Independent review of public evidence by RightCareHome

The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home

RightCareHome analysis

What to check before deciding

CQC rating: Good · Rating published Nov 2024

Aggregated public feedback

One public review mentions care Quality

Positive findings: Good CQC rating and Positive themes outweigh watchouts.

What the report adds

See whether the feedback pattern persists in more recent evidence and what to ask on your visit.

Check the public-review patterns · £49

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CQC: Good
Care type: Residential Care Home
Capacity: 41 beds
Published fee: From £7,392/month

Compare with similar homes in Dartford

RightCareHome analysisDecision snapshot

What the evidence shows

A structured view of what supports a shortlist place, what needs scrutiny, and what to verify directly for this residential care home.

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Decision summary

A plain-English view of what supports this option, what needs checking and what cannot be confirmed from public records.

Provider-record questions

Dated provider records, limitations and questions shown alongside staffing, inspection and review evidence.

Visit plan

Personalised visit questions with explanations based on this home’s evidence.

Based on official and public evidence across 9 sections. Live fees, vacancies and anything only observable on a visit still need direct confirmation.

Evidence in favour

Good CQC rating
Positive themes outweigh watchouts

Show 1 more

Dementia support

Good CQC rating
Positive themes outweigh watchouts
Dementia support

Evidence to question

One public review mentions care Quality
Clarify wandering support

Show 1 more

Review evidence is limited

One public review mentions care Quality
Clarify wandering support
Review evidence is limited

Questions to verify directly

Whether the latest public records still match day-to-day care
How the home feels in the evening and at weekends

Show 1 more

How consistent staffing feels in person from shift to shift

Whether the latest public records still match day-to-day care
How the home feels in the evening and at weekends
How consistent staffing feels in person from shift to shift

Key facts in one place

Built from public and published information. Live fees, funding acceptance and vacancies can change, so confirm those directly with the home.

CQC now

Rated Good · CQC rating published Nov 2024

Official CQC record

Fees now

From £7,392 / month (estimate)

Published weekly fee data · monthly figure estimated

Funding accepted

Currently shown as accepting local authority-funded residents.

Published acceptance information · confirm directly

Visits & travel

Check travel time for regular visits

Public location data

Availability

Ask the home for live availability

Contact the home about rooms and waiting lists

Provider records

Records reviewed

Linked company record · 03801034

Recommended next step

Questions to clarify before a visit

Review the areas flagged below and compare at least one alternative before deciding whether to arrange a visit.

Read the detailed evidence See residential care homes in Dartford

More facility details

Registered provider: Nellsar Limited
Provider group: -
Local authority: Kent

Provider network: 13 homes; 77% rated Good or better (10 Good, 3 Requires Improvement).

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Safety & Quality

What do the latest CQC results for The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home show?

Use CQC ratings, enforcement context, and provider-record questions to spot what is reassuring and what needs checking.

The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home CQC Rating & Inspection History

Source: Official CQC record · CQC rating published · Nov 2024

Inspection ratings, dated reports, and how this home compares with its previous assessments.

→ Stable trend

Inspection Ratings by Category

Safe— Are people protected from harm?

Good

Effective— Does care achieve good outcomes?

Good

Caring— Are staff kind and respectful?

Good

Responsive— Does care meet individual needs?

Good

Well-Led— Is the home well managed?

Good

CQC record date

CQC rating published · Nov 2024

View official inspection report How to read inspection ratings

Registered Manager

Nicoleta Rucsandra Cristescu

How much confidence should you place in this inspection picture?

This page shows the headline inspection signals. Care Home Check tells you how much weight they deserve, whether the evidence may be dated, and which questions should shape your visit.

Check inspection confidence · £49

What public records show about this provider

RightCareHome analysisProvider records

Source: Public provider records

We matched this home to NELLSAR LIMITED · Company no. 03801034. Latest account source date: Oct 2024.

Provider public-record check

Records reviewed

Useful before a visit

No material provider-record points to clarify were found in the public records reviewed.

Method: Provider Public-Record Check v2.2

Linked provider

NELLSAR LIMITED

Company record

03801034

Match

Confirmed

What we know

We have not yet obtained turnover or profit-and-loss figures for this provider review.

What public records do not tell us

This is a RightCareHome retrieval gap. It does not mean that the provider failed to file information or that the figures are adverse.

Ask the provider

Can the provider share recent turnover and profit-or-loss information, or explain which current continuity information is available?

