Overall sentiment in the reviews for Ivy Park at Studio City is highly polarized: a substantial number of families and residents report very positive experiences while a significant contingent reports serious, sometimes safety-related concerns. The most consistent positive themes are praise for many individual staff members (including specific staff named by reviewers), good on-site nursing and wellness-office responsiveness, a lively calendar of activities and outings, attractive grounds and outdoor spaces, and, for many, satisfying dining experiences. However, many reviewers describe problematic and persistent issues around staffing levels, management and billing practices, hygiene and incontinence care, and Memory Care programming.
Care quality and staff: Reviews frequently highlight a split reality. Numerous comments describe staff as warm, caring, attentive and family-like — staff who know residents’ personalities, respect residents’ pace, and provide compassionate, person-centered care. Several reviewers single out the wellness office and particular caregivers and nurses as outstanding, and some smaller or owner-led areas are described as punctilious and intimate. Contrastingly, quite a few reviews recount rude or rough handling by some caregivers, yelling, long waits for assistance (including bathroom help), and caregivers who are overwhelmed. There are multiple reports that care quality varies widely by shift and individual employee — "some staff are angels; others are negative." Staffing ratios are a common concern: reviewers reported memory care staffing as low as 2–3 caregivers for roughly 30 residents and overnight coverage sometimes limited to two caregivers — conditions that reviewers link to rushed care, missed assistance, and unsafe situations.
Memory Care and rehabilitation: Memory Care emerges as a major area of complaint for some families. Specific allegations include a one-size-fits-all approach, limited and non-individualized memory programming, residents effectively confined to the third floor for most of the day, and restrictions on leaving the floor without a dedicated attendant. Multiple reviewers felt the environment emphasized safety and maintenance over rehabilitation and improvement, with limited activity assistance or cognitive stimulation tailored to resident needs. At the same time, other families reported that Memory Care programming (Reminiscence Program mentioned) and staff training were effective and allowed their loved ones to remain active despite dementia — underscoring the variability between units and experiences.
Hygiene, incontinence, and safety: Several serious operational concerns appear repeatedly. Reports include residents left in unclean diapers for long periods, infrequent bathing (some saying residents bathed only once per week or not bathed for two weeks), urine-soaked bedding/clothing, inadequate hand-washing after restroom care, and general lapses in personal hygiene assistance. Safety incidents and near-misses are also reported: residents wandering, high fall risks, and times when residents were left unattended. These issues are commonly tied by reviewers to understaffing and insufficient supervision, particularly overnight and on Memory Care floors.
Dining and dietary management: Opinions about food are split. Many reviewers praise the meals, some calling them excellent or "best in the Valley," and specifically praise a named chef and certain dining staff. Several families appreciate restaurant-style dining and perceived good menu variety. Conversely, a number of reviews criticize the food as poor quality, unhealthy, or not aligned with medical dietary needs — with some alleging that diabetic dietary requirements were ignored and that residents experienced weight gain or high blood sugar as a result. Mealtime assistance and pacing are also concerns: some residents encountered rushed meals or inadequate help to eat.
Activities and programming: Activity offerings are generally seen as a strength — concerts, holiday celebrations, regular off-site excursions (mall, beach, parks), live music and many calendar events receive positive comment. Still, several reviewers note inconsistent execution: lack of reminders to residents, limited assistance getting residents to programs, and variability in staff follow-through. For families that value a program-rich environment and frequent outings, Ivy Park often meets expectations; for families who need more hands-on encouragement and individualized programming, experiences were mixed.
Facilities, cleanliness, and housekeeping: The community’s physical environment receives mixed but generally favorable remarks: many reviewers like the building, private patios, light-filled rooms, and outdoor visiting areas. Some report very clean rooms and common areas, while other reviewers describe dirty rooms, strong smells, and poor housekeeping. Laundry management was a recurring negative — specifically lost clothing and mishandling of resident garments.
Management, communication, and billing: Management and the administrative experience divide reviewers. Several families praise responsive leadership, excellent communication from the wellness office, and helpful move-in support. Others recount poor communication, unresponsiveness to complaints, bullying by management, and a perception that residents are viewed as profit centers. Billing and contract issues emerged repeatedly and strongly: reports include unexpected high assessment fees, pricey care (examples in reviews cited studio and memory care prices), billing for services not provided, unethical billing practices (including alleged double-billing and attorney collections), and frustration with notice periods. The sales/assessment process itself is criticized by some as misleading or incomplete, particularly regarding medical assessments for cognition, swallowing and swallowing risk.
Patterns and takeaways: The reviews paint a facility that can offer excellent, compassionate care and a vibrant social environment when staffing, individual caregivers, and specific units align — but also one where serious lapses occur, often tied to understaffing, inconsistent staffing quality, and management or billing practices. The variability between glowing and damning reviews is striking; positive experiences frequently call out specific staff members and the wellness office by name, while negative experiences focus on systemic issues (staffing ratios, hygiene failures, restrictive Memory Care practices, and billing problems).
For families considering Ivy Park at Studio City, the reviews suggest careful, targeted due diligence. Ask for current, shift-specific staff-to-resident ratios (particularly overnight and on the Memory Care floor), observe mealtime assistance and activity participation during a visit, request documentation on dietary oversight for conditions like diabetes, verify laundry and housekeeping procedures, and obtain clear, written billing terms (including assessment fees, notice periods, and what services are included). Speak directly with wellness/nursing staff, ask about individualized Memory Care programming and policies for leaving the floor, and seek references from current families in both Independent/Assisted Living and Memory Care. The facility offers many strengths (engaged staff, strong social programming, nice grounds and potentially very good dining), but prospective residents and families should verify operational consistency to ensure their specific care and safety needs will be reliably met.
