Lakewood Park Health Center

Pros

• The facility is clean and friendly, with staff greeting visitors and offering assistance.
• LHCC is a great place to have in the area, providing a clean environment and systems that support a long, healthy life.
• The staff clearly care about their patients and deliver excellent behavioral health services.
• Front desk staff, including Aaron, create a welcoming first impression with smiles and courtesy.
• Nurses and CNAs like Natalie and Wilma are attentive and patient with residents.
• The environment is clean, relaxing, and the team collaborates well, especially in the East unit.
• Administration improvements have created a better atmosphere, with clean rooms and engaging activities.
• Ms Grace is knowledgeable and amazing, contributing positively to residents' experiences.

Cons

• The reviewer says the facility is horrible and in need of an upgrade, with patients not treated kindly and staff very rude.
• They claim patients are abused and that employees who abuse them are supported, advising families to avoid the place to prevent a tragedy.
• The facility is described as dirty, smelly, run-down, and not fit for their loved ones.
• The staff are described as rude and uneducated, lacking morals and respect for human life.
• No one answers the phone and calls are dropped, making it extremely frustrating to obtain billing information.
• They describe a chaotic environment with poor supervision, few activities, and malfunctioning TVs.

Review

Lakewood Health Care Center (LHCC) sits at the center of a wide range of experiences, from overwhelmingly positive to deeply negative. Several reviewers paint a picture of a clean, well-kept environment where the facility's spaces feel orderly and welcoming. One account highlights a consistently neat environment where patients have the space they need to thrive, and where there are systems in place intended to support long, healthy lives. In these stories, the physical setting often forms the backdrop for the most meaningful interactions: staff greet visitors as they move through the building, check in to see if anyone needs help, and offer assistance with a ready smile.

A number of reviews foreground the people who work there. Visitors repeatedly mention specific staff members who made a difference: the front desk staff like Fabiola and Alfredo who greeted them with big smiles; Aaron at the front desk described as a professional who helps start a positive experience; and nurses and CNAs such as Natalie and Wilma who are noted for being attentive and patient with residents. Several comments emphasize how care extends beyond routine duties to demonstrate genuine concern for individual patients, including timely administration of medications and readiness to call for an ambulance if a resident has an episode. The sense that the staff care deeply about the residents comes through in multiple comments, including stories of staff addressing issues promptly and with kindness.

Another strand of positive feedback centers on the sense that LHCC can be a home for families as well as patients. Some reviewers describe long-standing connections with the facility - parents, spouses, or siblings who have lived there for years - and speak to how the staff have formed meaningful relationships with their loved ones. One reviewer emphasizes that the front desk makes a strong first impression and that the overall staff behavior reflects professionalism and warmth. Testimonials about living arrangements, the attentiveness of the medical team, and the availability of behavioral health services contribute to a portrait of LHCC as a place where patients can feel secure and supported.

Amid the praise, several reviews also celebrate individual contributors who stand out in a particularly positive light. Grace is singled out as exceptionally knowledgeable and capable, with one reviewer giving a 5 out of 5 rating and expressing a hopeful sentiment about aging into a future where they could happily reside there. Another reviewer notes that administration has improved the facility, painting a picture of a once-challenging environment that has since become more welcoming with better rooms, more activities, and a generally better atmosphere for residents. These glowing notes suggest that, in some cases, LHCC has managed to translate good intentions into tangible improvements for residents and their families.

Yet the overall picture is far from uniform. A substantial portion of the feedback is harsh and unequivocal in its condemnation. Some reviews describe LHCC as horrible and in need of a major upgrade, where patients are not treated kindly and staff come across as rude or demeaning. Others go further, accusing the facility of abuse and calling for it to be closed or bulldozed. The language in these accounts is stark: "garbage," "abuse," and "warehouse for sick people" are phrases that appear in some comments, and there are appeals to take loved ones away from the facility immediately. These accounts also include vivid, painful anecdotes about chaotic, dirty, and poorly managed conditions, with claims that patients were left unattended, rooms run down, and activities severely limited or nonexistent.

More detailed negative experiences describe a chaotic environment where staff seem overwhelmed, patients appear unkempt, and the facility feels dirty and poorly cared for. Reviewers recount scenes of staff working behind locked doors, with patients left to wander the halls, and facilities that feel run down with nonfunctioning televisions and restricted access to common areas. Some accounts describe a gap between policy and practice, including one incident where a resident's medical needs were not adequately addressed after a hospital transfer, and others recount frustration with the behavior of staff in front of residents, including inappropriate conversations in front of patients. These stories convey a sense of neglect and a lack of meaningful engagement with residents' needs.