Information limited

Useful before a visit

Profitability record not yet obtained

We have not yet obtained turnover or profit-and-loss figures for this provider review.

This is a RightCareHome retrieval gap. It does not mean that the provider failed to file information or that the figures are adverse.

Ask: Can the provider share recent turnover and profit-or-loss information, or explain which current continuity information is available?

Information gap · RightCareHome retrieval · provider-level record · source date date not recorded

See evidence and context

Current provider information can help a family ask about continuity arrangements without turning missing data into a negative conclusion.

For context

Background context

Company shown as active

The linked company is recorded as active.

This is a company-register fact, not a guarantee of future performance or continuity.

Official record · Companies House · provider-level record · source date date not recorded

Show records checked

Company shown as active
Latest accounts dated 2024-10-31
13 security arrangements recorded as outstanding

We use public records to highlight useful questions. This is not a credit rating, solvency assessment, care-quality rating or prediction about this home.

Put these records in context — Care Home Check

Provider Records

Loading provider public-record checks for this home.

Are you the provider for The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home?

Suggest factual updates, photos or supporting information for RightCareHome review. Public-record checks and CQC information remain independent.

Reviewed before publicationProvider updates do not directly edit this page

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Care & Medical

Can this home safely meet your care needs?

Check supported conditions, specialist capability, and clinical coverage before taking this home further.

Care Capabilities

Service Types

What type of care is provided

Residential Home

Specialisms

Specialist experience with

Dementia

Adults 65+

Conditions

Can support people living with

Alzheimer's

Vascular Dementia

Lewy Body Dementia

Frontotemporal Dementia

Stroke

Multiple Sclerosis

Palliative Care

Understanding dementia care: what to look for→Understanding palliative and end-of-life care→Care home funding: NHS, council, and self-funding explained→

Care Fit at a Glance

RightCareHome analysisCare fit

How well this home matches common care needs — based on registration data and services offered.

Likely a good fit if you need

Dementia support
Wheelchair access
Secure garden/area
Palliative or end-of-life support

Important questions before deciding

1How do you support residents who wander or become distressed?
2How do you tailor care plans in the first 2 weeks after move-in?
3How often are families updated, and who is the main contact?

Staffing

RightCareHome analysisStaffing evidence

What public sources tell us about staffing levels and employee experience.

Registered Manager

Nicoleta Rucsandra Cristescu

Costs & Funding

The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home: Weekly Fees & Funding Options

See weekly and monthly estimates first, then check which funding routes are realistic.

Costs & Funding

Source: Published fees and funding details

Care fees, funding options and local pricing context.

Monthly cost (estimate)

≈ £7,392 per month

From £1,700 per week

Monthly estimate uses an average of 4.348 weeks per month.

You may pay less if council or NHS-funded care applies.

How care at this home can be funded

Local Authority

Your council contributes based on a financial assessment. You may still pay a contribution.

Not sure how you'd pay for care?

This home accepts council and NHS funding. Our Care Home Funding Report gives a screening indication for NHS-funded care, council support and Deferred Payment Agreements.

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Compare costs across all homes in Dartford.

How much do care homes cost in 2026? →

Could funded care apply? →

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How much do care homes cost in 2026? →

Could funded care apply? →

Costs & Funding

Source: Published fees and funding details

Care fees, funding options and local pricing context.

Monthly cost (estimate)

≈ £7,392 per month

From £1,700 per week

Monthly estimate uses an average of 4.348 weeks per month.

You may pay less if council or NHS-funded care applies.

How care at this home can be funded

Local Authority

Your council contributes based on a financial assessment. You may still pay a contribution.

Not sure how you'd pay for care?

This home accepts council and NHS funding. Our Care Home Funding Report gives a screening indication for NHS-funded care, council support and Deferred Payment Agreements.

Check Funding Routes — £69

Takes under 10 minutes · One-off payment · No subscription

Compare costs across all homes in Dartford.

How much do care homes cost in 2026? →

Could funded care apply? →

Show more guidance links

How much do care homes cost in 2026? →

Could funded care apply? →

Family Reviews

The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home Care Home Reviews — What Families Say

Focus on repeated patterns that indicate strengths and the questions worth asking on your visit.

RightCareHome public feedback assessment for The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home

We analyse publicly available family feedback to identify recurring strengths, potential concerns, and questions worth checking during a visit.

Early signals can help shape your visit questions, but should be confirmed directly with the home.

3.8

RightCareHome public feedback assessment

Limited feedback coverage

Combined public feedback rating

What Families Say About The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home

Public feedback is still limited for this home. We show early patterns below to support your visit planning.

