After touring several facilities in La Mesa, we found that Montera La Mesa offers the best, most sincere, quality services at a very reasonable cost. We really appreciated our two thorough visits with Nurse Robin and our tours of the facility with Sarah. Both the entire facility and the vacant room are very clean, peaceful, and inviting. While it was a very tough decision, we have decided to postpone our move for now. However, we will certainly consider Montera again when we are ready. read more

My mother lived at The Montera in Assisted Living from May 2024 until she was forced to leave in May 2026. I want to acknowledge that many of the caregivers and staff were kind, compassionate, and truly cared about her. My concerns are with the administration and management and the newly hired director, Karinna. My mother has dementia, but she is high functioning. Not only was this my opinion, but numerous staff members commented on how independent she was compared to other residents. She has poor short-term memory and occasional confusion, but she was significantly more independent than every Memory Care resident and even most residents in Assisted Living. The Montera announced that care level pricing would be increasing but never informed me that my mother's care level had been changed from Level 1 to Level 2. I only discovered this after seeing a document I had to sign with an unexpected increase of approximately $600 per month. There was never a meaningful discussion with Karinna explaining why her care level had changed or what additional services she would be receiving. In reality, nothing about her care changed--only the cost--along with having to deal with this dismissive and patronizing new director. The justification given by Karinna was that staff administered her medications twice a day. However, this had been her medication schedule for the entire previous year and was already part of the care they had been providing. In an effort to reduce costs, I worked closely with her physician to consolidate her medications into one daily administration. Unfortunately, that change was not medically appropriate and did not work well for my mother. As soon as I began the process of returning her to the medication schedule that best supported her health, management showed no patience or willingness to allow time for the transition. Instead, I was told by Karinna that she would have to move to Memory Care or leave the community. Memory Care would have increased her monthly cost by another approximately $2,200. More importantly, I strongly believed--and still believe--that moving her to Memory Care would have been detrimental to her well-being. She was thriving in Assisted Living, remained socially engaged, and functioned at a much higher level than residents in Memory Care. Unfortunately, management seemed far more focused on administrative policies and money than on what was actually in my mother's best interest. Families deserve transparent communication, thoughtful collaboration, and individualized care decisions. Instead, I experienced poor communication, unexpected cost increases, and an ultimatum that left our family with no reasonable option other than to move her. If you are considering The Montera for a loved one, I encourage you to ask detailed questions about how care levels are determined, what specifically triggers changes, how those decisions are communicated, and whether those decisions truly reflect a resident's needs. The Montera I experienced in 2024 was not the same Montera my family experienced in 2026. Since the change in executive leadership (Karinna), the culture appears to have shifted away from individualized care and toward administrative policies and financial decisions. That change ultimately cost my mother her home. I would like to end on a positive note because there are truly exceptional people who work here. Jackie and Brianna at the front desk were always incredibly patient, welcoming, and kind to my mother. Melody always brought the fun, laughter, positivity, perseverance, and genuine compassion into my mom's life, and I will always be grateful for the difference she made. I also want to recognize Aileen, whose knowledge, guidance, and willingness to help us through difficult decisions meant so much to our family. These remarkable women are the reason my mother had any positive experiences and WHY they get a second star at The Montera. I sincerely hope the administration recognizes and values employees like them, because they are the heart of this community. read more

My mother lived at The Montera for the last 3 years of her 101 year life. Along with my family, we visited about a dozen other facilities before we decided on The Montera. We choose it because of the facility itself and the staff. The rooms are spacious and well-kept. For the past 3 years I have noticed that it is always clean and extremely well maintained. They have been sprucing it up the past year in areas that were getting worn. They've done a nice job. It provide pleasant environment for the residents. They offer a varied menu and I have always found the food is often better than any other institutional food I have eaten. In three years I never experienced an awful meal. I live locally so I did eat there on many occasions. They provide a varied offering for every meal. There is also a large and varied daily schedule of activities for the residents. As my mother's health declined one of her strongest complaints was that she was unable to go to her daily activities and hang with her friends. But of course the most important aspect when considering any facility is the staff. In three years I have meet dozens of employees and have been highly impressed with the level of concern and care and, most importantly, the patience I have seen by almost all of the staff. I have never seen anything untoward. I have noticed a somewhat high turnover level, especially in the administrative staff, over the past three years but they seem to do a good job refilling those positions with the same like-minded staff. There are at least a dozen staff members I would label as always going up and beyond to assist the residents. I would like to add that I recognize it isn't easy working with some residents due to their disabilities and their frustrations with their life as it is now but the staff at Montera does it with aplomb, respect and kindness. read more

