Home Close

Cow Lane, Fulbourn, Cambridge CB21 5HB
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9.6 109 Reviews
  • Home Close, Cambridge
Home Close, located on the edge of Cambridge, provides a warm and peaceful setting for residents needing nursing or residential care. Surrounded by spacious gardens with mature trees and seasonal flowers, it’s a tranquil retreat where residents can relax, enjoy the fresh air, or share a cup of tea in the sunshine.

At Home Close, the focus is on personalised, compassionate care. The dedicated team is chosen not only for their expertise but for their kindness and understanding. They are available around the clock, ensuring each resident’s dignity and needs are respected. Regular assessments help tailor support, and visiting services, including opticians, dentists, and chiropodists, ensure residents’ health and well-being are prioritised.

Residents are encouraged to make their rooms feel like home by bringing personal belongings and furniture, creating a familiar and comforting space. Communal lounges and dining areas provide a sense of community, while the in-house hairdressing salon offers grooming services like manicures and hand massages, adding a touch of pampering.

The catering team prepares fresh, nutritious meals daily, accommodating all dietary needs. At Home Close, every effort is made to create a supportive environment where residents can enjoy life, surrounded by care and kindness.

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Care Provided by Home Close

  • Primary Care Categories
  • Dementia
  • Older Person Care
  • Physical Disability
  • Respite Care
  • Sensory Impairment
  • Care Types Provided
  • Dementia Nursing Care
  • Dementia Residential Care
  • Nursing Care
  • Residential Care
  • For a maximum of 72 Service Users
  • Privately Owned
  • Care Offered
  • Colitis & Crohn's Disease
  • Epilepsy
  • Hearing Impairment
  • Parkinson's Disease
  • Speech Impairment
  • Stroke
  • Visual Impairment
  • Other Care Provided
  • Convalescent Care
  • End of Life Care
  • Own GP if required
  • Palliative Care
  • Physiotherapy

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Ioana Pop (Home Manager)
  • Admission Criteria
    • Ages 65+
  • Room Information
    • Single Rooms (72)
    • Couples/Companion Rooms (0)
  • Care Home Design/Build
    • Purpose Built: Yes
    • Last Refurbishment: 2011

Funding & Fees Guide for Home Close

  • Funding Types Accepted
  • Self funding (Private)
  • Local Authority with Top-Up
  • Local Authority
  • NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) Funding
  • Weekly Charges per Person
    • Self-Funded Residential Care from £1,390
    • Self-Funded Residential Dementia Care from £1,390
    • Self-Funded Nursing Care from £1,630
    • Self-Funded Nursing Dementia Care from £1,630
    • RESPITE Self-Funded Residential Care from £1,390
    • RESPITE Self-Funded Residential Dementia Care from £1,390
    • RESPITE Self-Funded Nursing Care from £1,630
    • RESPITE Self-Funded Nursing Dementia Care from £1,630
  • (these prices are only a guideline, please contact Home Close to find out the exact price for your requirements)

Facilities

  • Close to Local shops
  • Gardens
  • Lift
  • Minibus or other transport
  • Near Public Transport
  • Own Furniture if required
  • Phone Point in own room
  • Residents Internet Access
  • Residents Kitchenette
  • Smoking not permitted
  • Television point in own room
  • Wheelchair Access

Home Close Reviews (109)

Total of 109, showing 61-80
9.6

Home Close has a Review Score of 9.6 (9.551) out of 10, based on 23 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Home Close has 109 reviews.

Overall Experience

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Date Published

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Review from M H (Daughter of Resident) published on 4 December 2019
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My mum is receiving good care at the home and has now settled in well. Some of the carers give exceptional care and attention. The activities coordinator is extremely good at her job. She has a real rapport with the residents and improves the quality of many of their lives.

Reply from George Catanescu, Regional Director at Home Close

Thank you so much for your valuable feedback. We will share this with the team and your praise will go to the activities organisers and the care staff.


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Review from A H (Son of Resident) published on 22 November 2019
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Our overall experience as a family is that the staff is very good and caring. Rooms are kept very clean most of the time and the food is extremely good with great variety. Communication can sometimes be difficult due to various nationalities.

Reply from George Catanescu, Regional Manager at Home Close

Thank you for your review. We will use your feedback to improve our services.


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Review from D L (Granddaughter of Resident) published on 19 November 2019
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Can't fault it, so kind and all needs are met.

Reply from George Catanescu, Regional Directorr at Home Close

Great to see such lovely, simple and yet so powerful words being said about what we do! A big thank you on behalf of our Team!


