Heron Hill Care Home
Book a Visit
Valley Drive
Esthwaite Avenue
Kendal
Cumbria
LA9 7SE
| Care Type | Care Home |
|---|---|
| Care Category | Nursing | Dementia | Respite |
| Availability | Yes |
| Regulator's Rating | Good |
Meet The Manager
Nicola Spedding is Care Home Manager at Heron Hill Care Home.
Nicola started her career in the care sector in 1992 as a carer in a nursing home. She worked her way up to her current position of Registered Home Manager. Along the way Nicola has studied to gain the knowledge required to become a good home manager. She has her NVQ level 4 in Health and Social care and Management, along with the Registered Managers level 4 award. Nicola has worked in both residential and nursing homes for the elderly.
Nicola is passionate about promoting a high quality of care for both her residents, their families and her team. Nicola supports her team to achieve this through training, supervision and guidance. She also encourages open and honest discussions with her residents and their families to help her and her team to perform the best they can.
Heron Hill is a purpose-built care home located in Kendal, a historic town at the entrance to the beautiful English Lake District. The town has excellent road, rail, and bus links.
Set in a residential area in the heart of the Kendal community (adjacent to the Heron Hill pub), it has level access to the entrance, grounds, and gardens. The surroundings are ideal for residents wishing to maintain a more independent lifestyle and enable families to visit with ease.
| Care Options | We Can Provide |
|---|---|
| Support For | Companionship, End of Life, Nursing Dementia / EMI, Palliative, Personal care. |
| Disability Support | Bed Bound, Physical Disability, Physically Frail, Walking Frame, Wheel Chair Bound. |
| Medication | By Mouth, Injection, Suppository. |
| Type Of Dementia | Mild Dementia, Moderate Dementia. |
| Dementia Behaviour | Mild Forgetfulness. |
| Dementia Specialisms | Alzheimer's. |
| Respite Care | Yes |
Autumna has invited care providers to evidence the infection control measures they are carrying out, above and beyond those laid out by the government, in order to keep residents, staff and visitors safe.
| What we're doing to keep residents & visitors safe | ||
|---|---|---|
|
We've taken the appropriate steps to ensure the safety of residents. |
||
| Infection Control Initiatives in place | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
Air Filtration & Purification | We are using air filtration and/or air purification devices within our care setting. |
|
Independent Assessments | We have been independently assessed in our approach to infection control. |
|
Infection Control Training | Our staff are trained to use measures which prevent and control infections. |
|
Infection Screening | We are using technology to screen for infections & monitor symptoms. |
|
Regulatory Assessment | We have been assessed by the care regulator in our approach to infection control. |
|
Sterilisation & Disinfection Devices | We are using sterilisation and/or disinfection devices within our care setting. |
|
Virus Testing | We are testing for viral infection when symptoms present within our care setting. |
| Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) - Regulator’s Assessment | ||
|---|---|---|
| In response to the coronavirus pandemic, regulators have assessed the preparedness of care providers in relation to infection prevention and control. Details of the regulator’s latest findings can be found below. | ||
| Regulator: CQC | ||
|
Use of PPE | The provider assured the regulator that it was using personal protective equipment effectively and safely. |
| View the provider’s latest Inspection Reports. | ||
| Safe Visiting Space | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|||||
| Connectivity for resident testing, monitoring & communications |
|---|
|
Infection control and the safety of both residents and staff often requires quarantine measures and the isolation of care home residents. To test, monitor and allow residents to communicate with relatives, the prevalence of room-level connectivity within the home is becoming increasingly relevant. Wireless Internet access (WiFi) Yes, our care home has WiFi in all our resident’s rooms. Mobile Phone Network Coverage (mobile “signal”) Yes, our care home has mobile phone signal in all our resident’s rooms. Telephone for external calling Our care home provides a telephone in some of our residents’ rooms. |
Social media provides an up to date window on the activities within a provider's setting.
We are on Facebook| Minimum Age |
|---|
| 55 |
| Our Building and Facilities |
|---|
|
The home offers a range of communal facilities such as a beautiful fully stocked bar and bistro cafe, large lounges plus cinema facilities, dining rooms, and smaller quiet rooms or family lounges which can even be suitable for private dining. All areas are easily accessible with large lifts to support movement between floors. Our home has a spacious, flat level landscaped garden with beautiful colourful plants and a barbecue area as well as many seating areas for the enjoyment of residents and their guests. We employ full-time maintenance and housekeeping staff on the premises and our continued investment ensures high standards and a clean and safe environment. |
| Is Our Home Purpose Built |
|---|
| Yes |
| How Many Floors We Have |
|---|
| 2 |
| Who Owns Our Building |
|---|
| Private |
| Communal Rooms |
|---|
| Bar / Pub, Dining Rooms, Sitting Rooms, TV Lounges. |
| What Else Do We Provide |
|---|
| Assisted Bathroom, Beauty Salon, Chiropodist, Dentist, GP, Hairdressers, Lift, Minibus, Optician. |
| Our Garden |
|---|
| Communal Garden, Communal Patio, Private Garden(s), Seating, Secure Garden, Wheelchair Friendly Access. |
| Our Photos |
|---|
| Description |
|---|
|
Heron Hill offers a modern yet classical, luxurious and smart decor, with a range of living options from single occupancy to companion rooms – all with en-suite and shower facilities. Rooms are furnished to a high standard with 24-hour call system, large smart screen TV, telephone and broadband facilities. However, we welcome residents to personalise their room with their own belongings and our in-house maintenance staff are always on hand to help. |
| About Our Rooms | |
|---|---|
| Number Of Rooms | 86 |
| Number Of Ensuite Rooms | 86 |
| We offer these types of ensuite rooms: Wet Rooms. | |
| Type Of Room |
|---|
| Single Room. |
| Room Features |
|---|
| Furnished, Garden View, Step Free Access, Unfurnished. |
| Room Facilities |
|---|
| Catch up TV, Freeview TV, Internet Access, Sky/Cable TV, Telephone Point. |
| Our Photos |
|---|
|
| Funding Types | |
|---|---|
| Local Authority | Westmorland and Furness |
| Region | North West |
| We Accept Self-Funding Clients | Yes |
| We Accept Local Authority Funding | Yes |
| We Accept NHS Continuing Healthcare | Yes |
| We Accept Local Authority funding with a Third Party Top-Up | Yes |
Choice Dining is a food-focused accreditation designed to give care-seekers like yourself the ability to consider and compare the dining experience within different care settings.
