Dovecote Care Home in High Spen 

Residents have access to many fantastic facilities, including gardens with an allotment, spacious lounges, a hairdressing salon and a dining room where we serve delicious home cooked meals.

During the summer, the gardens are a haven for wildlife and are well used by our residents who enjoy gardening. Raised planters help bring the space to life, while the courtyard and seating areas provide a nice spot to catch-up and enjoy the fresh air.

The gardens at our Gateshead care home also feature wheelchair accessible pathways, so they can be enjoyed by everyone.

Light and cosy, our lounges allow residents to spend quality time with friends and loved ones, as well as participate in the many daily activities arranged by our team. And those who fancy a spot of pampering will find our hairdressing salon perfect for an indulgent afternoon.

Mealtimes are always a real highlight of the day. We have our own chef, who prepares a range of nutritious meals for our residents, as well as freshly baked cakes – the highlight being our chocolate brownies!

Here, at Dovecote Residential Care Home, we ensure there's always plenty to keep our residents active and engaged. Our activities coordinator plans and arranges sessions and games designed to enrich their lives.

Some of these activities involve the 'Magic Table', a state-of-the-art piece of technology designed in the Netherlands for people living with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia and memory loss. It projects interactive games onto a surface, encouraging older people to get involved and socialise through these captivating games. From popping bubbles to catching fish, it's always wonderful to them getting involved.

We’ve also welcomed fantastic groups that run weekly music sessions with our residents and other elderly residents from nearby care homes. At our ‘Share a Chair’ group, we invite guest from the local church and community groups for senior adults to enjoy a delicious, home-cooked roast dinner.

There are many other daily activities residents can get involved in too, including movie nights, games of bingo, choir practice, arts and crafts mornings and gentle exercise sessions. So, whatever interests our residents have, there's never a dull moment at our residential and dementia care home in Gateshead.

We're very much part of our local community, here in High Spen and the wider Gateshead area. Dovecote care home has its own minibus, allowing us to plan regular trips out and about.

Many of our residents played golf in their younger days, so we've made the most of weekly trips to the nearby gold club, which also hosts special socials for the local seniors. And, of course, there are visits to St James' Park - home of the beloved Newcastle United FC. We've had many residents who were regular match-goers before they moved into residential care. The club has a dementia café, which we attend, and often treats our residents to their own private box for games!

Being surrounded by the countryside also allows us to make the most of nature. We have close links with the local forestry commission, which organises gentle nature walks and outdoor seated exercise sessions for our residents. Outings to the beaches at South Shields and Blythe are always popular with our residents, as are trips to the local villages of Highfield and Chopwell.

It is usual for residents in care homes to contribute to the cost of their own care. Some people have the resources to pay for this in full, whilst others make means-tested contributions.

Our weekly fees are individual to each of our residents and are subject to a pre-admission assessment, which is required to understand the level of care and support needed. Our 2024 weekly care fees for residential care start from £1,009 but may be in the region of 30% more*. This depends on your care needs and the type of bedroom that is right for you, from our standard rooms through to our premium bedroom options.

*If you require more specialist care such as 1-2-1 support, your weekly fee could be higher.

Visit our Paying for Care page for information on how to pay for care at Dovecote Residential Care Home.

Do you or your loved need short term or long-term respite care? We’re here for you. Our team can provide respite care for individuals with life-limiting conditions, symptoms of dementia, or those who simply need a little more personal support.