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Why trust this guide?
Our editorial team analyzed 346 nursing homes in CA using CMS data, inspection records, complaints, amenities, and facility-level details. How we rank nursing homes in CA
Video Tour: Top-rated Nursing Homes facilities in California.
Watch this Video to see California's Top-rated Senior Communities
Avg Overall CMS Rating:3.1/ 5The average Overall CMS Rating for all CMS-certified nursing homes in California. Ratings combine health inspections, staffing, and quality measures, with inspections weighted most. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average:3.2/ 5
Avg Staffing Rating:3.1/ 5The average Staffing Rating across all CMS-certified nursing homes in California. Reflects nursing staff hours per resident per day (including RNs), adjusted for residents' care needs. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average:3.4/ 5
Avg Health Insp. Rating:2.8/ 5The average Health Inspection Rating across all CMS-certified nursing homes in California. Based on each facility's recent inspections and complaint investigations, weighing the number, scope, and severity of deficiencies. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
Info below is compiled from CMS reports & the CA Dept. of Social Services (CDSS), senior community websites & trusted data sources such as Walk Score & BBB.
Communities are listed from highest to lowest based on our ranking methodology.
Residing in the serene neighborhood of B Street, Hayward, CA, is the astounding senior living community of Hayward Gardens Post Acute that offers skilled nursing and rehabilitation. The community also provides social services to guide seniors with their retirement plans. With round-the-clock care and assistance from a team of specially trained and responsible professionals, seniors let go of their worries and live their lives to the fullest.
Aside from personalized care, the community also conducts a variety of fun activities and engaging programs to encourage residents to remain active and happy. Promoting a bright and welcoming environment, Hayward Gardens Post Acute ensures seniors have a safe place to spend their golden years blissfully while receiving the utmost care and assistance for their special needs.
Delta View Post Acute is a medium sized skilled nursing facility located in Antioch, CA, and providing skilled nursing and rehabilitation services. They also offer an Alzheimer’s care program, specially designed for residents and patients living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. As part of their skilled nursing services, they provide both their residents and patients individualized care; from round-the-clock supervision, to medication management, incontinence care, restorative nursing, and assistance with daily living activities.
This skilled nursing facility also provides weekly and monthly health monitoring and lab testing, ensuring that the health of residents and patients alike stay stable. They also provide a dietary program wherein they provide meals that are dietician approved, as well as oral supplements if required. For residents or patients in their final stages of life, hospice care is also available.
The Almaden Health and Rehabilitation Center provides seniors an avenue for the best possible care and support in the enlivening county of Santa Clara in San Jose, California. They invest in taking care of their employees to provide seamless service and genuine care. The center offers a wide range of services, including skilled nursing, rehabilitation, dietary services, social services, and assistance with daily activities. They strive to meet the unique needs of each resident and provide the necessary care and support to help them heal. They make it very clear that the safety of the residents is their top priority. The facility has implemented careful guidelines for visitation to eliminate hazards. They are proactive in preventing the spread of diseases and taking measures to ensure the well-being of their residents. Overall, the Almaden Health and Rehabilitation Center is a welcoming and supportive environment where residents can receive the care they need to thrive. Residents can definitely relax and receive the best possible care and support from a team of dedicated professionals.
Three hundred and forty beds make Villa Gardens Health Center one of the larger nursing homes around, and it’s been running in Pasadena, California, for 27 years under Front Porch Communities and Services. Administrator Shaun Rushforth oversees a facility built to handle two different kinds of stays: longer-term placements and shorter post-acute rehabilitation. The Walk Score here lands at 79, very walkable, so most errands don’t require a car.
Staffing breaks down across roles, and licensed nurses put in the most direct time of any single category, close to two hours per resident each day. That figure sits alongside registered nurse oversight and nurse aide support, together forming the clinical backbone that manages medication schedules, care planning, and day-to-day mobility monitoring.
Regulatory reviews in California have tended to center on medication management, infection prevention, care documentation, dietary service, and fall prevention, the standard areas state inspectors look at across licensed nursing homes.
At this scale, with round-the-clock clinical staffing and a location that keeps daily errands within walking distance, Villa Gardens Health Center is built for residents whose care needs span from ongoing long-term support to active rehabilitation after a hospital stay.