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Review from D B (Son of Resident) published on 19 November 2019
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Extremely friendly and hospitable home. All staff are caring, obliging in delivering a professional and sympathetic service.

Reply from George Catanescu, Regional Director at Home Close

Thank you so much for your praise! We'll surely pass this on to our lovely team!


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Review from G M (Daughter of Resident) published on 15 November 2019
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Kind and friendly carers. Very good food, entertainment to suit everyone. Very good nurses, staff easy to talk to and laundry girls and cleaners do a good job.

Reply from George Catanescu, Regional Manager at Home Close

Thank you very much for such a positive and uplifting review. Will pass on your kind appreciation to our staff.


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Review from Deborah A (Daughter of Resident) published on 31 October 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 2.0 out of 5

My father was fast-tracked here by the hospital for end of life care. The home over promised and under-delivered. The care was sporadic and the response to dad's buzzer was very haphazard. On the night dad died, the buzzer had been left on the floor by the care assistants who had put him back to bed
after he asked for a commode. Fortunately, we found it. We were called in at 7.34 on September 20th as they said dad was nearing the end. I was there within 15 minutes and walked in to find dad dead. Not just dead, but rigor mortis had set in. There was no way he had just died. No one was there to meet me. I couldn't close dad's mouth and he was cold. The attitude of some staff was awful. They made dad feel like he was an inconvenience on a number of occasions. I just wish we had got dad into a hospice. His last week in this home was rotten. This home said 'anything the hospice can do, we can do'. How wrong they were.

Reply from George Catanescu, Regional Director at Home Close

The content of your review saddens us and we have made attempts to contact you with a clear intention to explore your experience of our services.We understand that you are going through difficult times and you may not feel it is the right time to address the situation, however, we want to reassure you that we will remain available should you wish to engage with us.
We will continue to investigate your experience of our services and will take learnings further where appropriate.


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Review from T T (Wife of Resident) published on 7 October 2019
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My husband took some time to settle in but is now very happy here. He has said there is plenty to do and he particularly likes the activities and the musical entertainers who visit. The staff are always patient and polite and keep me informed of all matters relating to his care.

Reply from Noreen Mary Adkin, Manager at Home Close

Thank you very much for your kind review of Home Close.


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Review from Pauline C (Daughter of Resident) published on 13 June 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My mother has recently passed away but was a resident at Home Close for the last two years. She was extremely well looked after and care is definitely the right word for this particular care home. All the staff without exception are brilliant, nothing is too much trouble. Right up until the end, my
mother was kept beautifully clean, her hair was brushed and she was dressed in clean clothes daily even though she was laying in bed. The attention and care she was given was second to none and this was not because we were paying extortionate fees because my mother was funded by the authorities. The food is excellent as is the entertainment programme which caters for all tastes with a wide variety of activities. All the staff from the cleaners to the manager are perfect people for the job, a real group of happy caring people whom I cannot speak highly enough of. I highly recommend this care home our experience has been excellent with many happy memories.

Reply from George Catanescu, Regional Manager at Home Close

Thank you so much for your extremely kind and appreciative comments!
We will pass them on to our lovely team!
It was our pleasure to look after your relative and thank you once again for trusting us to do a good job!


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Review from S R (Friend of Resident) published on 12 June 2019
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5

I revisited my friend and was delighted that my complaints of poor cleanliness and care of my friend have been addressed. Both she and her room are 75% better cared for.

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Review from Gillian G (Daughter of Resident) published on 1 April 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The warm and caring atmosphere of Home Close has been ideal for my 96-year-old father, making it a safe and homely place for him to live.


The standard of care in the home at Fulbourn has been consistently excellent.


I am very grateful to the hard-working, friendly and professional staff. They

have been so kind to Dad, and nothing has been too much trouble.

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Review from Violet C (Resident) published on 12 February 2019
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

I came to Home Close September 2018.
The atmosphere was warm and friendly.
I soon settled into the activities that are available which I really enjoy. There's also outings to the garden centre and pubs for a meal plus planning for future projects.
Never a dull moment. Life is as you make it.

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Review from S B (Daughter of Resident) published on 21 December 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My mother went into Home Close on the 24th September 2018 from hospital. She was only there for seven weeks before she died 17th November 2018. During her time there, the care she was given was excellent. She was treated with dignity and kindness.

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Review from K W (Son of Resident) published on 17 December 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Nice, warm, welcoming atmosphere and all the staff work hard to ensure residents are well looked after and happy.

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Review from P N (Daughter of Resident) published on 17 December 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Although bedridden, my father is happy at Home Close and enjoys chatting to all the staff.
He is treated with dignity and respect, enjoying a rapport with the staff.

