Candlewood Care Home III in Tustin, CA

Pros

• Cristina and Emanuel genuinely care about others and would help the less fortunate.
• The staff at Living the Dream provide care with love, tenderness, and protection for residents.
• The facility feels like a home, giving residents safety, dignity, and a sense of belonging in their final months.
• Christina is a bright light in the industry, showing integrity, passion, and compassion for residents.
• LTDCH offers a small, home-based environment that respects independence and maximizes dignity in recovery.
• The care team coordinates all aspects of care, including hospital beds, home health, therapy, and hospice, often going above and beyond.
• The home is clean, organized, and welcoming, with residents feeling comfortable and well cared for.
• Families feel treated like part of the family, with proactive, respectful communication from Cristina and Emanuel.
• The staff celebrate birthdays, holidays, and visits, making each resident feel special.
• The home atmosphere is loving, warm, and family-like, with even a small child adding joy to the environment.

Review

This intimate, home-like board-and-care in Tustin is best suited for families seeking warm, hands-on 24-hour care where residents are treated as family and the care team takes ownership of each individual's wellbeing. The community thrives under Cristina and Emanuel, whose commitment reads as a daily promise: safety, dignity, and personal attention come first. It is particularly well-suited for seniors who want to remain in a small, residential setting rather than a large, institutional campus, including those navigating dementia or transition to hospice. The atmosphere is designed around everyday life - home-cooked meals, familiar routines, and a living space that feels like a private residence rather than a facility. In short, this is the choice for families who value a highly personalized, family-centered caregiving culture.

Those evaluating alternatives should consider settings with greater scale, more formal programming, or specialized clinical infrastructure. If a resident requires a larger campus with extensive on-site rehab programs, a wider range of social activities, or more advanced medical equipment and staff coverage around the clock, a bigger facility may suit better. Families who prioritize predictability of a fixed schedule, structured memory-care programming, or institutional dining and activity calendars may find more comfort in traditional assisted living or dedicated memory-care communities. For residents with these needs, a larger operation could offer a broader spectrum of services and more standardized processes.

The strongest pros here offset the few potential drawbacks with remarkable clarity. A small, home-based format yields relentless warmth and quick responsiveness: Cristina and Emanuel actively orchestrate hospital beds, home health, medications, and therapy, often within days, restoring routines and dignity that larger systems can overlook. The level of daily attention is unmistakable - from meticulous hygiene and personal care to thoughtfully prepared, restaurant-style meals and celebratory events that reinforce a sense of belonging. The staff's attentiveness extends beyond basic care to proactive health monitoring and clear, respectful communication with families, which translates into peace of mind for loved ones who cannot be present every hour.

Equally compelling are the professional integrations that sustain this environment. Hospice partners, external therapists, and home-health providers are welcomed into a cohesive care plan, with Cristina and her team frequently coordinating to ensure smooth transitions and timely interventions. Residents enjoy a genuine home atmosphere - cleanliness, comfortable rooms, an inviting common area, and outdoor spaces that invite conversation and outdoor activity. Family members consistently note the open lines of communication and the willingness to accommodate flexible visiting hours and special occasions, reinforcing that this setting truly functions as an extended family.

If there are concerns to anticipate, they center on scale and formal program intensity. The very advantages - the close-knit staff, daily personal engagement, and the ability to tailor care to individual preferences - can feel different from larger facilities that emphasize mass programming and standardized routines. For families prioritizing regimented daily schedules, large social calendars, or an on-site continuum of care with a fixed clinical ladder, this option may appear more intimate than some residents require. Yet for most families described in the reviews, the trade-off is more than acceptable because the care team consistently proves trustworthy, capable, and deeply invested in each resident's comfort and happiness.

In deciding, families should focus on three benchmarks: first, the strength of the caregiver relationship and the owners' hands-on leadership; second, the capacity to coordinate medical and therapeutic services without delay; and third, the overall environment - cleanliness, safety, and the sense that every resident is valued. If these align with the senior's needs and family priorities, this community delivers extraordinary value: a loving, capable, home-like haven where residents are treated like kin and families receive real-time, compassionate guidance. For those who require a larger, more formal or medically intensive setting, it is prudent to explore alternatives; otherwise, this small-scale operation stands out as one of the most trustworthy, deeply caring options in the region.

This part of Tustin, California, offers a variety of amenities and services that cater to the needs of seniors. With several pharmacies in close proximity, accessing necessary medications is convenient. The diverse range of restaurants and cafes nearby provide ample dining options for socializing or enjoying a meal out. Additionally, the presence of parks like Tustin Sports Park and healthcare facilities such as Kaiser Permanente Tustin Medical Offices ensure access to recreational activities and medical care. The area also offers easy transportation options with John Wayne Airport and Artic nearby, making travel convenient for visiting loved ones or exploring the surrounding areas. Overall, this part of Tustin provides a well-rounded environment for seniors looking for a comfortable and accessible location to call home.

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (0.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.7 miles)
• Walgreens (3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.1 miles)

Restaurants

• McDonald's (0.8 miles)
• BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse (1.3 miles)
• Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar (1.3 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (1.4 miles)
• In-N-Out Burger (1.4 miles)
• McDonald's (2.5 miles)
• Del Taco (3.2 miles)

Cafes

• Kean Coffee (0.9 miles)
• Starbucks (1.2 miles)
• Starbucks (1.3 miles)
• Starbucks (1.4 miles)
• Orobae (2.7 miles)
• Starbucks (3.7 miles)
• Diamond Jamboree Shopping Center (4.1 miles)

Parks

• Tustin Sports Park (1.2 miles)
• Peters Canyon (2.2 miles)
• Resort at the Groves (2.6 miles)
• Plaza Park (3.5 miles)
• Eastwood Village Park (3.6 miles)
• Jeffrey Open Space Trail (4.2 miles)
• Ashwood Park (4.4 miles)

Physicians

• Kaiser Permenente Tustin Medical Offices (1.3 miles)
• Cardiology Specialists of Orange County (1.9 miles)
• Hoag Tustin Legacy (2 miles)
• Hoag Medical Group (2 miles)
• Coastal Kids (4 miles)
• Kaiser Permanente Orthopedics (6 miles)
• The 200 Building (6.1 miles)

Theaters

• Amc Tustin 14 At The District (3.4 miles)
• AMC Movie Theater (5.9 miles)
• Century Theatres (6.1 miles)
• Regal Irvine Spectrum Screenx, 4Dx, Imax, RPX & Vip (7 miles)

Places of Worship

• Islamic Center of Irvine (3.8 miles)

Hospitals

• Choc (4.5 miles)
• Kaiser Permanente Hospital (6 miles)

Transportation

• Terminal A (5.4 miles)
• John Wayne Airport (SNA) (5.5 miles)
• Artic (6 miles)