Our Philosophy
At The Cottages of Lake Balboa, our residents are treated like family and receive truly loving care. It is this principle that guides us every day and that, for nearly 20 years, has earned us a sterling reputation serving seniors and others in need of care. Our services are unparalleled, thanks to a heartfelt commitment to providing a healthy senior living environment that is as enriched as possible.
Our philosophy of resident care goes beyond basic needs. Rather, we care for the whole person, providing the highest level of care and monitoring; being up-to-date on each resident’s medical condition; acting as involved, proactive advocates; and providing a mentally, physically, and emotionally stimulating environment where all of our residents thrive.
Our Staff
The core of what makes The Cottages of Lake Balboa such a wonderful place is our amazing caregivers. We are blessed with a group of highly skilled and loving individuals that have been with us for a very long time. Whereas the average caregiver turnover in an assisted living community is approximately 6 months, our average tenure is several years. This allows our residents to establish lasting bonds with their caregivers and allows the staff to learn the particulars of each resident.
Each day, our caregiver-to-resident ratio is 1:2. This ensures that always have enough caregivers to attend to all of our residents’ needs. We also have awake night staffing for residents that require that additional level of care.
But the ratio doesn’t tell the whole story. To be a caregiver at The Cottages of Lake Balboa is not a job, it is a calling. Our caregivers dedicate their hearts to our beloved residents, which is why The Cottages of Lake Balboa is not a facility… it’s a Family!
Management Team
Justin Levi, Owner
Justin Levi has been a part of the senior care industry for over a decade. He was the proprietor, certified administrator, and Managing Director of multiple RCFEs, as well as an in-home care agency. During that time, he attained a stellar reputation in the eldercare community in Los Angeles, achieved an outstanding record of compliance, and built and refined his model of resident care, supervision, and caring.
Justin is also a consultant in the eldercare industry, working with numerous owners and administrators on issues ranging from regulatory compliance, facility operations, marketing, employment compliance, and much more. This helped him to expand his reputation to many sectors of the industry.
David Ebrami, Owner
David Ebrami joins the senior care industry after years of experience in real estate. For years, his connection to his grandparents and his desire to be a part of an industry that does so much good for so many people have drawn him to elder care.
Phillip Pantelic, Director/Admin
Phillip Pantelic serves as our Director/Administrator, after having an extensive career in senior care. A former EMT, he very quickly fell in love with the eldercare industry in general, and with our residents in particular.
Phillip has become an integral part of life here at The Cottages. He is responsible for overseeing all of the day-to-day operations, resident care, and transportation issues.
Testimonials
My dad has dementia and we really went out of our way to try to find a facility that knew how to deal with that aspect of his care in a more personalized way. The cottages, other than being really beautiful and clean, has a great perspective on dementia and specialize in cases just like our dad. I feel like we’re getting more quality time with him because of their care and to me that’s priceless.
-Catherine Wilson
The cottages are great. If you’re like me you’re probably reading a bunch of reviews for assisted living facilities around the Lake Balboa area trying to figure out which is best…my advice for you is to just call these guys up and take a tour. Dave and Justin are really amazing and you can tell that they care. Seeing is believing.
-James Michael
The Cottages is a lovely place. They really go out of their way to provide amazing activities and be super accommodating for food. I know that my mom can be a picky eater (to the point where even I’ve gotten upset with her) but they are always accommodating and she has nothing but good things to say.
-Frank Tucker
As soon as we walked past the white pick fence that leads to the outdoor area we knew this was the place for mom. Senior living facilities can often feel stiff and cold – this place just had a warmth to it. The residents and the staff are all lovely and it just felt like a place that our mom would come to call home – and she has.
-Jennifer Lorton
Great Care from the people at the Cottages. The grounds are lovely and the staff is really caring and loving towards all residents. The management is also quite responsive which is another bonus.
-Mitzi Carden