Golden Leisure Home II in Orange, CA

Pros

• The staff are great and truly care for their patients.
• Charlie and his team are amazing and truly care for their residents.
• The care here is exceptional with an RN and LVN on the team.
• The facility is spotless.
• The meals are delicious and generous, and administrator Charlie is proactive.
• The administrator Itzy is highly engaged and dedicated, and she and her team care deeply about residents.
• The staff and management engage very well with residents and families.
• The facility is filled with amazing people; the staff go above and beyond to show care and love.
• The caregivers and staff are great and highly recommended.
• The caregivers are very nice and the staff make residents feel at home.
• The current director has elevated Citrus Hills with improvements in facilities, staff, morale, and engagement.
• The facility is a wonderful place; the staff are kind and take great care of residents.

Cons

• The reviewer describes Citrus Hills as “the dirtiest of dirt place,” with brown/black laminate flooring and dirty toilets.
• They allege the facility took their daughter’s $1,500 and SSA funds ($5,500) and did not refund, saying they will report the center for audit.
• They claim a grandmother died due to negligence, citing lice, urine on the mattress, weeks without showers, and residents not being checked on.
• They assert the center accepts residents with dementia but lacks adequate memory-care staffing and accountability at the leadership level.
• They report after-hours communication problems, including no one answering the phones, plus a discrepancy between photos and the actual bedrooms.
• They allege they were forced to take a resident home due to violence and that belongings went missing during move-out, implying theft.
• They describe false advertising and misrepresentation about the facility’s ability to care for residents with dementia.

Review

Golden Leisure Home II in Orange is best suited for families who prize a warm, staff-driven environment where caregivers visibly engage with residents, a home-like atmosphere, and access to affordable care options including Medi-Cal programs. The community earns its strongest appeal from staff who are repeatedly described as kind, compassionate, and attentive, with multiple accounts noting that caregivers, cooks, and administrators genuinely invest in residents’ well-being. The presence of an on-site RN or LVN, active dining and activity programming, and a sense that life feels “like home” are consistently cited positives. For families seeking practical, everyday reassurance that their loved one will be treated with care, Golden Leisure Home II delivers on those fronts.

At the same time, clear caveats belong in any decision. Some reviews raise red flags about cleanliness, maintenance, and after-hours responsiveness, including reports of dirty facilities and phones that go unanswered after hours. There are also serious accusations about neglect, including incidents involving hygiene, timely care, and even financial disputes. Such outliers suggest that while many residents thrive, there is a subset for whom care gaps and management lapses have caused real harm. Those concerns are not universal, but they are persistent enough to warrant careful scrutiny before committing.

The strongest pros, compassionate staff, proactive administration, and a clean, homelike environment, are meaningful enough to offset several logistical downsides for many families. When an administrator is described as proactive and responsive, and when the team includes skilled nursing coverage, the day-to-day experience can feel reliably supportive for residents who need help with activities of daily living and medical attention. The facility’s upgrades, clean interiors, and fresh touches also reinforce a sense of dignity and comfort that can reduce anxiety for both residents and families. For lower-income families or those relying on Medi-Cal, the ability to access appropriate programs within a well-staffed setting adds substantial value that many comparable options do not offer.

However, the more troubling reviews cannot be dismissed. Allegations of persistent dirt, delayed maintenance, and communication gaps raise legitimate concerns about the consistency of basic safeguards. In senior care, routine oversight, cleanliness, timely assistance, and transparent billing, matters as much as warm words and friendly faces. When such basic expectations appear unmet, even strong staff ratios and pleasant dining experiences may not fully compensate. The risk is that problematic episodes could recur under pressure or staffing shortages, particularly for residents with higher care needs or behavioral health challenges.

Families should approach a tour with a clear checklist and informed questions. Verify the exact level of medical cover, whether an RN or LVN is on site 24/7, how shifts are staffed, and what happens after hours. Observe the cleanliness of common areas and resident rooms, and ask about maintenance response times and the process for reporting concerns. Inquire about memory care availability, since several reviews suggest limitations in care for residents with dementia or complex needs. Request transparent information about any past or current allegations, how the facility investigates them, and what safeguards are in place to protect residents’ valuables and personal items.

The bottom line is practical and selective. Golden Leisure Home II can be an excellent match for families who value a genuinely caring staff, a homey feel, and accessible care options, provided that negotiations about cleanliness, maintenance, and after-hours responsiveness are clearly addressed upfront. For families with loved ones who require robust memory support, tighter control over daily operations, or a track record free of serious quality concerns, alternatives deserve serious consideration. A candid visit, direct conversations with administrators, and a review of recent state surveys will reveal whether this community’s strengths align with the resident’s priorities and risk tolerance.

This part of Orange, California offers a convenient and bustling suburban environment with easy access to essential amenities. There are multiple pharmacies, cafes, restaurants, physicians' offices, hospitals, parks, theaters, and transportation options within a few miles radius. The area is also home to various places of worship catering to different religious communities. With the presence of popular chain stores like CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, Starbucks, McDonald's, Chick-Fil-A and In-N-Out Burger nearby, residents can enjoy a variety of dining and shopping choices. Additionally, beautiful parks like Peters Canyon and Irvine Regional Park offer opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. The proximity to healthcare facilities such as Cardiology Specialists of Orange County and Hoag Tustin Legacy ensures quality medical care for seniors living in the area. Overall, this neighborhood provides a diverse range of services and activities that would appeal to senior residents looking for convenience and accessibility in their daily lives.

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.5 miles)
• Walgreens (1.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.6 miles)
• Walgreens (2.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.4 miles)
• Walgreens (2.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (1.2 miles)
• Tru Bru Organic Coffee (2.7 miles)
• Kean Coffee (2.8 miles)
• Starbucks (3.9 miles)
• Starbucks (4.1 miles)
• Starbucks (4.2 miles)
• Orobae (5.5 miles)

Restaurants

• Orange Hill Restaurant & Events (1.8 miles)
• McDonald's (3.7 miles)
• BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse (4 miles)
• Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar (4 miles)
• Golden Road Brewing (4.1 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (4.2 miles)
• In-N-Out Burger (4.3 miles)

Physicians

• Cardiology Specialists of Orange County (2.4 miles)
• Kaiser Permenente Tustin Medical Offices (4.1 miles)
• The 200 Building (4.5 miles)
• Hoag Tustin Legacy (4.6 miles)
• Hoag Medical Group (4.6 miles)
• Kaiser Permanente Medical Building 1 (5.2 miles)

Hospitals

• Choc (2.9 miles)

Parks

• Peters Canyon (3 miles)
• Tustin Sports Park (3.8 miles)
• Irvine Regional Park (3.8 miles)
• Resort at the Groves (4 miles)
• Steve Ambriz Memorial Park (4.5 miles)
• Eastwood Village Park (5.9 miles)
• Plaza Park (6.3 miles)

Theaters

• Century Theatres (3.7 miles)
• AMC Movie Theater (4.4 miles)
• Amc Tustin 14 At The District (5.9 miles)

Transportation

• Artic (3.8 miles)
• Hertz Rent A Car (5.6 miles)
• Drr Tomorrowland Station (6.1 miles)
• Disneyland Monorail (6.2 miles)
• Drr Toontown Station (6.3 miles)
• DLRR New Orleans Station (6.4 miles)
• Disneyland Monorail - Downtown Disney District Station (6.5 miles)

Places of Worship

• Chinese Baptist Church (6.4 miles)
• Islamic Center of Irvine (6.6 miles)