Care Beyond Compare
Family-run residential care homes across the North East
Five homes in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham and North Yorkshire. Each has its own team and its own character, and all are part of the Lenore family. Choose the home nearest you and call to talk through the next steps.
- Outstanding at Birch Hill (CQC, March 2026)
- Short stays at all five homes
- Family-run
Choose your nearest home
Each home has its own manager and its own direct number. Availability is checked weekly. Please call to confirm, as rooms can be taken at short notice.
Care that feels like home
From everyday support to a short stay, our care is shaped around each person’s needs, familiar routines and the things that make them feel at home.
Residential care
Support with washing, dressing, meals and medication, with staff on hand day and night. Residents can enjoy company, activities and their own space, with care that respects their choices and independence.
Supporting people living with dementia
Patient, reassuring care shaped around each person’s needs, interests and familiar routines. We help residents feel safe, valued and involved in daily life, while keeping families closely involved in their care.
Short stays
A welcoming place to stay for a little extra support, a break for a regular carer or a chance to experience life in our homes. Short stays are subject to availability — contact your chosen home to discuss your needs and dates.
Nursing care: Our homes provide residential care, including support for people living with dementia. We do not provide nursing care. If you are unsure which type of care you need, please talk to us.
What a day can look like
A few of the activities our residents enjoy. Each home has its own programme, so ask the home what is on.
A home from home
Real photographs from our homes, so you can picture someone you love living here.
[LENORE CARE TO CONFIRM: photo: mealtime in the dining room]
[LENORE CARE TO CONFIRM: photo: an activity in progress]
[LENORE CARE TO CONFIRM: photo: a bedroom made personal]
How fees and funding work
Fees depend on the home and on the level of support someone needs. Before you decide, the home manager will give you a written breakdown of what is included and what is not, so there are no surprises.
Many families use a mix of local authority funding, NHS funding and private payment. We can explain the options and what you may be asked to contribute.
Usually included in the weekly fee
- [LENORE CARE TO CONFIRM: room, meals and refreshments]
- [LENORE CARE TO CONFIRM: personal care and support, day and night]
- [LENORE CARE TO CONFIRM: activities and outings]
Usually charged separately
- [LENORE CARE TO CONFIRM: for example hairdressing, chiropody, personal items]
Why families trust us
Inspection results, the people running each home, and what families say, each with a date and a source.
Latest CQC ratings
| Home | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|
| Arden House | Awaiting CQC rating | – |
| Birch Hill | Outstanding | May 2026 |
| Carntyne | Good | September 2021 |
| Kendal House | Good | August 2022 |
| Melbury House | Good | June 2023 |
Each home name links to its page, with the full CQC report.
What families say
[LENORE CARE TO CONFIRM: a real, consented family review, quoted word for word, with first name, relationship, home, date and source]
The people who run our homes
[LENORE CARE TO CONFIRM: a short line from a home manager about what matters in their home, with photo and consent]
What happens when you get in touch
Talk to the home
Call the home nearest you, or send a message. [LENORE CARE TO CONFIRM: how quickly the home replies] The team will answer your questions without pressure.
Visit the home
Call the home and arrange a visit directly with them: a look round, a meal and a chat with the manager. [LENORE CARE TO CONFIRM: whether evenings or weekends are available]
Plan the move
We assess needs together, agree costs in writing and plan a settling-in that suits the person moving.
Advice for families
Choosing a home
What does residential care involve?
What is residential care? Residential care is a place to live where trained staff help with everyday tasks that have become hard to manage at home.…
News from our homes
Arden House and Kendal House Raise £405 for Macmillan Cancer Support
Residents, families and staff at Arden House and Kendal House came together for a Macmillan Coffee Morning, raising a fantastic £405 for Macmillan Cancer Support. On 24 September, both Arden…
Sheila Celebrates Her 100th Birthday at Arden House
There was a very special celebration recently at Arden House Care Home in Pickering. Resident Sheila celebrated an incredible milestone — her 100th birthday. Reaching 100 is a remarkable occasion.…
Birch Hill Retains Outstanding CQC Rating
We are delighted to share that Birch Hill Care Centre in Norham has once again been rated Outstanding overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Following an assessment carried out…
Enquire now
The quickest way is to call the home you are interested in. Prefer to write? Leave a few details and that home will ring you back.
Referring for someone else?
Social workers, discharge teams and GPs: call the home directly, or see our referral information. Referral information for professionals
[LENORE CARE TO CONFIRM: add the enquiry form here: in Elementor, drag a Form widget into this column and follow the steps in the guide. Name it lc_enquiry, so it routes by the Which home? answer]