Last verified: October 2026 against the CCLD Care Facility Search record
Is La Vida Real licensed?
Yes. La Vida Real holds an active California RCFE license (facility number 374603565) from the Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing Division, status "Licensed", licensed for 177 residents and first licensed on December 30, 2014. The licensee of record is LVR SUBTENANT LLC; SRG MANAGMENT LLC.
License and contact information for La Vida Real
| Licensing agency | California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division (Adult & Senior Care) |
|---|---|
| License type | Residential Care Facility for the Elderly |
| Facility (license) number | 374603565 |
| Licensee | LVR SUBTENANT LLC; SRG MANAGMENT LLC |
| Status | Licensed |
| First licensed | December 30, 2014 |
| Licensed capacity | 177 residents |
| Client-served approvals | RCFE / Dementia |
| Capacity notes on the license | Facility serves 177 non-ambulatory elderly residents; age 60 and above. 30 of whom may be bedridden. Hospice care waiver approved for 24. |
| Last CCLD visit | September 11, 2026 |
| Enforcement / disciplinary record | 5 inspections and 27 complaint investigations on the current CCLD record (8 with a substantiated allegation); 2 Type A citations and 14 Type B citations. |
| Address | 11588 Via Rancho San Diego, El Cajon, CA 92019 |
| Phone | (619) 660-5778 |
| Oversight office | CCLD San Diego Regional Office, (619) 767-2300 |
What does the CCLD inspection record show for La Vida Real?
CCLD's public record for La Vida Real lists 32 visit dates since December 2, 2021: 5 inspections, 20 complaint visit dates and 9 other visits (case-management, follow-up and evaluation visits). The most recent inspection was on December 8, 2025.
| Visit date | Type |
|---|---|
| June 12, 2026 | Other |
| January 21, 2026 | Complaint |
| January 14, 2026 | Complaint |
| December 22, 2025 | Complaint |
| December 19, 2025 | Complaint |
| December 8, 2025 | Inspection, Complaint |
| September 5, 2025 | Complaint |
| August 8, 2025 | Complaint, Other |
| March 7, 2025 | Complaint |
| December 27, 2024 | Inspection |
| October 1, 2024 | Other |
| September 27, 2024 | Other |
| August 28, 2024 | Complaint |
| May 29, 2024 | Complaint |
Showing the 14 most recent of 32 distinct visit dates.
Each visit has a report on the CCLD record for La Vida Real (Reports tab). CCLD publishes roughly the last five years of visits, so an older community's earlier history is not shown.
Have there been complaints against La Vida Real, and what did CCLD find?
CCLD has closed 27 complaint investigations at La Vida Real in the current record window. Across them, 11 allegations were substantiated, 0 inconclusive and 55 unsubstantiated; 8 complaints included at least one substantiated allegation.
| Closed | Control # | Substantiated | Inconclusive | Unsubstantiated | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 27, 2026 | 08-AS-20251219101314 | 0 | 0 | 1 | None |
| January 27, 2026 | 08-AS-20220722144719 | 0 | 0 | 3 | None |
| January 2, 2026 | 08-AS-20251114130250 | 0 | 0 | 4 | None |
| January 2, 2026 | 08-AS-20250507102306 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 A / 1 B |
| December 31, 2025 | 08-AS-20251027095532 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 A / 2 B |
| September 26, 2025 | 08-AS-20250609110429 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 A / 1 B |
| September 10, 2025 | 08-AS-20211222100718 | 0 | 0 | 2 | None |
| August 30, 2025 | 08-AS-20240320105858 | 0 | 0 | 1 | None |
| August 30, 2025 | 08-AS-20221003100925 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 A / 1 B |
| March 25, 2025 | 08-AS-20250228162841 | 0 | 0 | 2 | None |
| March 24, 2025 | 08-AS-20250211103925 | 0 | 0 | 2 | None |
| March 24, 2025 | 08-AS-20250210153551 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 A / 1 B |
Showing the 12 most recent of 27 complaints.
Scale matters when reading this table: La Vida Real is licensed for 177 residents, about 15.3 complaints per 100 licensed beds over the window. Substantiated means CCLD found the allegation was more likely than not true and violated a regulation; unsubstantiated means it may have happened but could not be proven.
Has La Vida Real received CCLD citations?
Yes. La Vida Real's CCLD record shows 2 Type A citations and 14 Type B citations in the current public window: 0 A / 0 B from inspections, 1 A / 10 B from complaint investigations and 1 A / 4 B from other visits.
CCLD issues a Type A citation for a deficiency that poses an immediate risk to residents' health, safety or personal rights, and a Type B citation for one that could become a risk if not corrected (often records, training or physical-plant issues). Read the report behind each one before deciding what it means.
What care is La Vida Real licensed to provide?
Per its CCLD record, La Vida Real is licensed for 177 residents and it holds a dementia approval, so it may admit and keep residents with dementia under Title 22 dementia-care requirements; it has a hospice waiver, so a resident can receive hospice care there instead of moving; it may accept non-ambulatory residents (people who could not leave the building unaided in an emergency).
The capacity note on the license reads: "Facility serves 177 non-ambulatory elderly residents; age 60 and above. 30 of whom may be bedridden. Hospice care waiver approved for 24."
