The Orchards

2 Forsythia Road, Ely CB6 2FU
Submit a Review
9.5 32 Reviews
  • The Orchards, Ely
At The Orchards, the team knows that moving into a care home can be a bit daunting. So, you can be reassured that at this not-for-profit care home, you get to try your new home before committing longer term, support always comes with a smile, and you will never be asked to move out just because your funds run out.

In a stunning purpose-built home in the heart of Ely, The Orchards has developed a welcoming community where residents and their families enjoy around-the-clock award-winning residential and dementia care. Residents are cared for with a well-established methodology that is centred on keeping them as independent as possible for as long as possible. Care at The Orchards means highly-skilled and compassionate staff who also recognise when you just need a cup of tea and a listening ear.

The home is part of not-for-profit group Greensleeves Care. Named in the Top 20 in the country, as a charity, Greensleeves’ focus is on people and not pockets and any surplus from fees goes back into continuously improving care. The Orchards also offers Greensleeves’ Home for Life Commitment, which means residents will not be asked to move out if they run out of personal funds while in their care.

Along with specialist care and peace of mind, when you join the Orchards family, you also enjoy:
•        Stunning grounds and views
•        Modern, spacious bedrooms all with en-suite wetrooms
•        Comfortable lounges, dining areas, and library
•        Delicious and nutritious meals cooked daily on site

The Orchards’ promise to you is that, from the moment you get in touch a member of the team will be there to listen, answer your questions and help you make a care choice that feels right to you.

* CQC inspected in January 2021 and reviewed in July 2023

Care Provided by The Orchards

  • Primary Care Categories
  • Dementia
  • Older Person Care
  • Physical Disability
  • Respite Care
  • Care Types Provided
  • Dementia Residential Care
  • Residential Care
  • For a maximum of 66 Service Users
  • Voluntary / Not for Profit Owned
  • Care Offered
  • Alzheimer's
  • Cancer Care
  • Colitis & Crohn's Disease
  • Epilepsy
  • Hearing Impairment
  • Parkinson's Disease
  • Speech Impairment
  • Stroke
  • Visual Impairment
  • Other Care Provided
  • Convalescent Care
  • End of Life Care
  • Palliative Care
  • Physiotherapy
  • Separate Specialist Dementia Care Unit

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Elaine Cole (Registered Home Manager)
  • Admission Criteria
    • Ages 65+
  • Room Information
    • Single Rooms (66)
    • Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (66)
  • Care Home Design/Build
    • Purpose Built: Yes
    • Year Purpose Built: 2019
    • Number of floors: 3

Funding & Fees Guide for The Orchards

  • Funding Types Accepted
  • Self funding (Private)
  • Local Authority with Top-Up
  • Local Authority
  • NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) Funding
  • Fees are set based on the specific care needs of each individual. Fees come with Greensleeves Care's unique Home for Life financial assurance and, as a not-for-profit home, every penny goes towards high-quality care, never shareholders. Give the home a call today for more detail and indicative fees.


Facilities

  • Bar/Café
  • Gardens
  • Lift
  • Near Public Transport
  • Own Furniture if required
  • Pet Friendly (or by arrangement)
  • Phone Point in own room
  • Residents Internet Access
  • Residents Kitchenette
  • Television point in own room
  • Wheelchair Access
Total of 32, showing 1-20
9.5

The Orchards has a Review Score of 9.5 (9.465) out of 10, based on 12 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time The Orchards has 32 reviews.

Overall Experience

  • 22
  • 8
  • 2
  • 0
  • 0

Date Published

32
4
11
12
20
Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My family cannot praise the staff enough for all the care & attention they gave our dad whilst in the home. He was so very well looked after by everyone which gave us great comfort & reassurance. We, as the family, were also very well looked after, which was greatly appreciated. Highly recommend The
Orchards Care Home.

Reply from Elaine Cole, General Home Manager at The Orchards

I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for the wonderful review you have shared about our care home. Your kind words mean the world to us and truly brighten our day.We are dedicated to providing the best possible care and creating a warm, welcoming environment for all our residents. Knowing that our efforts have made a positive impact on your family brings us immense joy and motivation to continue our work with even greater passion.Thank you once again for your support and for being a part of our community.


Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

So impressed with the way the home is being run. Such a positive and friendly atmosphere as soon as you walk in the door.
Staff seem much happier in their work, and there seems to be a real connection between management and what goes on "on the floor", definitely not shut away in the office all the
time!

Reply from Clint Farmer, Home Manager at The Orchards

Thank you for completing a review for The Orchards Care Home and your positive comments, I will share these positive comments with the care team. Many thanks once again.


Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My mother recently moved up to the top floor of the home as she required more care. The transition was well managed and the staff communication was excellent. They remembered to say mum likes to use her pretty plates at meal times. Mum has settled in well into her new environment due to the support
of the staff and home. Thank you.

Reply from Clint Farmer, Home Support Manager at The Orchards

Thank you for your review of the Orchards Care Home, we are so pleased that you feel the transition went well for Mum and that she is now settled in on the Peach Unit, I will make sure that I pass your feedback and comments onto the team. Many thanks once again.


Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

I was very ill when I arrived at the care home, 29 May 2023, and I was convinced I would be dead by the end of July. But the care I have been given - from tests to a complete change in medication - have helped me stop being wheelchair-bound, learn to walk again and become a useful resident. I lost my
sense of taste and smell a few years ago but food is more than that. I enjoy the feel of what's in my mouth. But since Autumn 2023 stews/casseroles have dominated the menu and repetitive vegetables have added to the boredom. We thought a new chef would liven things up. Is he being given sufficient funds to buy the ingredients or is he limited to buying cheap?

Reply from Sam Humphreys, Home Manager at The Orchards

Thank you for your review. I am delighted that your move to The Orchards has been so transformative for you and that your mobility has so greatly improved. It is wonderful to read that you now feel you are a useful addition to our community. We most certainly agree! I very much appreciate your feedback on the menu. Following our recent conversation I hope you are reassured that sufficient funds are being made available to ensure we provide tasty and varied meal choices. I am confident you will continue to see current improvements in the weeks and months ahead.


Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Very pleased to be seeing my friend and happy that she is being cared for in the best way.

Reply from Sam Humphreys, Home Manager at The Orchards

Thank you for leaving us with a beautiful review. I am so pleased that your friend is happy and that you feel that she is being cared for in the best way. Thank you once again for taking the time to leave a review.


Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

All the staff are so kind and caring.

Reply from Sam Humphreys, Home Manager at The Orchards

Thank you for leaving a beautiful review of The Orchards. Thank you for taking time to leave a review of The Orchards. All of the staff at The Orchards are passionate about delivering outstanding person centred care every day. Once again thank you for your kind words.


Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5

Overall care is good. Management never see the residents are the main cause of very good carers leaving.
The food is generally poor - so no value for the amount residents pay.

Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My dad was very well looked after at The Orchards. It was very clean and comfortable. A lovely garden the residents can sit in. The staff were great, but the management was very unprofessional and not upfront in the way they communicated with the family.

Reply from Donna Mills, Support Manager at The Orchards

Many thanks for submitting your review, we really appreciate honest feedback as it helps us to reflect and ultimately continue to improve our services. As discussed in our recent correspondence, we regret that the lack of communication from the hospital regarding your father's care meant we were unable to effectively communicate with you in the way we would have liked to. We value transparency in our communication with our residents and their relatives, so we are disappointed circumstances outside of our control meant we fell short in this instance. We are glad that you were happy with the care your father received from us, and we thoroughly enjoyed getting to know him.


Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I live overseas. My mother recently passed away as a resident of the Orchards Care Home in Ely. They called me and I flew over to support Mum in her passing. I would like to share my feelings of gratitude for the beyond-excellent care provided by the staff. I visited Mum in the secure unit every day
for 3 weeks before her passing. I was always kindly received and I was able to see the extraordinary kindness of the staff shown to all the residents of this special unit for people with dementia. The staff were caring, friendly and kind, they were also very skilled in managing the significant cognitive and physical needs safely of these special residents. I would also like to mention that the home was superbly clean and tidy and I was struck by the complete lack of any smells that I often find in care homes. The management are competent leaders and very approachable. I had complete confidence in their care of Mum.

Reply from Sam Humphreys, Home Manager at The Orchards

Thank you for your lovely review of The Orchards. The staff appreciate the feedback, it was a pleasure to look after your mother, please keep in contact.


Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

The lovely thing for our family is that our mother speaks very highly of The Orchards. She is very fond of the staff and feels safe and well-cared for. She thinks the food is lovely and enjoys all of the wonderful activities. Her room is comfortable and attractive too.

Reply from Sam Humphreys, Home Manager at The Orchards

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review for The Orchards, I will ensure that your kind words are passed over to the team.


Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have visited my friend on several occasions. Without fail, I have met with smiles and friendliness. I witness the interactions with my friend, always polite, with a smile and very respectful.
Prior to my retirement, my work involved visiting many residential nursing homes. I can honestly say that
the care at The Orchards is exceptional and a pleasure to witness.

Reply from Sam Humphreys, Home Manager at The Orchards

Thank you for taking the time to share your lovely feedback myself and the team really do appreciate it.


Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I cannot praise The Orchards highly enough. My mum was in urgent need of some respite care and three days after the initial phone call she was resident in an absolutely beautiful room. She would not have a nicer room had I booked her into a hotel, the en-suite is brilliant and she has patio doors opening
to a lovely little garden which is totally secure as is the whole place, you have to be buzzed out so no chance of anyone wandering off. I was worried about the food as my mum can be quite fussy and likes her meals one million degrees hot, having checked with her she commented ‘the food is lovely and it’s always piping hot’ which is a massive compliment from my mum. Nothing is too much trouble for the brilliant staff and I am so relieved to know my mum is safe and being looked after to such a high standard. My mum can be, how shall I put this, rather stubborn and ‘reluctantly’ agreed to a 4-week stay to recover after major surgery but she now thinks she might rather fancy staying longer!

Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The most important point is that my Mother is extremely happy at the Orchards and frequently tells us of her own volition. The employed staff are excellent and could not be more helpful or caring. Core staff listen to the needs of my mother and clearly strive to implement any requested changes to routine.
One
key issue is staffing particularly the apparent lack of full-time senior staff. The use of Agency staff is entirely understandable and the staffing issues are in no way a reflection on the Orchards as this is a National issue. However, the knock-on effect on some occasions has been a reduced level of interaction and movement encouragement of my mother.
The Quality and variety of food at the Orchards are a concern. I had anticipated a higher and more varied selection.
Overall the quality of care at the Orchards is quite excellent and as a consequence of the incredible effort by everyone my mother is incredibly happy
I would like to sincerely thank you for everything you do.

Reply from Sam Humphreys, Home Manager at The Orchards

Thank you so much for your feedback, all of which is appreciated. The team love to hear when the care they provide is recognised as being of excellent quality as this is their aim each and every day. Where we haven't quite met the expectation, we welcome the opportunity feedback provides us for further discussion and resolution.
I will be in contact so that we can catch up to discuss food preferences and choices.


Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Since my mother became a resident at The Orchards she has been given exceptionally good care. The staff are very loving and keep a close watch on her, particularly if she became unwell. The building offers many additional benefits not found in other homes and this makes for a better standard of living
for the residents, the spacious gardens are an ideal outlet, particularly in the summer. The additional entertainments are a welcome and psychological boost to all the residents as well as bringing together a family atmosphere. Visitors are treated with respect and courtesy and kept informed of all that is going on and are able to join in whenever they wish. The management staff are very efficient and very hands on which gives our family confidence and peace of mind when we are not there. This was a good choice.

Reply from Sam Humphreys, Home Manager at The Orchards

Thank you for your review of The Orchards.
We welcome all feedback.


Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My father died at The Orchards in September after a long-term decline with dementia. The staff were so kind, thoughtful, sympathetic and caring. It made his last few days so much more bearable. All the team looked in on us at all times of day and night; brought us food when they thought we would be
hungry and made the whole process of the procedure after his death run smoothly and with the greatest dignity.

Reply from Sam Humphreys, Home Manager at The Orchards

Thank you for leaving a review of The Orchards.
It was a pleasure to look after your father and I will ensure your kind words are shared with all of the staff team.


Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

The Orchards provide excellent care and I feel that my mother is in safe hands. The staff and management are friendly and caring, and always on hand with a smile and a chat. The home is immaculate and clean and a pleasant environment to be in. The gardens allow for short, safe walks. Meals seem great
and always smell lovely whenever I attend. Entertainment is improving and seems that activities are provided every morning and afternoon. I can't stress enough how important this is to maintain and build on for the residents. Only one small request for improvement, staff need to lose the face masks, it makes it very difficult for communication and recognition.

Reply from Sam Humphreys, Home Manager at The Orchards

Thank you for your review.
I will ensure that the information from the review is passed to the team at The Orchards.
Currently, staff are not wearing face masks whilst working at The Orchards.


Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

An elegant and spacious environment. Beautiful ensuite bedrooms with double beds. The staff are clearly well trained, hard-working and professional. They all have genuine caring attitudes toward the residents. My mother has made several good friends since arriving. They all support each other in a calm
and happy environment. There is a daily schedule of activities and entertainment.

Reply from Sam Humphreys, Home Manager at The Orchards

Thank you for your review, I will ensure that this is shared with the team at The Orchards.


Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

New very good facilities. Good rooms. Friendly staff coping in difficult times. Communicates with family. Very good.

Reply from Sam Humphreys, Home Manager at The Orchards

Thank you for your review. We welcome reviews and I will ensure that this is passed to the team. Once again, thank you.


Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

I have been delighted with the standard of cleaning and the sensible Covid 19 precautions. The staff are friendly and caring and have dealt with a medical emergency for my father promptly and well. When I call or email, I get a prompt reply. I would definitely recommend this care home. I am a GP with
30 years' experience so I have visited many other homes and the Orchards must be in the top 1%.

