Healthcare Center of Orange County

    9021 Knott Ave, Buena Park, CA, 90620
    3.0 · 26 reviews
    • Assisted living
    • Skilled nursing
    AnonymousLoved one of resident
    1.0

    Mixed care but ultimately unacceptable

    I had a mixed but ultimately unacceptable experience. A few nurses, rehab staff and receptionists were caring and skilled and helped my mom recover, but the facility felt filthy, outdated and overcrowded; staff were often rude, distracted or careless (my mom wandered off several times, belongings went missing and a bedsore became infected), communication and staffing were poor, and I would not trust sending a loved one here.

    Pricing

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    Amenities

    Healthcare services

    • Activities of daily living assistance
    • Assistance with bathing
    • Assistance with dressing
    • Assistance with transfers
    • Medication management
    • Mental wellness program

    Healthcare staffing

    • 12-16 hour nursing
    • 24-hour call system
    • 24-hour supervision

    Meals and dining

    • Diabetes diet
    • Meal preparation and service
    • Restaurant-style dining
    • Special dietary restrictions

    Room

    • Air-conditioning
    • Cable
    • Fully furnished
    • Housekeeping and linen services
    • Kitchenettes
    • Private bathrooms
    • Telephone
    • Wifi

    Transportation

    • Community operated transportation
    • Transportation arrangement
    • Transportation arrangement (non-medical)

    Common areas

    • Beauty salon
    • Computer center
    • Dining room
    • Fitness room
    • Gaming room
    • Garden
    • Outdoor space
    • Small library
    • Wellness center

    Community services

    • Concierge services
    • Fitness programs
    • Move-in coordination

    Activities

    • Community-sponsored activities
    • Planned day trips
    • Resident-run activities
    • Scheduled daily activities

    3.04 · 26 reviews

    Overall rating

    1. 5
    2. 4
    3. 3
    4. 2
    5. 1
    • Care

      2.8
    • Staff

      3.1
    • Meals

      1.0
    • Amenities

      2.0
    • Value

      1.0

    Pros

    • Friendly, welcoming staff and receptionists
    • Supportive and patient nursing care reported by some families
    • Rehabilitation services that aided recovery and home discharge
    • Skilled wound care and professional clinical staff in some cases
    • Smooth admission/discharge process noted by families
    • Helpful social worker (named Taylor) and coordinated social services in positive reports
    • Front desk and administrative staff responsive in some accounts
    • Safe-feeling environment reported by some visitors and patients
    • Family-friendly, homey atmosphere mentioned by multiple reviewers
    • Recommended by several families following good outcomes

    Cons

    • Poor internal communication and care coordination between departments
    • Belongings and clothing going missing
    • Allegations of neglect leading to bedsores and infection
    • Reports of unprofessional, rude, or laughing staff
    • Residents leaving/escaping repeatedly and inadequate supervision
    • Staffing dishonesty and accusations of management lying about staffing levels
    • Improper staffing practices creating potential risk to patients
    • Accusations of abuse, overmedicating, and alleged malpractice
    • Filthy, outdated, or gross facility conditions reported by some
    • Supply shortages and linens appearing unclean
    • Overcrowding and tight quarters (three-bed rooms)
    • Slow coordination with external agencies (VA site) and slow responses to complaints
    • Food/dining complaints (bad meals)
    • Staff distracted by phones and inattentive care
    • Hospital admissions and severe health declines attributed to facility care
    • Mixed reports on cleanliness and safety (contradictory experiences)
    • Complaints filed and mentions of state investigation
    • Some families felt compelled to stay with residents due to poor supervision
    • Negative pattern of inconsistent care quality across shifts/units
    • Reports from Spanish-speaking reviewers of physical restraint and poor care

    Summary review

    Overall sentiment is deeply mixed, with a clear polarization between strongly positive experiences and serious negative allegations. Several reviewers praise the facility for effective short-term rehabilitation, attentive nurses, and staff who create a welcoming, family-like atmosphere. Those positive accounts often highlight successful rehab sessions that resulted in discharge home within a short period, skilled wound care, a helpful social worker (specifically named Taylor), responsive front desk/administration, and nurses who went out of their way to support patients and families. These reviewers describe feeling safe and comfortable, and explicitly recommend the facility based on recovery outcomes and perceived compassion.

    Contrasting sharply with those favorable reports are multiple serious complaints alleging neglect, abuse, and poor clinical outcomes. Reported problems include loss of personal belongings and clothing, insufficient supervision leading to residents wandering or running away multiple times, and care lapses such as bedsore development that progressed to infection and required hospital admission. Some reviewers allege overmedication, malpractice, and even physical restraint, and at least one report indicates a state investigation. These issues point to substantial risks for vulnerable residents when care is inconsistent.

