The Best Assisted Living Communities in Tulare County, CA

"This is a small 24 bed facility, more like a group home. There were residents in their wheelchairs seated in front of a TV mostly sleeping. My guide told me they decide what to watch, but I don't think most grandma's want to spend Sunday watching football. There were no odors and the temperature was warm. I really liked that the doors to each room had a picture of the resident for a personal touch. The back patio was filled with leaves and there was a ladder and a water hose lying on the sidewalk just outside of the dining room. My guide took time to explain to me how securely the medications are monitored. The kitchen was very clean and the menu look ok, not quite as fresh as I'd want my loved one to have, but I'm sure it was fine. What I really liked is that they have regular wine and cheese tastings and tea parties as well as bingo games. I would recommend this facility for my grandma. "

"We arranged to take a tour of the Casa Grande senior care assisted living facility in Visalia, California as it was recommended by an acquaintance. We were impressed that it's been a family owned business since 1973. Our uncle had been living in Ventura and we weren't sure if we could find him a suitable place there, mostly because the facilities we were interested in were filled to capacity. The front entrance resembles a modern church. The adjacent gazebo was quite lovely. We waited for our personalized tour guide there, who had taken note of the things we were concerned about. Our uncle has early stages of Alzheimer's, and she assured us that this would not be a problem. The residents are checked on regularly, so that alleviated our worries. In fact, they have 3 levels of care associated with dementia, with an entire Garden Court devoted to it. We were told that they would evaluate our uncle to determine what type of care he would need. The rooms are personalized and designed to fit the needs and wants of the residents. Most of the ones we saw resembled what you might find in a very nicely appointed and well-kept private home. None of them looked like elderly people were the only residents, which we found striking. It was clear, for example, that the female residents had a more feminine décor than the men's rooms. The residents go on excursions to the nearby Sequoias and there are numerous outdoor activities year-round that our uncle could enjoy. They have many in-house musical events. The food we sampled was quite good and tasted like a home-cooked meal, with a salad, fresh vegetables, roasted chicken, bread and dessert. Our uncle is a diabetic, and the food didn't taste like it was prepared for any sort of restricted diet. We were impressed with the level of care that the residents receive and were not surprised to learn that the Silveira family started this business in 1973, caring for some folks in their own home. It's plain to see that the homey atmosphere was carried forward into the present, by the children of that family. "

"Ferguson Home wasn't very nice or up to our standards. It was kind of run-down, and the people running the place were older. The staff who gave me the tour was great, he was nice and very helpful. It's just that they're elderly as well, so it's like an elderly person taking care of another elderly. We saw the dining area which was a little small. My husband saw the rooms during our tour, and he said there were two mattresses side by side. So it was a shared room and not a private room."

"This facility was very upscale and the staff was very friendly. The rooms were clean and you could tell the staff knew what they were talking about. "

"I liked this facility from the moment I walked through the gated entrance, so much so that I wanted to volunteer there! I had toured this facility years ago and it's been remodeled and under new management. It's a small facility that is warm and cozy, more like a home than a nursing home. The interior was warm and inviting, maybe because of the faux fireplace, but also because of the decor. I walked into the kitchen and was greeted by a friendly cook and a clean kitchen; they serve food made from scratch. The rooms were ample in size and there weren't any nasty odors. The residents that I talked with seemed happy and looked clean; they get bathed every other day unless they request more. They have a special area for the Alzheimer's patients. A group was seated in a common area where a volunteer had sung to them. The staff was friendly and smiled; I didn't get any weird vibes from anyone. The activities director seemed genuinely interested in helping the residents stay active. They have volunteers that provide weekly entertainment. I didn't get any answers to the cost, but nice environment overall (4.25 STARS) "

"My Grandmother has Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease and is no longer able to care for herself. We tried in home nursing, but the costs were just too great. We selected Autumn Oaks and have been pleased with the facility. The nursing staff and doctors are top-notch and beyond caring for the needs of my Grandmother. The rooms are spacious and well lit, clean and inviting. The nurses are there to see to her every need. The food is wholesome and quite tasty. The visiting hours were generous and allowed myself and my family adequate time to spend with my Grandmother in her last years. The staff are availiable any time day or night to anwswer and questions and address any concerns that we have in regards to the comfort and care of my Grandmother. The modern, clean facility and professional, knowledeable and courteous staff are a welcome comfort. I am confident and anyone staying at Autumn Oaks will get nothing but the best care. "

