Squirrel Lodge
At a Glance
The information you need to decide whether this home warrants a closer look.
Residential homes
Staff warmth score
of reviewers answered yes
Good to know
- Registered beds24
- SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Dementia, Physical disabilities, Sensory impairment
- Last inspected2019-09-17
The Evidence
What the review data, the inspection reports, and the dementia-care evidence base tell us about this home.
What families say
People describe a warm atmosphere where residents seem content. Family members have noticed their relatives appearing happy and well-settled, which can make such a difference when you're worried about how someone will adjust to care.
The eight family priority themes
- Staff warmth55
- Compassion & dignity55
- Cleanliness55
- Activities & engagement50
- Food quality50
- Healthcare55
- Management & leadership65
- Resident happiness55
What inspectors found
Inspected 2019-09-17
Is this home safe?
Is the care effective?
Squirrel Lodge was rated Good for effectiveness at its September 2019 inspection. This domain covers care planning, staff training, health monitoring, access to healthcare professionals, and nutrition. Dementia is listed as a specific specialism of the home, which means inspectors would have considered whether training and care approaches are appropriate for people living with dementia. No specific examples of care plan quality, GP access arrangements, or training content are available in the published summary. The Good rating suggests no significant gaps were found at the time of inspection.Is this home caring?
Squirrel Lodge received a Good rating for Caring at its September 2019 inspection. This domain assesses whether staff treat people with kindness, respect, and dignity — including how they communicate with residents, whether they support independence, and whether people's privacy is maintained. No direct observations of staff interactions, resident quotes, or relative testimony are available in the published summary. The Good rating indicates inspectors did not observe or record concerns about the quality of staff relationships with residents.Is the home responsive?
Squirrel Lodge was rated Good for Responsiveness at the September 2019 inspection. This domain covers whether care is personalised to individual needs, whether activities are meaningful and varied, and whether end-of-life care is planned appropriately. The home cares for people with dementia, physical disabilities, and sensory impairment — a combination that requires genuinely tailored responses rather than a one-size approach. No specific examples of activity programmes, individual engagement, or end-of-life planning are available in the published text.Is the home well-led?
Squirrel Lodge was rated Good for Well-led at the September 2019 inspection, having previously been Requires Improvement. Two registered managers — Mrs Linda King and Mrs Kirsty Wright — were in post at the time of inspection, alongside Linda King as the nominated individual and company representative. The improvement from Requires Improvement to Good in Well-led is one of the most significant signals in this inspection, as poor leadership is a strong predictor of quality decline. No specific information about governance processes, staff culture, or how the home handles complaints is available in the published text.
Source: CQC inspection report →
What the evidence base says
The home provides care for people over 65, with particular experience supporting those with sensory impairments and physical disabilities. They also care for people living with dementia, though it's worth asking about their specific approach and any specialist training when you visit. 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.
DCC Family Score
Squirrel Lodge achieved a Good rating across all five domains, improving from Requires Improvement — a positive trajectory — but the 2019 inspection report contains limited specific detail available for family scoring, meaning confidence in individual theme scores is moderate rather than high.
Homes in East typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
People describe a warm atmosphere where residents seem content. Family members have noticed their relatives appearing happy and well-settled, which can make such a difference when you're worried about how someone will adjust to care.
What inspectors have recorded
How it sits against good practice
Getting a feel for the atmosphere yourself can really help when making this decision.
Worth a visit
Squirrel Lodge on London Road South in Lowestoft was rated Good across all five inspection domains in September 2019, having previously been rated Requires Improvement — a meaningful improvement that suggests the management team identified problems and addressed them effectively. The home is registered to care for up to 24 people, including those living with dementia, physical disabilities, and sensory impairment. Two registered managers were in post at the time of inspection, pointing to a stable leadership structure. The inspection rating was reviewed in July 2023 and no evidence was found to require a change at that stage. The main uncertainty here is that the published inspection summary contains very limited specific detail — no direct quotes from residents or relatives, no observations of staff interactions, and no specific examples of care practice are available for independent review. This means the Good rating is confirmed, but the depth of what Good looks like day-to-day at Squirrel Lodge is not visible from the inspection text alone. When you visit, pay close attention to how staff interact with your parent in corridors and communal spaces when they don't know you're watching, ask specifically how many permanent staff are on the dementia unit after 8pm, and request to see a sample care plan to understand how well it reflects your parent as an individual rather than a standard template.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how Squirrel Lodge measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How Squirrel Lodge describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Friendly staff create a welcoming atmosphere for residents
Compassionate Care in Lowestoft at Squirrel Lodge
When you're looking for care in East Lowestoft, finding somewhere that feels genuinely welcoming matters. Squirrel Lodge focuses on supporting older adults, including those with sensory impairments, dementia and physical disabilities. Families visiting here often mention how friendly they find the staff.
Who they care for
The home provides care for people over 65, with particular experience supporting those with sensory impairments and physical disabilities.
They also care for people living with dementia, though it's worth asking about their specific approach and any specialist training when you visit.
“Getting a feel for the atmosphere yourself can really help when making this decision.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
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.
DCC Family Score
Squirrel Lodge achieved a Good rating across all five domains, improving from Requires Improvement — a positive trajectory — but the 2019 inspection report contains limited specific detail available for family scoring, meaning confidence in individual theme scores is moderate rather than high.
Homes in East typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
People describe a warm atmosphere where residents seem content. Family members have noticed their relatives appearing happy and well-settled, which can make such a difference when you're worried about how someone will adjust to care.
What inspectors have recorded
How it sits against good practice
Getting a feel for the atmosphere yourself can really help when making this decision.
Worth a visit
Squirrel Lodge on London Road South in Lowestoft was rated Good across all five inspection domains in September 2019, having previously been rated Requires Improvement — a meaningful improvement that suggests the management team identified problems and addressed them effectively. The home is registered to care for up to 24 people, including those living with dementia, physical disabilities, and sensory impairment. Two registered managers were in post at the time of inspection, pointing to a stable leadership structure. The inspection rating was reviewed in July 2023 and no evidence was found to require a change at that stage. The main uncertainty here is that the published inspection summary contains very limited specific detail — no direct quotes from residents or relatives, no observations of staff interactions, and no specific examples of care practice are available for independent review. This means the Good rating is confirmed, but the depth of what Good looks like day-to-day at Squirrel Lodge is not visible from the inspection text alone. When you visit, pay close attention to how staff interact with your parent in corridors and communal spaces when they don't know you're watching, ask specifically how many permanent staff are on the dementia unit after 8pm, and request to see a sample care plan to understand how well it reflects your parent as an individual rather than a standard template.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how Squirrel Lodge measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How Squirrel Lodge describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Friendly staff create a welcoming atmosphere for residents
Compassionate Care in Lowestoft at Squirrel Lodge
When you're looking for care in East Lowestoft, finding somewhere that feels genuinely welcoming matters. Squirrel Lodge focuses on supporting older adults, including those with sensory impairments, dementia and physical disabilities. Families visiting here often mention how friendly they find the staff.
Who they care for
The home provides care for people over 65, with particular experience supporting those with sensory impairments and physical disabilities.
They also care for people living with dementia, though it's worth asking about their specific approach and any specialist training when you visit.
“Getting a feel for the atmosphere yourself can really help when making this decision.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
