Sunny Days Living Center

Pros

• The staff at The Springs at Carlotta are caring, compassionate, and professional.
• The Springs at Carlotto's therapy department provides on-site physical therapy immediately after admission.
• The food at The Carlotta is absolutely outstanding.
• The Carlotta stands out as an excellent option for senior living.
• Frank Cervantes and the sales team are exceptional - professional, responsive, and a pleasure to work with.
• Majesta, Rebecca, Charles, and Julio are kind and caring in assisted living.
• Tours and admissions experiences are welcoming, informative, and leave families feeling at home.
• The Carlotta's lobby, amenities, and overall presentation are beautiful and thoughtfully maintained.

Cons

• The reviewer described the care as horrible and the staff as unfriendly and incompetent, warning others not to send anyone there.
• A relative was reportedly neglected, leaving him severely undernourished with MRSA infection and dehydration.
• The facility allegedly charged a $500 per day fee to hold a room after discharge.
• A CNA was described as extremely rude, with residents and family members ignored.
• Requests for basic items and guidance were ignored, and calls were not returned.
• The facility was described as unorganized, with issues like no hand soap refills and difficulty obtaining a commode.
• The food was not great and staff displayed negative attitudes when requests were made.
• Belongings were frequently misplaced or not returned to residents.
• Family had to arrange doctor visits themselves; staff did not assist.

Review

The Carlotta complex in Palm Desert, including The Springs at the Carlotta and its assisted living milieu, inspires a wide spectrum of impressions from families and visitors. Across many accounts, the staff emerge as the most consistently praised element. In particular, caregivers, therapists, and clinicians are described as deeply compassionate and professional, with on-site rehabilitation services often noted as a key benefit. One reviewer highlighted that therapy was arranged immediately after admission, underscoring a responsive approach to rebuilding strength and stamina. In short, the care teams are frequently celebrated for their empathy and expertise, especially in the early days of a resident's stay.

Within the assisted living sphere, several names stand out as touchpoints of reliability and warmth. Majesta and Rebecca are singled out as exemplary, as are Charles and Julio on the caregiving team, whose kindness and attentiveness leave a positive impression on families. The overall culture is described as welcoming and supportive, with one reviewer referencing a philosophy of "Who's Taking Care of the Care Giver" that emphasizes not only resident well-being but also support for families navigating transitions. There is even a note about the Skilled Nursing unit not being part of Carlotta's branding, reflecting the campus's multi-faceted structure and the distinctions some families make between different levels of care.

Marketing and tours receive frequent compliments as well. Several visitors recount engaging experiences with Frank Cervantes and his team, who are described as professional, responsive, and a pleasure to work with. The experience of touring the grounds - beautifully kept interiors, an inviting lobby, and a dining area that promises a diverse menu - appears to reassure prospective residents about quality of life. One reviewer specifically praised the dining program, calling the food outstanding and noting the abundance of amenities, including a well-appointed dining room and even a celebratory moment in a resident's 98th birthday tableau. The marketing side of The Carlotta is often portrayed as thorough and hospitable, leaving a strong impression on those evaluating the community for themselves or for a loved one.

However, not all experiences align with the glowing narratives. A number of reviewers report troubling communication gaps and organizational shortcomings. In several accounts, calls go unreturned and staff seem slow to offer guidance or updates, with one reviewer naming a specific CNA as rude and repeatedly observed missed attentions to a grandmother's needs. While Anastasia is sometimes described as one of the few staff members who listens, the broader pattern of limited follow-through and slow responsiveness appears repeatedly. Other concerns include logistical friction around day-to-day needs - refills, supplies, and even basic accommodations like hand soap or bathroom equipment - paired with a perception of the facility being somewhat disorganized. The dining experience, while praised by some, is not universally embraced, with a sense among critics that staff sometimes try to steer residents out of rooms for dining, and that requests for dietary changes can be met with attitudes rather than solutions.

Some reviewers broaden the critique to comparisons with other local communities, suggesting that in their view, alternatives such as Bay Shore in Rancho Mirage or other Springs locations may offer a preferable experience. A few stories also touch on financial and administrative tensions - one reviewer notes the facility's invoicing practices for services like door repairs, alleging poor responsiveness to correspondence. The most troubling and explicit allegations, however, center on a severe case of alleged neglect in the rehabilitation setting. A family recounts a prolonged decline after placement in The Springs at Carlotta, describing weight loss, MRSA and catheter infections, dehydration, and cardiovascular instability, culminating in a hospital emergency. The same family recounts being pressured for a daily "room hold" fee, attributing a cynical focus on money to the situation and claiming that patient care deteriorated as a result. These claims, presented with emotion and detail, conclude with a strong admonition not to place a loved one there.

Yet amid the critiques, there are persistent threads of appreciation that keep resurfacing: stories of staff going above and beyond in some moments, the facility's aesthetic appeal and maintenance, a robust slate of activities, and residents who feel well cared for on certain days or with certain teams. Several reviewers express confidence in the hard-working elements of the operation - the beauty of the campus, the quality of the food in some visits, and the evident dedication of many caregivers. The overall portrait, then, is a nuanced mosaic: The Carlotta complex can be a source of comfort, companionship, and professional support for many, but it is also a place where serious concerns about communication, consistency, and patient safety have been raised by others.

For families and potential residents weighing options in this area, the message is clear: the experience at The Carlotta and The Springs is highly variable and often deeply personal. If you are considering this community, a rigorous due diligence approach is prudent - spend ample time on tours, speak with multiple staff members across shifts, and, crucially, seek candid conversations with current residents and their families about day-to-day communication, responsiveness, and the specific levels of care you require. The stories here suggest that excellence is possible with the right teams in place and a culture that prioritizes caregiver support as much as resident well-being, but that consistency and reliable communication across departments are essential to ensure a truly exceptional experience for every loved one.

Physicians

• Desert Heart Physicians (0.7 miles)
• John Menelaos Aliapoulios (0.7 miles)
• The Medical and Skin Spa (1.9 miles)
• Sanchez Joseph Joseph M Sanchez Palm Desert (2.2 miles)
• Richard Chenik (2.2 miles)
• Southern California Desert Retina Consultants (2.3 miles)
• Ear Institute (2.4 miles)

Hospitals

• City of Hope (0.7 miles)
• Medical Records Department (3.7 miles)
• Hope Square Surgical Center (3.7 miles)
• Eisenhower Medical Center (3.8 miles)
• Health Scan Imaging (4.6 miles)

Restaurants

• Cork Tree (1 miles)
• Alps Village (2.1 miles)
• Eureka (2.1 miles)
• Wendy's (2.4 miles)
• Sherman's Deli & Bakery (2.6 miles)
• Lappert's Ice Cream (2.7 miles)
• McDonald's (2.7 miles)

Pharmacies

• Emmanuel Pharmacy (2.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.2 miles)
• Coachella Valley Pharmacy (2.3 miles)
• Walgreens (2.3 miles)
• Ralphs Pharmacy (2.4 miles)
• Cornerstone Pharmacy (2.6 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (2.2 miles)
• Starbucks (2.7 miles)
• Marriott's Shadow Ridge I-The Villages (3.3 miles)
• Panera Bread (3.3 miles)
• Starbucks (3.8 miles)
• Panera Bread (4.4 miles)
• Panera Bread (4.4 miles)

Places of Worship

• Southwest Community Church (2.6 miles)

Theaters

• Century Theatre (4 miles)