    Staff behavior and professionalism emerge as a key dividing line. Many reviews praise specific staff members — nurses, aides, receptionists, and the social worker — for kindness, patience, and skill. However, an almost equal number of reviews describe unprofessional conduct: staff who are rude, laughing at residents, distracted by phones, or otherwise inattentive. There are also serious management concerns: accusations that leadership misrepresents staffing levels, engages in improper staffing practices, and fails to maintain adequate staff-to-resident supervision. These management and staffing dynamics are raised as root causes behind several adverse outcomes and safety incidents.

    Facility condition and environment are likewise inconsistent across reviews. Some visitors describe a clean, welcoming, and homey environment with genuine hospitality from reception and administration. Others describe the building as gross, outdated, filthy, overcrowded, and short on supplies — with linens that appear unclean. Room layout and capacity are concerns for some families (tight quarters, three-bed rooms), which can exacerbate infection control and privacy worries. Dining and meal quality are criticized in several posts as unsatisfactory.

    Operational issues such as poor internal communication and care coordination are repeatedly mentioned. Families report a lack of communication between departments, slow coordination with external agencies (notably VA services in one account), and difficulty getting complaints addressed. These systemic communication failures correlate with accounts of delayed or inadequate clinical interventions, adding to the variability in resident outcomes.

    In summary, the reviews portray a facility with pockets of strong clinical and rehabilitative performance and staff who can be compassionate and effective, but also with substantial, recurring concerns about safety, management practices, cleanliness, and consistency of care. The pattern suggests that care quality may depend heavily on specific staff, shifts, or units; as a result, some families have positive, outcome-oriented experiences while others report severe neglect and harm. Prospective residents and families should weigh these polarized reports carefully, seek specific, up-to-date information about staffing, infection control, and supervision practices, tour the facility in person, and ask about recent inspections or investigations before making placement decisions.

    Location

    Map showing location of Healthcare Center of Orange County

    About Healthcare Center of Orange County

    Healthcare Center of Orange County is a medium-sized skilled nursing facility located in Buena Park, California, operating under for-profit, LLC ownership. This care home has a capacity of 99 beds and participates in both Medicare and Medicaid programs, making it accessible to a broad range of residents who require either short-term rehabilitation or long-term nursing care. The facility is not part of a continuing care retirement community, but it is equipped to accommodate varied levels of need, including daily medical assistance and non-medical support such as help with eating, dressing, moving, and using the bathroom.

    The center offers care tailored to individuals needing post-acute rehabilitation following hospital stays due to issues such as stroke, heart attack, infections, or accidental injuries. In terms of care outcomes, a significant proportion of residents have demonstrated the ability to return home after their rehabilitation, and the facility boasts a low incidence of major injuries caused by falls. The rate of infections leading to hospitalization and emergency room visits is in line with the state average, reflecting a typical care environment for a facility of its size and type. The Healthcare Center of Orange County provides an average of over five hours of nurse staffing per resident per day, with a reputation for consistent staffing levels during weekends and weekdays, ensuring that residents receive reliable attention and support at all times.

    Residents benefit from robust health management practices, including high rates of influenza vaccination, and a strong focus on helping residents retain their independence in activities of daily living. The team at the Healthcare Center of Orange County comprises qualified professionals who assess and implement individualized care plans to address each resident’s unique goals and preferences. There is an emphasis on regular and comprehensive assessments, with care plans designed to adapt as residents’ needs evolve. Nutrition services at the facility ensure that meals are reviewed by a dietitian, tailored to meet both medical and personal preferences, and adjusted in form and content to accommodate dietary restrictions, allergies, and individual tastes.

    Important aspects of resident wellbeing are also attended to, such as maintaining a safe and homelike environment, providing pharmaceutical and respiratory care as needed, and safeguarding resident information and medical records. The Healthcare Center of Orange County also features programs for infection prevention and control and maintains a pest control program to ensure a comfortable living space for its residents. The center places importance on regular equipment inspections for safety, including beds and medical devices, to further protect residents from potential hazards. Additionally, a policy is maintained regarding the use and storage of foods brought in by family members or visitors, ensuring that all food is stored and served in line with accepted standards.

    Throughout its operation, the Healthcare Center of Orange County has demonstrated a commitment to accommodating resident needs and preferences, from medical treatment orders to daily living support, with a continual focus on quality improvement and professional standards. This dedication extends to all aspects of care—including dialysis, IV therapy, psychotropic medication management, and range of motion therapy—creating a supportive environment for recovery, rehabilitation, or long-term residence. The center’s engagement with both Medicare and Medicaid makes it a viable choice for residents seeking skilled nursing care and support for daily living in a compassionate, professionally managed setting.

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