The reviews for The Carlotta, Ivy Signature Living are strongly polarized but overall lean positive with recurring praise for the facility’s hospitality, amenities, and many staff members. A large portion of reviewers describe the property as luxurious and resort-like — noting a gorgeous, welcoming lobby; immaculate common areas; fresh flowers and welcoming touches; and attractive outdoor spaces such as courtyards, pools, a putting green and dog-friendly areas. Many residents and families praise the facility’s cleanliness, decor, and well-kept grounds. Multiple reviewers highlight the variety of floor plans (studios, one-bedroom apartments, casitas, and townhomes), the ability to personalize units, and the overall “homey,” close-knit community feeling that many found life-changing and social.
Staff and caregiving receive mixed but frequently positive mention. Numerous reviews call out friendly, professional, and compassionate staff, including nurses, CNAs, and therapy teams. Physical and occupational therapy, short-term rehab and post-operative care are repeatedly praised — some reviewers called The Carlotta the “best place to recoup after surgery” and commended attentive therapists and aides. Several staff members are singled out by name for exceptional service, and move-in coordination is frequently described as seamless and invaluable (with specific praise for staff who handled decorating, logistics, and family communications). For many long-term residents, the facility provided genuine care, social connection, and a sense of safety.
Facilities, dining, and activities are consistent strengths. The dining program receives many positive remarks: fresh, restaurant-style meals, three-course menus in a dining room setting, a café, and nutritious options. Several reviewers noted that food quality and taste exceeded expectations. The Carlotta also offers a wide range of activities — art classes, exercise, twice-daily movies, outings, wine happy hours, church services, card playing rooms, libraries and frequent social programming — contributing to a lively social atmosphere. Additional conveniences praised include a hair salon, transportation, wellness center, and maintenance responsiveness.
However, a significant and concerning subset of reviews report serious medical and operational failures. Multiple reviewers reported instances of neglect and substandard clinical care: untreated bladder infections, poor wound and pressure sore care, MRSA and catheter infections, extreme undernourishment, delayed emergency response and delayed 911 calls, filthy dressings or casts, and allegations that some residents were discharged in worse condition. A few accounts describe patients not being welcomed back after hospitalization and suggestions that financial motives influenced care or admissions decisions. These are severe, specific complaints and create a strong safety concern for prospective residents who require higher-level medical oversight.
Management, communication, and staffing consistency are recurring themes with mixed sentiment. Many reviews praise welcoming, attentive admissions staff and a handful of exemplary employees, but there are numerous reports of unresponsive management, ignored emails and phone calls, voicemail overload, unpaid invoices, and deposit/refund disputes. Several reviewers mention complex contracts and high upfront fees (including an entrance fee and daily hold fees), along with perceptions that management can be punitive or focused on revenue. Understaffing was flagged repeatedly — especially troubling were statements about night-shift ratios (reported as high as 30:1 in one review) and overworked employees — which likely contributes to both inconsistent care and variable resident experiences.
Patterns and takeaways: The Carlotta shows many hallmarks of an upscale senior living community with robust amenities, social programming, and a strong hospitality culture. For many residents and families the experience is excellent: compassionate caregivers, effective rehab services, delicious dining, and a vibrant community. At the same time, a nontrivial number of reviews report dangerous lapses in medical care and problematic administrative behavior, making the overall picture uneven. Those negative accounts are not limited to minor complaints but include life-threatening allegations (infections, neglect, delayed emergency responses). Staffing shortages, inconsistent management responsiveness, billing disputes, and occasional unprofessional behavior are the most frequently mentioned operational weaknesses.
Given these mixed but significant patterns, prospective residents or family decision-makers should weigh the facility’s many positives (amenities, therapy, social life, cleanliness, and several excellent staff members) against serious safety and management concerns raised by a subset of reviewers. When evaluating The Carlotta in person, it would be prudent to ask specific, documented questions about clinical staffing levels (nurse and CNA ratios by shift), protocols for infection control and emergency response, post-hospital readmission policies, on-site medical and therapy availability, contract terms and refund policies, and recent incident/quality metrics. The reviews indicate that experiences can vary widely depending on unit, shift, and the specific staff involved — so targeted, evidence-based follow-up with management and current residents is important to get an accurate sense of the likely experience for someone with particular medical or care needs.