Staff Feedback

Positive

Staff mentioned in 2reviews — Families consistently praise the caring and attentive staff

Families value most

Most frequent family priorities:

Staff (Medium impact · 2 mentions)
Cleanliness (Lower impact · 1 mention)
Food (Lower impact · 1 mention)
Activities (Lower impact · 1 mention)

Show more points

Food (Lower impact · 1 mention)
Activities (Lower impact · 1 mention)

Questions to ask on your visit

How does the team manage care_quality day to day?

Watchouts to confirm

These patterns do not prove a problem on their own. They show where to probe in person before you rely on this review picture:

Care Quality (1 mention)
Lower priority

Explore the detailed review evidenceAspect ratings, trends, repeated phrases, family quotes and staff context.

Who this home may suit

Families seeking stable day-to-day support and clear communication routines.
Residents who benefit from a structured care environment.

Decision gaps before shortlisting

How consistent is care_quality across all shifts?
Consistency between weekday and weekend care often determines whether families feel confident long term.
Use a structured shortlist comparison to verify this across nearby homes.

Most-mentioned positives

Common positive phrases seen across family feedback:

staff · 2 mentions

cleanliness and hygiene · 1 mention

food and meals · 1 mention

activities and social life · 1 mention

Repeated phrases worth checking in person

Use these recurring phrases as prompts while you are on the floor and speaking with staff or families:

quality of care · 1 mention

Staff perspective

Family reviews tell you how care feels from the outside. But the people delivering that care have their own story — about workload, management, and whether they feel supported to do their job well.

The Care Home Check report checks employee feedback from recruitment platforms to check whether staff satisfaction aligns with what families experience.

Analysis based on family reviews gathered from across the web to support your visit planning.

How RightCareHome analyses public feedback

We keep the numerical rating and the semantic assessment separate, then apply the following checks:

Duplicate handling. We remove matching review records when reviewer attribution, rating and review text indicate the same feedback. Similar but non-matching comments are kept.
Rating normalisation. Scores recorded on different scales are converted to a common five-point scale. Where more than one numerical score is available, each is weighted by the amount of feedback behind it.
Recurring patterns. Review text is analysed for repeated strengths, concerns, contradictions and practical questions. Isolated comments are treated more cautiously than recurring themes.
Confidence thresholds. Coverage depends on unique usable feedback, evidence breadth and consistency. When the threshold is not met, we mark the result Limited feedback coverage rather than infer a stronger conclusion.
Rating and semantic assessment. The combined rating summarises numerical scores. The semantic assessment explains what families repeatedly describe. Strong recurring concerns can therefore change the assessment even when the rating is high.
Evidence scope. Public feedback is one evidence layer, not a live measure of staffing, safety or daily care. RightCareHome therefore reads it alongside current inspection evidence and the questions to test on a visit.

Family Reviews

Loading review patterns and visit prompts.

Care Home Check

Go deeper on the signals that matter

This page gives you the evidence summary. Care Home Check adds deeper interpretation: how much weight to place on each signal, whether the pattern should change your shortlist decision, and what to ask before you rely on it.

Questions this page cannot settle on its own

How the home feels in the evening and at weekends
How quickly call bells are answered in practice
Whether staffing continuity feels stable on the floor

The free profile has already surfaced 1 potential issue. The check tests how those signals fit together and what they mean for your shortlist.

What you receive

What do provider records show?
See record facts, limitations and questions without a single pass/fail label.
What do review patterns actually suggest?
See which patterns deserve weight, which do not, and how much confidence to place in them.
What should you ask on your visit?
Get the questions and the reason each one matters here.

How much confidence the signals deserve, what they may mean together, and what to ask next

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About this care homeProvider description, registration background and accreditations.

Background context

Home profile

Provider and registration context for The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home, useful once you have already reviewed the main decision sections above.

The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home is a residential care home in Dartford, South East, operated by Nellsar Limited since 2011. The home has 41 beds and is rated Good by the national care regulator. The home specialises in dementia care, including support for Alzheimer's, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia.

Location & Practical

Will regular visits and day-to-day logistics be practical?

Travel time, nearby GP services, and neighbourhood safety — so the whole family can visit comfortably.

Practical Information

Visitor Accessibility

Wheelchair accessible parking
Wheelchair accessible entrance

Contact & Directions

+44 1474 702146 Visit website Get directions

Explore the local areaMap, nearby health services, transport and neighbourhood context.

