I placed my family member here and the staff were consistently kind, attentive, and helped him make friends - portions are generous and seconds offered, and a doctor recommended the place. However, the exterior is lovely while the interior is just okay: I'm worried about cleanliness - roaches/bed bugs and filthy rooms were reported, balcony unrepaired and poor ventilation - and meals can be unbalanced. Staff seem to do their best but appear hamstrung by management/pay, so overall it's decent care with serious cleanliness and food issues that need fixing.
Good meal portion sizes and seconds offered (per some)
Some residents healthy and eating well
Attractive exterior/grounds
Doctor recommended
Cons
Staff not consistently attentive
Allegations or implications of cruel treatment
Blame placed on supervisors/owners for problems
Care quality described as poor by some reviewers
Maintenance issues (e.g., unrepaired balcony, lack of ventilation)
Mixed and inconsistent cleanliness (filthy rooms reported)
Pest infestations reported (roaches, bed bugs)
Meals described as not good, unbalanced, and high in carbs
Food problems and complaints noted
Interior appearance only ‘just okay’
Staff reportedly underpaid
Summary review
Overall sentiment across the reviews is mixed, with a clear split between positive experiences that emphasize caring staff and adequate daily life, and negative reports that raise serious concerns about cleanliness, food quality, and inconsistent attention to residents. Multiple reviewers praise the staff’s demeanor — describing them as courteous, friendly, kind, and attentive in many cases — and note that staff watch over residents and that some residents have formed friendships. One staff member, Becky, is mentioned by name as kind. Some family members explicitly state their relative is well looked after, eating well, and that the facility was doctor recommended. The facility’s exterior is described as attractive, and at least some reviewers report clean facilities and adequate supplies, giving a sense that parts of the home meet family expectations.
However, those positive remarks coexist with troubling negative reports that cannot be ignored. Several reviews describe staff as not attentive or imply cruel treatment; others explicitly blame supervisors or owners for problems, suggesting systemic management issues. There are direct allegations of poor care from some reviewers. Maintenance-related concerns appear as mixed signals: while maintenance was described as "okay" by one reviewer, others reported specific hazards such as an unrepaired balcony and poor ventilation. Interior aesthetics also receive lukewarm remarks — "just okay" — contrasting with the praised exterior.
Cleanliness and pest control are major areas of concern in the negative reviews. Multiple accounts report filthy rooms and active infestations of roaches and bed bugs. These reports stand in sharp contrast to other reviewers who called the facility clean, indicating substantial inconsistency across different areas, rooms, or time periods. Such a divergence suggests that experiences may vary significantly depending on which part of the facility or which staff and shifts families encounter.
Dining receives similarly mixed feedback. Some reviewers praise the food — noting good portion sizes, the availability of seconds, and individual residents doing well nutritionally — while others criticize meals as not good, unbalanced, and overly high in carbohydrates. Several comments indicate recurring "food problems/complaints," pointing to a pattern of dissatisfaction for a subset of residents or family members. This split again reinforces the overall theme of variable experiences.
A recurring contextual theme is staff constraints: reviewers say staff are "doing their best" but also note that pay is not good. This combination suggests employees may be hardworking but potentially under-resourced, which could contribute to inconsistent attentiveness, maintenance lapses, and uneven cleanliness or food service. Several reviewers explicitly place responsibility on supervisors or ownership, indicating perceptions that problems stem from management decisions rather than frontline staff behavior alone.
In sum, the reviews portray Casa El Cajon as a facility where families and residents can have positive, caring experiences — particularly with certain staff members — but where significant and serious issues have been reported by others. The most frequently mentioned strengths are friendly, caring staff and an attractive exterior, while the most serious concerns are pest infestations, filthy rooms, inconsistent care and attentiveness, maintenance/safety issues (e.g., unrepaired balcony, ventilation), and inconsistent food quality. The pattern of starkly different reports suggests variability across rooms, units, or staffing shifts, and highlights the importance for prospective residents and families to investigate specific concerns (cleanliness and pest control, mealtime quality, recent maintenance repairs, and management responsiveness) when evaluating the facility.
