TheKey of San Juan Capistrano, CA

Pros

• They care about every person that works for them.
• They truly care about their employees and want them to grow and learn.
• It is a great place to work and they would recommend any of their skilled nursing facilities.
• The culture is amazing, and ownership mentality is encouraged.
• They invest in their employees and support personal and professional growth.
• They value work-life balance and family and strive to help staff succeed.
• The organization builds leaders and dignifies long-term care.
• Ensign is a company with a positive culture, great resources, and caring people.

Cons

• The facility is dirty and has a strong bad smell, with filthy linens and slow laundry service.
• The food tastes bad.
• Staff are verbally abusive; at least one CNA has a nasty attitude and poor care practices.
• Management is disorganized and seems to care more about money than residents.
• Unit manager Gina is described as the worst, with real verbal abuse toward patients.
• Residents are disrespected and treated poorly, with sexist comments and rumors circulating.
• There is high staff turnover; workers quit frequently, leading to inconsistent care.
• Urgent medical needs (e.g., jaw issues) are not addressed promptly.

Review

In West Columbia, South Carolina, at a Millennium post-acute care facility that sits under the Ensign Services umbrella, a patient's account reflects a troubling and stressful experience that has led them to want to move on, and fast. The narrator is currently seeking intensive dental work at a Charleston hospital and wants to be near family, but the obstacles aren't just medical. They describe a facility that smells badly, feels dirty, and seems overwhelmed by staffing shortages. Laundry runs hours late because there is only one person working in the room, and the linens are repeatedly described as dingy and filthy. Food is described as unpalatable, and the overall atmosphere is a far cry from what the narrator would expect in a place caring for the elderly and medically fragile.

A core part of the complaint centers on the treatment by staff, including verbal abuse by CNAs. The patient singles out a CNA named Savannah, alleging she used a nasty attitude and failed to properly wash them during care, erroneously noting that she wiped the patient down three times without actually cleaning them. The narrator highlights a jaw disorder that requires attention, yet notes that the care environment is not conducive to prompt or adequate medical attention. They also describe a broader pattern of disrespect: rumors circulating in the facility and a sense that perfume and personal odors become a distraction or a point of contention, with insinuations about gendered behavior and inappropriate comments toward female patients. The patient believes this is part of a wider problem of neglect and mistreatment, a culture in which patients feel they are treated more like irritants than people who deserve dignified care.

The sense of disorganization and disregard appears tied, in their view, to management and staffing dynamics. They describe a place where "there are four workers coming to work smelling," which underscores a perceived lack of consistent, professional standards. They complain about a unit manager they call "the worst," a person named Gina who allegedly engaged in verbal abuse and created an environment in which patients feel unvalued and unsafe. There is a sense that, in this environment, even basic expectations - like being washed properly, being spoken to respectfully, and receiving timely help - are routinely unmet. The narrator goes so far as to question what would happen to management if they themselves were in the patient's position, implying a double standard between how staff treat residents and how they themselves would hope to be treated.

Some of the grievances are more granular and almost satirical: the patient notes that the TV has only recently come back on after being out for years, with an implied frustration at missing routine comforts like channels, cookies (goldfish and grandma cookies), and other small amenities that accumulate into a larger sense of neglect. There is also a frustration with communication, as attempts to contact the facility via phone and email have gone unanswered, leaving the patient feeling unheard and abandoned. In a moment of decision, the patient says they have reached out to the CEO of Ensign to demand a response, and they express a clear preference to relocate to Charleston for not just medical reasons but also to be free from the, in their view, hostile environment they're currently in.

Interwoven with these intensely negative experiences are a cluster of reviews that speak to something different: the Ensign organization itself and Seacliff's reputation as an employer rather than a patient care facility. A separate thread of the material contains strongly positive statements about Ensign's work culture, describing it as a great company that values employees, supports growth and learning, and promotes a dignified approach to long-term care. Some posts call Ensign "the best company ever" and emphasize a nurturing environment, with language about culture, respect, transparency, and ownership. There are multiple testimonials praising the company's commitment to employees, saying they feel valued, supported, and part of a family. The positive notes highlight growth opportunities, recognition, and a conviction that Ensign invests in its people, not just in profits.