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Review from Keith B (Nephew of Resident) published on 7 December 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My aunt was a resident at Home Close for over two years. In that time she was well cared for in a safe and friendly environment. The staff I found were excellent and treated her with compassion and kindness. If there was occasionally any issues these were dealt with immediately. There are plenty of
activities and trips which my aunt occasionally enjoyed. The meals were varied also, all in all, I would recommend the home to anybody.

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Review from Michela S (Daughter of Resident) published on 16 November 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My father has been a resident at Home Close for nearly a year. We feel very lucky for my dad that he is in a very caring and safe environment. The care at Home Close is of a very good standard but as many would agree, including the carers that work at Home Close, they definitely need more staff/more
carers to help improve the care and the looking after of all the residents.

Reply from Cristina Mihai, Home Manager at Home Close

Dear Michela
Thank you for your kind words and appreciation regarding the care your Father is receiving at Home Close. I’m sorry you feel that we need more staff. At the present time, Home Close is flexing the staff, in strict relation to our resident dependency analysis tool and we provide more staff according to changes in dependency levels, which I update and analyse every week. I hope we can talk about this at your next visit to our home.
Kind regards,
Cristina.


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Review from Roger D (Son of Resident) published on 16 November 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My mother entered here in August 2012 and died there on the 4th of September 2018. During her time here she was well cared for by a lovely, pleasant, cheerful and caring staff. Language difficulties with foreign staff and high turnover sometimes made communication and continuity difficult. Communal
rooms recently refurbished, her own room was overdue a makeover (but never dirty). Food was varied and excellently prepared and given a pleasant service. Management sometimes not responsive enough to issues raised, especially about personal possessions going astray.

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Review from Anne H (Sister of Resident) published on 9 October 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My sister (I am not next of kin - that is her son) has been a resident for nearly 5 years. During that time her general health has remained quite good (she is in a wheelchair all the time) I have found present and previous management helpful and approachable. As a trained nurse myself, they have at
times been willing to listen to my occasional complaints! Carers are polite and I have never heard them converse in their native language.
An overall cheerful and friendly atmosphere at the home.

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Review from Graham W (Son of Resident) published on 5 September 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5

I booked Mum into Home Close for 17 days respite so we could have a holiday. I booked an appointment to view the home and was made very welcome and shown all around and the garden. Mum was looking at the bedrooms. She liked them and said I will have this one. All arranged at that visit.


When I picked

Mum up after our holiday she said that it was a good place and said she would come again and she is in October.

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Review from J N (Resident) published on 3 August 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

From day 1 to 5 years later, we couldn't have found a better place. The management and staff were always very efficient, helpful and friendly and able to deal with any needs. Good choice of food, clean. We could certainly recommend Home Close.

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Current Review Score: 9.6 (9.551)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.6 (9.551) out of 10 for Home Close is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.6 out of 5 from 23 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 23 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Care Home is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  • a) 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months.

    The Average Rating of 4.551 for Home Close is calculated as follows: ( (165 Excellents x 5) + (92 Goods x 4) + (15 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 272 Ratings = 4.551

  • b) 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5').

    The 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Home Close is based on 23 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    • i) 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4

    • ii) 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the registered maximum number of service users in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Care Home registered for a maximum of 50 service users has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 72 registered maximum number of service users is 14.4, which has been reached with 23 Positive reviews. Points = 1

  • When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.

  • If a Care Home does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Performance

Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating

Date: 5 Feb 2020

Overall
Good

  • Caring

    Good

  • Effective

    Good

  • Responsive

    Good

  • Safe

    Good

  • Well-led

    Good

Care Quality Commission is responsible for the registration and inspection of social care services in England.

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Bed Vacancies

Please Contact Us for Latest Vacancies

Awards / Recognitions (9)

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Meet the Team (3)

Ioana

Ioana Pop

Job Title: Home Manager

I'm a qualified registered nurse with over 24 years of experience in healthcare, including cardiology, intensive care, and elderly care. Living locally, I love building strong connections with residents, families, and the community to enrich daily life and create a warm, engaging environment.


Naomi

Naomi Willis

Job Title: Activities Co-ordinator

I joined Home close, having previously been a school teacher as the home came recommended by a friend and 10 years on I'm still here. My favourite part of my day is seeing the residents, doing the activities with them and seeing them happy.


Angela

Angela Brasher

Job Title: Head Chef

I started as a domestic and have been trained over the years to become a cook. My favourite part of my day is after dinner, seeing all the finished plates and when the residents give you good feedback.