Location
About Casa El Cajon
Casa El Cajon sits as a Residential Care Home for the Elderly and can serve up to 99 residents since getting its license back in 1991 under license number 370804788, and the staff works to offer a range of care for people aged 55 and older, including assisted living, independent living, memory care for those with dementia or Alzheimer's, and nursing home care, and they do all of this with staff trained for both medium-level care and 24-hour emergency help, which means folks can get help with daily things like dressing, bathing, walking, and toileting, and they even help monitor blood sugar for diabetes and have standby help for people who need some assistance moving from bed to wheelchair, although insulin shots and full incontinence care aren't included unless the person can manage their needs themselves. The community's sign-up starts with reviewing the types of services, talking about what care level fits, going over costs, planning a tour or a virtual visit, and making sure people understand all the choices, with staff that sits down to explain the options for payment, long-term insurance, VA/Aides & Attendance programs, and they'll let you know about community and respite fees and what's included depending on the level of care needed. Rooms come in different types-there's assisted or independent living studios, single and two-bedroom apartments, memory care studios, semi-private rooms, and private rooms, and almost all have accessible features, with some even including personal patios, furnished interiors, and wheelchair-ready units. The community has a lot of common spaces for relaxing and socializing, like a living room, dining room, library, computer center, activity room, and a fitness and wellness center, with extras like a beauty salon, WiFi, cable TV, washers and dryers, and a small beauty shop, all sitting among gardens, outdoor seating, walking paths, covered parking, balconies, and a swimming pool, and staff handles housecleaning, linen changes, and maintenance. There's a focus on healthy living, so they prepare daily meals and snacks, offer meal plans to take away the worry of cooking, and hold nutrition-minded dining in a shared dining room, and for special care needs, there's individualized plans for Alzheimer's and dementia, plus wound care, medication support, occupational therapy, nursing care from RNs, LVNs, and CNAs, disease, cancer, and hospice care, and home health care for those waiting for more medical attention. Casa El Cajon runs regular activities, offers crafts and education, holds health and wellness programs, offers church services every Sunday, outings, and devotional and offsite activities to keep friends talking and moving, and for transportation, they provide trips to doctor visits every Thursday, arrange outings, and give complimentary rides for errands or appointments when needed. Residents can bring cats but no mention of dogs came through in the information, and the site's friendly to those using wheelchairs, with safety features, smoke detectors, a sprinkler system, and staff awake day and night, so families can stay in touch with caregiving staff at all times. Caregivers also have their own support group and forum, so those helping loved ones have a place to talk and to find resources. Some unique details stand out, like Casa El Cajon serving San Diego Regional Center clients, accepting SSI and financial help, and offering respite and hospice care for those in need, plus they allow some flexibility if care needs change down the road, and it's recognized for Best Meals and Dining, Best Activities, and Most Friendly in Senior Living, so people notice the quality of its food, events, and staff. Residents have indoor and outdoor places to spend time, internet and phone service in rooms, private bathrooms, personal kitchens or kitchenettes, and regular access to staff for everything from health care reminders to help getting to the restroom, and while the community isn't yet a Choose Well Volunteer facility, it fills its days and spaces with a mix of in-house and resident-led activities that support physical, social, and emotional needs for most seniors looking for a safe, well-structured place to stay as they age.
People often ask...
Casa El Cajon offers competitive pricing, with rates starting at a cost of $5,735 per month.
Casa El Cajon offers independent living, assisted living, and continuing care retirement community.
There are 1 photos of Casa El Cajon on Mirador.
Yes, Casa El Cajon allows residents to age in place and adjust their level of care as needed.
The full address for this community is 306 Shady Ln, El Cajon, CA, 92021.
Yes, Casa El Cajon offers 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.
State of California Inspection Reports
48
Inspections
0
Type A Citations
5
Type B Citations
6
Years of reports
16 Jun 2025
16 Jun 2025
Found no evidence to support the allegation that recent rainwater penetrated the foundation and tile flooring to create puddles in a resident's room. Found no evidence to support the allegation that staff served an unlawful eviction.
22 May 2025
22 May 2025
Found no evidence that staff prevented a resident from attending Adult Day Program; staff and residents reported that attendance was encouraged. Found staff did assist with medical appointments and could arrange transportation, and generally return voicemails from residents' representatives, though may be momentarily unavailable due to higher-priority tasks.
22 May 2025
22 May 2025
Investigated the allegation that staff threatened to evict Resident #1; interviews with residents and an outside source did not corroborate the claim. Determined that the allegation could not be supported.
20 Dec 2024
20 Dec 2024
Identified elopement of a resident on 12/18/2024 who has not returned. Found a written Absentee Notification Plan in the resident's care records and that staff followed it; medical guidance dated 11/11/2024 determined the resident could safely leave unassisted; no deficiencies observed.
12 Dec 2024
12 Dec 2024
Found no deficiencies; the home operated with a capacity of 99 and 95 residents in care. Observed the premises to be clean, safe, and well-maintained, with properly stored medications, locked chemicals, adequate food supplies, functional safety equipment, and compliant hot water and ambient temperatures.
