas worth probing directly during a visit.