I have sent many families to The Montera for years. Families that have so many worries and are just scared to move their loved ones anywhere. Then, they set up a tour, visit the community and meet Rachel and Sarah. All their fears slowly melt away. The community speaks for itself, and the staff and care they provide is Top Tier. Give them a call and set up a tour, once you meet the team, it will all make sense. Best Move! read more

I'm a retired geriatric social worker so I've been inside a number of Memory Care units I chose The Montera for my husband for several reasons. His room is spacious and has plenty of natural light. The food is good and residents are given a number of options. (My husband is a picky eater and staff is bending over backwards to work with him.) I have good access to the med techs. Staff is upbeat. And the administration, especially the Memory Care director, will listen to families. Really, you can't ask for much more. read more

I have lived here for over 4 years and it is HOME. The staff is excellent on every level. From the front desk to the dinning room, care givers, and the laundry services. I lived at another facility that was very nice but your own clothing didn't always return. That service here is excellent. Activities here great. The staff here are "my friends & family". I am glad that my sons found this place for me. Phil T. read more

Memory care unit is way too small for all the people that they have living there. Oh my mom arrived. The room was filthy. There was a small refrigerator that had rotting food in it. She had a roommate who is at hospice and no one cared to take care of the poor ladies laundry And the smell was awful. Clothes hanging out of her hamper, and the bathroom facility was less than ample. It was a really bad experience. We move my mother after one month. read more

Move in was smooth. The care has been excellent. Communication is good. They have made my mother feel welcome.

Beautiful community. Staff is very welcoming and kind. Residents are happy and actively engaging with each other.

The Montera has been great for my Dad. We had tried a few others places and ended up at The Montera. Great people that care for the residents, and the staff all know them by name. Mt Dad is content and feels safe. A couple of great staff members are Jackie, the concierge, and Robin, the Care giver director. I trust them both and so does my Dad. Alicia, is a caregiver that stands out as well. I highly recommend The Montera. read more

They really take great care of my mom 24 hours a day. They also treat you like family and they have a ton of great activities for their guests. read more

I work for an ambulance company , and they had me and my patient outside for @4 am with no answer to phone or front door to let my patient back into his facility. So highly unprofessional and a lack of patient care . Don't recommend to anyone . read more

Whether assisted living, memory care or independent living, Montera is a wonderful place. They recently went through renovations and the community is amazing. Connie and Anna are absolutely wonderful and are always available to answer any questions. Check out the Koi pond when you visit. Absolutely beautiful. read more

What a great experience so far with Connie! She is knocking it out of the park in helping me look for the PERFECT place to relocate my out of state parents. Super great experience so far and they seem to be really engaging the residents on a lot of different levels. There are a million great things to mention about this place, I'll start with these and update as time permits. Thanks Connie, you rock. read more

Great place friendly staff. Love the Koi ponds!

My husband has been at Montera for several months. The facility is always pristine and the outside grounds are beautiful with Koi ponds, bridges, patios and a nice swimming pool. If you want a place for your loved one in a facility that seems more like a vacation home verses a Senior Care facility then Montera is it. The staff and Med Techs are diligent, caring and kind. The Administrative team works very hard to meet the residents needs. The food and Staff at the restaurant only aim to please. I highly recommend you go check it out. read more

ZERO STARS DO NOT allow your elderly loved one to stay here. They practice elder abuse. My grandma was ill. First her rings went missing, then costume jewelry. Now, after it was known that she was taken to hospice, her computer went 'missing'. We were in the process of cleaning her room, and always locked the door. Of course police reports are being filed. This is an absolutely sick thing to do to a family that is grieving. And if they are allowing this to happen to my deceased grandma and her grieving family, you know the perpetrator will strike again and has already taken advantage of other people who cannot advocate for themselves. Whoever did this, it is not just theft, but elder abuse. How can you can sleep at night? read more