25 Nov 2024
25 Nov 2024
Found that the allegation that staff did not safeguard a resident's cash resources was not supported. Records showed the home does not safeguard cash for any resident, the resident admitted lending money and donating, and interviews with staff, residents, and outside sources revealed no evidence of theft or leads.
15 Jul 2024
15 Jul 2024
Found no deficiencies after an unannounced case management visit prompted by a death report; a welfare check, records review, administrator interview, and exit interview were completed. The resident was hospitalized on 07/01 and died on 07/05 with unknown cause.
15 Jul 2024
15 Jul 2024
- Found no deficiencies during the visit in response to a death report submitted by the licensee.
19 Jun 2024
19 Jun 2024
Identified elopement on 06/18/2024 where a resident left unassisted, did not take morning medications, and did not sign out, returning unharmed the same day.
Reviewed the latest physician's report indicating the resident could safely leave unassisted and would go to the hospital for re-assessment; no deficiencies observed.
19 Jun 2024
19 Jun 2024
Confirmed elopement of a resident from the facility, who returned unharmed later that day. No deficiencies observed during the visit.
05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024
Reviewed records and welfare checks after a resident with schizophrenia left and did not return; found no safety concerns and that the administrator reported the missing person to authorities; no deficiencies were identified.
05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024
Confirmed licensee reported a resident leaving the facility and not returning to the facility. No immediate safety concerns were identified during the visit.
25 Jan 2024
25 Jan 2024
Found no deficiencies after an unannounced visit; residents were well cared for with clean rooms, safe and labeled food, locked and labeled medications, complete staff and resident records, functioning safety systems, and staff treating residents with dignity.
25 Jan 2024
25 Jan 2024
Confirmed substantial compliance with regulations during unannounced inspection.
13 Nov 2023
13 Nov 2023
Found that a resident left the residence without informing staff or signing out, and returned unharmed about 24 hours later after staff followed absentee notification procedures. Noted that the pre-placement appraisal was incomplete, the needs and services plan was blank and unsigned, and there was no independent pre-admission interview before move-in; one deficiency was cited.
13 Nov 2023
13 Nov 2023
Confirmed an incident where a resident left the facility without informing staff, but returned unharmed. Deficiencies in assessment documentation were noted and addressed with the licensee.
19 Sept 2023
19 Sept 2023
Investigated complaints that staff did not provide adequate food services, did not maintain a comfortable temperature, and did not treat residents with respect. Found no preponderance of evidence to prove these allegations occurred.
19 Sept 2023
19 Sept 2023
Found no evidence of inadequate food services, temperature control issues, or disrespectful treatment of clients at the facility.
23 Jun 2023
23 Jun 2023
Identified that a 30-day eviction notice served to a long-time resident while hospitalized did not fully meet regulatory requirements.
Found three regulatory deficiencies and one technical violation were issued, and noted the resident had lived there since 2004 with prior behavioral concerns.
§ 87224(d)(1)
§ 87224(d)
§ 87224(d)(1)
23 Jun 2023
23 Jun 2023
Reviewed an eviction notice served to a resident, resulting in deficiencies and a technical violation being cited.
28 Apr 2023
28 Apr 2023
Determined that the claim a resident was forced to cut their hair and not addressed by nickname was not supported by sufficient evidence.
Also determined that in May 2021 vaccination-based visitation rules were followed, with unvaccinated visitors allowed only at the entrance or outside, and that unusual incident reports were filed for 2022 through January 2023.
28 Apr 2023
28 Apr 2023
Confirmed allegations of mistreatment were not supported by evidence, while COVID-19 protocols were found to be followed regarding visitor vaccination status. Unusual incidents were reported as required during the specified time frame.
§ 87465(a)(1)
10 Nov 2020
10 Nov 2020
Found no deficiencies after an on-site visit that included interviewing the administrator and a walk-through of the site, with a debrief at the end.
31 Jan 2023
31 Jan 2023
Found that the eviction notice given to the resident and their responsible parties lacked required information, including resources to identify alternative housing and a statement about filing a complaint, while observations found no mold or moisture-related disrepair on the first floor.
31 Jan 2023
31 Jan 2023
Found evidence of an unlawful eviction, with missing required information on the notice. Also investigated for alleged disrepair, but no evidence of mold was found during the inspection.
28 Jan 2023
28 Jan 2023
Found that the elevator broke down around 11/12/22 and was repaired on 11/18/22, with water and oil underneath requiring hazardous waste cleanup and a cleanup quote obtained on 01/16/23. Interviews with residents and outside agencies showed no current concerns about stair use; all second-floor residents were mobile; the finding indicated compliance with Title 22 regulations and the allegation is unsubstantiated.
