Dementia Care Home

Florence House Care Home

16-22 Westcote Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 2DE

Nursing 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

Nursing homes

Families Rate The Staff55 / 100

Staff warmth score

“Well Looked After”55%

of reviewers answered yes

Good to know

  • Registered beds83
  • SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Caring for adults under 65 yrs, Dementia, Physical disabilities
  • Last inspected2023-04-25

Save Florence House Care Home to your shortlist

Keep a running list, add visit notes, and compare homes side-by-side. Free account — it takes a minute.

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 & leadership65
  • Resident happiness55
Section 02

What inspectors found

Inspected 2023-04-25

  • Is this home safe?

    Good
    The Safe domain was rated Good at the April 2023 inspection, an improvement from the previous Requires Improvement rating. The published report does not provide specific detail on staffing numbers, agency use, falls management, medicines administration, or infection control practices beyond the headline rating. The home is registered to provide nursing care, which means qualified nurses should be available around the clock, but the inspection text does not confirm this with specific observations or data.
    Verified by inspector
  • Is the care effective?

    Good
    The Effective domain was rated Good at the April 2023 inspection. The published report does not include specific detail on care plan quality, GP access arrangements, medicines management, dementia training content, or how food quality and dietary needs are managed. The home lists dementia as a specialism and provides nursing care, both of which set an expectation of clinical competence, but the inspection text does not evidence how that competence is delivered in practice.
    Verified by inspector
  • Is this home caring?

    Good
    The Caring domain was rated Good at the April 2023 inspection. The published report does not include direct quotes from residents or relatives, inspector observations of staff interactions, or specific examples of how dignity and privacy are maintained. The Good rating represents an inspector's overall judgement on this domain, but the absence of specific evidence means there is no detail to share about what kindness looks like day to day in this home.
    Verified by inspectorResident testimony recorded
  • Is the home responsive?

    Good
    The Responsive domain was rated Good at the April 2023 inspection. The published report does not include detail on the activities programme, how activities are tailored to individual needs and cognitive ability, how complaints are handled, or how end-of-life care is approached. The home supports a mixed group including people with dementia and physical disabilities, which suggests responsiveness to varied and complex individual needs is required, but the inspection text does not evidence how this is achieved.
    Verified by inspector
  • Is the home well-led?

    Good
    The Well-led domain was rated Good at the April 2023 inspection, improving from Requires Improvement. A registered manager, Mrs Marie Carmelia Larroza Pimentel, is confirmed in post, and a nominated individual, Mr Swarup Singh Khadka, is registered with the regulator. Florence Care Reading Ltd is operated by Jasmine Care Holdings Limited. The inspection text does not provide detail on management visibility, staff culture, governance processes, or how the home involves families in decisions beyond confirming these roles are in place.
    Verified by inspector
  • Source: CQC inspection report →

    Section 03

    What the evidence base says

    The home specialises in caring for adults both under and over 65 with dementia and physical disabilities. This dual focus means they work with residents at different life stages facing complex health challenges. For residents with dementia, the home works to understand individual needs and build relationships over time. Their approach includes supporting families through end-of-life care. 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

Florence Care Reading achieved a Good rating across all five domains at its April 2023 inspection, representing a meaningful improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating. However, the published inspection text provides very limited specific detail, so scores reflect verified improvement and a positive overall picture rather than strong observable evidence across individual themes.

Homes in South East typically score 68–82.
DCC Recommendation

Worth a visit

Florence Care Reading, at 16-22 Westcote Road, was rated Good across all five inspection domains at its most recent inspection in April 2023. This is a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating, which suggests the management team identified what needed to change and acted on it. The home provides nursing and personal care for up to 83 people, including those living with dementia and physical disabilities, across a mixed age group. The published inspection text is unusually brief, which means there is very little specific evidence about what daily life actually looks like for your parent. The Good rating is a positive signal, but you should treat this visit as a fact-finding exercise. Ask about night staffing numbers, agency staff usage, how care plans are built around individual preferences, and how the home keeps families informed. Arrive at a mealtime if you can, speak to a member of staff you have not been introduced to, and look at how staff interact with residents in corridors and communal spaces, not just in the show rooms.

The three questions to ask when you visit

Save this home. Compare it against your shortlist.

Let our analysis show you how Florence House Care Home measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.

Create free account →

In Their Own Words

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

What Florence House Care Home says about itself

Specialist dementia support with mixed experiences in Reading

Florence Care Reading Ltd – Expert Care in Reading

Florence Care Reading Ltd offers specialist support for adults with dementia and physical disabilities in Reading. The home provides care for both younger adults under 65 and older residents. While some families have found comfort in difficult times here, others have raised concerns about care standards that potential residents should consider carefully.

Care & specialisms

Who they care for

    The home specialises in caring for adults both under and over 65 with dementia and physical disabilities. This dual focus means they work with residents at different life stages facing complex health challenges.

    How they describe their dementia care

    For residents with dementia, the home works to understand individual needs and build relationships over time. Their approach includes supporting families through end-of-life care.

    “Given the mixed experiences reported, visiting Florence Care Reading Ltd and asking detailed questions about their care approach would be particularly important.”

    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

    Not sure if it's dementia or just ageing? Here's the checklist your GP will use.

    Twelve signs to observe. A simple scoring framework. A printable, one-page record you can take to your next GP appointment, so you go in with specifics, not anxiety.

    Download Your Checklist

    No registration required to download. Free.

    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

    FAQs Related to Care Homes increasing support care

    How often to visit a parent with dementia in a care home — and what makes a visit actually matter

    read this FAQ

    Care home fees and dementia — who pays, who doesn't, and what determines the difference

    read this FAQ

    Do you have to sell the house to pay for dementia care? The options most families don't know about

    read this FAQ

    The 7-year rule and care home fees — what it actually means and why it's misunderstood

    read this FAQ

    How much the NHS will pay for a care home — and what happens when the home costs more

    read this FAQ

    NHS Continuing Healthcare and dementia — who qualifies, how to apply, and what to do if refused

    read this FAQ

    When the NHS pays for dementia care — the two situations and how to access both

    read this FAQ

    What the NHS actually covers in dementia care — and the funding most eligible families never claim

    read this FAQ
    We use cookies in order to give you the best possible experience on our website. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our use of cookies.
    Accept