When my mom was being released from the hospital and we needed to put her in memory care we looked at 3 different nursing homes. Connie was great at showing us around the facility and getting the paperwork done. Unfortunately my mom was only here for 1-1/2 weeks, passing away in the night. The staff does an excellent job of checking up on their patients 24/7! I'm glad mom didn't need this kind of care during the worst of CoVid. My mom requested that I stay with her for the first night, I did and was able to see that the staff does indeed check every 2 hours, I had no worries. The only thing that disappointed me was that while she was in a hospital bed they were not able to have the rails on, just halos (if you don't know what that is, they look like a wheel on either side of the bed), the halos were not enough to contain her. read more

Do not bring your loved one needing memory care to this place. Especially during the pandemic. A 14 day quarantine left my friends mother with critical bed sores due to lack of attention by staff. Not keeping her clean and dry, her condition was so bad, she was sent by ambulance to the hospital. The doctors were appalled at the magnitude and severity of the sores that were left unchecked and are reporting this facility. She is not returning there when she recovers. Avoid at all cost. read more

Management is horrible!!! They treat employees like they are second class citizens. New manager and her assistant only worry about firing people. They fired a lot of employees who worked there for years! New managers are running like chicken with no head and they are always too busy to care for the residents. This is the worst place I worked for! Do yourself a favor and find another place to work for. I don't recommend this place to work or to place my parents! Don't place your parents here they will not take good care of them. I witnessed how the assistant and the new manager talked to the new residents when residents complain. The place is nice but the care is horrible. 2 caregivers for memory care taking care of all the residents. They even got cited for not having enough caregivers! Food sucks but staff is nice. This is a crazy, toxic place to work. read more

This might be a senior living community but this was designed to feel like a home. I left home after living with my husband for 18 years and was nervous. This place was easy to immediately call home. I know the caregivers by name, and get hugs in the hallway. Morgan and Sarah are like family and are involved. They are beautiful inside and out. I have made the best of friends with my neighbors and I love my apartment. I truly enjoy making friends with the new residents; even if its just getting them to smile. read more

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I had a family member that was looking to place his mom and I recommend the Montera. They were very impressed with the staff and the community. They were all kind and welcoming including the manager of the community. She was very nice and humble. The community is clean and looks like the residents are happy and well taken care off. I definitely recommend this place to my clients. read more

My Dad is a new resident and it has been a very positive experience for him, and me. I am quite some distance from The Montera (my brother lives close by) I called twice regarding my dad's medicine on one occasion and a meal that he missed on another occasion; both times I was assisted immediately and professionally and kindly. Since I am do not live close by The Montera this brings me enormous comfort and reassurance. I want to especially thank Oscar for making sure my dad was fed hours after he missed a meal. Thank you! read more

I want to tell you how happy I am to have been at The Montera I have now been at a rehab for four weeks and you can really tell what great things that Montera does for their people and how good their services are I would recommend them to anyone they have great people and also great activities read more

I gave one star because yelp does not have a half or zero star. DO NOT entrust your loved ones to this facility, especially if they need memory care. My mom spent a total of 2 1/2 months there, Sept.-mid Nov. 2020 and in that short time fell numerous times, (laid on floor all night, sometimes in her own waste), went from fully ambulatory to wheelchair bound, swollen and distended in her mid-section, without so much as a call to any family members to inform us of her decline. This didn't happen over the course of a month, this happened within a week!! When we would get to visit (if there wasn't a COVID outbreak, which there had been) there were times when she had not been showered, was in her p.j.s (at 4:30 in afternoon) and generally unkempt. When we finally got to see pictures of her apartment it was a complete disaster inside. This was heartbreaking. There is no way to call the memory care floor directly, you always have to go through the front desk, they put you through to memory care where NO ONE EVER answers the phone. You then leave a message, asking for a call back and again , NO ONE ever calls you back. You meet with the managment team, ask them to communicate with you regading your mom's health and care, they promise to, and then, NEVER do. This was all for the low, low price of $7,500/mo., and the "non-refundable" $2,500 move-in fee. So, for the 2 1/2 months she was there my mom spent $17,000 dollars. Part of that fee was for the "extra care" they said she needed, but clearly did not recieve. Oh, and they lost one of her hearing aides, so there's another $1900, and my mom is currently down to one hearing aide. So, in just 2 months they managed to drain my 84 year old mom of just shy of $20,000. This place is nothing short of horrific. We had made several attempts to give them a chance to make ammends for lack of care and services and lost personal items, and still (wait for it...) NO COMMUNICATION OR RESPONSE. I wish I had read a few reviews or dug a little deeper before entrusting my loved one to this horrific situation. Their marketing manager sells you something that the Montera could never deliver. read more