28 Jan 2023
28 Jan 2023
Identified that unvaccinated visitors were not denied access; they were asked to wait in the front area until a resident could meet them, and entry required proof of vaccination or a negative test. Found insufficient evidence to confirm that a resident missed a medical appointment, noting that transportation to appointments was provided and medical care access was supported through in-house visits and other programs.
28 Jan 2023
28 Jan 2023
Reviewed an allegation regarding disrepair of the elevator, but lack of evidence to prove it occurred.Residents unaffected and facility working towards repair per regulations.
03 Jan 2022
03 Jan 2022
Verified adherence to infection control and COVID-19 mitigation measures, including a single entry point with screening, routine symptom checks for staff, residents, and visitors, a sign-in policy, posted hand hygiene and distancing reminders, PPE availability, and a designated visitation area. Noted that no deficiencies were observed.
03 Jan 2022
03 Jan 2022
Conducted unannounced annual required licensing inspection; facility in compliance with infection control practices.
23 Nov 2021
23 Nov 2021
Identified a self-reported incident involving a resident on November 17, 2021; additional investigation was needed to determine findings.
23 Nov 2021
23 Nov 2021
Investigated a self-reported incident involving one resident that occurred on November 17, 2021, with further investigation required before determining findings. Conducted a brief tour, gathered resident records, and interviewed staff during the unannounced visit.
§ 87224(d)(1)
26 Oct 2021
26 Oct 2021
Found insufficient evidence that a walker was not provided to the resident; interviews and records showed the resident was ambulatory and did not require assistive devices according to a physician’s report.
26 Oct 2021
26 Oct 2021
Confirmed allegation of resident not provided with walker unsubstantiated, based on physician report indicating resident does not require assistive devices.
10 Sept 2021
10 Sept 2021
Investigated a resident's death following a medical incident, with staff interviews and records reviewed; additional information was needed to complete the case, and no deficiencies were cited.
10 Sept 2021
10 Sept 2021
Visited by Licensing Program Analyst after death reported, no deficiencies cited.
08 Feb 2021
08 Feb 2021
Investigated allegation that the resident's needs were not being met. Found that the resident's condition changed, prompting communications with the treating agency and related changes in care, while interviews did not clearly support or refute the allegation, leaving the evidence inconclusive.
08 Feb 2021
08 Feb 2021
Confirmed allegation of a resident's changing needs based on medical assessments, despite inconsistency in resident's own account and staff's efforts to address concerns with treating agency.
19 Nov 2020
19 Nov 2020
Found no evidence that staff yelled at residents; interviews and outside sources indicated no malice and no witnesses to yelling. Found insufficient evidence that residents were not afforded dignity in their interactions with staff, and deemed the dignity-related allegation unsubstantiated.
19 Nov 2020
19 Nov 2020
Investigated the allegation of staff yelling at residents and determined insufficient evidence to conclude personal rights violations occurred. Interviewed staff, residents, and external sources, revealing no clear malice or ill-intent, though cultural differences may influence perceptions of loudness.
10 Nov 2020
10 Nov 2020
No deficiencies were issued during the visit, and technical assistance was provided to evaluate disinfection protocols and use of personal protective equipment.
09 Oct 2020
09 Oct 2020
Investigated an allegation that a resident sustained injuries on October 3, 2020, between 8:30 PM and 9:30 PM; concluded that additional investigation was required.
09 Oct 2020
09 Oct 2020
Investigated an incident where a resident was injured on October 3, 2020, requiring further inquiry with no deficiencies identified.
21 Aug 2020
21 Aug 2020
Investigated an incident in which a resident left without signing out and was struck by a vehicle, resulting in hospital admission; authorities were notified, additional documents were requested, and no deficiencies were cited at this time.
21 Aug 2020
21 Aug 2020
Investigated an incident where a resident left without signing out, was hit by a vehicle, and hospitalized. No deficiencies cited, and additional documents requested with possible future visits.
17 Jan 2020
17 Jan 2020
Visited an assisted living facility with 98 residents, conducted inspections of rooms, bathrooms, safety equipment, and food storage, and found no deficiencies. Two-day supply of perishable food and seven-day supply of nonperishable food observed. All required postings were displayed. Staff response time to resident signal alarm tested to be less than one minute.
22 Nov 2019
22 Nov 2019
Confirmed that an allegation regarding a resident's personal rights was unsubstantiated due to lack of evidence.
16 Oct 2019
16 Oct 2019
Conducted follow-up visit, conducted interviews, collected records, no citations issued.
