How do we arrange a care needs assessment in Rochester?

Contact the adult social care team at Medway Council and ask for a care needs assessment for the person concerned. It is free, it is open to anyone who appears to need care and it does not depend on savings. A relative, a GP or a hospital discharge team can make the referral where necessary. The assessment looks at daily tasks, safety and the support already being given, and it produces the support plan that follows.

Can Medway Council fund a care home placement?

It can, subject to a financial assessment carried out once the needs assessment is complete. Medway Council examines income, savings and capital, and contributes towards the weekly fee where these fall below the national threshold. Funding is set at a level regarded as sufficient to meet assessed needs, so a more expensive home may require a third party top up. Requesting the assessment is worthwhile even for families who expect to pay privately.

Which care homes in Rochester are listed here?

Twenty two residential care homes in Rochester appear in this collection, each registered with the Care Quality Commission. They include Millstream House, Sir Evelyn Road and others across the area, together with homes that have been rated below Good. Every listing shows the provider name, the current CQC rating where one has been awarded and a link to the full profile. Given the spread of grades here, reading the reports is essential rather than optional.

What is the difference between a care home and a nursing home?

A care home provides accommodation with personal care, covering help with washing, dressing, meals, medication and company. A nursing home provides the same alongside registered nurses on duty around the clock for clinical care. The homes gathered on this page are registered for residential care rather than nursing. Because needs often increase, ask each home what happens when nursing support becomes necessary.

How far ahead should we start looking?

Earlier than most families manage, and ideally before a fall or a hospital admission forces the pace. Assessments, financial checks and waiting lists all take time, and the better regarded homes here fill their rooms first. A few months of notice allows repeat visits and a careful reading of every inspection report. Where a discharge from hospital is already being planned, tell the council, because those cases move faster.

What should we ask when visiting a care home in Rochester?

Ask how many care staff are on duty by day and overnight, how long the manager has been in post and what turnover has been like. Ask how care plans are agreed and reviewed, how the home handles increasing needs and how families are kept informed. Practical questions matter too, including mealtime choice, visiting arrangements, laundry and which extras are charged separately. Where a home has been rated below Good, ask what has changed since the inspection and ask to see the evidence for it.

Care Homes in Rochester

Rochester has 23 CQC registered care homes. 14 are rated Good, 5 Requires improvement, 1 Inadequate, and 3 have not yet been rated. 13 of the 23 were last inspected more than three years ago.

Source: Care Quality Commission register, kept up to date as ratings change.

Rochester at a glance

What the local numbers say about care for older people in Rochester, to help you judge the options below.

Medway Council pays, residential care: £875 a week. Self-funders are typically asked £1,500 to £1,809, median £1,600
Care home beds filled across Medway: 90%. The 12 month average is 87%.
Care home beds per 1,000 people aged 75+: 64
People aged 75 and over: 23,900. Rising to 26,900 by 2035, up 13%
Care homes, last 12 months: 1 opened, 2 closed
Who pays, across Medway (estimate): 51% council, 28% self. The rest is NHS funded or other.
Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 3,100. Rising to 3,700 by 2035, up 21%
People aged 85 and over: 5,800. Rising to 8,500 by 2035, up 47%

Planned and recent building work within 5 miles

6 Capstone Road Lordswood Chatham Medway. Application for a 6 bed care home through a change of use. Submitted 15 October 2025. Decision not yet recorded. (3.1 miles away)
Land South Of Innovation Centre Medway Maidstone Road Chatham Medway. Application for a 80 bed care home. Submitted 1 July 2026. Decision not yet recorded. (3.7 miles away)

Powered by Orrery Intelligence. Market model built 22 October 2026 (ONS 2022 based population projections, CQC register), published care home prices, council planning records.

Arranging a care home place in Rochester and meeting the cost

A list with grades this varied makes the reading matter more, though the practical steps are the same whichever home is eventually chosen. Both begin with an assessment rather than a viewing.

The care needs assessment

An assessment is free, is not means tested and is open to anyone who appears to need care. A social worker or occupational therapist will consider washing and dressing, meals, medication, mobility, continence and safety alone overnight, taking account of what relatives have observed as well as what the person says. Medway Council Adult Social Care carries out that assessment and the financial assessment that follows it. If residential care is the recommendation, the reasons are written into a support plan which travels with the person, and a separate carer's assessment is available to the relative who has been providing support.

Fees, contributions and top ups

The financial assessment examines income, savings and capital. Above the national threshold the placement is privately funded and the contract is made directly with the home; below it, the council contributes up to a level it judges sufficient to meet assessed needs. Where a family prefers a home charging more than that, a third party top up may be requested, and it should be affordable for years rather than months. Ask each home for its weekly rate in writing, for a list of what is charged separately, and for confirmation of how much notice is given before fees are increased.

Choosing between the care homes in Rochester

Here the grades do real work, and the reports behind them do more.

