My mother in law spent her last year alive as a resident of Heritage House. She had required much…read moremore care as she aged, that our family could no longer handle even with outside assistance. We researched places and Heritage House was highly recommended by one of her closest friends. I've never seen another residential home that was better! The care was exemplary. The food was so good. I'd rather have eaten there than at most restaurants. They actually have a chef on staff who prepares absolutely wonderful meals. A lot of of these residential aging facilities get a bad rap for horrible food. Not heritage house! Of course, no places is perfect but the complaints that we had were so small and few that I would always recommend this facility if you have an aging parent that needs full-time care. Is it inexpensive? Of course not but none of these residential facilities are inexpensive anymore. With utilities and food and cable TV and telephone service all included in the monthly bill. We do know from experience that it's a fraction of the cost of maintaining a private house with full-time staff. That's what you get at Heritage house. You will have someone on staff 24 hours a day seven days a week that cares.

My 91 year old mother is here for the last stage and it is such a wonderful facility. So much…read morekindness and care is shown to every elder. Even in COVID I feel every precaution to protect the elders is being taken yet clearly staff tried to meet the needs if residents for human care and connection even in quarantine. They are wonderful about pets living with their elder owners. Cannot recommend more highly.

Outstanding lunch at a great price. 3 of us had the Alaskan grilled Cod with a lemon-cream sauce,…read moresalad, veggies, and spaghetti (really), along with dessert and drinks. Fourth person had grilled salmon- great. Plus, a beer and glass of wine for two of us. Cost? $18.00 a person. The restaurant is within the retirement community but open to the public, you just need to sign in and out, paying when you check out. Parking is tight, you need a good walk.

On the plus side: My…read moremother made some good friends at Maravilla. On the minus side: Food is generally good, but not great. Maravilla does not know how to do pastries, and deserts are often very disappointing. As a rule, vegetables are undercooked. Maravilla business practices are somewhat unfair. When one is absent for two weeks or more, one gets vouchers for half the meals that one missed. Why not all of the meals? And, why does one have to be absent for two weeks or more? Overall, I'd say that Maravilla does not offer good value for the money.

My husband and I have lived at the Samarkand for 3 years…read morenow. To say that we are thrilled is an understatement. We have met so many nice people... Done so many interesting things... Reside in such a lovely unit... Partake of such delicious, well-presented and beautifully served food ... Participate in several vigorous and enjoyable physical exercise classes... Are content in knowing that future unknown medical problems will be addressed... I could go on and on. Our children and grandchildren often express gratitude that we are so happy and healthy here. They are not nearly as excited, however, as we are to be living in a beautiful resort! It really pays to plan ahead. We have friends who waited too long and are not mobile enough, because of advancing age or accident, to be acceptable for Independent living. I am a certified financial planner and I am following my own advice. Most people, when asked their biggest regret with regard to residing in a retirement community, will say that they wished they had made the move earlier when they could take advantage of all of the positive amenities.

I just finished one review, but after reading some older reviews, I'm happy to report that the care…read moreis much better than nine years ago. When my dad pushes the call button, someone usually responds in under 5 minutes. They seem to be on top of their game!!

After living here for seven years now it appears that the new senior management has a directive is…read moreto charge the residents as much as possible and to cut back on services and staff and then complain that this nonprofit is only cleaning a million a year which is why they are raising prices.

Valle Verde is truly an exceptional place for seniors to live. My client Luella resides here, and I…read moream constantly impressed by the quality of care, the kindness of the staff, and the overall warm atmosphere. It feels more like a welcoming community than just a retirement home.The grounds are beautiful, the facilities are well-maintained, and the food is excellent. Staff members go above and beyond to make sure every resident feels comfortable, respected, and cared for. Luella enjoys her days here, surrounded by friendly neighbors, engaging activities, and a supportive environment.I am grateful to see how happy and secure she is at Valle Verde. I would highly recommend this community to anyone searching for a caring, professional, and uplifting place for their loved ones.

My wife is a caregiver who has a patient at Vista del Monte. She's been assigned this client for…read moreabout a year now, and is only minimally pleased with the service. Visted on money gives their patients. For instance, just today, she went for her shift only to find out after she had been there for an hour that the patient had acquired COVID. NO NO NO WARNING SIGN ON THE ROOM ENTRANCE. That's a terrible thing for patients and caregivers!

