Highland Manor Guest Home

Pros

• These guys are the best.
• Good place to live.
• Major face lift and improvement with security.

Cons

• The facility's case manager never contacted the family.
• Repeated attempts to talk to staff yielded no callbacks or excuses.
• The family was never told that the case manager was in hospice care for two months.
• Phone calls are frequently not answered, and when answered the receptionist claims they don't know where the relative is.
• The reviewer claims residents are not safe and may starve.
• The overall impression from one review is that the place is awful.

Review

The collection of recent comments about this facility presents a wide range of experiences, from high praise to serious warnings. On the positive end, some reviewers feel very confident about the care they received. One person writes that the staff are "the best" and that you should trust them with your loved one's care, claiming you won't find this level of care elsewhere. Another reviewer simply calls the place a good place to live. There is also a note of improvement tied to a recent visit: after a major facelift, the facility's security is described as having improved, which gives a sense of upgraded environments and stricter access controls.

Yet a contrasting stream of feedback highlights significant administrative and communication problems. A recurring theme across several comments is difficulty in reaching someone by phone. Reviewers report that no one answers the phone consistently, and when a staff member does pick up, the receptionist either forgets that a caller is still on the line or claims not to know where a relative (such as an aunt) is located. This pattern of poor phone communication and poor internal communication contributes to a broader sense of being left in the dark about a loved one's status and whereabouts.

Another strong concern centers on care coordination and family contact, particularly with the facility's case management and social work personnel. At least one reviewer recounts that the designated facility case manager or social worker never contacted the family. Despite multiple attempts to reach him, there were no callbacks or timely responses, and crucial information - such as hospice care status - was not disclosed for an extended period. The family learned that a loved one had been in hospice only after the person had passed away, which adds a layer of distress and distrust to the overall experience.

Within the notes, there is also mention of a highly negative and emotionally charged account that references a specific staff member in very harsh terms. The language used includes personal insults and accusations about safety and neglect. While this portion reflects a single, strongly charged perspective, it underscores a broader concern about perceived safety and the care environment. It's important to recognize that such statements can be inflammatory and may not reflect the experiences of all residents or families; however, they do signal that at least one family member felt fear for a loved one's well-being and wanted to warn others.

Putting these threads together, the overall picture is one of mixed experiences with notable gaps in communication and transparency. Some families feel confident in the quality of direct care and value the improvements in security and facility upkeep, while others insist that administrative and communication failures undermine trust and peace of mind. The common threads - difficulty reaching staff, inconsistent updates about a resident's status, and concerns about the timeliness of hospice information - point to a need for robust, clear communication protocols and a reliable point of contact for families.

For families evaluating this facility, the reviews suggest a careful, proactive approach. It would be prudent to inquire about how the facility coordinates care with families, how and when hospice status is communicated, and who serves as the primary liaison for loved ones. Prospective residents and their families may want to request direct calls or scheduled updates, verify the current status of case managers or social workers, and tour with questions about how emergencies and end-of-life information are communicated. Given the mixed feedback, a thorough onsite visit, corroborated by multiple staff interactions and a review of current policies, will likely yield the clearest picture of whether the facility meets a family's exact needs.

In the end, these narratives highlight the reality that experiences at long-term care facilities can vary widely from one family to another. Positive endorsements about care and security improvements sit beside urgent warnings about communication lapses and felt neglect. The takeaway is to approach any decision with diligence: seek direct, concrete information, assess how well the facility's communication channels work, and ensure there is a reliable system for timely updates about a loved one's health, status, and any changes to their care plan.

Located in Lynwood, California, this area offers a convenient and bustling community for seniors looking to settle down. With several hospitals nearby such as Martin Luther King Jr / Drew Medical Center and Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, residents have access to quality healthcare services. In addition, there are numerous pharmacies and physicians within a short distance for any medical needs. For leisure activities, there are several parks like Temple Park and Rivera Park where seniors can enjoy outdoor recreation. There is also a variety of dining options ranging from fast food chains like Jack In The Box to upscale restaurants like Bavel for special occasions. Transportation options are readily available with Metro Rail stations and car rental services nearby. Overall, this neighborhood provides a diverse range of amenities and services that cater to the needs of seniors looking for a vibrant and active community to call home.

Hospitals

• Martin Luther King Jr / Drew Medical Center (1.7 miles)
• Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center (3.1 miles)
• PIH Health Hospital (4.6 miles)
• Kaiser Permanente Hospital (4.8 miles)
• Del Rio Convalescent Center (5.4 miles)
• Kedren Community Health Center (6.2 miles)
• Prado Center (8.4 miles)

Parks

• Temple Park (3.1 miles)
• Rivera Park (6.9 miles)
• George E. Elder Memorial Park (9 miles)
• Charles H. Wilson Park (9.6 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (3.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.9 miles)
• Rite Aid (5.6 miles)
• Walgreens (6.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (6.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (6.3 miles)

Physicians

• Paramount Physicians (4.3 miles)
• Harbor Ucla Medical Center - David Durkovich Do (8.4 miles)

Restaurants

• Jack In The Box (4.9 miles)
• In-N-Out Burger (7 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (7.3 miles)
• McDonald's (7.3 miles)
• Girl & The Goat LA (7.7 miles)
• Bavel (7.8 miles)
• EightyTwo (8.1 miles)

Cafes

• Donut King 2 (6.1 miles)
• Lees Sandwiches - Gard (6.5 miles)
• Starbucks (6.8 miles)
• Starbucks (7.3 miles)
• Starbucks (7.6 miles)
• Verve Coffee Roasters (7.8 miles)
• Bopomofo Cafe (8.8 miles)

Transportation

• Metro Rail - Hawthorne/Lennox (8.1 miles)
• Komar Aviation Group (8.4 miles)
• Metro - Willow Street Station (8.6 miles)
• Long Beach Airport (LGB) (8.6 miles)
• Union Station (8.8 miles)
• Aviation/LAX Metro Station (9.5 miles)
• Fox Rent A Car (9.5 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Norwalk 2 (8.1 miles)
• Harkins Theatres Cerritos 16 (8.2 miles)
• Alamo Drafthouse Downtown (8.6 miles)
• Regal LA Live & 4DX (8.6 miles)
• AMC DINE-IN South Bay Galleria 16 (9.2 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Catherine Laboure Church (8.2 miles)