Mental health care home near Derby, in Breaston
The Firs Residential Home is a small, family-run care home in Breaston, between Derby and Long Eaton. As well as caring for older people and people living with dementia, we are registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide residential care for people with mental health conditions. We support adults both over and under 65, including people whose mental health condition comes with other needs, such as an eating disorder, and every person is assessed before a place is offered so we can be confident the home is right for them.
This page explains what mental health support looks like at The Firs, who it suits, and where a more specialist service would be the better choice.
Mental health residential care: what we provide
The Firs is a residential care home, not a hospital, a nursing home or a specialist psychiatric unit. What we offer is a settled home with care available 24 hours a day, where people are known well by a small team and supported to live as full a life as possible.
For many people, that stability is what makes the difference. Support at The Firs includes:
- a calm, predictable daily routine that residents help to shape
- a consistent team, so residents see familiar faces rather than a rota of strangers
- time to talk, both one to one and through everyday conversation
- help with personal care, meals and taking medication as prescribed
- activities and company for those who want them, and quiet space for those who do not
- involvement of family and friends, with open visiting from 9am to 10pm
We have cared for local families for more than 30 years, and with 28 residents our staff notice small changes in mood, sleep, appetite or behaviour quickly and act on them.
Working with the resident's GP and mental health professionals
A GP holds a weekly ward round at The Firs, so concerns about someone's mental or physical health can be raised and reviewed regularly. We work alongside the resident's own health professionals to follow any treatment plan they have set. District nurses, chiropodists, audiologists and speech and language therapists also visit as needed.
Our role is to provide the day-to-day care and observation that supports that treatment: making sure medication is taken as prescribed, reporting changes promptly, and making sure the resident's views are heard at reviews.
Care homes for mental health: who The Firs suits
The Firs tends to suit people whose mental health condition is long-standing and reasonably stable, and who would benefit from living in a supportive household rather than alone. We support residents living with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, low mood, grief and loneliness, including older people for whom a move into care or a loss has affected their wellbeing.
We may not be the right home for someone who needs a secure setting, one-to-one supervision around the clock, specialist psychiatric treatment or nursing care. If that is the case, we will say so honestly when you first contact us, and where we can we will suggest who to speak to next.
Every person is assessed before a place is offered
Before we offer a place, we meet the person and, with their agreement, their family and any professionals involved in their care. We want to understand their history, what helps them feel settled, what can cause distress, and what they would like from life at The Firs. That conversation also lets the person see the home and decide whether it feels right for them.
The assessment forms the basis of an individual care plan, which is reviewed regularly and whenever needs change. Families are invited to contribute and are kept informed.
Emotional support in a small care home
Moving into a care home is a big change, and it is common for people to feel anxious or low while they settle. We spend time getting to know each resident, keep routines steady, and make sure no one is left isolated in their room unless that is their choice. Our blog on the importance of emotional support in care homes explains more about how we approach this.
Our Registered Manager, Josie Wilson, has more than ten years' experience in care and holds an NVQ Level 4.
Activities and everyday life
Having something to look forward to helps. Our Activities Coordinator, Amelia, puts together a weekly activity planner, which we share on Facebook. Recent months have included a Wizard of Oz "Yellow Brick Road" themed afternoon, an Oktoberfest afternoon, birthday celebrations, park walks and pet therapy visits, and in July we held our Summer Fayre. Joining in is always a choice.
The house was built in 1908 and refurbished in 2025. It has a garden, 24 single rooms and 2 companion rooms, and meals are home-cooked three times a day.
Mental health support alongside dementia and older age
Some residents live with both a mental health condition and dementia, or develop low mood or anxiety later in life. We are also registered to care for people living with dementia at the mild, moderate and advanced stages, and our team includes Dementia Champions. See our dementia care page and residential care page for more.
Funding
We accept self-funding residents, local authority funding from Derbyshire County Council and Derby City Council (with or without a top-up), and NHS Continuing Healthcare. Our fees start from £1,200 a week and are published in full on our care home fees page.
Talk to us about a place
If you are a family member, social worker or health professional looking for mental health residential care near Derby, call us on 01332 872535 or email director@thefirsderby.co.uk. Our director, Dr Daljinder Bajwa, handles enquiries and visit requests and can talk through whether The Firs is likely to meet the person's needs before an assessment is arranged.
The Firs Residential Home, 9 Stevens Lane, Breaston, Derby DE72 3BU. Call 01332 872535 to arrange a visit.
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Frequently asked questions