Desert Manor Alzheimers Care Center in Yucca Valley, CA

Pros

• The staff at Valley Care Center were absolutely amazing and truly caring.
• The facility was clean and well kept.
• The husband was very well taken care of during his stay.
• The staff were caring toward other residents as well.
• The mother-in-law was very happy with the care she received.

Cons

• The staff never answers, and the hours are terrible.
• Jessica never answers, never returns calls, and never leaves the office.
• The parent facility and the sister facility are in horrible conditions.
• The staff do not care.
• The father has had many falls in the facility.
• The place is horrible and dirty.
• The facility is unsanitary, with feces under the bed and dirty toilets with dried blood.
• The nurse was short with the family and did not seem to want to answer questions.
• Most of the staff spend all their time complaining and there is a chronic staffing shortage.
• After 5pm, the office is automated and no one answers.

Review

Desert Manor Alzheimers Care Center in Yucca Valley is best suited for families that must secure dementia care at a lower cost and are prepared to take an active, hands-on role in advocacy and oversight. The reviews depict a facility where affordability comes with a heavy dose of operational volatility: inconsistent responsiveness, variable staff engagement, and noticeable lapses in upkeep and safety. For a resident who tolerates fluctuation in day-to-day experiences in exchange for a budget-friendly option, Desert Manor may hold appeal. It is not, however, a dependable choice for those who expect steady communication, a consistently clean environment, and rigorous safety protocols.

Alternatives deserve serious consideration for families prioritizing reliability, cleanliness, and proactive leadership. Multiple reviews describe unsanitary conditions, odors, and maintenance gaps, plus frequent staffing shortages and limited administrative presence. In such cases, the risk of missed signals about falls or evolving needs rises markedly. When a resident requires consistent monitoring and clear, timely updates to families, other local options with stronger oversight and more stable staffing are typically a better fit. A positive, contrasting example in the local market suggests that a facility with consistent cleanliness and engaged staff can produce markedly different resident experiences.

On the upside, some residents and families report compassionate, attentive care from individual staff members, and a few long-tenured residents were described as well cared for by their teams. Those glimmers of reliability can matter: when a caregiver shows genuine attentiveness, it can buoy a resident through difficult days. Yet such pockets of care do not compensate for broader systemic issues voiced in numerous reviews, staffing shortages, communication gaps, and environmental and safety concerns that recur across multiple accounts. In practical terms, the key pros, affection from some staff and the potential for personal, compassionate moments, may offset the main cons only if a family relentlessly supervises operations and confirms consistently positive trends over time.

Safety and quality of care emerge as the strongest fault lines. Falls are a recurring and alarming theme, with families describing numerous incidents and conversations about preventive protocols that never fully materialize. The communication line from the facility to families can be uneven, with some accounts of delayed or difficult updates. Leadership presence appears inconsistent, and there is a sense that administrative follow-through can be lacking. This combination, heightened risk of injury, variable communication, and intermittent leadership visibility, makes it hard to place a resident with high fall risk or complex dementia needs without a robust family-engagement plan and clear expectations laid out in advance.

For families weighing Desert Manor, practical pre-placement checks are nonnegotiable. Demand a comprehensive falls-prevention plan and a written care protocol tailored to the resident’s condition. Request a current staffing schedule, including ratios by shift, as well as direct contact lines to the administrator and to the head nurse. Tour the facility at different times to assess cleanliness, odor, and responsiveness, and insist on access to recent state inspections and any corrective action plans. Collect names and contact information for current residents’ families, and ask for permission to speak with them about their experiences. Finally, insist on a short-term trial or clearly defined exit terms if the facility cannot meet stated benchmarks for care, safety, and communication.

In the end, Desert Manor presents a polarizing proposition. It can be a viable option for families constrained by cost who are prepared to actively supervise care and demand accountability, but it is not a recommended default for anyone who cannot tolerate frequent gaps in cleanliness, safety oversight, and timely communication. If a higher standard of care, consistent operations, and a preventive approach to falls are non-negotiable, the prudent path stands with more consistently reviewed options. When Desert Manor is considered, approach it as a care partnership that requires vigilant oversight, explicit expectations, and a disciplined timetable for reassessment.

Places of Worship

• Crossview Bible Church (1.1 miles)
• Yucca Valley United Methodist Church (1.4 miles)
• Living Waters Worship Center (1.6 miles)
• Gene Gerald Garrett (3.2 miles)
• Community United Methodist Church (7.4 miles)

Parks

• Dog Park (1.4 miles)
• yucca valley Community Center Park (2 miles)
• Joshua Tree National Park West Entrance (9.6 miles)
• Joshua Tree National Park (9.9 miles)

Restaurants

• John's Place (1.6 miles)
• Murphy's (1.6 miles)
• Jelly Donut (1.6 miles)
• Algoberto's Taco Shop (1.7 miles)
• Kasa Market (1.7 miles)
• Kasa Carnicería y Taquería (1.7 miles)
• Joshua Tree Taquitos (1.7 miles)

Physicians

• Brown Hosea E MD (1.7 miles)
• David Vaughn Leaming (1.7 miles)
• The Vision Professionals (1.7 miles)
• Morongo Basin Community Health Center - Dental Services (1.7 miles)
• Advanced Women's Healthcare (1.8 miles)
• Sean R Thomas (1.8 miles)
• Doctor Thomas MD & Associates (1.8 miles)

Cafes

• 8 Star Cafe (1.8 miles)
• Organic Market Cafe (2 miles)
• Yucca Valley Outpost (2 miles)
• Starbucks (2.6 miles)
• The Yucca Tree Eatery (2.6 miles)
• Larry Milt Western Cafe (4 miles)
• The Dez (7.1 miles)

Transportation

• Alamo (2 miles)
• Yucca Valley Transit Center (2.1 miles)

Pharmacies

• Vons Pharmacy (2.5 miles)
• Rite Aid (2.5 miles)
• New Pharmacy (2.5 miles)
• Walgreens (3 miles)
• Avalon Pharmacy (3.5 miles)
• Good Neighbor Pharmacy (3.5 miles)
• Rite Aid (10.6 miles)