To be awarded the Choice Dining badge, a care home will have committed to delivering exceptional dining experiences with a strong focus on preference, individuality, hygiene and the environment. You can explore the specifics of all participating homes in the tab below to learn more about the food on offer, how it is served and presented and what they’re doing to cater for your personal taste. Find out more about Choice Dining.
| Styles of Food |
 Pureed
Vegan
Vegetarian
|
|---|---|
| Dining Locations |
Bedroom Dining
Lounge/Diner
|
| Dining Styles |
Hot Trolley
Room Service
|
| Hospitality |
Guests are welcome for dinner (Covid permitting)
|
| Our Photos |
|
The preparation, nutritional value and presentation of food.
Attractive drinks and adaptive cups/glasses are available and accessible where needed.
Individual dietary needs are person centred.
Meals reflect the nutritional needs of the residents.
Our menu is balanced.
Snacks are provided for residents that require texture-modified food.
Sweet and savoury foods are provided between meals (this does not just include cakes and biscuits).
Hot Trolley
Room Service
A critical component for good health.
Hand hygiene for both residents and staff.
We are following best practice including NICE guidelines as a standard.
We are conducting internal and/or 3rd party food safety audits.
We have allergen management policies in place.
A freedom to eat the food you want, when you want it.
Families are invited for meals [Covid permitting].
Residents dining in their own room have the same food options as elsewhere.
Residents dining in their own room have their food presented to same standard as elsewhere.
Residents have access to Dining Room.
Staff sit with the residents they support when they dine.
The best interest choices are made for residents unable to make their own choices.
Understanding the wants and requirements of every individual be it cultural, religious or dietary.
Vegetarian food can be served.
We can support people with Diabetes.
Delivering a respectful and quality service.
Tables are well laid.
Staff understand and pre-empt potential meal-time behaviours which can impact nutritional intake.
Staff always use appropriate and dignified language (e.g. it is an ‘apron’ not a ‘bib’).
There are no unnecessary disruptions during mealtimes.
| Activities Are So Important |
|---|
|
Our home assists residents in developing and maintaining their social interests and engaging in meaningful activities. This is supported by all our staff but especially by our dedicated activity staff who help co-ordinate programmes for our residents according to their choices and individual hobbies. On any particular day, our residents could be enjoying a drive in a car or mini-bus, participating in reminiscence workshops, planting their favourite flowers in the garden, or enjoying a cinema afternoon with a glass of champagne. Residents can freely entertain their guests in the communal and private areas of the home, or in the privacy of their own bedroom. Our home has an in-house hairdressing and beauty salon offering the opportunity for a well deserved pampering. |
| Our Photos |
|---|
|
| Activities At Home |
|---|
| 1 to 1 Activities, Bingo, Birthday Celebrations, Board Games, Card Games, Crafts, Crosswords, Excursions, Gardening, Music Entertainment, Painting, Quiz Games, Reminiscence, Singing, Themed Events, Visiting Entertainment, Word Games. |
| Activities Outside Our Home |
|---|
| Local Tourist Attractions, Shopping. |
Valley Drive
Esthwaite Avenue
Kendal
Cumbria
LA9 7SE
Regulator: CQC
| Current Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Overall | Good |
| Safe | Good |
| Well Led | Good |
| Caring | Outstanding |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
| Inspection Reports | |
| Assessment Date | 24th June 2025 |
| Published Date | 14th November 2025 |
| Current Report |
|
| Historic Reports |
|
| Registration Date | 10th August 2012 |
| Service Provider | Abbey Healthcare (Kendal) Limited, NW9 7BT |
Heron Hill Care Home Care Home - Care Quality Commission (cqc.org.uk)
| Transport |
|---|
| Bus Stop nearby, Train Station nearby. |
| Places of Worship |
|---|
| Anglican Church, Catholic Church, Methodist Church. |
| Nearby Services |
|---|
| Pub, Restaurant, Shops. |
Frequently asked questions about Heron Hill Care Home
The UK's largest & most detailed directory of elderly care and retirement living options
10,267
Care Homes
11,438
Home Care Services
1,685
Live-in Care Services
1,735
Retirement Living Developments
Autumna is the UK's largest and most comprehensive later-life living & elderly care directory. Our detailed search facility and team of expert advisors can help you find the best care homes, nursing homes, retirement homes, retirement villages, home care, and live-in care services for you or your loved one's needs. Our website is free to use, we are proudly independent, and we never take referral fees.
