I can not overstate how significant it was that we found Westwind to care for my mother the last 8 months of her life. Our experience with Westwind was fantastic, and I HIGHLY recommend the facility. Many organizations reflect the leader, and the leadership team at Westwind is first-rate. Steven, the Executive Director, is the even hand that keeps it all together. Parv, the Wellness Director, is an experienced registered nurse whose advice and loving care for my mother were invaluable to us. Erik, the Program Manager, was so reliable -- diligent about precisely coordinating my mother's pharmaceutical and care needs with the med techs and care workers who daily watched over her. Raina, the Business Manager, was professional and unwaveringly loving towards my difficult-to-handle mother. My family owes these blessed people a debt, for caring for my mother in ways that our own family could not. Westwind has 2 floors, with approximately 25 residents per floor. I visited almost every other day, and I don't recall one time where I saw less than 5 care workers plus a med tech on the floor. Not to mention the several janitorial and facility techs, the activities team, receptionist, food service workers and leadership team that are also on site, should the need for extra hands arise. Having adequate, experienced staff available is not an issue at Westwind. And what can I say about the staff? Exemplary, every last one. My mother was difficult from Day 1: banging on the door to leave, yelling / demanding that the staff pay constant attention to her, rejecting the food offered to her, becoming incontinent yet taking off her adult diaper at night, disrobing herself in front of others, having tantrums when she didn't get her way, etc. etc. My mom had all the bad behaviors of someone with dementia. I, as her son, was lost to understand how she was behaving, and frustrated by it. And let me be very clear about what I am about to say: NOT ONE TIME did I hear a frustrated negative comment from the staff about my mother. Ever. Not one. What I saw instead was Prima and Joan, undaunted, coming into my mother's room time and again, asking if she wanted to join that hour's activity. I saw Fritzi and Stephanie and Anais so carefully trying various strategies to get my mother to take her medicine, and not spit it out of her mouth. I saw Maria and Marie and Andrea cleaning my mother and dressing her and fixing her hair every morning to make sure she looked good. I saw Connie hug my mother and hold her tight, as long as needed, to calm my mother down when she was trying to repeatedly punch Connie. I am thankful for all the times Josh and Kadafi and Matteo encouraged me, telling me how much they liked my mother. And it is just countless the number of people that sat with my mother, and lovingly held her hand, and tried to ease her anxiety and agitation. This place did more than we asked, and more than was required. It was worth every penny we spent for my mother to stay here. As a final word, let me just say: thank God for Westwind Memory Care, and God bless the people that work there. read more

Since my last review there is an open dialogue with management towards improving my father's care and experience resulting in weekly status reports and weekly meetings with management. My hope is actual care improvement. Because Westwind services do not include basic medical care. I have included Sutter Health Home Care and a third party physical therapist to his care regiment. I have also added alternating air pressure equipment to his recliner, bed, and wheelchair to improve healing to skin degradation wounds (bed sores). Recently, Westwind has opted away from denture care for my father resulting in pureed meals. Not optimal on either point. Nutrition and hydration are a consistent conversation, to improve upon this concern I am providing nectar consistency fruit juice, protein shakes, and Ensure meal supplement. These meal supplements are supplied by me. The conversation is ongoing. I see some movement towards an improved experience for my father, but remain concerned. read more

If you're thinking about placing a loved one in the care of Westwind Memory Care, stop right now. Looks can be deceiving and based on my experience with my loved one, Westwind could not have been worse. For instance, I observed; unsanitary living conditions, lack of room maintenance, toxic mold (in a new building!?!), mismanaged medications, constant staff turnover, bland and unhealthy food, inept (and untrustworthy) executive management just to name a few. Westwind is a large, 2-floor facility. Because of a lack of inadequate staffing levels, loving, attentive care is spotty at best. The best way analogy I could use to describe Westwind is that it is the Walmart of memory care, except that you'll be paying top dollar for poor care and supervision of your loved one. I cannot in good faith recommend Westwind Memory Care to anyone. read more

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This is the best place in santa cruz county. Ricardo was very helpful and accommodating. Its a beautiful building that borders a natural area with great views. The staff makes sure everybody gets dressed and gets them out so they dont languish in there rooms. No complaints from me, and im a notorious complainer. read more

When I realized my husband needed more care my brother and I looked a 5 care places in Santa Cruz County. We went to Westwind care and walked out with relaxed shoulders knowing we found the right place. My husband has been a client there for a year today. He is getting the best fulltime care that he deserves. The staff, management, caregivers, med techs and the activity gals are the tops. There is no other place like West wind memory in the county. They treat the clients and family members like family. Paula Reidt read more

