Wish Board and Care

Pros

• The owners offered a trial month with a pro-rated refund if not satisfied.
• The facility had a refund policy for leaving early if it didn't work out.
• The facility hosted a family BBQ on-site.

Cons

• The owner refused a refund for the last five days when the reviewer took their mom home due to safety issues.
• The facility did not refrigerate flats of eggs for over three hours in heat, risking salmonella, and argued with the reviewer about it.
• Adele's family visited the facility unmasked during rising Covid, potentially exposing residents, and the owners would not answer calls.
• Residents were fed cheap frozen meals heated in microwave containers.
• The home reportedly did not turn on air conditioning during hot weather, with temperatures frequently reaching 85 degrees or higher.

Review

A concerned family member has shared a detailed set of experiences and complaints about Orchid Board and Care, describing a pattern of safety, health, and communication concerns that they say affected their 89-year-old mother. The account centers on two owners, Florence and Adele, and an arrangement that began with a promise of a trial period and a potential refund if the home did not meet expectations. The reviewer recalls an initial agreement that the first month would be on a trial basis, with the option to pro-rate and refund if the family was not happy with how the home cared for their loved one. According to the recounting, that promise was not honored when the reviewer later withdrew their mother from the facility due to what they describe as safety issues.

One major thread in the narrative is a dispute over refund policy. The reviewer states that Florence and Adele had guaranteed a refundable option contingent on dissatisfaction during the trial, but when the reviewer decided to bring their mother home for safety reasons, they encountered a denial of the last five days of care cost. The account portrays the decision as inconsistent with the originally stated terms, implying a breach of trust and a financial penalty for removing a resident from the facility before the trial period concluded. This particular point is presented as a core grievance, cited as a reason for questioning the facility's commitment to transparent and fair billing practices.

Food safety is another central concern raised in the narrative. The reviewer alleges that flats of eggs were not refrigerated for more than three hours in hot heat, a condition they contend could enable the growth of salmonella if left unrefrigerated. When the reviewer brought up the issue with Adele, they claim Adele argued and maintained that eggs were typically left out. The reviewer emphasizes the risk, arguing that proper refrigeration is a fundamental safety measure for elderly residents who may be more vulnerable to foodborne illness. The tension in this portion of the account rests on a clash between a caregiver's duty to maintain safe food handling practices and a manager's justification for leaving perishables out in warm conditions.

The account also paints a troubling image of Covid-era safety practices, noting that Adele's daughter - described as part of a family of five with three children - visited the facility for a family barbecue at 5 p.m. on a weekend. The reviewer characterizes this visit as unmasked during a time when Covid cases were rising, and alleges that the visitors wandered through the home while the reviewer's mother, who is 89, continued eating without protective measures nearby. The reviewer says they attempted to reach both Adele and Florence by phone multiple times to discuss safety concerns, but claims their calls were not answered and that a resident's use of the facility's phones was cited as the reason for the lack of responsiveness. This series of events is presented as a direct threat to the health of a highly vulnerable resident and is framed as a failure in communication and in adherence to basic infection-control practices.

In addition to these concerns, the reviewer describes a broader impression of the care environment. They characterize the meals as inexpensive, described specifically as "cheap frozen 89-cent meals" that were heated in microwave containers for residents. This detail is presented to convey a sense of low-quality dining provisions, raising questions about whether the nutritional needs and dignity of elderly residents are being adequately prioritized. Compounding the concern about living conditions, the reviewer claims that the home does not activate air conditioning during hot weather, resulting in rooms frequently reaching temperatures of 85 degrees or more. These conditions are depicted as uncomfortable at best and potentially unsafe at worst for an elderly resident who may be especially sensitive to heat.

Taken together, the reviewer's account paints a portrait of a care facility where promises about trial terms and refunds are unmet, food safety practices are disputed, infection-control precautions are perceived as lax, and basic comfort and environmental controls are insufficient. Communication with the facility's owners is described as poor, with repeated attempts to discuss concerns going unanswered. The overall narrative conveys a sense of ongoing frustration and worry for the safety, health, and well-being of a loved one, framed by specific incidents and allegations involving the facility's management and daily operations.

Readers are left with a strong impression of dissatisfaction rooted in multiple areas: financial transparency and policy adherence, food safety, infectious disease risk management, and the adequacy of home conditions such as temperature control and quality of meals. The account emphasizes the need for prospective families to carefully evaluate the facility's policies, responsiveness, and adherence to basic elderly-care standards before making a decision. It also highlights the importance of clear communication channels and timely addressing of safety concerns to protect vulnerable residents.

This part of Granada Hills, California offers a variety of amenities within close proximity. With several cafes, restaurants, pharmacies, hospitals, places of worship, parks, transportation options, theaters, and physicians in the area, residents can easily access essential services and recreational activities. The presence of multiple Starbucks locations provides convenience for coffee lovers while popular dining options like In-N-Out Burger and Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill offer diverse culinary experiences. Nearby hospitals like Veterans Administration and Kaiser Permanente Emergency ensure access to medical care when needed. Additionally, parks such as O'Melveny Park and Lake Balboa Park provide opportunities for outdoor recreation. Overall, this part of Granada Hills presents a convenient and bustling community for seniors looking to reside in a vibrant neighborhood with easy access to various amenities.

Cafes

• Starbucks (0.7 miles)
• Starbucks (1.2 miles)
• Porto's Bakery & Cafe (3.2 miles)
• Starbucks (3.5 miles)
• Starbucks (4.2 miles)
• Winnetka Bowl (5.8 miles)
• Starbucks (7.2 miles)

Restaurants

• In-N-Out Burger (0.7 miles)
• Del Taco (1 miles)
• Sugar Suite (1.9 miles)
• McDonald's (2.4 miles)
• McDonald's (2.5 miles)
• Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill (3 miles)
• Yard House (3 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (1 miles)
• Rite Aid (1.1 miles)
• Walgreens (1.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.7 miles)
• Rite Aid (1.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.8 miles)

Hospitals

• Rinaldi Convalescent Hospital (1.7 miles)
• Veterans Administration (1.8 miles)
• Tebi, Sina Dr - Providence Holy Cross Medical Center Diabetes Education (3.1 miles)
• Kaiser Permanente Emergency (5.3 miles)
• Olive View Ucla Medical Center (5.7 miles)

Places of Worship

• Immanuel Bible Church (2.8 miles)

Parks

• O'Melveny Park (3.3 miles)
• Holleigh Bernson Memorial Park (4.3 miles)
• Lake Balboa Park (5 miles)
• Encino Bike Path (5.3 miles)
• Parthenia Park (5.6 miles)
• Chatsworth Park North (6 miles)
• Playground (6.5 miles)

Transportation

• Van Nuys FlyAway Bus Terminal to LAX (3.7 miles)
• Van Nuys Airport (VNY) (4.1 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Porter Ranch 9 (3.8 miles)
• Regal Sherman Oaks Galleria (7.5 miles)

Physicians

• Mid-Valley Comprehensive Health Center (4.9 miles)
• Southern California Orthopedic Institute (5.2 miles)
• UCLA Health Woodland Hills (7.5 miles)
• Evan Bachner Evan J Bachner MD (7.9 miles)
• Center For Orthopaedic Specialists (8 miles)