What levels of care does this community offer?

San Carlos Elms offers assisted living and memory care.

Are there photos of this home?

There are 14 photos of San Carlos Elms on Mirador.

What is San Carlos Elms's address?

The full address for this community is 707 Elm St, San Carlos, CA, 94070.

Does this community offer respite care?

Yes, San Carlos Elms offers respite care. Respite care in assisted living communities provides temporary, short-term relief for primary caregivers by offering professional care for their loved ones. It allows individuals to stay in an assisted living community for a limited time, giving caregivers a break while ensuring residents receive necessary support and assistance with daily activities.

San Carlos Elms - San Carlos, CA

Overall sentiment across the reviews is strongly positive, with consistent praise for the San Carlos Elms as a well-regarded, not-for-profit senior living community that offers a full continuum of care. Multiple reviewers highlight that the community provides independent living, personal care, and memory care under one roof, and that the memory care unit is separate — a configuration that many families appreciate because it allows continuity of care without requiring residents to move as needs change. The facility's not-for-profit status and non-chain identity is repeatedly noted as a distinguishing, reassuring factor.

Care quality and staff performance are the most frequently lauded aspects. Reviews repeatedly describe staff as reliable, professional, caring, gentle, compassionate, empathetic, and family-like. Specific operational praise includes responsible medication administration oversight and staff who are flexible and accommodating to residents and families. Several comments single out the activities staff and an activities coordinator by name for providing robust, well-planned programming. Overall, the staff-oriented feedback conveys a high level of trust from families and residents.

Facilities and amenities are another major theme. Reviewers describe beautiful grounds and warm, inviting common areas that are well-decorated. The dining experience receives strong positive comments — a formal, five-star dining room atmosphere with tablecloths and glassware and homecooked-style meals leads many reviewers to characterize meals as delicious and dining as a highlight of the community. On-site amenities mentioned include an exercise room, beauty parlor, on-site store, well-lit library, and weekly van tours for outings. The community's central, walkable location close to downtown, shops, a library, and public transportation is repeatedly appreciated, as is the availability of resident transportation for organized excursions.

Programming and social life are presented as lively and varied. Activities consistently referenced include musical performances, visiting animals (petting zoos), bingo, exercise, and organized outings. Reviewers emphasize engagement opportunities, frequent activities, and regular entertainment — factors that contribute to a quiet yet active atmosphere that many describe as exceptional. Several reviews explicitly recommend the community based on these social and programming strengths.

Notable patterns of concern appear less frequently but are important to acknowledge. Some reviewers mention smaller room sizes or limited personal-space in certain units. A few comments describe the interior as somewhat dark and in need of brighter lighting. The Alzheimer's/memory care areas drew mixed remarks: while the separate memory unit and care continuity are valued, some reviewers described a "lockdown" atmosphere and a lack of outdoor space in those areas, which may reflect security measures or design trade-offs typical of memory care. There are also occasional, mild critiques that food or menu options were merely adequate rather than exceptional, and several reviewers observed there is room for improvement in certain services. Finally, a waiting list was mentioned, indicating high demand and potential limited immediate availability.

In summary, the reviews paint San Carlos Elms as a compassionate, well-run, and amenity-rich community that excels in staff quality, dining experience, coordinated activities, and location. Its not-for-profit status, continuity of care across living levels, and strong medication oversight are key strengths that families consistently cite. Prospective residents should be aware of trade-offs noted in some reviews — particularly smaller private living quarters in parts of the facility, interior lighting that some find dim, and memory care units that may feel restrictive or lack outdoor space — and should ask about unit sizes, lighting, and outdoor access during tours. Nevertheless, the prevailing impression is highly positive: a clean, modern-feeling facility with engaged staff and a broad range of programs that many reviewers enthusiastically recommend.

San Carlos Elms stands as a non-profit senior community located in the town of San Carlos, with nearby shops, cafes, a library, and public transportation within safe walking distance, and you also see Sequoia Hospital and the San Carlos Center close by for medical needs. The facility is not part of a chain and is operated by the San Carlos Development Corporation, which means the community focuses on being reliable and responsible rather than making a profit. There are 89 apartments, including studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units offering private suites, shared rooms, and furnished accommodations, and most apartments come with kitchenettes, full baths, and some feature balconies or patios for a bit of fresh air, wall-to-wall carpeting is standard, and you get air-conditioning, internet, WiFi, telephone, and cable in every apartment. Residents can live independently or get different levels of help as their needs change, so if someone starts needing more care or even hospice services, there's no need to move elsewhere, and there are services for activities of daily living like bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and medication management.