I spent three hours on Sunday this past weekend with Ricardo De La Cruz, Community Relations Coordinator at West Wind Memory Care in Santa Cruz, touring the facility, meeting staff and residents, observing resident rooms, dining and gathering areas, laundry, and kitchen areas, etc. The facility is immaculate, serene, warm, friendly, uncluttered, and inviting. Doors were open to (securely fenced) outdoor patio and garden areas, where residents were free to walk, enjoy the fresh air & sun, or sit and visit with relatives or guests. I am considering West Wind for an elder family member who is cognitively & physically disabled, who needs the kind of care that West Wind provides. My experience at West Wind left me impressed with the overall "good vibe." Staff & residents were friendly, all my questions were answered fully, I was given extensive access to both the of the two floors. Security aspects seemed very good. There were many staff members about, there were activities in progress for residents, including games, art, and table puzzles. I am unable to understand why West Wind has so many harshly critical reviews on Yelp, especially ones referring to dirt, spiders, mold, and general uncleanliness---I saw none of this kind of thing. Not even a speck of dust or lint or dirt or clutter! I saw no hint of mistreatment or neglect of residents. These negative reviews do produce cognitive dissonance in prospective clients' families. But my experience was very positive. I do like that the appropriate staff person responds to every Yelp review, both positive and negative. My family is seriously considering West Wind as an excellent option for our elder. read more

What a lovely space. I was pleasantly surprised when visiting a relative. I was expecting something completely different. The staff were inviting and the people who lived there looked well taken of. The home is new, clean and nicely decorated. Snacks were being served and they actually looked really good. The fresh fruit looked amazing I thought I would just feel bad after leaving but I felt good about what I saw and know she is happy. read more

I have observed this facility for many months. The residents have little supervision and do not have quality care. They spend a lot of money to make it look good on the outside, but the personal care is lacking. They are very disorganized and unprofessional. Buyer beware. read more

Anytime I visit Westwind, I can see the compassion that the staff members have for each and every resident. I'm sure caring for this population is tricky but the staff seem to be well trained on how to care for those with Dementia and how to manage the behaviors that come along with it. It truly feels like a home when you are in this community. The staff members are always very welcoming and helpful and the food is delicious! Kudos to the chef for putting together such tasty and healthy meals for their residents while also accommodating for special diets and restrictions. read more

I can no longer give this place a great review unfortunately. Although last year they were kind to our loved one, this year they seriously jerked us around. They asked us to re-do ALL the paperwork and doctor info (OK doc info is legal requirement). They took their sweet time (3 months plus). Eventually they said NO we can't take your loved one. We asked for another assessment. They lost our paperwork. We re-sent the paperwork. They took our money. They reassessed. They said yes. For a day. Then they said NO again. Our loved one has the exact same diagnosis as last year. And last year they knew it was a challenge. But apparently this year, now that they have a nearly full-house, they are no longer up to the challenge. All I can say is I hope those who already have loved ones in Westwind are visiting and paying attention. The management changes do not bode well. Maybe they finally have it right. I do not know. Good luck out there. read more

The caregivers are kind and provide attentive care. I've no complaint in that regard. My concern is the lack of cleanliness. I visit one of the more capable residents, but the bathroom is not clean, where accumulated dirt and grime, even grown spiders are visible. There are cobwebs here and there as well. It may be the housekeepers are negligent and need further instruction, or more staffed. read more

I have seen nothing but hard working and caring staff at Westwind. The staff is kind and always willing to go the extra mile.The building is clean and well maintained. read more

Pay very close attention when you and the person you are considering Westwind as the place to live. The sales talk was very good and the pricing was typical of care facilities. The facility was very clean. We were told there would be gourmet food. So we moved her in. She required more care than the price originally quoted, which seemed strange because we had been taking care of her for eight years and yes, she was 97 and required more care than we felt that we could give; however, that is why we looked for a care facility with experienced help. The pandemic hit two weeks into her stay! We like everyone else used virtual means to connect. We could see that she seemed to be declining, but we were assured that she was doing well. On Fathers Day my husband received a call suggesting that she be transported to Dominican Hospital. While there we were informed that Westwind could not take her back! She required more care than they could give! We scrambled and placed her in Maple House 2. She was in continent before Westwind. We placed her in Hospice. The only thing different, she was on a soft diet and needed help eating. I personally saw a worker feeding a woman in Westwind, so that is her only change. Unfortunately, she passed 14 days later. And for the last days, mostly she needed turning. So my point, Westwind does not seem to want a client when he becomes to much of a handful. So all the talk upfront about they would be there for her, was not true. PLEASE BE CAREFUL AND MINDFUL BEFORE PLACING A LOVED ONE. In a pinch, you may be scrambling for another place for them to live! read more

I cannot say that I have a relative in this facility, as it is not open, so this is a bit of a preemptive review. I felt very comfortable meeting the executive director, Suzanne Stone. She had a strong passion for her work and this new facility. It sounds like the group setting and private classes will be a great way for families to deal with the challenges of memory loss. I look forward to seeing this company open and give families the ability to provide quality care to their loved ones. read more

