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437 Webster St, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Care from $14,897 per month
Medicare overall rating5/5 · Much above average
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Webster House is a 145-bed nursing home in Palo Alto, part of Front Porch. Medicare rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall, the highest rating, with 5 for health inspections, 5 for staffing and 4 for quality of care. It also offers assisted living. Care on offer includes occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech pathology. It is certified by Medicare and Medi-Cal, and has been since 1983. The nearest hospital, Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hsp At Stanford is 1.2 miles away. Inspectors have visited 24 times since November 2023, most recently on October 15, 2026. Federal inspectors cited 8 deficiencies in that time, none rated as having harmed a resident (8 potential for harm). State health inspectors (CDPH) cited 1 citation in that time (1 administrative penalty). Regulators looked into 42 complaints in that time (5 substantiated, 5 unsubstantiated and 32 without a recorded outcome). The state health department (CDPH) imposed 1 penalty totalling $0 in that time (1 fine). From April to June 2026, each resident received 4.83 hours of nursing care a day on average, 1.02 of them from registered nurses.
Official rating
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What families and listing sites say.
My mom is staying at Lytton Gardens. It's reasonably priced and convenient. They treat my mom consistently well. The staff members are good. The food is average. The quality is good, if not exceptional. It's nutritious, but not overly flavorful. They have games, movies, and trips. The facility is old but well-kept.
Marc · Family member
Jan 25, 2024
Webster House is a small place, and there are few residents. Everything looks very nice. It doesn't have any views. It's only four stories high and it looks onto trees if you're up on the fourth floor. But it is on a very busy street corner. The side street that it's adjacent to is busy, and that is a disadvantage. People can walk downtown Palo Alto, and it's a pleasant area. It's a senior- friendly area. We didn't have a meal. We had a good tour. The place is very nice. The units are a little smaller. They had a couple of larger units on the top floor that are very nice two-bedroom units. I'd say that if I could live there, I'd be happy at this building, but I wouldn't want to look out onto Lytton Avenue, which is one of the things to look out on. So, there's a little disadvantage with the location. But they have a pool, a nice dining area, and protected parking. I think it's important that in all of the cases, these people have parking that is protected. The staff was very nice. But the patio was not as large and it's a little more constricted.
Nancy · Visitor
Jan 9, 2022
Lytton Gardens is more of a public housing run by housing and urban development. There are some restrictions and limitations. It's very motel-hotel like and a little bit darkish in the hallways. Maybe not as well staffed as the other places. It is a public house considered a public housing venue, so it is federally run with federal guidelines. I believe obviously that's going to be the least expensive of everywhere we went. It's not some place I would want to send mom, if I can afford to send mom to some other places. If there was more of a financial burden on my family or on my mother's estate, I would consider Lytton gardens. Their services are what I would call standard, and it's affordable for sure. The rooms were clean, a little bit darkish, but the 1-bedrooms were very spacious. I don't believe they have very much in the way of activity. You're sort of getting what you pay for them. Lytton Gardens is more and more on the inexpensive side. You're not going to get as much. You won't get the little bistro in your community that had sandwiches and soup and drinks all day long, espressos, and that sort. You are in downtown Palo Alto, and in all fairness, you are just a short walk; but if you can't walk anymore, then that's sort of a moot point.
Steve · Visitor
Aug 8, 2021
My mother has moved into Lytton Gardens. The care that she's being given is very detailed and correct, especially in this time of the pandemic. The facility is very clean, and they have maintenance people that can help cater some items for her. They've got very beautiful grounds, and she can take walks within it without having to go outside the community. The food is excellent. Their business department has been very good, and very quick to get her in within a month. She has a studio apartment, but they have a variety. Their activities are varied depending on the pandemic. Right now, California is doing well, so she has chair exercises and they even manage luncheon meetings, but with appropriately placed chairs and things. They have bingo. We were pleasantly surprised with this facility. They have a doctor and a nurse there, and lots of staff support. They bring the food to their rooms, which is nice because of COVID-19. She has not just regular American food; they make some nice, fancy things, desserts, and vegetables. They have five or six items for each meal. It's an older building, so there are long narrow hallways, but it's oriented to the outside. She has a little patio she can sit in on the ground floor. They had a number of things before the pandemic hit, and now it's minimal.