The staff's available around the clock, and they're described as polite, flexible, patient, and always ready to help, ensuring safety with the Vigil Integrated Care Management System and a 24-hour call system, and they handle housekeeping, laundry, linen service, home maintenance, and even cooking, which includes organic food and ingredients. Meals are served restaurant-style in a formal dining room, where residents enjoy three nutritious meals daily, snacks, and there's special care for different diets with options for personalized menu planning based on resident input, and sometimes there's a home-cooked feel that reminds one of family meals. San Carlos Elms offers transportation services with its own shuttles and sedans to appointments, errands, or trips, which adds to ease and peace of mind for those who no longer drive, plus free underground parking is available for those who still do.

The community encourages an active life with scheduled excursions, entertainment, craft activities, a broad social and events calendar, gym access, wellness programs, and a range of group activities to foster friendship and fun, and it's common to see groups in the resident lounge sipping coffee or catching up on the news, while others might be in the recreation room, fitness room, billiards room, or salon. There are lounges, libraries, private gathering spaces, balconies and patios, and even pet-friendly policies letting people keep their furry friends with them, and the environment is known for being clean and odor-free with elegant home-like furnishings. Memory care has its own dedicated unit called The Grove at San Carlos Elms, which provides custom care plans, safety features, and activities to keep cognitive health as strong as possible, and family members can stay in touch with Skype, Zoom, and FaceTime, and follow along with frequent updates, newsletters, and even live or recorded events that give a window into daily community life.

San Carlos Elms tries to help people stay as independent as they're able, with personalized care plans, a broad menu of assistance levels, and structured programs for those needing more support, along with organized social, cultural, and educational events, so it's a place that meets people where they are and works to help everyone maintain their dignity, health, and connections as they age.