Location & Neighbourhood

RightCareHome analysisNeighbourhood

Castle Hill, Hartley, Dartford, DA3 7BH

View on Google Maps

Nearby Amenities

Nearest Pharmacy

1.1 km

Bus Stops (500m)

5 stops

Nearest Train Station

1.0 km

Neighbourhood

Overall Neighbourhood Score

80/100

Nearest green space

0.8km away

Transport access

8/10

Local amenities

8/10

Daily Life

Will daily life feel comfortable and meaningful?

Review activities, food quality, and facilities that most affect your relative's everyday wellbeing.

Explore daily life at this homeActivities, food and facilities available at this home.

Dining & Nutrition

Nutrition details available

Key nutrition points first

5/5

Food Hygiene Rating(inspected July 2025)

Hygiene:0/5

Structural:5/5

Management:5/5

Facilities & Features

4 feature groups available

Essential features shown first

Accessibility Features

Wheelchair Access

Lift

Rooms

Single Rooms

Own Furniture

Safety & Security

Secure Garden

Show 1 more feature group

Lifestyle & Amenities

Garden

WiFi

TV Lounge

Hairdresser

Cafe

Bar

Parking

Next Steps

Is The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home a good care home, and what should you do before deciding?

Use the visit checklist and FAQs to compare homes confidently and avoid costly mistakes.

Questions to Ask When Visiting The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home

Use this care home visit checklist at The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home to turn the public signals on this page into practical in-person checks before you decide.

What to test on your visit to The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home

1How does the team manage care_quality day to day?
2How do you support residents who wander or become distressed in practice?

Short care home visit checklist

Start with these core checks even if you already plan to ask the personalised questions above.

Is the latest inspection report visible in reception?
Confirms transparency on current quality.
What are staffing levels on day and night shifts?
Shows whether support is consistent around the clock.
How are families updated when needs change?
Communication is usually a top concern for relatives.
Can we see an example care plan review timeline?
Helps confirm how quickly the team adapts care.
May we speak with a current resident family member?
Gives an independent perspective before deciding.

Personalised follow-up questions for The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care HomeIncluded in the Care Home Check, with the reason each one matters here

Common Questions About The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home

What does the CQC rating for The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home show?

The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home is rated Good by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), England's independent regulator of health and social care. The CQC rating was published on 5 November 2024. Source: CQC inspection report.

CQC: location inspection report (opens in a new tab)

Is The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home a good care home?

Whether The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home looks like a good care home depends on its latest CQC results, review patterns, and any provider-record or enforcement questions. It is currently rated Good by the CQC. The CQC rating was published on 5 November 2024. RightCareHome's public feedback assessment is limited feedback coverage, with a combined rating of 3.8 out of 5. No current enforcement actions are recorded. Provider public-record check: Records reviewed. The safest next step is to compare these signals with your visit questions and care needs.

How much does The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home cost per week?

Weekly fees at The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home start from £1,700. Costs may vary depending on the level of care required.

Does The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home accept NHS or local authority funding?

The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home accepts local authority funded residents. For NHS Continuing Healthcare eligibility, refer to NHS guidelines.

NHS: NHS Continuing Healthcare guidance (opens in a new tab)

Is The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home a nursing home or a residential care home?

The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home is registered as a residential care home. This means the home provides residential care without on-site nursing as its main service type. Source: CQC registration data.

CQC: location inspection report (opens in a new tab)

Show 17 more questions

Does The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home provide dementia care?

The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home specialises in dementia care. This includes Alzheimer's disease support. The home is CQC-registered for this specialism.

CQC: location inspection report (opens in a new tab)

How do we score dementia-specialist homes differently?

We do not treat the phrase 'dementia care' on its own as proof of quality. On RightCareHome, dementia-specialist homes are checked more carefully for dementia-specific fit signals such as whether dementia care is registered, whether secure or wandering support is clearly published, whether nursing cover is available when needs are more complex, and whether inspection or family feedback supports that positioning. If wandering support is not clear in the public data, that becomes a follow-up question rather than a positive signal.

How many beds does The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home have?

The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home has 41 registered beds. The home provides residential care without nursing. Source: CQC registration data.

CQC: location inspection report (opens in a new tab)

What do care home reviews say about The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home?

RightCareHome's public feedback assessment for The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home is limited feedback coverage. The combined public feedback rating is 3.8 out of 5.

Are The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home's reviews enough to make a decision?