I stayed at Vista Del Monte for a week with a relative who needed round the clock care while he…read morewaited for his room to be ready at their 'memory care' facility (which includes round-the-clock supervision and care.) These are the observations I made in that time :  The staff is doing an excellent job caring for their residents and treats each person as a unique and valued individual. Every staff member we encountered knew my great uncle's name and greeted him warmly.  The kitchen staff were fantastic and accommodating. Any time we had unique requests for condiments or extras (any time of day) they were always happy to oblige. There were two ladies in particular that remembered my name (even though I am a guest and not a resident) and made a point to address me by it, which I thought was very professional and kind. I believe their names were Jennifer and Melissa. On the occasions when we went to dine in the outdoor dining pavilion the wait staff was on par to any high end restaurant in town. I would know as this is what I did for a living for many years. I was shocked...especially considering they don't accept tips anyway...they were just that good because they cared. William stood out as being especially accommodating when our 'reservation' got messed up (my fault) one day.  All of the medical staff who came to the room to give medications or do wellness checks were professional and kind. One woman (Juline) was particularly warm and cheerful. Everytime she left my uncle commented on how much he enjoyed her visits.  The 'resident services' staff were always going above and beyond with any request I brought to them. One lady in particular (Angie I believe) stands out. When I needed to do laundry for my great-uncle, but it was after hours so their little shop was closed she went to her car and got her OWN laundry detergent that she happened to have with her and gave it to me to use!  I could go on and I'm sure there are many staff that deserve specific mention that I've forgotten to include (I should have been keeping notes all week) but in general the entire staff was amazing and I don't have one single less than stellar incident to report.

A family member shared written disparaging email remarks from their leadership about me because I…read morechallenged out of cycle fee increases (that breached their admission agreement) and also because I challenged their standard of care by advocating for my loved one, as a son and Trustee. Additionally, AG markets and is equipped for assisted living, but I feel they will keep residents beyond their care capacity in the interest of revenue. This is an ideal location for your loved one if you want them devoid of stimulii, alternating between sleeping and watching TV all day and if you have a high tolerance for unresponsive and unprofessional adminstrative staff. Amazingly, their hands on care staff are commendable, but overworked, and exhibit more professionalism than their management.

Our experience after one successful month: What we want…read moremost of all for our loved ones needing assisted living services is compassionate, quality care tailored to the individual. You'll find exactly that at Alexander Gardens in an incomparable setting reminiscent of a luxurious bed & breakfast lodging. No high-rise structure screaming "facility" at its residents. Instead, intimate (only a couple dozen residents), serene, peaceful setting with carefully designed activities that foster engagement without forcing it on anyone. What a find for our Mom!

My mother has been living at Wood Glen Hall for almost three years now and I have to say that she…read morehas never been happier. There are so many fun activities each day and they go all out for the holidays, with a live band and the best decorations and live entertainment. I am always very, very impressed with the regular activities as well as the special event activities that are planned. The staff is very caring and kind and really makes an effort to make everyone have fun and feel like family. The facility is one level with lovely furnishings and a beautiful courtyard garden where residents can gather if they want to sit outside. I also think it is a great value as I looked at other places in Santa Barbara before picking Wood Glen Hall. I am so happy we did and I know my mom will be happy here for many years to come.

Be careful of this place with your elder relatives or loved ones. It may be fine for the…read moreable-bodied, but if your family member has some level of disability (or may have down the road), this place will not be helpful for them. Apparently once a reliable long-term care facility, Wood Glen Hall has come under new management. Our family encountered lack of clear communication there, as well as chaotic care (though some staff members are doing their best). We also had problems with dietary issues, which were not quickly resolved. Also, the recent Covid outbreak at the facility was not necessarily well handled, as it was up to our family to obtain Paxlovid, which needs to be given early in the illness.

Updating to clarify that you are only denied physical therapy at Mission Terrace/Park after 20 days…read moreif you are on Medicare Advantage. This applies even if you are willing to pay for it. Medicare Advantage only provides for 20 days of nursing home care free, then a charge up to 100 days limit. So if the patient is on Medicare Advantage, it might be better to go elsewhere if physical therapy is required. Otherwise, you will be looking for a new nursing facility for day 21.

Skilled nursing facility for rehabilitation. 24/7 staff skilled in nursing and medical, with onsite…read moredoctor, healthy food options, on-site occupational, physical and speech therapy.

