Harlow Hall Care Home – Hartford Care

Review Comment: My mother was resident at Harlow Hall from August to October 2025. The facilities are 5*. The staff were efficient and very experienced, the management team dealt with our concerns seriously, effectively with good communication, keeping us updated on my mother’s health issues and general mental state. Many of the staff were great fun and really tried to make her stay a ‘home from home’ experience, which isn’t easy for a lady of 94 who had lived independently at her home for the past 46 years. The staff listened to our concerns and put various strategies in place to help her with the transition. My mother was very reticent to take part in the daily activities but they tried to encourage her to socialise in the afternoon, if she wouldn’t they’d pop onto see her regularly. The food menu was varied and delicious with alternatives offered if she didn’t like today’s choices. To sum up; if I needed residential care I would book myself into Harlow Hall to be cared for by all the lovely staff!

My grandmother was a resident at Harlow Hall for 2 years before being evicted from the home. My grandmother has severe Alzheimer’s and her behaviour is quite challenging but we were assured when she moved in that she would receive the best possible care, also claiming they are the ‘Leading Company for Dementia and Alzheimer’s care”. I can tell you now that statement is entirely false.

There is a long history of systemic failures at Harlow Hall. This ranges from residents being left with soiled clothes and underwear for hours, being left in the same clothes for days, not being washed for days, theft and no actual care being provided.
My grandmother was failed by Harlow Hall and its managers. The Managers especially should be ashamed of themselves and the way they run this care home, they do not know what goes on in the home and are barely in, leaving staff to fend for themselves with a home that is barely functioning. We would come to visit my grandmother to see only one staff member on each floor to deal with at least 10 residents. This means that the care standards are not being met and this is evident with the way my grandmother was failed.

My Grandmother was meant to have medication that would soothe her emotional outbursts and keep her relatively calm, not once was it ever given to her. When asked the managers at Harlow Hall could not provide my Grandmothers care plan nor the 3 page document that I myself wrote, detailing my grandmother’s life up until now which would set the groundwork for staff to be able to communicate with her. When asked the Managers could not name one medication my grandmother was prescribed.

Theft is another concern. My Grandmother had a gold chain that she always wore and we left on her as she could not take it off by herself. When my Mum went in to visit my Grandmother, she noticed that the chain was missing and told staff only to be told that they’ll try to ring the police and provide a crime number, this was never provided and the chain was never recovered. The Manager told my mother that the necklace was indeed stolen and was going to investigate rotas but nothing ever came of it.

Any grievances we had brought up were met with defensive venom I have never seen in my life. Whenever myself or my mother would visit we were always met by cold stares and passive aggressive greetings by managers and staff, not all staff but some. It made the whole experience stressful and uncomfortable which I’m sure that Harlow Hall and Hartford Care don’t want residents families to feel. It also felt like the staff hated my Grandmother, greeting us with dramatic outbursts of “Oh thank god you are here! She’s been a nightmare!” Which I am sure no family member of a resident at Harlow Hall wants to hear. I understand my Grandmother is difficult, but for a company leading in dementia care, I expect a certain standard to be met. There is no dignity in it.

The place feels hollow. The decorations are lovely and the main rooms are clean but void of life. It feels like a facade to hide the true nature of this companies systemic failures in care. My Grandmother’s room was always left smelling of urine and feces, despite telling staff it was never truly dealt with.
The Management seems more obsessed with capturing these candid moments with residents that it does actually caring for them, especially if they have dementia like my grandmother. Image is everything for them and it was made very clear with how my mother was treated by managers there, with me being there to witness it happen.

While I cannot speak for every resident at Harlow Hall, I can speak for my Grandmother who faced multiple failures by negligent managers who do not understand how to run a care home effectively. When my Grandmother was evicted they told myself, my brothers and mother that they are leading in dementia care. But clearly not for my Grandmother.
You failed her. You failed your staff and I hope one day it all comes out.
I hope this review stays up so people can see the level of neglect residents will face