Masonic Homes Cal & Acacia Creek operates Acacia Creek – Union City, a senior living campus located at 34400 Mission Blvd in Union City, California. The property is owned by Larry Adamson, administered by Chuck Major, and has been in business for 20 years. While the broader campus houses 376 residents across independent and assisted living options, the skilled nursing section includes 96 beds. Residents stay for an average of 87 days, showing that the nursing team balances short-term post-hospital rehab with intermediate care.
The surrounding neighborhood has a walk score of 63, meaning visitors can handle a few quick errands on foot but will generally need a car to get around. On the floor, the nursing crew delivers an average of 5 hours of hands-on care per resident each day. This round-the-clock staffing handles physical rehabilitation, memory care programs, and temporary respite stays. For day-to-day life, the campus features an indoor pool, a fitness center, a library, a hair salon, and restaurant-style dining with made-to-order breakfast options.
Interested families exploring regional recovery or memory care programs can call the intake department to check on current bed availability and ask about the admissions process. The front office can also arrange a convenient time to tour the campus, view the dining rooms, and see the therapy spaces.
Hollenbeck Palms is a senior living community dedicated to making each resident happy and comfortable in their new home. Hollenbeck boasts a serene environment that gives off an oasis-like atmosphere. It’s an independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing community that are all designed to enhance the quality of life for residents of each home. They boast a lifelong learning program that is committed to providing all-inclusive programs that satisfy the education, arts, and cultural activities of the community. Management and staff of Hollenbeck encourage residents to get involved in the community and practice holistic wellness.
Hollenbeck Palms is an upscale community that aims to enrich the lives of their residents; with comfort and security, the senior living allows for a unique sense of individuality to be shared among their peers and residents. The vibrant community is an assisted living facility that provides an all-inclusive amenities such as wheelchair accessible showers, private patios, private dining room, computer center, meeting room, and a TV lounge area; as for their services that include scheduled transportation, day trips and outings, wellness programs, therapy, and religious services to name a few. Their amenities and services are to ensure that residents’ mental, physical, and cultural needs are met. Each resident is given personalized care that is designed to make each individual’s lives easier. The community also prides itself with their staff that cares for residents with compassion and kindness. At Hollenbeck Palms have been trusted by families for many years.
Casa Dorinda is a nursing home in Santa Barbara, California. It’s located on Hot Springs Road in a quiet, car-dependent area outside the city center. Medicare and private pay are welcome, so families have different coverage options. Owned by Ramona Clark, the community is operated by the Montecito Retirement Association under Brian Mccague’s administration.
The home is a substantial community with 360 beds, currently at 70 percent occupancy with 251 residents. After operating for over three decades, the community has built a stable resident population with an average stay length of 126 days, reflecting a mix of short-term rehabilitation stays and longer-term nursing care. Casa Dorinda employs a full clinical team, with total nursing care averaging nearly 6 hours per resident day, supported by a mix of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and nurse aides. Daily life centers on structured meals and recreation. The kitchen prepares three fresh-made meals per day, with special events like Sunday Champagne Brunch and holiday celebrations in the calendar. Residents can partake in cultural events, arts and crafts, fitness classes at an on-site gym, and nature walks that get people outside when the weather permits.
For residents working on recovery post-hospital stays or injury, Casa Dorinda supports rehabilitation services. A fitness center and gym exist for residents wanting to maintain strength and mobility, and housekeeping services keep the building tidy and orderly. Families evaluating Casa Dorinda should take time to tour the home and meet the care team, so that a real sense of the daily environment and the care pacing is felt and perceived.
Villa Gardens is a large, 340-bed Continuing Care Retirement Community managed by Front Porch Communities and Services that has been operating for 26 years. The property supports multiple tiers of care on a single campus, but its skilled nursing wing maintains a short-term rehabilitation focus, logging a brief 50-day average length of stay. Payment options are restricted to Medicare and private-pay accounts. Situated just half a mile from the city center, the gated property has a walkability score of 92 out of 100, which allows employees and visiting guests to handle everyday errands entirely on foot.
