5602 University Ave
4.1(183 ratings)· San Diego average: 4.4
1 / 4CMS Care Compare
University Care Center is a skilled nursing and short-term rehab facility in San Diego that draws strongly polarized reviews. Many reviewers praise the physical, occupational, and speech therapy teams and describe nursing staff as attentive and caring, while a smaller but serious set of reviews raise concerns about staffing levels, slow response times, and facility upkeep. The community holds a CMS Five-Star Overall and Quality Measures rating.
AI-generated from reviews and community data.
University Care Center is a skilled nursing home in San Diego focused on the safety, wellness, and healing of its patients. The facility provides 24/7 personalized healthcare services and everyday living support, with licensed nurses available around the clock as part of a patient-centered care approach.
Residents live in private, spacious rooms within a state-of-the-art facility. The community has been recognized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as a Five-Star Overall and Quality Measures facility, a rating based on health inspections, staffing, and quality measures.
Rehabilitation is a key focus, with an expansive, state-of-the-art rehab gym where patients work with licensed therapy experts to support recovery, including cases such as post-surgery rehab. The nursing staff, medical team, physical therapy, social services, and housekeeping departments are described as attentive and accommodating to patients and their families.
The community offers amenities and activities intended to make the facility feel like home, including beautiful courtyards and a lobby where patients and family can visit and rest. Eldergrow, an on-site gardening program, gives residents a therapeutic connection to nature through twice-monthly sessions led by trained educators to support physical, cognitive, and spiritual health.
Meals are prepared fresh, neatly presented, and covered for each service. University Care Center is conveniently located a few miles from several award-winning hospitals and has easy access to major freeways, making it accessible for visiting family members.
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Help Me Choose4.1overall · 183 ratings combined
4.3★ on Google (118) · 3.7★ on Yelp (65) · Yelp page ↗
Ruth Starghill (RS)
Jun 2026
Besides the OT/PT staff everything else is unpleasant about this facility.<br>It is very run down. Pictures DONT match what it currently looks like.<br>Staff doesn’t come when patient presses button for help.<br>Very loud and noisy during the day but staff doesn’t check on patients often.<br>Everyone that works here seems uninterested or burnt out.<br>Highly suggest you tour before bringing your loved ones here.
Bicycle Touring Explorer
Jun 2026
Some staff in this place can be rude and I wish I never was a new year
Cathy Nunez
Jun 2026
PLEASE BELIEVE THE 1 STAR REVIEWS!!! My mother recently fell and needed additional physical therapy after her hospital stay. Her case manager recommended this place and she was transported by ambulance. As soon as we walked in we could smell the stench of dust and must mixed in with patients "accidents". The fake plants and the front lobby are filled with dust and right away we could see this place does not keep up with their maintenance. The room she was given has old very worn down furniture, holes in the walls and dark spots that look like mold. Right away we decided our mother was not going to spend one night there and we took her out immediately! The charge nurse was nice but what she was stating about the facility and how great it was does not reflect what we saw and experienced. As we were walking down the hall the staff had a male patient right outside his room in a wheelchair and seemed to be completely naked and was getting changed. We kept walking and tried not to look but we were embarrassed for him. It feels this place is where people are "dumped" at that have no other choice or family to care for them. It really sadden us just thinking about all the patients there and how they must feel and absolutely no way in hell we were leaving our mother there. The nurse mentioned it is a 5 star facility and I am not trying to be mean but our experience was anything but the 5 star that she mentioned. I honestly think the 5 star reviews are made up. But dont just take my word for it, if your loved one is needing to go to this type of facility PLEASE PLEASE go do a tour for yourself and you will see the negative reviews are not made up.
norm hicks
May 2026
Everyone treated me with the utmost respect Once the Dr.s figured out the right combination of medicine that would work the best for me,it was fine. The food could be a little better on some aspects but overall it was fine
Alexandra B.
Apr 2026
This is the worst place—my loved one died after getting an infection here and going into septic shock
University Care Center offers Skilled Nursing / Long Term Care.
University Care Center is located at 5602 University Ave in San Diego, California.
University Care Center is a skilled nursing and short-term rehab facility in San Diego that draws strongly polarized reviews. Many reviewers praise the physical, occupational, and speech therapy teams and describe nursing staff as attentive and caring, while a smaller but serious set of reviews raise concerns about staffing levels, slow response times, and facility upkeep. The community holds a CMS Five-Star Overall and Quality Measures rating.
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