Albemarle Rest Home
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
- Last inspected2022-10-27
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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
Families talk about staff who are genuinely approachable and make visitors feel comfortable, even during those difficult late-night visits. The atmosphere feels warm and engaged, with team members who clearly connect with residents throughout the day.
The eight family priority themes
- Staff warmth72
- Compassion & dignity72
- Cleanliness68
- Activities & engagement60
- Food quality58
- Healthcare65
- Management & leadership45
- Resident happiness65
What inspectors found
Inspected 2022-10-27
Is this home safe?
Is the care effective?
Inspectors rated this domain Good at the October 2022 inspection. The home is registered to provide care for people living with dementia as well as older adults more generally. Beyond the Good rating, the published inspection text does not provide specific narrative detail about care planning, dementia training, GP access, food quality, or how care plans are reviewed and updated. The home is small at 24 beds, which can support more personalised care in practice.Is this home caring?
Inspectors rated this domain Good at the October 2022 inspection. This is the domain most directly connected to whether your parent will feel respected and valued day to day. Beyond the Good rating, the published inspection text does not include specific observations about staff interactions, use of preferred names, response to distress, or how privacy and dignity are maintained during personal care. The home's size of 24 beds is a context worth noting: smaller homes tend to allow more consistent relationships between staff and residents.Is the home responsive?
Inspectors rated this domain Good at the October 2022 inspection. For a home caring for people with dementia, responsiveness covers how well the home adapts its activities, routines, and daily life to the individual rather than expecting everyone to fit the same timetable. Beyond the Good rating, the published text does not provide specific detail about the activity programme, one-to-one engagement for residents who cannot join group activities, or how individual preferences shape daily routines.Is the home well-led?
Inspectors rated this domain Requires Improvement at the October 2022 inspection, the only domain not to reach Good. This is a notable finding because the four front-line domains were all rated Good at the same inspection. The published text does not provide specific detail about what governance or management weaknesses were identified. The home is run by Mrs Michele Jane Foster as registered manager and Mr Jason Lee Foster as nominated individual. A July 2023 review found no evidence requiring a reassessment of the rating, meaning the Requires Improvement in Well-led stands as the most recent formal assessment.
Source: CQC inspection report →
What the evidence base says
The home specializes in dementia care and supports adults over 65. They have particular experience with late-stage dementia, helping residents through extended stays with consistent care. Staff here work with residents through all stages of dementia, including the most challenging phases. Families have specifically mentioned how the team maintains their composure and attentiveness even when dementia symptoms become severe. 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
Albemarle Rest Home scores a solid 71 overall, reflecting genuine improvement across four domains since its previous Requires Improvement rating, but the ongoing Requires Improvement in Well-led holds the overall score back and warrants careful questioning on any visit.
Homes in West Midlands typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
Families talk about staff who are genuinely approachable and make visitors feel comfortable, even during those difficult late-night visits. The atmosphere feels warm and engaged, with team members who clearly connect with residents throughout the day.
What inspectors have recorded
There have been some serious concerns raised about how the home handles complaints and protects residents' dignity. While many families praise the caring nature of individual staff members, others have reported troubling responses when they've raised safeguarding issues.
How it sits against good practice
If you're considering Albemarle, it's worth having detailed conversations about their safeguarding policies and complaint procedures alongside understanding their approach to dementia care.
Worth a visit
Albemarle Rest Home at 50 Kenilworth Road, Leamington Spa was rated Good at its last inspection in October 2022, an improvement from its previous rating of Requires Improvement. Four of the five inspection domains, covering safety, effectiveness, caring, and responsiveness, were all rated Good, suggesting a home that has worked hard to address earlier concerns. The home cares for up to 24 adults over 65, including people living with dementia, and is run by a named registered manager on site. The one significant flag is that Well-led was rated Requires Improvement at the same inspection where the other four domains reached Good. This is an unusual and important combination: it means inspectors found weaknesses in the management and governance of the home even while front-line care was rated positively. The published report provides very limited narrative detail, so many of the specific questions Sarah would want answered, including night staffing ratios, activity provision, food quality, dementia-specific training, and how the home communicates with families, are not answered by the inspection text alone. A visit is essential, and the management questions in particular should be put directly to Mrs Foster or Mr Foster during that visit.
