The reviews for La Paloma Assisted Living are highly polarized, with a clear divide between reviewers who describe a warm, small, family-like setting with attentive caregivers and those who report serious lapses in basic care, neglect, and management problems. Positive reports emphasize the facility's small size (around six beds), a home environment, individualized attention, private and large rooms, on-site medical and therapy supports, personal grooming services, and homemade/customized meals. Several families specifically praise certain caregivers (e.g., "Kim") and say their loved ones were treated like family, received excellent end-of-life/hospice care and dignity, and that the owner or staff were attentive and supportive in at least some situations.
Conversely, a number of reviews describe significant and alarming issues. Recurrent negative themes include neglect leading to bedsores, poor medication management, and failure to provide promised 24/7 care. Some families report serious medical emergencies (choking incidents, hospitalizations, transitions to hospice) that they attribute at least in part to inadequate supervision or response. Staffing problems are frequently mentioned: reports of untrained, rude, or inattentive caregivers (including complaints about night staff), language barriers, staff smoking on-site, and employees using phones during shifts. These concerns suggest inconsistent staff training, supervision, and adherence to care protocols across shifts.
Facility and safety issues are mixed. The small home-like setting and private rooms are positives for many, as are on-site doctor/therapy services and personalized grooming. However, multiple reviewers reported the facility's climate control was deficient — the air conditioning was reportedly broken or set very warm (thermostat at 80°F), creating extreme heat in common areas and rooms. Such environmental issues are not trivial for frail or bedridden residents and were tied in the reviews to comfort and health problems. Safety features are ambivalent: reviewers note that doors are not locked but have alarms, which may be reassuring to some families and a concern to others depending on their loved one’s needs.
Dining and daily life details are another area of split impressions. Several reviewers praise the food as delicious, homemade, never frozen, and tailored to individual requests. Others describe meals prepared in a microwave, skillet or toaster oven and criticize the lack of activities/engagement for residents. Additional personal care concerns include inadequate dental/denture care and failure to assist residents to the bathroom regularly, both of which contribute to discomfort and risk of complications.
Management and administrative conduct are inconsistent across reviews. While some families describe an attentive owner and staff who helped with Medicaid and funding issues, a number of reviews allege the owner was uncaring, focused on money, and refused refunds—even in situations where families felt the care was inadequate and a resident later died. Several reviewers used strong language about incompetence or prioritizing finances over resident welfare.
Taken together, the pattern is one of highly variable experiences: some families received compassionate, individualized care in a small, home-like environment with good meals and on-site medical supports; others encountered serious lapses in basic care, environmental safety (heat), and staff professionalism that they believe contributed to medical deterioration. These divergent accounts suggest that quality may depend heavily on which staff are on duty, how consistently policies are enforced, and how well the facility maintains equipment and staffing levels.
For prospective families, these reviews recommend careful, specific vetting: observe multiple shifts (including nights), ask about staff training and language capabilities, examine the facility’s HVAC maintenance history and current functioning, review medication management and emergency protocols, inquire about toileting and skin care routines, verify grooming and dental care procedures, request references from recent families, and read contracts closely regarding refunds and grievance procedures. Checking state licensing records and any complaint history can help corroborate patterns. In summary, La Paloma appears to offer a small, potentially very caring setting for some residents, but there are repeated and serious red flags in other reports that warrant thorough investigation before placement.
