Overall sentiment for Sunrise Assisted Care Senior Living in Sherman Oaks is mixed, with several reviewers strongly praising the environment and staff while others report significant care and management concerns. The property itself receives consistently positive comments: multiple reviewers describe it as beautiful, well designed, spacious and clean, with a pleasant, home-like atmosphere and a generally good vibe. Celebrations (birthdays and holidays) and a family-like atmosphere are repeatedly noted, and several families say their relative had fun and was well cared for.
Staff-related feedback is the most polarized theme. Many reviewers explicitly praise the caregivers and on-site staff as caring, helpful, friendly and respectful, and some say new management is responsive and that staff are loving toward residents. Those positive reports include statements that the house is clean, caregivers provide peace of mind, and that families would recommend the community. Conversely, a subset of reviews raises concerns about staffing levels and responsiveness: long wait times for buzzer response, minimal overnight staffing, and comments that family presence or extra assistance is often necessary to avoid isolation or meet residents’ needs. There are also reports of a cold or distant manager and at least one allegation that an owner misrepresented clinical qualifications (claiming to be a nurse but rarely involved), which undermined trust for some families.
Activities and social exposure show inconsistent delivery. Several reviews mention activities are offered and some residents have fun, yet there are explicit complaints about false promises regarding activities, limited programming, and insufficient time outdoors or in the sun. This suggests programming may vary by staff, time, or management approach—some families experienced meaningful engagement while others felt activity offerings were inadequate.
Dining and food safety appear mixed and potentially changed over time. Some reviewers report mediocre meals and even unsafe food practices, while others—particularly in notes referencing improved management—commend higher-quality food. The mixed comments imply variability in dining experience that may have improved after management changes but is still a notable area of concern to investigate during a visit.
Management and ownership is a recurring and important theme. Multiple reviews reference a change in ownership or management; some reviewers explicitly note prior misrepresentation and undisclosed ownership change, which contributed to distrust. Several more recent reviews, however, state that new ownership and management have been responsive and brought improvements in cleanliness, staff attitude, celebrations, and food quality. This pattern indicates the facility's quality may have shifted over time: earlier negative experiences contrast with later positive reports under new leadership.
Safety, oversight and the need for due diligence are clear takeaways. Reports of slow buzzer response, minimal overnight staff, past misrepresentation of credentials, and isolated residents point to potential safety and supervision risks if staffing or management lapses occur. Families who express strong satisfaction often pair it with the caveat that they monitor or stay involved; others explicitly say they would not recommend the facility based on their experience. Given the variability across reviews, prospective residents and families should confirm current management, ask about overnight staffing ratios, verify activity schedules and outdoor time, review food handling practices, and observe staff-resident interactions during multiple visits and different times of day.
In summary: Sunrise Assisted Care Sherman Oaks has clear strengths—an attractive, clean physical environment, many caring caregivers, family-style celebrations, and signs of improvement under new management. However, there are significant and recurrent concerns about inconsistent care quality, activity programming, food safety, response times, and transparency about ownership and staff qualifications. The pattern in the reviews suggests improvement after ownership/management changes, but because experiences vary widely over time, families should verify current practices and staffing directly before making placement decisions.
