University Care Center

    5602 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92105
    • Assisted Living
    • Memory Care
    • Skilled Nursing

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    Amenities

    Healthcare services

    • Activities of daily living assistance
    • Assistance with bathing
    • Assistance with dressing
    • Assistance with transfers
    • Medication management
    • Mental wellness program

    Healthcare staffing

    • 12-16 hour nursing
    • 24-hour call system
    • 24-hour supervision

    Meals and dining

    • Diabetes diet
    • Meal preparation and service
    • Restaurant-style dining
    • Special dietary restrictions

    Room

    • Air-conditioning
    • Cable
    • Fully furnished
    • Housekeeping and linen services
    • Kitchenettes
    • Private bathrooms
    • Telephone
    • Wifi

    Transportation

    • Community operated transportation
    • Transportation arrangement
    • Transportation arrangement (non-medical)

    Common areas

    • Beauty salon
    • Computer center
    • Dining room
    • Fitness room
    • Gaming room
    • Garden
    • Outdoor space
    • Small library
    • Wellness center

    Community services

    • Concierge services
    • Fitness programs
    • Move-in coordination

    Activities

    • Community-sponsored activities
    • Planned day trips
    • Resident-run activities
    • Scheduled daily activities

    Reviews

    4.47·(45)

    Overall rating

    1. 5
    2. 4
    3. 3
    4. 2
    5. 1
    • Care

      4.3
    • Staff

      4.6
    • Meals

      4.5
    • Amenities

      4.2
    • Value

      5.0

    Pros

    • Compassionate, attentive nursing staff
    • Dedicated, family-like caregiving team
    • Robust rehabilitation services (PT/OT/ST)
    • Personalized physical-therapy programs
    • Engaging activities and social programming
    • Pleasant grounds and proximity to hospital and large park
    • Varied, well-presented meal options
    • Pet therapy and special-event programming
    • Responsive discharge planning and care coordination
    • Welcoming atmosphere and concierge-style reception

    Cons

    • Inconsistent staffing levels and shift coverage
    • Variable responsiveness to call bells and family requests
    • Maintenance and environmental upkeep gaps
    • Inconsistent temperature control in resident rooms
    • Inconsistent sanitation and odor control in some areas
    • Variable availability of therapy during peak or short-staffed periods
    • Gaps in clinical-incident response and family communication
    • Management communication and feedback-handling concerns
    • Allegations of medication and medical-record irregularities

    Summary of reviews

    The reviews portray a facility with clear clinical strengths alongside notable operational inconsistencies. Positive comments emphasize a compassionate, engaged caregiving culture: nursing staff, CNAs, and therapists are frequently described as attentive, encouraging, and personally invested in residents’ recovery. Rehabilitation services are a standout feature — physical, occupational, and speech therapy are noted as skilled and outcome-focused, with individualized plans and effective discharge coordination. Several accounts also praise activities programming, special events (including holiday celebrations), pet therapy, and a generally welcoming, family-like environment that supports social engagement.

    Dining and hospitality are commonly viewed positively. Many reviewers mention varied, neatly presented meals and a pleasant dining atmosphere. The facility’s grounds and location are also strengths: professional landscaping, proximity to a hospital, and nearby parkland contribute to a favorable setting for residents and visitors. Numerous comments describe clean and well-maintained common areas and a welcoming reception experience.

    However, a consistent countervailing pattern appears in operational areas. Staffing inconsistencies and shortages are reported to affect continuity of care and the availability of therapies at times. Several reviewers describe delays in staff responsiveness (including call-bell and phone-answering issues) and occasional lapses in maintenance: dusty or musty conditions, worn furniture, and localized odor concerns. Room temperature control problems are also mentioned. These items suggest uneven execution of environmental and support services across the facility.

    More serious concerns appear in a subset of accounts and warrant careful attention from prospective families. These include management communication issues, complaints about how feedback and online reviews are handled, and one or more allegations of medication and medical-record irregularities. There are also reports of significant clinical outcomes in isolated cases that prompted family concern; these should be investigated directly with facility leadership and through inspection records.

    Taken together, the pattern is mixed: many reviewers describe excellent clinical and rehabilitative care delivered in a warm, activity-rich environment, while other reviews point to operational variability that can affect day-to-day experience and, in a few accounts, clinical safety perceptions. Prospective residents and families should verify current staffing levels, ask about recent quality and inspection reports, inquire how the facility manages complaints and clinical incidents, confirm room climate control options, and review policies for medication administration and record-keeping before making a placement decision.

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    Medicare Ratings

    5·/ 5
    • Overall

    • Health Inspection

    • Staffing

    • Quality Measures

    Ratings from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (Care Compare). View on Medicare.gov

    Location

    University Care Center is located at 5602 University Ave, San Diego, CA, 92105.

    About University Care Center

    University Care Center sits in San Diego, CA, and has 87 Medicare and MediCal certified beds in a smaller, more personal setting, so residents often notice a little more attention and support from staff. The community provides nursing home services, memory care, assisted living, independent living, and adult care home options, which cover short-term rehab between hospital and home, long-term care, and specialized help for chronic diseases like heart and breathing problems. Every resident gets a private or semi-private room with cable TV, Wi-Fi, and their own phone line, and there are washers, dryers, sprinkler systems, and round-the-clock licensed nursing staff on hand to keep everyone safe and comfortable. There's a dedicated team of nurses, personal care assistants, and other helpers that take care of medication, wound care, dressing, grooming, and support for recovery from surgery, injury, or serious illness.

    Residents eat meals in shared dining rooms, and the kitchen staff prepares food tailored for health needs. Housekeeping, laundry, dry cleaning, and maintenance come included, taking chores off the residents' hands, and guests can park easily when visiting any day of the week. For fun and connection, folks can join gardening classes led by Eldergrow educators, celebrate events like Lunar New Year together, or take part in health programs, art projects, and educational activities-a good way to make friends or try something new. There are landscaped gardens, roomy courtyards for sitting outside, and activity rooms to gather, plus space for salon visits and barbershop trips, and places to keep fit.

    The rehab gym is full of equipment for people who need physical therapy, and occupational therapy is here for those working on being more independent after illness or surgery, and anyone needing help moving between hospital and home can get short-term support too. Memory care is available for those with cognitive decline, and there's a strong focus on keeping everyone comfortable, with safety systems throughout the buildings. University Care Center provides transportation, so residents can get to appointments or outings, and staff help answer care-related questions whenever needed. Prices start at $7,000 to $12,000 a month for private rooms and $6,000 to $10,000 for semi-private. Virtual tours with photos and videos are available online for anyone who wants to see what life looks like before coming in person. The front desk helps during office hours, emergency admissions get support at any hour, and skilled nursing services stay ready so residents have what they need for wellness and recovery.

    People often ask...

    University Care Center offers assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing.

    There are 14 photos of University Care Center on Mirador.

    The full address for this community is 5602 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92105.

    No, University Care Center does not offer 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.

    Disclaimer

    Mirador Living is not affiliated with the owner or operator(s) of University Care Center. The information above has not been verified or approved by the owner or operator. For exact information, please contact University Care Center directly. There is no cost for this service. We are compensated by the community you select.

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