Dementia Care Home

Ostley House Home For The Blind

355 Abbey Road, Barrow In Furness, Cumbria, LA13 9JY

Residential homes

At a Glance

The information you need to decide whether this home warrants a closer look.

DCC Family Score
72/ 100
Weighted from family reviews
Dementia SpecialismConfirmed

Residential homes

Families Rate The Staff55 / 100

Staff warmth score

“Well Looked After”55%

of reviewers answered yes

Good to know

  • Registered beds44
  • SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Dementia, Sensory impairment
  • Last inspected2018-12-11

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The Evidence

What the review data, the inspection reports, and the dementia-care evidence base tell us about this home.

Section 01

What families say

The eight family priority themes

  • Staff warmth55
  • Compassion & dignity55
  • Cleanliness55
  • Activities & engagement50
  • Food quality50
  • Healthcare55
  • Management & leadership60
  • Resident happiness55
Section 02

What inspectors found

Inspected 2018-12-11

  • Is this home safe?

    Good
    The Safe domain was rated Good at the November 2020 inspection. This covers staffing levels, medicines management, infection control, safeguarding, and how the home responds to accidents and incidents. No concerns were identified by inspectors. However, the published report text does not include specific observations about night staffing ratios, falls logging, or how incidents are reviewed and learned from. The inspection was conducted over four years ago.
    Verified by inspector
  • Is the care effective?

    Good
    The Effective domain was rated Good. This covers whether staff have the right training and skills, whether care plans are up to date and person-centred, whether residents' health needs are met, and whether nutrition and hydration are well managed. The home lists Dementia as a specialism, which means it should have specific competencies in this area. No specific training data, care plan examples, or healthcare access details are documented in the available report text.
    Verified by inspector
  • Is this home caring?

    Good
    The Caring domain was rated Good. This covers whether staff treat residents with kindness, dignity, and respect; whether residents' independence is promoted; and whether privacy is protected. For a home specialising in dementia care, this also includes how staff communicate with residents who may have limited verbal ability. No direct inspector observations, resident quotes, or family testimonials are available in the published report text to illustrate what this Good rating looked like in practice.
    Verified by inspectorResident testimony recorded
  • Is the home responsive?

    Good
    The Responsive domain was rated Good. This covers whether the home meets residents' individual needs, whether activities are meaningful and varied, whether residents' preferences are respected, and whether end-of-life care is planned and compassionate. The home lists Dementia and Sensory impairment as specialisms, which should shape how activities and daily life are tailored. No specific activity programmes, examples of individual engagement, or end-of-life care details are documented in the published report text.
    Verified by inspector
  • Is the home well-led?

    Good
    The Well-led domain was rated Good. This covers the quality of management, whether there is a clear culture of improvement, whether staff feel supported to speak up, and whether governance systems identify and act on problems. Mrs Helen Silver is the named Registered Manager and Mr Craig Renton is the Nominated Individual. The July 2023 review found no evidence requiring reassessment of the Good rating. No specific examples of leadership practice, staff culture, or governance activity are documented in the published text.
    Verified by inspector
  • Source: CQC inspection report →

    Section 03

    What the evidence base says

    The team here cares for adults over 65, with particular experience supporting those with sensory impairments and dementia. For residents living with dementia, the spacious layout and accessible shower rooms can help maintain independence for longer. 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.

72/ 100

DCC Family Score

Ostley House holds a Good rating across all five inspection domains, but the published report text available contains very limited specific detail — meaning scores reflect confirmed positive ratings rather than rich observational evidence. The home's Good standing is encouraging, but families will need to fill significant gaps through a direct visit.

Homes in North West typically score 68–82.
DCC Recommendation

Worth a visit

Ostley House, on Abbey Road in Barrow-in-Furness, holds a Good rating across all five inspection domains — Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, and Well-led. This rating was confirmed at inspection in November 2020 and reviewed in July 2023, with no evidence found to require reassessment. The home is registered to care for adults over 65, including people living with dementia and sensory impairment, and is run by Vision Support Barrow & District with a named registered manager in post. A consistent Good across every domain is a positive baseline — it means inspectors found no significant failings in safety, staffing, care quality, or leadership. However, the report available contains very little specific detail beyond the ratings themselves — no inspector observations, resident or family quotes, or named examples of practice are reproduced in the published text. That means there is a lot families cannot verify from the paperwork alone. The inspection is also now over four years old, and the care home sector has changed significantly since 2020. Before choosing this home for your parent, particularly if they are living with dementia, you should visit in person and ask directly: how many permanent staff are on the dementia unit after 8pm? How often are care plans reviewed, and will you be invited to contribute? What does the activity programme look like day-to-day for someone who can no longer join group sessions? The Good rating gives you a foundation of confidence, but a direct visit and specific questions are essential.

The three questions to ask when you visit

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In Their Own Words

How Ostley House Home For The Blind describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.

What Ostley House Home For The Blind says about itself

Spacious rooms and thoughtful design in Barrow care home

Ostley House – Your Trusted residential home

When choosing care, the physical environment matters as much as the personal touch. Ostley House in Barrow In Furness offers residents generous living spaces with quality furnishings and walk-in shower rooms. This care home supports adults over 65, including those living with dementia or sensory impairments.

Care & specialisms

Who they care for

    The team here cares for adults over 65, with particular experience supporting those with sensory impairments and dementia.

    How they describe their dementia care

    For residents living with dementia, the spacious layout and accessible shower rooms can help maintain independence for longer.

    “If you're looking for care in Barrow In Furness, visiting Ostley House will give you a real sense of the space and facilities available.”

    DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.

    Free download – Dementia Stage 4

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    Related:

    What Real Families Say About Dementia Care Homes: The Eight Things That Matter Most

    A Which? Report for Care Homes: Real Family Reviews, Not Just Official Inspections

    Step-by-Step Guide to Finding a Care Home for Your Mum in the UK

    What Does 'Dementia Specialist' Actually Mean? How to Tell If a Care Home Really Is One

    Best UK Website for Comparing Dementia Care Homes (Beyond CQC Ratings)

    Dementia care gifts that help

    The Thoughtful Gift That Makes a Difficult Day Easier

    The things that make the greatest difference to someone living with dementia are rarely the most obvious ones. They are the things that ease the day — that give a carer a moment to breathe, or give the person they care for a moment of calm or quiet joy. Every item here was chosen because it works, and because it reduces stress for everyone in the room.

    Comforting Memories

    Britain 1940 to 1970: Memory Lane

    Card Game

    The Card Game That Turns Familiar Phrases Into Open Doors

    Memory Box

    The Box That Holds a Life

    Digital Photoframe

    The Frame That Brings the Family Into the Room

    Digital Calendar

    The Clock That Knows What Day It Is

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