Our mother moved in a few months ago to assisted living and is very happy both in her room and in the complex. What is most impressive is how responsive the staff is. My mother is 94 and some days her mind works well enough for her to make good choices about her time or activities. But on other days things are just hard for her. For example, she will call me and tell me that she cannot turn on her television. While this is not a big problem in the scheme of things, for her, in that moment, it is a problem and she is annoyed that she cannot figure it out. I call the front desk and Oscar assures me that they will help. In minutes someone is in her room helping her figure it out. The food is good and the people in the dining room pay attention to each person. The residents also tend to be happy and talkative. The staff is responsive to ideas to help build the community. They have a good schedule of activities and try to support people who need a bit more help in doing them. We are looking forward to the new theater which is almost done. My mother loves to watch movies. read more

Honestly all I can say is they need to do better . They over work the caregivers keep in mind the facility is now 80% capacity and still have caregivers at $15 a hour when they can clearly afford to pay better . Not to mention the amount of work and service they provide for the residents , from waking them up in the morning and starting their day, to the very end of their day . Staff is NOT treated fairly nor is there any seniority for the long term employees Especially those who sticked around during the toughest time (COVID ) . No Professionalism from any of the higher ups for example (Morgan) He acts like he cares for his staff and their happiness in the work environment they working in and seems to "hears you out " but in reality does nothing he promises . (Perla ) the nurse is NEVER around, residents ask for her and she's never here or never gets back to the residents . Some residents haven't even met her . Doesn't know any of the residents Medical needs and Unfortunately a lot of her duties fall on the med-techs. Not to mention the way she talks to the caregivers. Very rude and unprofessional . No Appreciation for them or anybody else on the caregiving team. Whatever we bring to their the attention is always brushed off , we can't even go to our supervisor without getting a smart response or attitude making it hard to speak up . read more

I agree with Diana D. Do not place your parents in Memory Care at The Montera. They are low staffed and unqualified to take care of the residents. The caregivers do not care or have time to take care of the residents. With Covid 19 it has only got worse. They forgot to bring food to my fathers room during covid and he rarely saw anyone to help him. When his health declined and I requested hospice, the caregivers had no compassion and did not spend any extra time to take care of him. I would ask for things and they would never come back. I could not get a hold of anyone to ask how he was doing and they did not tell me when he as close to dying so I can be there. Hospice also had issues getting a hold of caregivers. When my father passed, not one person at Montera reached out to me to acknowledge his death. The management does not care. A lot of turn over of caregivers who have no idea what they are doing and really good caregivers left because they could not stand to see what was happening. I do not recommend Montera for memory care. I cannot comment on assisted living. read more

I've been coming to The Montera as a hospice provider for about a year and a half now to the memory care unit. I have been very impressed with all of the staff here from the front desk, caregivers, chef, housekeeping, activities directors, med techs and nurses. This place truly cares about their residents and gives them a good quality of life. I work with a lot of care homes, assisted living facilities and skilled nursing facilities as a hospice nurse, this one is my favorite. If I had a loved one in need of memory care I would place them here. The memory care unit is not fancy (the entry way is and other parts of the building were recently remodeled) but it's clean and managed by an amazing group of people who really care and take pride in what they do. The meals also smell and look really good, much better than most facilities I go to. That's all, I just wanted to make sure to put in a good review if anyone goes searching for a place to put their loved one. read more