Taking the ratings seriously

Thirteen homes are rated Good, six are rated Requires Improvement, one is rated Inadequate and two carry no rating. Where a home has been rated Inadequate or Requires Improvement, the report sets out exactly what inspectors found, whether that concerned staffing, medicines, safety or leadership, and what the provider was instructed to put right. Read the date as closely as the finding, because a home under new management can improve quickly, and a home that was strong three years ago may not be strong now. Where a home is rated Good, look at what inspectors said about staffing levels and how residents are supported to make choices.

What to look for on the visit

Call in at a busy hour rather than a convenient one, and see the home twice if you can. Watch how staff speak to residents who cannot easily reply, whether people appear occupied, and how long anyone waits after asking for help. Ask how long the manager has been in post, what turnover has been like and how the home supports someone whose needs increase. If the home has been rated below Good, ask precisely what has changed since and look for evidence rather than reassurance. Ask about meals, visiting and night staffing as well, and notice whether the manager seems to know the residents by name or only by room number.

23 care homes in Rochester

Care Home · Robert Bean Care Centre, Rochester, Medway, ME1 2QT
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Rochester Care Home Limited
Rochester Care Home is a residential care home in Rochester for older people who need help with daily living. We support people living with dementia, people with mental health needs, people with physical disabilities and people with sight...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care
Avenues South East - 2a Higham Road · Wainscott, Rochester, Medway, ME3 8BB
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Avenues South East
2a Higham Road is a small care home in Rochester, run by Avenues South East. We provide residential care for adults with a learning disability and autistic adults, and we offer respite stays alongside permanent places. Being a small house...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Yew Tree Holdings · Yew Tree Lodge, Rochester, Medway, ME3 9BJ
Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Yew Tree Lodge (Holdings) Limited
Yew Tree Holdings is a care home in Rochester. We provide residential care for older people and we offer respite stays alongside permanent places. Our most recent overall rating from the Care Quality Commission is requires improvement, and...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care
Lake View Lodge · Limeburners Drive, Halling, Rochester, Medway, ME2 1GF
Care home · Run by Crystal Care Homes Halling Opco Limited
Lake View Lodge is a residential care home in Rochester, supporting older people and younger adults across Medway, including people living with dementia and people with a physical disability. People rarely move into a care home at a...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Younger Adults
The Kent Autistic Trust - 52a River Drive · 52a River Drive, Rochester, Medway, ME2 3JR
Care home · CQC Good · Run by The Kent Autistic Trust
We are The Kent Autistic Trust at 52a River Drive in Rochester, a residential care home supporting autistic adults and adults with a learning disability. We work in a deliberately domestic way, because this is a house where people live...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Sinon House Therapeutic Unit · 16 The Terrace, Rochester, Medway, ME1 1XN
Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Independence-Development Ltd
Sinon House is a residential care home in Rochester, Medway, supporting adults with a learning disability or autism, people managing mental health conditions and people living with an eating disorder, including younger adults. We also...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care, Eating Disorders
Frindsbury House · 42 Hollywood Lane, Rochester, Medway, ME3 8AL
Care home · CQC Good · Run by The Mortimer Society
Frindsbury House is a residential care home in Rochester in Medway. We support adults with learning disabilities, autistic adults and people with physical disabilities, and we offer respite stays for people whose usual home is elsewhere....
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Respite Care
Lake View Lodge · Limeburners Drive, Rochester, Medway, ME2 1FG
Care home · Run by Crystal Care Homes Halling Limited
Lake View Lodge is a residential care home in Rochester. We are home to older people, including many living with dementia, people with physical disabilities and people living with sight or hearing loss. We support younger adults as well,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Jersey Road · 11B Jersey Road, Rochester, Medway, ME2 3PB
Care home · CQC Good · Run by CLBD Limited
Jersey Road is a residential care home in Rochester, Medway, supporting adults with a learning disability, autistic adults and people managing mental health conditions, most of them younger adults. Respite stays are available too. The...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Welcome House - Nickleby Lodge · 32 The Close, Rochester, Medway, ME1 1SD
Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Toqeer Aslam
Welcome House at Nickleby Lodge is a residential care home in Rochester supporting adults living with mental ill health. We offer permanent places and planned respite stays. We are a house where people live rather than a clinical setting,...
Specialisms: Mental Health, Respite Care
Chimnies Residential Care Home · Chimnies, Rochester, Medway, ME3 9PD
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Chimnies Limited
We at Chimnies Residential Care Home offer a warm and welcoming home for older people in Rochester, providing residential care, dementia support, and respite stays for families across Medway and the wider South East. Nestled within the...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care
Downers Court · 1 & 2 Downer Court, Rochester, Medway, ME1 2SA
Care home · CQC Good · Run by CLBD Limited
Downers Court is a residential care home in Rochester supporting adults with a range of needs, including people with a learning disability, autistic adults, people living with mental health conditions, people with a physical disability and...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Avenues South East - 74 Wilson Avenue · 74 Wilson Avenue, Rochester, Medway, ME1 2RL
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Avenues South East
Here at Avenues South East, 74 Wilson Avenue, we offer residential care for adults in the heart of Rochester, Medway. We support people living with learning disabilities, autism and physical disabilities, and we also provide respite care...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Respite Care
Sir Evelyn Road · 74 Sir Evelyn Road, Rochester, Medway, ME1 3LZ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Voyage 1 Limited
Sir Evelyn Road is a small residential care home in Rochester supporting adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults. Most of the people living here are younger adults, and for most of them this is a settled long term home. Being...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Watts Healthcare · 209-211, Rochester, Medway, ME1 3BU
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Watts Healthcare Limited
Watts Healthcare is a residential care home in Rochester, Medway. We provide a home for older people who need support with daily living, for younger adults who need a supportive household, for people with physical disabilities and for...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Grafton Lodge · 40 Goddington Road, Rochester, Medway, ME2 3DE
Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Sathya Care Ltd
Grafton Lodge is a residential care home in Rochester, supporting older adults and some younger adults. We look after residents living with dementia and residents with a physical disability or a visual or hearing impairment, and we offer...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Millstream House · 4 Mill Road, Rochester, Medway, ME2 3BT
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Voyage 1 Limited
Millstream House is a residential care home in Rochester, Medway. We support adults with a learning disability, adults on the autistic spectrum, people with physical disabilities and younger adults, and we also offer respite stays. Our...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Welcome House - The Chestnuts · 10 Watts Avenue, Rochester, Medway, ME1 1RX
Care home · CQC Inadequate · Run by Toqeer Aslam
The Chestnuts is one of the homes in the Welcome House family, and we are based in Rochester in Medway. We provide residential care for adults who live with a mental health condition, both for people who make their home with us and for...
Specialisms: Mental Health, Respite Care
Orchard View · 1, Rochester, Medway, ME2 4HP
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Achieve Together Limited
Orchard View is a residential care home in Rochester, Medway, supporting adults with a learning disability or autism. We also offer respite stays, which can give a family carer a genuine break while the person staying with us has company...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
House · 221 Maidstone Road, Rochester, Medway, ME1 3BU
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Achieve Together Limited
Rochester House is a residential care home in Rochester supporting adults with a learning disability and autistic adults. We are a household rather than an institution, and the people who live here have a real say in how their own home is...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Castle View House · 9 Castle View Road, Rochester, Medway, ME2 3PP
Care home · CQC Good · Run by All In Mind Care Services Limited
Castle View House is a residential care home in Rochester providing a home for older people and for younger adults who need support with daily living, including people living with dementia and people living with mental health conditions....
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care
St Williams · 135 St. Williams Way, Rochester, Medway, ME1 2PG
Care home · Run by CLBD Limited
We at St Williams offer dedicated residential care in the historic town of Rochester, providing a warm and supportive home for younger adults living with physical disabilities. Nestled within the ME postcode area of Medway, our care home...
Specialisms: Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Lizbis Care Home · 5 Hillside Avenue, Rochester, Medway, ME2 3DB
Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Radah Care Ltd
We are Lizbis Care Home, a residential care home in Rochester, Medway. We support older people and younger adults, including people living with dementia and people managing mental health conditions, and we also offer respite stays. Our...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care