The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home's public feedback assessment is useful, but it should not be the only reason to choose the home. Treat it as one evidence layer, then compare it with the CQC rating, safety and well-led domains, weekly fees, funding fit, and provider-record questions. Reviews are strongest when they confirm the same strengths or concerns that appear in inspection evidence and your visit questions.

Is The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home safe?

The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home is rated "Good" for Safety by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). No enforcement actions are currently recorded. Source: CQC inspection report.

CQC: location inspection report (opens in a new tab)

Who owns The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home?

The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home is operated by NELLSAR LIMITED (Companies House number: 03801034). Ownership type: independent.

Companies House: company filing history (opens in a new tab)

Has The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home had enforcement actions?

There are no current enforcement actions recorded against The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home by the CQC. Source: CQC registration data.

CQC: location inspection report (opens in a new tab)

What do public company records show about The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home's provider?

The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home's provider public-record check is: Records reviewed. No material provider-record points to clarify were found in the public records reviewed. The company accounts record is dated 31 October 2024. This is not a credit rating, solvency assessment or prediction about the home.

Companies House: company filing history (opens in a new tab)

What continuity questions should families ask The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home?

Ask The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home how care is kept consistent when staffing or residents' needs change, how families are informed about management changes, and what the contract says about notice periods and deposits. Discuss these points with the manager during your visit and ask for key commitments in writing.

What should I compare before choosing The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home?

Before choosing The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home, compare latest CQC overall, Safe, and Well-Led ratings, family review volume and repeated themes, published weekly fees and what is included, funding routes accepted by the home, and the operator’s public company records. Compare these points with other care homes in Dartford to find the best fit for your relative’s care needs, budget and visiting arrangements.

Is The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home's CQC rating improving or declining?

Recent inspection history for The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home looks stable rather than clearly improving or declining. The CQC rating was published on 5 November 2024.

CQC: location inspection report (opens in a new tab)

How do The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home's fees compare to the local average?

Based on current local pricing benchmarks, The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home's published weekly fees from £1,700 look above area average. Final weekly costs can still vary depending on the level of care required.

How do I know if I'm paying too much for The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home?

Start by comparing The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home's published weekly fees with the local care home benchmark. On this page, those fees look above area average. A higher price does not automatically mean overpaying, but you should expect clear reasons for the premium, such as stronger nursing cover, dementia support, facilities, or inspection evidence. The safest way to judge value is to compare price against care fit, inspection strength, and the unanswered questions you still have after reviewing the page.

What is The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home's food hygiene rating?

The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home currently has a Food Standards Agency hygiene rating of 5 out of 5. The food hygiene record is dated 23 July 2025. Source: local authority food hygiene records.

Food Standards Agency: food hygiene ratings (opens in a new tab)

What questions should I ask when visiting The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home?

When visiting The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home, start by asking the team to ask to see the latest inspection report and what has changed since it, ask how staffing levels work on day and night shifts, and ask how families are updated when needs change. These questions help you test whether the public picture on this page still matches day-to-day reality inside the home.

What does our visit checklist include for The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home?

Our visit checklist for The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home starts with the basics families often miss: the latest inspection report, staffing levels across day and night shifts, how the team updates relatives when needs change, and how care plans are reviewed in practice. On RightCareHome, the page-level checklist is then extended with personalised follow-up questions based on the home’s inspection, review, provider-record and practical signals.

Compare Nearby Care Homes in Dartford

These homes help you compare care capability, not just proximity.

Start with the full Dartford care homes guide to compare CQC ratings, review signals, weekly fees, and provider-record questions across the local market.

These homes are here to give you context, not to replace a full comparison.

How The Old Downs Dementia Residential Care Home sits against nearby options

Inspection rating

Good

Nearby avg: Good

Below nearby average

Benchmarks are based on nearby homes shown in this section.

Beechcare Incorporating the Peter Gidney Neurological Centre, Dartford

Comparison angle: Similar profile for a proper side-by-side comparison.

Eglantine Villa Care Home, Dartford

Comparison angle: Stronger inspection rating than the current home.

Broad Oak Manor Care Home, Dartford

Comparison angle: Similar profile for a proper side-by-side comparison.

Chapel Hill, Dartford

1 point worth clarifying

Good

Care Home

4.4

Comparison angle: Similar profile for a proper side-by-side comparison.

Sonya Lodge Dementia Residential Care Home, Dartford

Comparison angle: Similar profile for a proper side-by-side comparison.

Compare all 15 care homes in Dartford

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