Introducing Birchwood House
Time and time again, residents tell us that Birchwood’s friendly, family feel and high standard of care set us apart.
Our residential home Birchwood House is a true home-from-home. Our dedicated team go the extra mile to ensure residents receive the highest quality care from our family-run business.
We deliver care with professionalism, respect, and dignity. Your loved ones are at the heart of everything we do, ensuring independence and wellbeing throughout later life.
“The home is situated in lovely grounds and the conservatory is a delight. The staff are like a family to the residents and the level of care provided is exemplary. The home is always clean and fresh and the in-house catering very good. As relatives of one of the residents, we could not ask for more.“
D T (son of resident)
What sets our care home apart?
A home in the country
Surrounded by the beautiful Kent countryside and acres of meticulously maintained grounds, our traditional manor house offers a unique setting with a warm and friendly atmosphere.
Based in Speldhurst, just three miles from Tunbridge Wells, we fully support the local community, and our regular events and activities keep residents active and engaged, ensuring that they never feel alone.
Our carers
Our qualified and loyal staff choose to care as their vocation. Our team of carers go far beyond care plans to use their personal knowledge of each of our residents to respond to individual needs. We always give that little bit extra – day in, day out.
We have thorough recruitment and vetting procedures, supported by extensive induction and training programmes, and we’re proud to have Investors in People status.
Comfort
We offer a home-from-home environment in our beautiful communal and individual rooms, soft furnishings, and nourishing home-cooked food. We’ve recently completed renovating the home and have added a new visiting suite and hairdressing salon.
Activities
One-to-one and group level activities and events are a fundamental part of life at Birchwood House. We understand the importance of physical and mental stimulation and can this can be a personal preference.
Independence
All of our residents have individual needs and therefore bespoke care plans. At the heart of each plan, we ensure the right level of independence is maintained.
Never alone
It’s important to us that our residents feel part of a family through individual care and regular group activities.
We maintain excellent relationships with other health professionals and experts, including local doctors, district nurses and Hospice in the Weald.
Birchwood’s origins
When we took over Birchwood House over 30 years ago, we completely revolutionised the existing care home.
We set about restoring the beautiful house and building on the foundations in place to offer a high-quality residence with an excellent standard of care. Find out about the rich history of Birchwood House.
In 2003 we expanded the Birchwood offering with the launch of Birchwood Care Services, providing everyday personal care and domestic support in our clients’ own homes. Since then we’ve looked after hundreds of clients across Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge.
“Mum was taken into Birchwood at short notice. Management promised her room would be painted and it was. She was very well looked after, the food was excellent and came in the right portions. We had no complaints whatsoever about the care all the staff gave her. Management were very attentive to her medical needs. The conservatory was a big bonus and we were always made welcome to have tea/coffee or lunch there.“
The people behind Birchwood
“My father Kiran Patel set up Birchwood three decades ago, having seen a wonderful opportunity to build a quality care home in beautiful surroundings, run by a close-knit team.
I now run Birchwood Care, overseeing both Birchwood House and Birchwood Care Services. I grew up watching my father run Birchwood and felt well placed to take over the reins after he retired, drawing upon the business skills acquired in my career.
Birchwood Care is not just a business, it means so much more. Working in social care is highly rewarding. You know you are really making a big difference to people’s lives. We’re always open to change and trying new things to improve our residents’ wellbeing.”
Niral Patel, Chief Executive
“My mother entered this care home at the age of 97 with many health and mental problems. She was always treated with great care, respect and dignity for the entire time she was there by all the staff. Myself and all her family members and friends were welcomed always by the caring staff. Communication from staff was excellent and I cannot speak highly enough of the staff and facilities.“
J M (daughter of resident)
A heritage house with high tech care
The past 30 years have seen many changes here at Birchwood. The average age of our residents has increased by some 20 years. Dining has moved on significantly, and our nutritionally-balanced menu accommodates changing tastes, cultures, and preferences.
In 2015 we introduced technology to enhance the experience for our residents. Working with the state-of-the-art digital care planning software Sekoia has ensured that more time is spent on caring and less time on admin, whilst improving the accuracy of data and the availability of up-to-date information for our resident’s families. This has allowed us to innovate and enrich our residents’ lives and wellbeing.
The Birchwood Promise
Our framed Birchwood Promise is proudly displayed at the entrance of Birchwood House. This is a commitment to all our residents to ensure we consistently deliver on our promises.
- We don’t have clients, we have residents
- Our food is home-cooked
- Our fabulous building retains its air of being a family home
- We laugh and celebrate together, as a family
- You will be treated with kindness, compassion, and respect
- You will always be encouraged and kept active
- You will always be cared for with dignity
- You will always feel safe and never alone
- You will live an enriched life every day
We promise to:
- Provide a home from home that’s warm and comforting
- Provide stimulating, fun, engaging activities and events
- Provide professional, attentive, passionate care from qualified, enthusiastic people
- Provide the right care that’s best for your individual needs
- Always be here for you
Looking for the best possible care?
Birchwood House is deep-rooted in history. We combine tradition with modern techniques and equipment to ensure we are always providing the best service and true value for money to our residents and their families. But you can always guarantee you will find a true home-from-home and a warm welcome.
To find out more about Birchwood, please call us on 01892 863559 and see how we can help.
Download a copy of our Birchwood House newsletter.
Find out about commonly asked questions with our Birchwood House FAQS.