What care costs in Medway, per week

Type of care	What the council pays	What self-funders are typically asked
Residential care South East figure, because too few Medway homes publish this price. 107 homes. Median £1,600.	£875	£1,500 to £1,809
Nursing care South East figure, because too few Medway homes publish this price. 63 homes. Median £1,933.	£1,126	£1,617 to £2,080
Residential dementia care South East figure, because too few Medway homes publish this price. 82 homes. Median £1,709.	Not published separately	£1,571 to £1,942
Nursing dementia care South East figure, because too few Medway homes publish this price. 37 homes. Median £2,050.	Not published separately	£1,975 to £2,226

Published prices are often starting prices, and come from homes that publish fees, so treat them as a guide. Ask the home for its own price. Powered by Orrery Intelligence.

Inspected most recently

Chimnies Residential Care Home, 22 September 2026, Good
Sir Evelyn Road, 16 September 2026, Good
Frindsbury House, 10 August 2026, Good

Longest since a report

Avenues South East - 2a Higham Road, 11 January 2018, Good
Downers Court, 31 July 2018, Good
Avenues South East - 74 Wilson Avenue, 8 September 2018, Good

Frequently asked questions about care homes in Rochester

How many care homes are there in Rochester?

Rochester has 23 CQC registered care homes: 14 Good, 5 Requires improvement, 1 Inadequate, 3 not yet rated. Counts come from the CQC register and are kept up to date as ratings change.

How much does a care home cost in Rochester?

Medway Council pays an average of £875 a week for residential care. Self-funders are typically asked £1,500 to £1,809 a week. South East figure, because too few Medway homes publish this price. 107 homes. Median £1,600. Published prices are often starting prices, and come from homes that publish fees, so treat them as a guide. Ask the home for its own price.

Which care homes in Rochester were inspected most recently?

Chimnies Residential Care Home (22 September 2026), Sir Evelyn Road (16 September 2026) and Frindsbury House (10 August 2026) have the most recent CQC reports.