An extensive daily care schedule is backed by a solid lineup of campus amenities and an on-site nurse aide training program. Direct care records from the California Department of Public Health show that the nursing staff delivers an average of 5 hours and 11 minutes of hands-on care per resident each day, a staffing level that remains steady through the weekends. The gated campus features a swimming pool, a sports court, a landscaped barbecue area, chef-prepared meals, and covered parking.
On the regulatory side, public inspection logs from state agencies show that inspectors have occasionally cited the facility for minor deficiencies involving environmental upkeep, infection control, pharmacy tracking, and quality of care. The administration resolved each of these findings following the reviews, and the property carries zero critical or serious enforcement penalties.
Interested individuals researching comprehensive retirement communities or short-term physical therapy options can use these state regulatory filings to assess the property’s operational background. The public documents outline a spacious, highly walkable campus that provides exceptionally high daily nursing hours and extensive lifestyle amenities, balanced against standard regulatory fixes in basic care and maintenance charting.
American River Center is an award-winning nursing home in Carmichael, CA, offering skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and hemodialysis. Promoting a warm and welcoming environment, the community ensures older adults can feel at ease during their stay. 24-hour care, recreational activities, and therapies are also offered to improve residents’ quality of life. The community also strives to meet residents’ needs and preferences through individualized care plans.
Light exercises, social events, and a variety of recreational activities provide residents with more opportunities to explore and have fun. State-of-the-art rehabilitation gym and cozy gathering areas are also dedicated to residents’ wellness and relaxation. Residents also experience a laid-back retirement, as it is peacefully nestled in the serene residential area of Carmichael. This nursing home is a great choice for senior living in California, as it has exceptional services and well-maintained amenities.
Spend your golden years at Rosewood, an esteemed life plan community nestled near Sundale Country Club in Bakersfield, CA, offering independent living, assisted living, and memory care. Residents can ease their worries with a kind and highly trained team attending to their needs around the clock. As part of a non-profit organization, the community prioritizes residents’ safety and well-being.
Residents will not feel lonely with a carefully curated calendar of exciting events and engaging programs that highlight residents’ interests and capabilities. Mealtimes promote social interactions and satisfy dietary needs with delightful and healthy dining options. The community ensures residents live a blissful retirement with its extensive amenities and a wide range of care options.
Every nursing home above is evaluated across five weighted categories using CMS data including Care Compare, Payroll-Based Journal, and Medicare Cost Reports.
How we're paid:If we help you find a home and you move in, that home may pay us a referral fee. This never affects where they rank or what you pay. Learn more
Frequently Asked Questions about Nursing Homes in California
What's the difference between assisted living and a nursing home in California?
Assisted living in California is a residential model focused on housing, hospitality, and help with daily activities. Nursing homes (skilled nursing facilities) provide 24/7 medical care from licensed nurses for residents with significant health needs, and are regulated more strictly under both state and federal CMS rules.
Does California Medicaid cover nursing home care?
Yes — California Medicaid covers nursing home care for residents who meet income, asset, and medical-need eligibility requirements. Most CMS-certified nursing homes accept Medicaid as a primary payer once long-term-care eligibility is established.
What is nursing home care?
Nursing homes (also called skilled nursing facilities) provide 24/7 medical care from licensed nurses, rehabilitation services, and long-term custodial care for residents with significant health or functional needs.
How many nursing homes are listed on this page?
This page features 346 nursing homes in California. Use the filters and comparison tools above to compare ratings, amenities, and pricing.
How do I choose the right nursing home in California?
Start by matching the level of care offered to the resident's current and anticipated needs, then compare licensing status, staff-to-resident ratios, recent inspection results, and pricing. Tour at least two or three communities in California, talk to current residents and families, and confirm what is included in the base rate versus billed as add-on services.
What should I look for when visiting nursing homes in California?
Pay attention to staff interactions with residents, cleanliness and odor, food quality at meal times, the activity calendar, and how questions about pricing and care plans are answered. Ask to see the most recent state inspection report, the move-out / level-of-care-change policy, and a sample monthly bill that lists every fee.
If you move into a community through us, that community may pay us a referral fee. This never changes your cost or which options we recommend. Learn more
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