University Care Center

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

    Caring staff, spotless facility, recommended

    I had a very positive stay - staff were caring, friendly and well organized; nurses and therapists were very good and encouraging. The facility was spotless, homey, with engaging activities and good meals. I would recommend this place.

    Current/former resident
    Jul 2026

    Schedule a Tour

    Date of Tour
    Time Window
    Tour Type

    You selected in-person tour on in the

    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

    4.62·(42)

    Overall rating

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

      4.4
    • Staff

      4.7
    • Meals

      4.8
    • Amenities

      4.6
    • Value

      5.0

    Pros

    • Compassionate, attentive nursing and CNA staff
    • Skilled physical, occupational, and speech therapy programs
    • Clean, well-maintained interior and professional landscaping
    • Engaging activities program with resident input
    • Freshly presented, varied meal service
    • Pet therapy and organized social events
    • Convenient location near a hospital and large park
    • Around-the-clock skilled nursing availability
    • Welcoming, home-like atmosphere
    • Streamlined admission and discharge processes
    • Supportive department leadership and rehab team
    • High standards for sanitation and infection-control protocols

    Cons

    • Inconsistent staffing levels and shift coverage
    • Variable responsiveness to call systems and facility phones
    • Inconsistent availability of planned therapy services
    • HVAC and room temperature control problems
    • Gaps in medication-administration and medical-record controls (allegations)
    • Management transparency and review moderation
    • Infection-control process inconsistencies in some cases

    Summary of reviews

    University Care Center receives frequent praise for the quality of hands-on caregiving and therapy services. Many commenters highlight compassionate, attentive CNAs and nurses, and several single-out strong physical, occupational, and speech therapy programs that support rehabilitation-focused stays. Families and residents commonly describe a welcoming, home-like atmosphere, around-the-clock skilled nursing availability, and a rehabilitation team that prioritizes timely recovery and discharge planning.

    The facility’s physical environment is consistently noted as a strength: reviewers describe a clean, well-maintained interior, professional landscaping, and communal spaces suitable for visits and activities. Dining is generally described positively, with fresh, neatly presented meals and a reasonable variety. The activities program is a recurring positive, with organized social events, pet therapy, holiday celebrations, and opportunities for resident input that contribute to an engaged community feel.

    However, reviews also reveal operational inconsistencies that prospective families should consider. Staffing levels and coverage appear variable at times, which reviewers link to delays in responsiveness and reduced availability of scheduled therapy services. Multiple accounts point to unreliable call systems and facility phones and to room-temperature control issues during some stays. There are also mentions of infection-control concerns and at least one serious clinical outcome that families specifically raised; these items speak to the need for careful inquiry into clinical-safety practices and post-incident communication.

    More serious administrative concerns appear in a subset of comments: allegations regarding medication-administration and medical-record controls and concerns about management transparency and how resident feedback or reviews are handled. These comments contrast with other reviewers who found management and department heads supportive; the mixed impressions suggest variability in family experience with administrative responsiveness and escalation processes.

    For families considering University Care Center, the balance of comments suggests a facility capable of high-quality, rehabilitation-focused care in a clean, activity-rich setting, staffed by many committed caregivers. At the same time, variability in staffing, responsiveness, therapy availability, and administrative transparency are recurring themes. Recommended next steps before placement include touring during peak and off-peak hours, asking for current staffing ratios and therapy schedules, reviewing infection-control and medication-administration policies, and clarifying the facility’s grievance and family-communication procedures to better understand how it handles clinical incidents and ongoing concerns.

    Reviews written on Mirador

    We have no reviews to show about University Care Center.

    Help other families by writing a review about your experience with this community.

    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

    Map showing location of University Care Center

    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 9 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.

    Are you an owner or operator of this community?

    Claim this listing to receive messages from prospective customers and manage your community page.

    Nearby Communities

    Assisted Living in Nearby Cities

    1. 259 facilities$5,341/mo
    2. 255 facilities$5,358/mo
    3. 229 facilities$5,330/mo
    4. 207 facilities$5,572/mo
    5. 161 facilities$5,002/mo
    6. 211 facilities$5,449/mo
    7. 164 facilities$5,321/mo
    8. 187 facilities$5,494/mo
    9. 100 facilities$4,858/mo
    10. 166 facilities$5,495/mo
    11. 145 facilities$5,604/mo
    12. 138 facilities$5,381/mo
    © 2026 Mirador Living