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Nursing HomeMedicaid Top Rated

University Care Center

Strong Medicare quality ratings; families often praise exceptional physical and occupational therapy teams. Still worth an in-person visit.

5602 University Ave, Mid-City · San Diego, CA 9210587 bedsLicensed & Active
5/5
Medicare
Inspection
Quality
Staffing
Google rating
4.4/5

based on 113 Google reviews

5
4
3
2
1
University Care Center Nursing Home in San Diego, CA — Street View
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What this means for your family

This facility offers an exceptional physical therapy program that is highly effective for post-surgery recovery. However, families should be extremely vigilant regarding staffing levels and nursing responsiveness, as recent reports indicate significant issues with call button delays and staff turnover.

Google Reviews

Google Reviews

113 reviews on Google
University Care Center is highly regarded by many for its exceptional physical and occupational therapy teams and a compassionate nursing staff that many residents describe as 'family.' However, recent reviews have raised serious alarms regarding staffing shortages, issues with call button responsiveness, and concerns about facility temperature and maintenance.

Quality Themes

Tap a score for details
Food7.0Staff9.0Clean8.0Activities8.0Meds3.0MemoryN/AComms6.0ValueN/A

Strengths

  • Exceptional physical and occupational therapy teams
  • Compassionate and attentive nursing staff
  • Clean and well-maintained facility
  • Welcoming and professional administration

Concerns

  • Slow response to call buttons/nursing requests (mentioned by 3 reviewers)
  • Staffing shortages and high turnover (mentioned by 2 reviewers)
  • Inadequate room temperature/cooling systems

Rating Trends

Tap a year to see what changed

234'12(1)'15(4)'17(4)'19(5)'21(3)'23(26)'25(5)'26(5)

Distribution · 116 analyzed

5
96
4
1
3
3
2
3
1
13
11 reviews posted between Apr 9, 2024Apr 12, 2024 · 11 were 5-star

How They Respond to Reviews

60%response rate
Good

The owner provides highly personalized responses to positive reviews by addressing reviewers by name and acknowledging specific details. For negative reviews, they use a consistent, professional template that avoids defensiveness and invites direct communication via a phone number.

Questions for Your Tour

  • 1We've heard wonderful things about your therapy teams; how do the physical and occupational therapists work with residents to help them stay active?
  • 2Since we want to ensure our loved one is always comfortable, how do you manage the temperature control in the resident rooms?
  • 3What is the process for ensuring medication is administered accurately and on schedule every day?
  • 4How does the nursing team prioritize responding to call buttons during busy shifts or overnight hours?
  • 5We noticed the administration team is very professional; how do you involve families in the care planning process?
  • 6What kind of daily activities or social outings are available to keep the residents engaged with one another?

Personalized based on this facility's data


Key Review Excerpts

The staff was very genuine and took very good care of her. They ensured that she would be taken care of and made sure to get her back to life.

Long-term resident's family · 2024★★★★★

The nurses and the CNA’s were really good with me, the service that they gave me was excellent. The doctors are really good. Occupational therapy helped me improve even though I wasn’t as enthusiastic about working with them at first.

Rehab patient · 2024★★★★★

The nurses don’t come when they are requested (with call button) and when you finally get someone to listen to what you’re really asking for they say they’ll get someone else and no one shows up.

Long-term resident's family · 2025☆☆☆☆
Source: 113 Google reviews

Staffing

Staffing Hours

per resident/day · Medicare 2026
RN Hours
0.45hrs
61%
Registered nurses for medical care
Total Nursing
4.00hrs
98%
All nurses + aides combined
Staff Turnover
41%
Lower is better (< 30% = good)
RN Turnover
39%
Lower is better (< 30% = good)

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

Quality Measures

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

Medicare Rating
5/ 5
Better Than Avg

10

measures

Worse Than Avg

2

measures

Mixed Results

5

measures

Long-Stay Residents
🚿

Residents whose bladder or bowel control got worse

↓ Lower is better
This Facility7.1%
Better than Avg
Here
7.1%
US
19.4%
CA
10.7%
San diego
11.8%
🛏️

Residents needing more daily help over time

↓ Lower is better
This Facility2.7%
Better than Avg
Here
2.7%
US
14.4%
CA
10.4%
San diego
8.3%
🚶

Residents whose walking got worse

↓ Lower is better
This Facility4.0%
Better than Avg
Here
4.0%
US
15.3%
CA
10.5%
San diego
9.5%
😔