Even with these approvals, a California RCFE cannot keep a resident who needs 24-hour skilled nursing or has certain prohibited health conditions; that resident needs a skilled nursing facility.
Who is La Vida Real a good fit for, based on its license?
Based only on its CCLD record, La Vida Real fits residents with dementia, since the license carries a dementia approval (ask whether the unit is secured). It may also suit residents who want to stay in place at end of life, since it has a hospice waiver; people who use a wheelchair or could not evacuate unaided; people who want a mid-size community.
How does La Vida Real compare with other licensed RCFEs in East County?
With 177 licensed beds, La Vida Real ranks No. 6 by capacity among the 89 active RCFEs in East County, where the median facility is licensed for 6 residents. Among the area's 13 RCFEs with 50 or more beds, its complaint count per licensed bed is above the middle on the current CCLD record.
Licensed RCFEs of similar size in East County, from the same CCLD records:
| Community | City | Beds | Dementia approval | Complaints | Citations A / B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lantern Crest | Santee | 180 | Yes | 8 | 0 / 1 |
| Westmont of La Mesa | La Mesa | 164 | Yes | 19 | 3 / 10 |
| Carroll's Residential Care | El Cajon | 144 | No | 14 | 0 / 1 |
| Monte Vista Village Senior Living | Lemon Grove | 219 | No | 29 | 1 / 14 |
| The Montera | La Mesa | 225 | Yes | 3 | 0 / 5 |
Where is La Vida Real and what is nearby?
La Vida Real is at 11588 Via Rancho San Diego, El Cajon, CA 92019, in San Diego County's East County area. Hospitals serving the area include Sharp Grossmont Hospital, Alvarado Hospital Medical Center; veterans are served by the VA San Diego Healthcare System's medical center in La Jolla.
East County (La Mesa, El Cajon, Santee, Spring Valley, Lemon Grove and Lakeside) mixes large, older assisted living campuses around Grossmont with many small residential homes. Summer heat runs well above the coast, so ask about air conditioning in every room.
How much does La Vida Real cost?
CCLD does not publish rates, so ask La Vida Real for its written rate sheet and any care-level or medication-management fees. For context, memory care in San Diego County typically runs $5,200-$8,500 a month in 2026.
Paying for it: Medicare does not pay for assisted living. Medi-Cal's Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) can cover care services (not room and board) at participating RCFEs in San Diego County, and VA Aid & Attendance can help eligible veterans and surviving spouses. Ask on the first call whether La Vida Real accepts either.
How should I evaluate La Vida Real?
Treat the CCLD file as your first reference check. Open the CCLD record, read the reports behind the most recent inspection and any substantiated complaint, then visit at a mealtime and again unannounced in the evening and ask how the dementia care area would handle a resident whose needs change.
Questions to ask on your tour of La Vida Real
- Which care needs would require a move out, and how much notice do you give?
- Who passes medications, how are they trained, and who reviews medication errors?
- Is the monthly rate all-inclusive, or tiered by care level? Ask for the written rate sheet.
- How often is the resident's needs-and-services plan reassessed, and are families invited?
- Do you accept residents on the Medi-Cal Assisted Living Waiver or using VA Aid & Attendance?
- Can family visit unannounced, and how is a concern escalated past the caregiver?
- If dementia progresses, can my parent stay, and what does the secured area cost?
- What does the admission agreement say about rate increases and refunds?
- How do you handle residents who need help evacuating in a wildfire or power outage?
What are the next steps if I am considering La Vida Real?
Confirm availability, read the CCLD record and tour at least twice before signing. The order below keeps the state record in front of you before the sales conversation starts.
- Call La Vida Real at (619) 660-5778 and ask whether it has an opening at your parent's care level and in its dementia care area.
- Before touring, open the CCLD record and read the last inspection report and any substantiated complaint.
- Ask for the written rate sheet, the admission agreement and a blank needs-and-services plan.
- Visit twice, once at a meal and once unannounced, and use the tour questions above.
- Tour at least one comparison community; nearby licensed options of similar size include Grossmont Gardens Senior Living and The Montera.
- Talk to us before you sign. We will go over the agreement and the state record with you at no cost.
Who can help if there is a problem at La Vida Real?
Start with the administrator. If that fails, file a complaint with CCLD (complaint hotline 1-844-538-8766, or the San Diego Regional Office at 619-767-2300), and contact the San Diego County Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 800-640-4661, who advocates for RCFE residents for free. Report suspected abuse to Adult Protective Services through Aging & Independence Services at 800-339-4661.
How can San Diego Senior Advisor help with La Vida Real?
We are a free local advisory service. We can check whether La Vida Real has an opening at your parent's care level, compare it with other licensed RCFEs in East County, and walk you through its CCLD record before you tour. Families never pay us.
Talk to an advisor free →Other licensed RCFEs in East County
- Grossmont Gardens Senior Living - La Mesa, 425 beds
- The Montera - La Mesa, 225 beds
- Monte Vista Village Senior Living - Lemon Grove, 219 beds
- Lantern Crest - Santee, 180 beds
- Westmont of La Mesa - La Mesa, 164 beds
See every licensed memory care facility in San Diego County →
This profile uses only public CDSS/CCLD records and does not rate, rank or endorse La Vida Real. San Diego Senior Advisor is not affiliated with the community.