"This home is amazing ! such attentive and professional staff. Loving people caring for my mom and showing compassion and love. Couldn't have found a better place. Very clean and new home. The food is home cooked. Not left is heating units. daily care with all my moms personal needs. Anytime I call to check on mom or just ask a question, I always get an answer. Never have to leave messages and hope for a call back. Very attentive to all my mom's needs and wants :) Highly recommend Haley's. I feel at ease knowing she is being taken well care of with high standards. Thank you Haley"s !! "

"This is a privately owned board and care facility for low income residents located in a converted, older two story residence near downtown. The staff uses the second story while residents live downstairs. The rooms are small and without bathrooms; some rooms had vinyl tiles missing. Residents were being fed lunch which was canned food; no dining room, just TV trays or small tables. I didn't see activities posted; just a old small TV in the living room where one resident was watching. I didn't detect any obnoxious odors, but the residents didn't look well groomed. If you have no other options, it's better than being on the street, but sad. "

"This is a privately owned assisted living facility for low income residents who are on Medical assistance or in some cases, abandoned by their family and under the assistance of the county or adult protective services. The facility is currently undergoing some flooring replacement, but the whole facility could use a facelift. There was some odor, but nothing obnoxious. They care for some residents that aren't seniors, but are in need of assistance. I was told that they try to serve fresh food, but what I saw looked canned. The rooms had some of the resident's belongings on the floor in bags. There is room to move about outdoors, but the grounds are only a grassy area surrounded by a chain link fence. One of the patient rooms was so hot, they had to leave the door open, while the TV room was very cold and the TV reception was blurry. "

"My mom moved into Valley Christian Home. The facility was clean. They were friendly, very helpful, and informative. The people there were just outstanding. When I went in there, they were very welcoming. They welcomed my mom. I couldn't ask for anything better. My mom has only been there a couple of days, but she said the food is good. I was there when they sat down and asked her what she liked and didn't like. They kind of specialize in what she wants, so it was very good. They have an activities director, and he's pretty awesome. He comes in, gets my mom, and takes her down to do activities. They have bingo, events, church, and exercises."

"A 17 acre gated retirement community located in a small community that offers independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing and rehab services. The grounds are attractive with plenty of room to take walks in a secure setting. They offer a spacious multipurpose room that was playing a church service on a large screen. Next to this room is the cutest snack room with a 50's drive-in décor and bright colors. I didn't see many residents in the assisted living facility moving about; I was told it was nap time for most. Meals are prepared by their in-house chef and available for independent residents who don't want to cook their own. The staff I met were very professional and friendly. "

"I went upstairs. That's the only room we saw, and I didn't care for the view. Sierra View Homes was full. The dining area wasn't bad. What stood out was the price, mainly; it cost less. "

"My sister is at Bethel Lutheran Home. She went there on a temporary status to get physical therapy after an emergency hospital visit for a breathing problem. She is technically only there for rehab. The place is rundown. It's tired and needs to do a facelift. It seems nice enough, but it's pretty small. The room is small, and everything is a little tired. My sister has a private room. There is a two-bedroom, but they don't put the memory patients into a shared room. All the rooms are shared. They have a whole program of activities there. It seems like almost every day they have some activity in the multipurpose room. They watch movies, they do crafts or things like that. The interaction with the staff is good. They kind of left us alone. They suspended her physical therapy session, and they let us handle my sister's lunch. They just dropped it off and picked it up. They also came back and checked and made sure that she drank some juice and things like that. They seem to be conscientious. I talked to some of the staff separately about my sister's circumstances, and I would say that there's some lack of communication between the staff and the admissions. My sister came in at 7:30 at night. For a while, there was a lot of confusion as to what her status was, and they didn't know that she had severe memory problems. They didn't know whether she was incontinent or not. There were all sorts of questions. Everything is sorted out now, but even when I talked to the nursing staff then, they didn't know a lot of the background about my sister. The communication between the admissions and the nursing staff needs to be improved. Also, they have this beautiful courtyard, but no access to it, so it was weird. It was like there were some outdoor areas, but you can't go in there."