Communication and accessibility issues are another recurring theme in the negative narratives. Several reviews report that phone lines are consistently busy or unanswered, making it difficult to obtain basic information such as visitation requirements, social worker contact, or billing details. A few accounts specifically note the frustration of trying to arrange visits or obtain guidance on COVID-19 visitation protocols, only to encounter busy signals, unanswered calls, or inconsistent responses. The frustration extends to practical matters such as not being able to reach the social worker or the administration, and even difficulties in getting basic information like the size of a TV requested for a resident.

In aggregate, the reviews present a facility that can feel like two very different places depending on who you ask and when you visit. On one hand, LHCC is described as clean, well-organized, and staffed by individuals who show genuine care for residents, with particular staff members repeatedly praised for their warmth, attentiveness, and professionalism. On the other hand, a substantial portion of feedback paints a picture of a facility strained by chaotic conditions, with accusations of mistreatment, neglect, and a lack of responsiveness from administration and front-line staff. Visitors report problems ranging from communication breakdowns to physical conditions that feel unkempt, creating an uneasy sense of inconsistency in the quality of care.

Potential families and patients weighing LHCC should consider this broad spectrum of experiences. The facility clearly has capacity to deliver compassionate, attentive care when staff are present and systems are functioning well, and some families connect deeply with the care their loved ones receive there. Yet the more severe critiques underscore urgent concerns about safety, staff conduct, cleanliness, and responsiveness that cannot be ignored. Visitors may want to visit in person, speak directly with multiple staff members, and seek out up-to-date information about visitation policies and administrative responsiveness to understand where the facility currently stands. In short, LHCC appears to be a place with real strengths in patient-centered care and community feel, but also a site where significant improvements are needed to address reports of neglect, miscommunication, and management challenges.

This part of Downey, California offers a range of amenities and services that may be appealing for seniors looking to relocate to the area. With multiple hospitals and pharmacies within close proximity, residents can easily access medical care and prescriptions. The presence of parks provides opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation, while nearby physicians ensure easy access to healthcare providers. In terms of entertainment, there are movie theaters and various dining options available. Additionally, convenient transportation options such as airport access and bus stops make it easy for seniors to travel around the area. Places of worship are also easily accessible for those seeking spiritual fulfillment. Overall, this part of Downey offers a well-rounded and convenient environment for senior living.

Hospitals

• Kaiser Permanente Hospital (0.5 miles)
• PIH Health Hospital (0.5 miles)
• Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center (1.5 miles)
• Del Rio Convalescent Center (3.1 miles)
• Department of State Hospitals (3.8 miles)
• Martin Luther King Jr / Drew Medical Center (6.2 miles)
• Beverly Hospital (6.3 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (1.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.2 miles)
• Walgreens (4.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.7 miles)
• Costco Vision Center (5.3 miles)

Parks

• Temple Park (2 miles)
• Rivera Park (3.2 miles)
• Cerritos Regional County Park (6.7 miles)
• Shadow Park Hoa (6.7 miles)
• Michigan Park (6.8 miles)
• Central Park / La Palma Recreation & Community Services (7.6 miles)
• George E. Elder Memorial Park (7.9 miles)

Physicians

• Paramount Physicians (3.3 miles)
• Dostzada, Ghulam Dr - Los Alamitos Cardiovascular (10 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Norwalk 2 (3.6 miles)
• Harkins Theatres Cerritos 16 (4.9 miles)

Restaurants

• Chick-Fil-A (5 miles)
• McDonald's (6.8 miles)
• In-N-Out Burger (8.5 miles)
• McDonald's (8.9 miles)
• Jack In The Box (9 miles)
• Porto's Bakery & Cafe (9.3 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (9.8 miles)

Cafes

• Bopomofo Cafe (5.4 miles)
• Starbucks (5.6 miles)
• Starbucks (6.8 miles)
• Starbucks (9.2 miles)
• Verve Coffee Roasters (9.8 miles)
• Donut King 2 (10.4 miles)
• Lees Sandwiches - Gard (10.5 miles)

Transportation

• Long Beach Airport (LGB) (7.5 miles)
• Komar Aviation Group (7.7 miles)
• Metro La Mirada & Alondra Bus Stop (8.1 miles)
• Metro - Willow Street Station (8.9 miles)
• Union Station (10.8 miles)

Places of Worship

• Cottonwood Church (9.6 miles)
• Saint Hedwig Catholic Church (9.7 miles)