South West Care Homes: Michaelstowe
At a Glance
The information you need to decide whether this home warrants a closer look.
Residential homes
Staff warmth score
of reviewers answered yes
Good to know
- Registered beds24
- SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Dementia, Physical disabilities
- Last inspected2020-01-10
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The Evidence
What the review data, the inspection reports, and the dementia-care evidence base tell us about this home.
What families say
The eight family priority themes
- Staff warmth70
- Compassion & dignity70
- Cleanliness70
- Activities & engagement65
- Food quality65
- Healthcare68
- Management & leadership72
- Resident happiness68
What inspectors found
Inspected 2020-01-10
Is this home safe?
Is the care effective?
Effective was rated Good at the December 2019 inspection. This domain covers whether staff know what they are doing — including care planning, dementia training, nutrition and hydration, and access to healthcare professionals. No specific observations about GP access, medication reviews, or care plan content are included in the published summary. Dementia is listed as a specialism for this home, which means inspectors would have expected to see evidence of dementia-specific practice. The improvement from a previous Requires Improvement rating suggests the home has addressed earlier gaps in this area.Is this home caring?
Caring was rated Good at the December 2019 inspection, suggesting inspectors were satisfied that staff treated residents with dignity, respect, and genuine warmth. This is the domain that families care about most — staff warmth and compassion together account for over 112 percentage points of weight in the DCC Family Score methodology. No direct quotes from residents or relatives, and no specific inspector observations about staff interactions, are included in the published report. The Good rating confirms that no concerns were identified, but the absence of detail makes it impossible to know what specifically impressed inspectors.Is the home responsive?
Responsive was rated Good at the December 2019 inspection. This domain covers whether the home supports your parent to have a life — through meaningful activities, individual engagement, and end-of-life planning. No specific detail about the activities programme, one-to-one engagement, or how the home responds to individual preferences is included in the published summary. For a home with a dementia specialism, responsiveness is particularly important: people with more advanced dementia often cannot join group activities and need individual, tailored engagement to avoid boredom, distress, and withdrawal.Is the home well-led?
Well-led was rated Good at the December 2019 inspection, and is perhaps the most significant finding given that the home had previously been rated Requires Improvement. A Good Well-led rating means inspectors were satisfied that there is clear leadership, a learning culture, and appropriate governance in place. A named Registered Manager (Mrs Amy Louise Stokes) and Nominated Individual (Mr Richard Thomas White) are identified. No detail about management visibility, staff culture, or specific governance improvements is included in the published summary.
Source: CQC inspection report →
What the evidence base says
The team at Michaelstowe has experience caring for people living with dementia, as well as supporting adults over 65 and those with physical disabilities. For residents living with dementia, the home provides specialist care tailored to individual needs. The team understands how to support people through different stages of their dementia journey. All areas worth probing directly during a visit.
The DCC Verdict
Our editorial view, built from the three lenses: what families tell us, what inspectors record, and how the home sits against good dementia-care practice.
DCC Family Score
Michaelstowe has improved from Requires Improvement to Good across all five inspection domains, which is a meaningful and positive step — but the inspection report contains very limited specific detail, so scores reflect the rating rather than rich observed evidence.
Homes in South West typically score 68–82.Worth a visit
Michaelstowe, a 24-bed residential home on Ridgeway in Plymouth, was inspected in December 2019 and rated Good across all five domains — Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, and Well-led. This is a genuinely encouraging result, not least because the home had previously been rated Requires Improvement, meaning inspectors found real, measurable progress. The home supports people aged over 65, including those living with dementia and physical disabilities, and is run by South West Care Homes Limited with a named Registered Manager in post. The honest limitation here is that the published inspection summary is brief and contains very little specific detail — no direct quotes from residents or relatives, no inspector observations, and no examples of specific practice. This means the Good ratings are confirmed but the texture behind them is largely invisible. When you visit, ask to see the most recent activity records and a sample care plan. Ask specifically: how many staff are on the dementia unit after 8pm, and what dementia training have they completed? Watch how staff interact with residents in corridors and communal areas — unhurried, personal interactions are the clearest signal that the Good rating reflects day-to-day reality.
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In Their Own Words
How South West Care Homes: Michaelstowe describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Plymouth care home where residents enjoy seasonal celebrations and activities
Residential home in Plymouth: True Peace of Mind
Michaelstowe in Plymouth specialises in dementia care, supporting adults over 65 and those with physical disabilities. The home encourages residents to take part in seasonal events and activities throughout the year. If you're considering care options in the South West, visiting Michaelstowe could help you get a feel for their approach to daily life.
Who they care for
The team at Michaelstowe has experience caring for people living with dementia, as well as supporting adults over 65 and those with physical disabilities.
For residents living with dementia, the home provides specialist care tailored to individual needs. The team understands how to support people through different stages of their dementia journey.
“Michaelstowe welcomes families to visit and see their seasonal activities programme in action.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
The DCC Verdict
Our editorial view, built from the three lenses: what families tell us, what inspectors record, and how the home sits against good dementia-care practice.
DCC Family Score
Michaelstowe has improved from Requires Improvement to Good across all five inspection domains, which is a meaningful and positive step — but the inspection report contains very limited specific detail, so scores reflect the rating rather than rich observed evidence.
Homes in South West typically score 68–82.Worth a visit
Michaelstowe, a 24-bed residential home on Ridgeway in Plymouth, was inspected in December 2019 and rated Good across all five domains — Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, and Well-led. This is a genuinely encouraging result, not least because the home had previously been rated Requires Improvement, meaning inspectors found real, measurable progress. The home supports people aged over 65, including those living with dementia and physical disabilities, and is run by South West Care Homes Limited with a named Registered Manager in post. The honest limitation here is that the published inspection summary is brief and contains very little specific detail — no direct quotes from residents or relatives, no inspector observations, and no examples of specific practice. This means the Good ratings are confirmed but the texture behind them is largely invisible. When you visit, ask to see the most recent activity records and a sample care plan. Ask specifically: how many staff are on the dementia unit after 8pm, and what dementia training have they completed? Watch how staff interact with residents in corridors and communal areas — unhurried, personal interactions are the clearest signal that the Good rating reflects day-to-day reality.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how South West Care Homes: Michaelstowe measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How South West Care Homes: Michaelstowe describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Plymouth care home where residents enjoy seasonal celebrations and activities
Residential home in Plymouth: True Peace of Mind
Michaelstowe in Plymouth specialises in dementia care, supporting adults over 65 and those with physical disabilities. The home encourages residents to take part in seasonal events and activities throughout the year. If you're considering care options in the South West, visiting Michaelstowe could help you get a feel for their approach to daily life.
Who they care for
The team at Michaelstowe has experience caring for people living with dementia, as well as supporting adults over 65 and those with physical disabilities.
For residents living with dementia, the home provides specialist care tailored to individual needs. The team understands how to support people through different stages of their dementia journey.
“Michaelstowe welcomes families to visit and see their seasonal activities programme in action.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