Before I begin my review, I would like to preface it by saying that my mother lived in Mariposa's…read morememory care unit for eight months and our experience with memory care is all I can speak to. I am aware there is an assisted living component to the facility, but since I am not familiar with it, I cannot speak about it with any authority. This review hits very close to home and is a sensitive topic, meaning I take great care in writing this review and stand by my comments as of July, 2018. Before moving to Mariposa, my mother lived at a different facility and her quality of life at Mariposa compared to what it was a year ago is night and day. Under the guidance of a terrific nurse named Milabeth, Mariposa opened last fall and I have never seen a staff so well-trained and so patient. I would sit silently and watch Milabeth walk the caregivers through tasks, caregiving tactics, and procedures. I knew what her job entailed and I knew how difficult it was, so I was particularly impressed with the extra effort she took to mold her staff. You see, I'm aware of how difficult the job is because our previous facility went through 4 nurses in one year. Moreover, through my volunteer work, I've watched other facilities grind their wellness directors down to a point where PRNs are abused and residents are overmedicated for the convenience of the staff. In our experience, Mariposa does NOT do this. In fact, when my mother arrived at Mariposa they worked with our doctor to reevaluate my mother's "med cocktail." My mother suddenly began to show signs of improvement. She was happier, calmer, and more lucid. She really did flourish at Mariposa. One thing I feel the need to mention is that the work done by the team at Mariposa is thankless work. It's tough and it sticks with you when you leave the "office" for the day. What you see, what you hear, what you smell, and the implicit humanity of it all. It sticks with you. I lovingly call these memory care facilities "circuses." The residents are a moving target day to day. They have good days, bad days, scary days, needy days, etc. Through no fault of their own, they require a nimble staff to lead with understanding and kindness. In my experience, Mariposa's staff does this in spades. Simply put, I felt uplifted every time I came to visit my mother because of the quality of people they have working for there. I hope for everyone's sake they can keep and contain this magic for a very long time. They made an extremely painful experience less so, shepherding our family through one of most difficult times of our lives. I will forever be grateful for the care my mother received at Mariposa. Specifically from the following caregivers: Nicherin, Elena, Estefani, and Jocelyn (forgive any name misspellings!!). Four women who may someday forget us, but we will never forget them. They treated my mother with such respect and kindness. I will forever consider them angels and I hope they understand the deep, positive, and lasting impact they have had on our family.

Absolutely beautiful newer building in a perfect location. Across the street from Elwood Beach…read morebutterfly area, and close by to Sandpiper golf course. That is why it gets two stars because the actual facility building is wonderful. That's where the loveliness ends! You will be sold a bill of goods about the menu, the services and the wonderful care. it really looks wonderful in the brochures and on paper. And if you talk to some of the residents, they say they love living there. But I say the more compromised you are and the more that you need help the less you need to live at Mariposa At Ellwood shores. We moved my mother-in-law in there June 12, 2024. We rented a trailer and moved her bedroom furniture in on one day and got her all set up. After we witnessed what was really happening, the lack of care, things as simple as items that were shown on the menus on the tables, including the "meal of the day" we're not available...We were in and out in 12 days. There was literally no manager on site during the time we were there. After five there was no one at the desk. Period. And even when there was a receptionist at the front desk, she was extremely flippant about helping or answering questions. Several times she copped an attitude. They were going through changes and hopefully they are able to handle their staffing problems. The facility is designed to possibly handle about 200 people and there might have been 30 residents that were routinely in the dining room. With only 30 people there the meals took forever to serve. They had med techs serving meals. Whenever I ask to speak to someone on staff, I was usually told in broken English that there was no one available. Housekeeping people were virtually nonexistent. Part of the service was supposed to be to hand out medication's four times a day. That wasn't happening and we had to drive back-and-forth to make sure she was given her medication's on time. It was a mess. I was emptying the trash in the room and I was going every day to strip and change the bed which was necessary. I was bringing the bedding home and washing it and going back with new bedding. There was no hands on help from staff to remind my mother-in-law of mealtimes, which was part of what we were paying for. In 12 days I think one time staff member reminded her that it was lunchtime. We just made absolutely sure that a family member was there at every meal time. It was actually more work having her in assisted-living at this facility than it was having her at home with family helping 24 seven. And that was unsustainable! During the day that we moved her in, several times, we went to the lobby water cooler, which was empty. We took a picture of it three days later, five days later, seven days later, still empty. Something as simple as keeping the Sparklets water unit full was not attended to. It was even during a hot streak in Goleta and there was no water available in the lobby. They have a beautiful coffee bar, which was usually unstocked. I will say that if you have no need for true "assisted" living, living there could be ok. The rooms are nice, although there is no air conditioning. The upper floor temperature maintained itself at about 88° through the day when it was 85° outside. The main building, however, was fairly comfortable. Independent living in the building would be better, except the idea that the kitchen was slow, the service was slow and the meals were rarely available that were on the menu. Meals (and house keeping) are part of what you pay for when living there!