Nursing HomeMedicaid

Buena Vista Care Center

Meets baseline Medicare standards with room for improvement. A tour and talking to current residents' families is the best next step.

160 South Patterson Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 93111|150 beds|Licensed & Active

3/5

Medicare

Inspection

Quality

Staffing

Google rating

3.9/5

based on 11 Google reviews

(805) 964-4871 Directions

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What this means for your family

This facility is an excellent choice if you value staff consistency and strong nursing leadership. The presence of long-term employees suggests a stable environment, though you may want to verify specific meal or activity details as they were not mentioned in recent reviews.

Google Reviews

11 reviews on Google

“Families can expect a high level of care characterized by a stable, long-term staff and attentive nursing professionals. Reviewers specifically praise the leadership, particularly the Director of Nursing, for their professionalism and responsiveness to issues.”

Quality Themes

Tap a score for details

Strengths

Attentive and caring nursing staff
Professional and responsive leadership
Clean and well-maintained facility
High staff longevity and consistency

Rating Trends

Tap a year to see what changed

Distribution · 12 analyzed

How They Respond to Reviews

0%response rate

Questions for Your Tour

1We've heard wonderful things about how attentive and caring the nursing staff is here; how do you ensure that level of personal connection is maintained with every resident?
2Since the leadership team is known for being so responsive, what is the best way for our family to stay in close contact with management regarding our loved one's care?
3We noticed the facility is very well-maintained and clean; what are your daily routines for ensuring a comfortable and hygienic environment for all 150 residents?
4With the recent inspections, what specific steps is the facility taking to strengthen staffing levels and ensure there is always enough support on every shift?
5How does the clinical team handle medical emergencies or sudden changes in health status during the overnight hours?
6What kind of daily activities or social programs do you have in place to keep residents engaged and active within the community?

Personalized based on this facility's data

Key Review Excerpts

“I’ve seen vast improvements in a short span of the past 1/2 year or so. I’ve had clients here, and seen the level of care steadily rising!”

External care provider/Client representative · 2026★★★★★

“One of the things that stands out most is how many staff members have worked here for many years. That kind of longevity creates consistency, trust, and a true sense of family within the building.”

Reviewer · 2026★★★★★

“The DON, Veronica is very kind and respectful. She responds timely to issues that arise in a professional manner.”

Reviewer · 2026★★★★★

Source: 11 Google reviews

Staffing

Staffing Hours

per resident/day · Medicare 2026

RN Hours

0.35hrs

47%

Registered nurses for medical care

Total Nursing

3.68hrs

90%

All nurses + aides combined

Both RN and total nursing hours are below national benchmarks. This can mean less clinical attention per resident, so ask about their staffing plan.

Quality Measures

Resident outcomes compared with national, state, and local averages · 17 measures

Medicare Rating

5/ 5

Better Than Avg

measures

Worse Than Avg

measures

Mixed Results

measures

Long-Stay Residents

💊

Residents on anti-anxiety or sleep medication

↓ Lower is better

This Facility3.5%

Better than Avg

Here

3.5%

19.5%

13.7%

Santa barbara

17.0%

💊

Residents on antipsychotic medication

↓ Lower is better

This Facility3.1%

Better than Avg

Here

3.1%

15.5%

11.7%

Santa barbara

17.9%

😔

Residents with depression symptoms

↓ Lower is better

This Facility1.2%

Better than Avg

Here

1.2%

12.1%

7.0%

Santa barbara

2.3%

Highly dependent on how each facility screens and codes depressive symptoms, so it varies widely between facilities.

🛏️

Residents needing more daily help over time

↓ Lower is better

This Facility4.2%

Better than Avg

Here

4.2%

14.4%

10.4%

Santa barbara

12.5%

🚿

Residents whose bladder or bowel control got worse

↓ Lower is better

This Facility20.7%

Worse than Avg

Here

20.7%

19.4%

10.7%

Santa barbara

16.5%

🚶

Residents whose walking got worse

↓ Lower is better

This Facility8.5%

Better than Avg

Here

8.5%

15.3%

10.5%

Santa barbara

14.4%

Short-Stay Residents (Rehab / Post-Acute)

💉

Short-stay residents vaccinated for the flu

↑ Higher is better

This Facility100.0%

Better than Avg

Here

100.0%

79.8%

93.2%

Santa barbara

89.6%

💉

Short-stay residents vaccinated for pneumonia

↑ Higher is better

This Facility100.0%

Better than Avg

Here

100.0%

81.8%

94.2%

Santa barbara

94.2%

💊

Short-stay residents newly given antipsychotics

↓ Lower is better

This Facility0.0%

Better than Avg

Here

0.0%

1.6%

1.5%

Santa barbara

1.4%

Source: Medicare quality measures

US average from Medicare published data

Inspection History

Medicare Inspection History

3-year lookback · Medicare 2026

9deficiencies

1penalties

Near state avg (15.4)

17 complaint-triggered

$68,250 in fines

This facility shows concerning patterns with 17 complaint-triggered deficiencies where families reported problems, primarily involving care planning, medication management, and maintaining safe, clean environments. Issues persist across multiple years, with recent complaints in 2025-2026 involving inadequate care plans and safety hazards, suggesting ongoing problems despite corrections. While deficiencies appear corrected on paper, the recurring nature across surveys raises questions about sustained improvements.

Apr 10, 2026Routine10 findings

0347Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Properly provide smoke detection systems in areas open to corridors.

0918Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies

Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.

0351Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Install an approved automatic sprinkler system.

0920Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies

Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.

0658Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.

0761Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Pharmacy Service Deficiencies

Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.

0805Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies

Ensure each resident receives and the facility provides food prepared in a form designed to meet individual needs.

0812Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies

Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.

0321Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system.

0354Minimal · WidespreadCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Follow proper procedures when the automatic sprinkler systems was out of service for more than 10 hours.

Jan 14, 2026Complaint1 finding

0656Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.

Oct 20, 2025Complaint1 finding

0656Actual harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.

Oct 3, 2025Complaint2 findings

0689Immediate jeopardy · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.

0908Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Environmental Deficiencies

Keep all essential equipment working safely.

Aug 20, 2025Complaint1 finding

0697Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Provide safe, appropriate pain management for a resident who requires such services.

May 2, 2025Complaint1 finding

0842Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.

Federal Penalties

Fine

Oct 3, 2025

$32,263

Ownership & Operations

Who Operates This Facility

Owner / Operator

Buena Vista Care Center

Organization Type

for profit

Chain Affiliation

Chain Name

Covenant Care

Chain Size

15 facilities nationwide

Chain avg rating: 2.8/5 · Rank 17 of 24

Ownership & Management

Owners

Covenant Care California, LLC

Owner · Organization

Covenant Care, LLC

Owner · Organization

Centre Capital Investors V, Lp