Overview
Buena Vista Care Center has a Medicare overall rating of 2 out of 5, below the California average of 3.2. It ranks 6th of 7 nursing homes in Santa Barbara. Its strongest area is quality of care (4 of 5), and its weakest is health inspections (2 of 5).
Residents receive about 3.9 hours of nursing care per day, fewer than at 87% of nursing homes in California (the state average is 4.5 hours). Of that, 0.6 hours come from registered nurses.
Its most recent standard inspection, on April 10, 2026, found 8 health deficiencies, fewer than the California average of 15.5. 4 of them came from complaint investigations. Medicare records 1 fine totaling $32,263 in the past three years.
Buena Vista Care Center is a for-profit facility with 150 certified beds, caring for about 121 residents on an average day. It accepts both Medicare and Medicaid and has participated since 1989.
Medicare ratings
- Health inspections
- Quality of care
- Staffing
Source: Medicare Care Compare, data as of October 1, 2026.
How it compares nearby
Ranked by Medicare overall rating, then quality, inspection and staffing ratings.
Top 86%
Top 59%
Top 74%
Family reviews
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Inspections and penalties
- Most recent standard inspection
- April 10, 2026
- Health deficiencies cited
- 8
- Complaint-related deficiencies
- 4
- Fines in the last 3 years
- 1 totaling $32,263
- Payment denials
- 0
- Total penalties
- 1
Staffing
Average hours of care each resident receives per day.
- All nursing staff3.89 hrs
- Registered nurses (RN)0.55 hrs
- Licensed practical nurses (LPN)0.98 hrs
- Nurse aides2.36 hrs
- Physical therapists0.02 hrs
Facility details
- Ownership
- For profit - Limited Liability company
- Certified beds
- 150
- Average residents per day
- 121
- Participates in
- Medicare and Medicaid
- Medicare/Medicaid since
- November 20, 1989
- Inside a hospital
- No
- Continuing care retirement community
- No
- Changed ownership in last 12 months
- No
- Resident or family council
- Resident
- Sprinklers in all required areas
- Yes