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In Their Own Words
How Albemarle Rest Home describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Where families find genuine dementia expertise in challenging times
Albemarle Rest Home – Your Trusted residential home
When dementia reaches its most difficult stages, families need somewhere that truly understands. Albemarle Rest Home in Leamington Spa specializes in caring for older adults with dementia, and families describe staff who stay calm and attentive even through the toughest moments. It's the kind of place where relatives feel welcomed during late evening visits and where end-of-life care has brought real comfort to grieving families.
Who they care for
The home specializes in dementia care and supports adults over 65. They have particular experience with late-stage dementia, helping residents through extended stays with consistent care.
Staff here work with residents through all stages of dementia, including the most challenging phases. Families have specifically mentioned how the team maintains their composure and attentiveness even when dementia symptoms become severe.
“If you're considering Albemarle, it's worth having detailed conversations about their safeguarding policies and complaint procedures alongside understanding their approach to dementia care.”
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
Albemarle Rest Home scores a solid 71 overall, reflecting genuine improvement across four domains since its previous Requires Improvement rating, but the ongoing Requires Improvement in Well-led holds the overall score back and warrants careful questioning on any visit.
Homes in West Midlands typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
Families talk about staff who are genuinely approachable and make visitors feel comfortable, even during those difficult late-night visits. The atmosphere feels warm and engaged, with team members who clearly connect with residents throughout the day.
What inspectors have recorded
There have been some serious concerns raised about how the home handles complaints and protects residents' dignity. While many families praise the caring nature of individual staff members, others have reported troubling responses when they've raised safeguarding issues.
How it sits against good practice
If you're considering Albemarle, it's worth having detailed conversations about their safeguarding policies and complaint procedures alongside understanding their approach to dementia care.
Worth a visit
Albemarle Rest Home at 50 Kenilworth Road, Leamington Spa was rated Good at its last inspection in October 2022, an improvement from its previous rating of Requires Improvement. Four of the five inspection domains, covering safety, effectiveness, caring, and responsiveness, were all rated Good, suggesting a home that has worked hard to address earlier concerns. The home cares for up to 24 adults over 65, including people living with dementia, and is run by a named registered manager on site. The one significant flag is that Well-led was rated Requires Improvement at the same inspection where the other four domains reached Good. This is an unusual and important combination: it means inspectors found weaknesses in the management and governance of the home even while front-line care was rated positively. The published report provides very limited narrative detail, so many of the specific questions Sarah would want answered, including night staffing ratios, activity provision, food quality, dementia-specific training, and how the home communicates with families, are not answered by the inspection text alone. A visit is essential, and the management questions in particular should be put directly to Mrs Foster or Mr Foster during that visit.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how Albemarle Rest Home measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How Albemarle Rest Home describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Where families find genuine dementia expertise in challenging times
Albemarle Rest Home – Your Trusted residential home
When dementia reaches its most difficult stages, families need somewhere that truly understands. Albemarle Rest Home in Leamington Spa specializes in caring for older adults with dementia, and families describe staff who stay calm and attentive even through the toughest moments. It's the kind of place where relatives feel welcomed during late evening visits and where end-of-life care has brought real comfort to grieving families.
Who they care for
The home specializes in dementia care and supports adults over 65. They have particular experience with late-stage dementia, helping residents through extended stays with consistent care.
Staff here work with residents through all stages of dementia, including the most challenging phases. Families have specifically mentioned how the team maintains their composure and attentiveness even when dementia symptoms become severe.
Management & ethos
There have been some serious concerns raised about how the home handles complaints and protects residents' dignity. While many families praise the caring nature of individual staff members, others have reported troubling responses when they've raised safeguarding issues.
“If you're considering Albemarle, it's worth having detailed conversations about their safeguarding policies and complaint procedures alongside understanding their approach to dementia care.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
