Oak Cottage of Santa Barbara

As I look back almost four months after the passing of our angelic mother, I am struck with such gratitude to the loving staff at Oak Cottage of Santa Barbara for their kindness and care for during her final years of mom’s life. In particular, I feel especially grateful to Felipe for his leadership of the vibrant life program. There are so many magical moments I now look back upon with gratitude. Most memorable was having our wedding ceremony and reception at Oak Cottage, with mom there in attendance! It was so beautiful - with flowers and music and cake and dancing and even a champagne toast! I am forever grateful for this! Felipe and the vibrant life team brought our mom such joy, fun and love on a daily basis, nourishing her soul. All those parties and outings, the daily music, the visiting animals for petting, the games… I am forever grateful for all these happy times the team brought into her world. Thank you so very, very much!

Our experience at Oak Cottage was truly wonderful. Although my dad was only there for a short time before he passed away, the care and kindness he received—and the support our family experienced—meant so much to us. The staff are exceptional. Kim, Nona, and Felipe were especially amazing—loving, compassionate, patient, and genuinely caring. They have a remarkable ability to understand how to engage each resident, meet them where they are, and make them feel seen and valued. They don’t just care for the residents; they take the time to really get to know them and their families. During what was an incredibly difficult time for our family, knowing that my dad was surrounded by people who treated him with such warmth and dignity brought us tremendous comfort. We will always be grateful to the Oak Cottage team for the care they gave my dad and for the kindness they showed all of us. I cannot recommend Oak Cottage highly enough!

My mom has been living at Oak Cottage of SB Memory Care for 7 months now. Her health has been declining due to her dementia over a few years now and thankfully her husband decided to make Oak Cottage her new home. As her daughter, I am so much more at ease knowing that the care that she is getting is the type of care she had been craving. She is doted on and appears to feel special. Kim, Felipe, Dinah, Nona, Rose and Julien are all wonderful at their positions and the level of sincere care they give to all the residents is so apparent. You feel it the moment you walk onto the grounds. It is the kind of care you cannot just find in any employment pool. I love that the community is on the smaller side, which allows for a cozy, home-like feel. The 'Vibrant Life' program directors do a fantastic job keeping residents engaged with music, exercises, and scenic drives. I also love the fact that I can feel a part of my mom's day to day as Felipe posts all the wonderful photos, videos and events on social media outlets, showing all of the daily activities that he so graciously plans and executes like I have never seen. These photos and videos make it possible for me to see her all the time, which warms my heart. Before ending this review, I would like to mention Felipe Garcia, once again. He is without a doubt an angel. He has made it possible for me to have a face-time call every week with my mom. This alone has made such an impact on me, since I live a couple hours away and cannot be there as much as I would like. I hope that this review helps whomever is looking for a caring place for your loved one. Consider placing Oak Cottage of Santa Barbara Memory Care at the top of your list. *My background for 30+ years was in hospitality, with the last few years of my career at Senior Living Communities. I definitely know what it takes and how difficult it is to find the perfect team so that not only your loved ones can feel secure and safe, but as a family member, you can also feel, safe, secure & comfortable hugging and kissing your loved one good bye after your visits.

Our experience at Oak Cottage for my mom has been great because of Felipe, the activities Director. The level of detail he gives to his job and the residents goes above and beyond. He recently put together a party to honor my Mom with our entire family there. It was fantastic. We are so grateful for him.