We recently moved my mom here from a Sacramento nursing home. The facility opened Dec 2017, so they are new. We first toured the facility in late May, and finally settled my mom in late June. Her adjustment is still in process, but I will say the caring and compassion of the staff was instantly apparent. They are professional, kind and gentle. There is obviously a lot of training specifically for dementia / Alzheimer's residents and we have learned so much from observing them. My mom is safe, and well cared for. This disease is devastating, and it helps us immensely to have her in this environment. read more

Westwind has been a blessing for my family. Our family was in crisis and needed to place my elderly mother during COVID. It was one of the stressful and heart wrenching things I have ever done. The staff at WW went above and beyond to help me jump through the many hoops needed to admit someone during a pandemic. Once there, Mom needed a lot of extra attention while transitioning and the staff really stepped up to keep her safe and supported while she adjusted to a new environment. She has been there now for 3 months and there is no doubt in my mind that she is in the right place. She is making friends, enjoys the many daily activities (exercise, art, movie nights, scenic drives etc.), and has gained back the weight she lost when she was living on her own. I have taken her out for lunch several times (all of the residents are vaccinated for COVID) and visited her at Westwind numerous times and have been impressed with the cleanliness and cheerfulness of the surroundings. Her room is quite spacious with a private bath and large walk in shower. Mom describes the caretakers as 'kind' and 'lovely' which is my experience too. The current management is fairly new but they clearly have experience working with the elderly population. I feel confident that my mother is going to spend her last years receiving the loving care she deserves. read more

This place makes my blood boil !!! My significant other and I are treated as if we have the plague every time we come to visit. They treat us this way because of what some other family member says of us. Its none of their business! They don't know whats gone on in a family before a loved one has come here. Then... they feel the need to call this other realative every time we show up! Seriously! It's happened over 5 times now! Every time we've visited! We don't come here to see our relatives that we have bad blood with. We come here to see our loved one. Our loved one has no short term memory so it's not like we can really give him any news of anything. Soo if these other relatives that gotta get called are soo worried why don't they have a staff watching us then? We have never been a problem! Everyone here is fake & 2 faced. There is always new staff members. I question their qualifications. They're always advertising for new staff. Why? Cuz this place isn't what it's trying to patray. They messed up in what we were getting charged. Our loved one got pneumonia and had to stay in the hospital. They've lied to us on various things. They act like ohhh look at all this stuff we do. Sooo does all the other places nothing new here. This place feels soo cold and sterile. My loved one here says he's bored. The food is soo bland and not healthy that my loved one has lost weight cuz its not appealing. Tho they make sure to have cakes and cookies and candies all the time. Not good for the majority of patients that's diabetic including our loved one. This place was only picked solely on the fact that its closest to the trustees house and they had an opening. Yea of course they had an opening because a smart person wouldn't want this as their place for their loved one. We've been coming here over a year and no new patients. Yes, there's a reason for that. They'll pride themselves on 2 staff members for every 5 patients or some b.s. like that but in all reality it's 2 people in the office, maybe one on the floor with patients, a few staff house keeping, some cooking etc. All the staff that might have a moment to be with the patients will be more focused on the patients that are really bad off which means your loved one that isn't a complete derelict will be ignored. Ive seen it soo many times. And dont forget... they have 2 floors so the few staff that is there will be through out the building. Im pretty sure this place won't be in business for years to come. Any good reviews you've read are fake. Stay away from this terribly run business. Its all about money to them and you're just a number! read more

My mother moved into Westwind this spring. It is a beautiful new facility, and we are so pleased with our choice. The staff are remarkable in their knowledge and training in memory issues, and in their ability and desire to make this a true home for each individual resident. There is much thought and energy put into planning activities and keeping everyone engaged; they even have supervised outings in their own bus! There are pleasant outdoor areas available to the residents, which help keep their connection to nature. My mom likes to go out and pull weeds and putter like she had loved to do in her own home. The Westwind staff are adaptable, confident, and kind, all the qualities you hope for in caregivers. Highly recommend this lovely and professional place. read more

We transferred my wife's mother, who is 92 and has dementia, from a facility in San Jose to Westwind last December. She was the first tenant. We live in the area and wanted her closer. The care is excellent. The ratio of staff to tenants is great as they still aren't at capacity but I'm sure they would compensate when more tenants arrive with more staff. The food is great! The activities director Linette is amazing. The tenants are always engaged with some activity like floral arrangements, baking, musical activities, physical activities, art projects, etc. They go out once a week on field trips to have ice-cream or see and do something interesting in and around town. The care givers are very hands on and nurturing and take wonderful care of all the tenants. We've checked into most of the available facilities around Santa Cruz County and found this place was our best option for our mother. I highly recommend Westwind. read more