Reply from Sam Humphreys, Home Manager at The Orchards

Thank you for your review, I will ensure that the team at The Orchards are made aware of your positive feedback.


Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

The Orchards care home is both modern and pleasing. The rooms are very functional and cleaned on a regular basis. The staff are lovely and very compassionate with the residents who love them in return. The meals are in the main good but I do feel that another meal option would be beneficial. I would
thoroughly recommend The Orchards for those wishing to place their loved ones in a 'home from home'.

Facilities

Care / Support

Cleanliness

Treated with Dignity

Food & Drink

Staff

Activities

Management

Safety / Security

Rooms

Value for Money

Current Review Score: 9.5 (9.465)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.5 (9.465) out of 10 for The Orchards 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 12 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.8 out of 5 from 11 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 4.632 for The Orchards is calculated as follows: ( (100 Excellents x 5) + (26 Goods x 4) + (6 Satisfactorys x 3) + (4 Poors x 2) ) ÷ 136 Ratings = 4.632

  • 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 4.833 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for The Orchards is based on 11 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 66 registered maximum number of service users is 13.2. 11 Positive Reviews ÷ 13.2 = 0.833

  • 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: 20 Feb 2021

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.

View Latest Report

Bed Vacancies

Please Contact Us for Latest Vacancies

Awards / Recognitions (10)

Loading...

Loading

Loading
Loading

Loading

Loading

Loading

Loading

Loading events

Loading

Meet the Team (13)

Alyce

Alyce

Job Title: Senior

Joined: 2019

I enjoy being a carer as I love learning about my residents’ lives and taking care of those that have made the world what it is today. When I’m not working I love to curl up at home with a cup of tea and a good book!


Rebecca

Rebecca Lambert

Job Title: Healthcare assistant

Joined: 2021

Looking after my Nan got me to start working as a carer.
I enjoy going home every day knowing that I have done something positive for the residents I look after.


Kathleen

Kathleen Wilkins

Job Title: Healthcare assistant

Joined: 2022

I like looking after people.
I enjoy learning about the resident's life history.


Lisa

Lisa Brooks

Job Title: Healthcare assistant

Joined: 2019

We have a good team working together to care for the residents.


Barbara

Barbara Shaw

Job Title: Healthcare assistant

Joined: 2021

A good place to work


Michelle

Michelle Crick

Job Title: Healthcare assistant

Joined: 2021

I enjoy looking after people.
I like to make sure their needs are met.
I am devoted to my job.


Krisha

Krisha Jaya

Job Title: Healthcare assistant

Joined: 2022

I like caring for people


Sorcha

Sorcha Rayner

Job Title: Senior

Joined: 2022

I enjoy working at The Orchards, I started as a carer and have developed my skills to move to a senior role


Tony

Tony Brooks

Job Title: Maintenance Manager

Joined: 2022

I work in a family-style environment, also the job role covered my skills in compliance and maintenance.


John

John Kinnair

Job Title: Maintenance

Joined: 2019

I started at The Orchards as I wanted to work in a modern
hi-tech care home.


Ivan

Ivan Heviamoovima

Job Title: Care and Compliance Manager

Joined: 2022

I enjoy getting to know the residents and I enjoy that I can speak to several residents in French.


Knowing that you are making a difference in a person's daily life is always rewarding.


Victoria

Victoria Wood

Job Title: Activities Assistant

Joined: 2021

I love working at The Orchards because of the great team that I am part of.


My background in teaching was with Health and Social Care so this seemed a natural progression.


I enjoy the varied nature of each day of working with the wonderful residents.


I enjoy being active and involved in their everyday lives.


Erin

Erin Huggins

Job Title: Activities Assistant

Joined: 2021

I enjoy working at The Orchards because it is a great space to learn new things.


It is interesting to hear about our lovely resident's life stories and not to mention how good the team here is.


Frequently Asked Questions about The Orchards

What types of Care is The Orchards registered for?

Older Person Care, Dementia, Respite Care & Physical Disability are the registered (by the Care Quality Commission) categories of Care.

What additional types of Care does The Orchards provide?

Palliative Care, Convalescent Care, Physiotherapy, Separate Specialist Dementia Care Unit & End of Life Care are other types of care provided.

How many Rooms does The Orchards have?

There are 66 Single Rooms.

What are the Facilities & Services at The Orchards?

Own Furniture if required, Pet Friendly (or by arrangement), Near Public Transport, Lift, Wheelchair Access, Gardens, Bar/Café, Residents Kitchenette, Phone Point in own room, Television point in own room & Residents Internet Access are some of the Facilities & Services.

How far is The Orchards to the centre of Ely?

0.9 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.