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16 May 2025		16 May 2025 Identified that nine bedridden residents could be cared for, but room-specific approvals for bedridden status were not indicated. Reviewed sketches and fire clearance; an exit interview was conducted; no citations issued. § 9058
02 May 2025		02 May 2025 Found no deficiencies after reviewing 12 resident records, 6 staff files, and centrally stored medications, and interviewing 5 residents; all documentation was complete. Exit interview conducted with leadership. § 9058
25 Apr 2025		25 Apr 2025 Found no deficiencies and all safety systems and furnishings were in good order. Found secure storage for knives and cleaners, hot water within 105-120 degrees Fahrenheit, seven days of nonperishable and two days of perishable foods on hand, no expired items, and working fire and carbon monoxide detectors.
31 May 2024		31 May 2024 Reviewed an unannounced annual visit and found residents engaged in activities, living areas and rooms in good repair, with indoor temperature at 76°F and hot water at 108°F. Found complete resident and staff records, training meeting the 20-hour requirement, medications accounted for with updated centralized storage, and required documents reviewed; no deficiencies found.
31 May 2024		31 May 2024 Confirmed that the facility was in good repair, with appropriate safety measures, sufficient supplies, properly maintained records, and no deficiencies noted during the unannounced visit. § 9058
17 May 2024		17 May 2024 Investigated allegation of resident suicide; found death by hanging in the bathroom with a suicide note, no foul play suspected, and no deficiencies cited.
17 May 2024		17 May 2024 Confirmed a resident died by apparent suicide in the bathroom, with a note left behind, and no signs of foul play observed. No deficiencies were cited during the visit.
29 Dec 2023		29 Dec 2023 Found that a staff member with no formal caregiving training physically abused two residents during the night of May 27 into May 28, 2023, supported by camera footage and resident statements. Determined that a civil penalty of $19,500 was issued for the abuse, following an earlier $500 penalty.
29 Dec 2023		29 Dec 2023 Investigated the physical abuse of two residents by a staff member who entered their rooms without permission during the night shift, leading to a civil penalty due to the facility's failure to provide proper supervision and care. Confirmed violations resulted in a civil penalty of $19,500.
21 Dec 2023		21 Dec 2023 Identified an incident reported May 31, 2023 involving staff criminal record clearance; one civil penalty was dismissed for lack of knowledge about clearance changes, while another civil penalty was issued for failing to obtain an exemption, and administrator qualifications and duties remained in effect. Noted a deficiency under Title 22 regulations was observed. § 87355(e)(1)
21 Dec 2023		21 Dec 2023 Reviewed a case management visit related to a May 2023 incident, resulting in amended citations and penalties due to uncertified criminal record clearance and administrator qualification violations, with a deficiency noted in regulatory compliance.
18 Oct 2023		18 Oct 2023 Identified that a staff member served in a clerical role without formal caregiving training and did not complete a required criminal record exemption after being disassociated, yet continued to work until resigning in June 2023. Observed that during the night of May 27 into May 28, 2023, only three staff were on duty, and this staff member assisted residents without training and entered a resident’s room alone at 3:18 am. § 87405(h) § 87411(d) § 87411(a)
18 Oct 2023		18 Oct 2023 Identified that staff failed to provide care, supervision, and services meeting a resident’s needs, resulting in multiple falls and serious injuries, including hip fractures; civil penalties totaling $9,500 were assessed after an initial $500 penalty.
18 Oct 2023		18 Oct 2023 Investigated staff working without proper caregiving training or criminal record exemption, including one employee who continued working after disassociation, and identified a staffing and supervision deficiency during a night shift.
22 Sept 2023		22 Sept 2023 Identified the allegation that a staff member sexually abused two residents on 5/28/2023. Found inconsistencies in statements and evidence—the staff member checked on a resident around 1:35am but was seen entering that resident's room alone at 3:18am and later admitted entering the other resident's room, and the staff member no longer had required criminal record clearance; a $500 civil penalty was imposed with the potential for additional penalties. § 87468.1(a)(2) § 87355(e)(2) § 87405(h)(1)
22 Sept 2023		22 Sept 2023 Investigated allegations that staff entered residents' rooms without proper authorization, leading to concerns about staff conduct and failure to maintain required criminal record clearance, resulting in civil penalties.
07 Jun 2023		07 Jun 2023 Identified a non-compliance involving failure to provide care, supervision, and services that met a resident's needs, which resulted in a serious bodily injury. Guidance and resources regarding resident rights and care standards were discussed.
07 Jun 2023		07 Jun 2023 Confirmed that violations related to resident rights and safety led to serious injury, prompting increased oversight and potential civil penalties.
06 Jun 2023		06 Jun 2023 Identified two incidents reported on 6/5/2023 that require further investigation. Reviewed files and related documents connected to the incidents.
06 Jun 2023		06 Jun 2023 Reviewed documents related to two incidents reported for further investigation.
05 Jul 2022		05 Jul 2022 Found follow-up on a death report; a resident using a walker was found on the bathroom floor, semi-responsive after attempting to walk, and was taken to the hospital after the med-tech called 911. Staff said there was no prior fall history, checks are done at meals, and no foul play was found; no citations were issued.
05 Jul 2022		05 Jul 2022 Identified thorough infection control measures, including COVID-19 signage, screening logs for visitors, residents, and staff, a stocked PPE supply, and isolation rooms; meals were delivered to residents' rooms with the dining area closed, and no deficiencies identified.
05 Jul 2022		05 Jul 2022 Reviewed a resident’s fall incident where he/she was found on the bathroom floor mumbling and semi-responsive after attempting to ambulate with a walker; no foul play or faults identified, and no citations issued.
08 Oct 2020		08 Oct 2020 Found an alleged fall with injury when the resident, who used a walker, fell to her side; no two-person assist was used and caregivers walked beside to support. Found that the resident had no prior history of falls and was reportedly doing well, and the incident was reported to the licensing agency.
08 Oct 2020		08 Oct 2020 Found that a resident eloped from the premises on September 28, 2020, was not in bed at 9:20 AM, and was later located a few blocks away and transported to a hospital for medical evaluation; alarms were not active after 8:30 AM, and there were no injuries. Following reassessment, the resident was moved to memory care.
08 Oct 2020		08 Oct 2020 Confirmed that a resident who uses a walker fell on her side while holding it, without requiring two-person assistance, and was reported to have no prior fall history or mobility issues.
26 Nov 2019		26 Nov 2019 Investigated incidents showed that a resident fell three times in a short period, leading to serious injuries, with staff being unable to provide adequate assistance during those times. A civil penalty was assessed due to the injuries resulting from these falls.

San Carlos Elms

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4.62 · 13 reviews

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What levels of care does this community offer?

Are there photos of this home?

What is San Carlos Elms's address?

Does this community offer respite care?

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