Yet this juxtaposed narrative is not one-sided. There are explicit cautions and warning signs about the broader organization. One post warns potential clients away from Seacliff, urging families to do due diligence and to verify that a facility is not under Ensign's umbrella if the goal is patient-centered care. There is also a stark negative critique of the company's practices, describing mistreatment of the elderly and calling out the vast network of Ensign-owned facilities in a highly critical tone. In this view, the same organization that is praised for its culture and people can be seen as failing in its treatment of residents in some locations, sparking concern about consistency across facilities and the level of accountability for care quality.

Taken together, the material presents a complex and sometimes contradictory portrait. On one hand, the West Columbia facility and its immediate staff appear to be under a cloud of complaints about cleanliness, responsiveness, respectful treatment, and overall patient safety. The patient's account emphasizes a distressing day-to-day reality: odors, dirty linens, substandard meals, and a frontline staff dynamic that feels harmful and dismissive. The appeal to relocate to Charleston for more appropriate medical care and for proximity to family is strong and understandable given the described conditions and the patient's medical needs, including a jaw disorder that requires attention at a hospital.

On the other hand, the broader Ensign organization is described in highly favorable terms by other voices: they are portrayed as a caring employer that values employees, fosters growth, and cultivates a supportive culture. These positive attitudes contrast sharply with the patient's negative experience at Seacliff/West Columbia, suggesting a discrepancy between patient care experiences at individual facilities and the corporate narrative about the company's mission and values. The mixed sentiment implies that outcomes may hinge on the specific location, management, and day-to-day staff, rather than on a single, uniform standard across all Ensign facilities.

Ultimately, the situation described is one of urgent concern for the patient who wants urgent dental care and a safer, more respectful environment. They have begun the process of reaching out to higher authorities, including the CEO, as they seek a resolution that would allow them to transfer to a Charleston hospital and be closer to loved ones. Whether this will lead to systemic change within the facility or whether a transfer can be arranged promptly remains to be seen. The narrative serves as a stark reminder of how profoundly the quality of daily care, staff behavior, and facility conditions can impact a resident's sense of dignity and well-being, and it underscores the ongoing need for accountability, responsive communication, and truly patient-centered care across long-term care providers.

This area of San Juan Capistrano, California, offers a variety of amenities and services that may be appealing to seniors looking for a convenient and comfortable living environment. With several popular restaurants, cafes, pharmacies, and physicians in close proximity, residents can easily access essential resources for their well-being. Additionally, the presence of hospitals like CHOC Children's at Mission Hospital provides peace of mind for any potential medical needs. The abundance of parks nearby offers opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation, while places of worship such as Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano Parish cater to spiritual needs. Overall, this area boasts a balanced combination of convenience, healthcare accessibility, and recreational options suitable for senior living.

Restaurants

• In-N-Out Burger (0.5 miles)
• Del Taco (0.6 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (1.3 miles)
• The Cheesecake Factory (1.3 miles)
• McDonald's (1.3 miles)
• Ciao Pasta (2.5 miles)
• Tea House On Los Rios (2.6 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (0.8 miles)
• Kona Loa Coffe (5.4 miles)
• Blk Dot Coffee (7 miles)
• Starbucks (7.5 miles)

Physicians

• Ronald E Moser (1.2 miles)
• OC Dermatology (1.3 miles)
• Family Medical Center (1.3 miles)
• Optum Primary Care (1.4 miles)
• Teacher Theodore M MD (1.5 miles)
• Mission Hospital Mission Viejo (1.6 miles)
• Leon Joseph Baginski (1.7 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (1.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.3 miles)
• Walgreens (2.4 miles)
• Walgreens (2.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.7 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (2.9 miles)

Hospitals

• CHOC Children's at Mission Hospital (1.6 miles)
• Head & Neck Associates Of Oc (1.8 miles)
• Palm Terrace (4.3 miles)

Parks

• Cabot Park (1.9 miles)
• Chapparosa Park (2.1 miles)
• Laguna Niguel Regional Park (2.3 miles)
• Founders Park (2.3 miles)
• Los Rios Park (2.9 miles)
• Sheep Hills Park (4.2 miles)
• Marine Park (5.3 miles)

Places of Worship

• Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano Parish (2.5 miles)
• Corpus Christi Catholic Church (3.9 miles)

Theaters

• Regal Edwards Aliso Viejo & IMAX (4.1 miles)