Overall sentiment: The aggregated reviews for Sunrise of Westlake Village are predominantly positive, with consistent praise for the facility’s caregiving culture, cleanliness, attractive grounds, and robust activity offerings. A large portion of reviewers emphasize the compassion and professionalism of frontline caregivers and nurses — several reviewers name individual staff and leadership who made a strong positive impression. Families repeatedly describe improved mood, increased activity and socialization for residents after moving in, and many say they would recommend the community. The community is frequently described as resort-like, bright and homey, and reviewers note features such as walking paths, gardens, patios, private suites and restaurant-style dining.
Care quality and staff: The strongest and most recurrent theme across reviews is the quality of care and the empathy of staff. Caregivers, nurses, care managers and activity coordinators are often described as kind, attentive and patient; reviewers credit staff with safety interventions, life-saving responses, and significant improvements in physical and emotional well-being for residents (including notable rehabilitations from prior bedridden states). Many reviews highlight long-tenured staff and stability among key team members, which contributes to continuity of care and strong family relationships. Memory care (noted as on the 3rd floor or the Reminiscence unit) receives many positive mentions for specialized, respectful dementia care and engagement. That said, some reviewers raise concerns about staffing levels in memory care (higher resident-to-nurse ratios) and variability in individual staff performance.
Leadership, management and communication: Multiple reviews praise specific executive directors and managers (names like Edith, Zak/Zac and others appear positively) for responsiveness, openness to feedback, and team-building. Admissions and move-in coordination are often described as smooth and thorough where staff were involved. However, a notable pattern is sensitivity to leadership turnover: where directors left or were replaced some reviewers reported declines in food quality, activity offerings, policy consistency, or overall morale. Communication is a generally strong point — many families report regular updates, one-on-one candor and accessibility — but a nontrivial number of reviews mention occasional lapses: difficulty reaching management, inconsistent follow-through, and variability in how paperwork and policies are handled from shift to shift.
Facilities, meals and activities: The physical plant and grounds receive consistently high marks: clean, well-maintained, tasteful interiors, bright common spaces and resort-like outdoor areas. Activities programs are wide-ranging (workouts, crafts, movie nights, concerts, outings, social events) and credited with improving residents’ quality of life. Family involvement (meals, field trips, pet visits, sleepovers) is encouraged and highly valued. Dining is a mixed but prominent theme: many reviewers describe restaurant-quality, appealing meals and excellent dining rooms, while others report problems with menu variety, bland or unappetizing food, meals being served too early, and inconsistent improvements over time. Several reviewers specifically note that meal quality improved under certain directors and declined under others, indicating variability tied to leadership or kitchen management.
Operational, billing and personal effects issues: Multiple reviewers report problems during intake or transitions: initial medication/medication-administration oversights, vitals not taken, and confusion around insurance coverage and billing. A recurring complaint pertains to hidden costs or lack of price transparency, with some families surprised by additional charges or high rent increases. Paperwork and policy inconsistencies are reported — for example, varying enforcement of rules across staff or unclear next steps after move-in. Several reviews mention missing personal items (clothing) or mislaid items (glasses found in planters), which raises concerns about inventory and laundry/labeling procedures.
COVID-era impacts and variability: Several reviewers note that the community was well-run and active before COVID but experienced reductions in outings, activities, and perks during outbreaks and associated lockdowns. Some families were unhappy with the elimination of bus trips, outings or in-house classes and the effect on resident engagement. Reviewers’ experiences vary widely: while many families describe continued safety and good pandemic protocols, others report frustration during those periods.
Cost and value: Price is a consistent decision factor — Sunrise of Westlake Village is frequently described as expensive compared with competitors. Some reviewers feel the cost is justified by the high level of care, environment and activities; others cite affordability concerns, hidden fees, and moves to less expensive options after price increases or perceived service declines. Transparency around pricing, what is included, and billing/refund processes is an area called out for improvement.
Overall assessment and recommendation: In summary, Sunrise of Westlake Village is regularly praised for its compassionate caregiving, clean and attractive environment, extensive activities program, and strong family-oriented culture. Many families report lifesaving responsiveness and a marked improvement in loved ones’ well-being after moving in. The major cautionary themes are variability tied to leadership changes and staff turnover, occasional administrative issues around intake/medication/billing, inconsistent meal quality, and concerns about cost/price transparency. Prospective families should prioritize meeting and evaluating current leadership, ask detailed questions about medication handling and billing, confirm staffing ratios (especially in memory care), and tour the dining options. For many reviewers the positives outweigh the negatives — particularly the warmth and dedication of the caregiving team — but a small subset experienced notable operational or cost-related problems that prompted relocation or dissatisfaction.