Residents with depression symptoms

↓ Lower is better
This Facility4.3%
Better than Avg
Here
4.3%
US
12.1%
CA
7.0%
San diego
9.1%

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

💊

Residents on anti-anxiety or sleep medication

↓ Lower is better
This Facility11.9%
Better than Avg
Here
11.9%
US
19.5%
CA
13.7%
San diego
15.2%
💉

Residents vaccinated for pneumonia

↑ Higher is better
This Facility100.0%
Better than Avg
Here
100.0%
US
93.4%
CA
98.6%
San diego
98.8%
Short-Stay Residents (Rehab / Post-Acute)
💉

Short-stay residents vaccinated for pneumonia

↑ Higher is better
This Facility96.7%
Mixed vs Avgs
Here
96.7%
US
81.8%
CA
94.2%
San diego
97.1%
💉

Short-stay residents vaccinated for the flu

↑ Higher is better
This Facility86.5%
Mixed vs Avgs
Here
86.5%
US
79.7%
CA
93.2%
San diego
95.8%
💊

Short-stay residents newly given antipsychotics

↓ Lower is better
This Facility0.5%
Better than Avg
Here
0.5%
US
1.6%
CA
1.5%
San diego
1.0%
Source: Medicare quality measures

US average from Medicare published data

Inspection History

Medicare Inspection History

3-year lookback · Medicare 2026

8deficiencies
Near state avg (15.4)
15 complaint-triggered

University Care Center has significant care quality concerns, with families filing 15 complaint-triggered deficiencies indicating ongoing problems. The facility repeatedly struggles with care planning, medication management, and infection control across multiple years. Most troubling are recurring issues with resident assessment and care plan development, appearing in complaints as recently as 2024-2025, suggesting persistent problems with individualized care despite reported corrections.

Aug 4, 2025Complaint
1
0658Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

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

May 7, 2025Routine
13
0039Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Emergency Preparedness Deficiencies

Conduct testing and exercise requirements.

0914Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies

Ensure receptacles at patient bed locations and where general anesthesia is administered, are tested after initial installation, replacement or servicing.

0812Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies

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

0842Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

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.

0880Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Infection Control Deficiencies

Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

0658Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

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

0686Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.

0693Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Ensure that feeding tubes are not used unless there is a medical reason and the resident agrees; and provide appropriate care for a resident with a feeding tube.

0700Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Miscellaneous Deficiencies

Meet requirements for operating features, such as evacuation plans, fire drills, smoking regulations, draperies, decorations and the inspection, testing and maintenance of fire doors.

0741Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Miscellaneous Deficiencies

Have posted "No-smoking" signs in areas where smoking is not permitted or ashtrays provided where smoking was allowed.

0923Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies

Have proper medical gas storage and administration areas.

0363Minimal · WidespreadCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.

0912Minimal · PatternCorrected

Environmental Deficiencies

Provide rooms that are at least 80 square feet per resident in multiple rooms and 100 square feet for single resident rooms.

Jan 28, 2025Complaint
2
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.

0755Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Pharmacy Service Deficiencies

Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.

Nov 13, 2024Complaint
2
0726Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies

Ensure that nurses and nurse aides have the appropriate competencies to care for every resident in a way that maximizes each resident's well being.

0880Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Infection Control Deficiencies

Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

Jul 1, 2024Complaint
1
0921Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Environmental Deficiencies

Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.

Jun 19, 2024Complaint
1
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.

Ownership & Operations

Who Operates This Facility

Owner / Operator

University Care Center

Organization Type

for profit

Chain Affiliation

Chain Name

Pacs Group

Chain Size

279 facilities nationwide

Chain avg rating: 2.9/5 · Rank 4 of 260 (Best)

Ownership & Management

Key personnel

Afshar, PouyaContracted Managing EmployeeDay, MatthewW-2 Managing EmployeeApt, FrederickOfficer / DirectorHancock, MarkOfficer / DirectorJergensen, JoshuaOfficer / Director
Source: Medicare provider data

Contact

Get in Touch

Contact this facility directly and verify the details that matter most to your family.

References & Resources

EveryPlace is a research directory. Facility information is compiled from public sources — Medicare.gov, state licensing portals, Google Places, and publicly available street-level imagery. Listings do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or advertisement, and we do not accept payment for placement. Families should verify all details directly with the facility and the original sources linked above before making any care decisions. See our Research Policy for our editorial standards, correction process, and image-removal policy.

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