Lj · Family member
Oct 28, 2020
Staff is caring and responsive. Management seems to be far too focused on cutting costs. My mother uses personal computer to stay socially active but management is highly unresponsive to complaints about erratic internet connectivity. No options other than provided wireless are available. Sad.
Entact · Visitor
Aug 25, 2019
We liked Webster House because the apartment was larger and lighter, and the building was located on a pretty well-travelled street in Palo Alto, which would make walking outside more appealing. It's not in the middle of a busy block. It's very close to downtown, which has a movie house and a little cafe. You won't get a lot of downtown city noise at night. It's very comfortable to live in. We have nothing to complain about how we were treated. It was very nice and very clean, and we saw people in the lounge of the third floor and the dining room.
Mary · Visitor
Aug 22, 2017
We have lived at Webster House for five years. We are still relatively young and healthy, but we wanted to plan ahead and we wanted to live in downtown Palo Alto. Since we are so close to everything we walk everywhere and we are now a one-car family. We enjoy our neighbors but we also take advantage of the programs and activities in Palo Alto and Stanford. Having a chef prepare our nightly dinner in restaurant setting means we don’t have to cook and we only have to shop for breakfast and lunch.
Judy C. · Resident
Aug 13, 2017
I moved to Webster House more than a decade ago. It was a smart choice. The House is small, personable, and friendly. Residents are educated. There’s an easy walk to banks, theaters, medical, and emergency services, downtown stores and eateries, pharmacies, the Post Office, and Stanford. Three bus lines stop right here. The free Stanford shuttle passes a few blocks away. The magic is the culture of the House. We all come in determined to protect and enrich our independence. We help each other do that. Management is committed to helping us do for ourselves all that we can. But we all wear out over time. As we do, assistance is here when we need it. That’s the continuing care feature. We also have a highly rated full-service health center. Webster House is distinctive and special.
Jllskuut · Resident
Aug 6, 2017
Five years ago my wife and I made the momentous decision to move from our home to a retirement facility. While we were in generally good health and mobility we knew that we had reached an age where before too long we might need help, and we didn't want to be a burden on our children when that time came. Early on in our search we happened upon Webster House and knew immediately that we had found the right place for us. Small (less than 50 residents), well-kept, beautiful common-living areas and truly friendly staff. Within three months from the time we started our search we were living in our Webster House apartment, enjoying new friends and not at all missing having to cook dinners or clean the house and garden. :-) An important part of the Webster House living package is one we personally haven't had to avail ourselves much, that of medical assistance, but the little we needed was provided very promptly, very competently and with caring warmth. Fellow residents who have required such help have strongly praised the assistance they have received. Our medical staff members are superb.
Dave C. · Resident
Aug 5, 2017
My parents are on a waiting list for Lytton Gardens. The apartment we’ve seen was a studio, and it was clean, well kept, nice, and has a little kitchen. It was adequate. They should change the carpeting in the hallway. It felt unstable to me, like there’s extra padding underneath. They have an exercise program and a meal program, which is really good. I didn’t see any crying or miserable people.
Visitor
Oct 28, 2015
We're still on the waiting list in Lytton Gardens. My mom chose this facility because she can afford it. They have plenty of activities for her. They have someone help her with her medication on a daily basis. Also she will get three meals a day.
Visitor
Dec 30, 2013
I stayed at The Webster House for three months. This place is really expensive. People have paid as much as one million dollars for a little two bedroom, besides that they have to pay between three or four thousand dollars a month. They were only being provided one meal a day for five days a week. On the sixth day they're supposed to be provided a meal that will be brought to their little apartment, but the meal only consisted of a sandwich. So for Sunday, that sandwich for dinner didn't work for me for dinner and then Monday, no meal at all. One a month they have lunch and lunch consisted of a salad which didn't amount to much. It's a serious issue. The sales pitch when you go in and then you get stuck in the place. I made friends when I lived there and recently I called one of the ladies, she had a relapse of the cancer and now can't chew food. She complained to me that they're not giving her soft food that she could eat. The Webster House has a very expensive buy in. That seems to be the trend now in senior residences that not only are people paying exorbitant fees by the month; they also have a lot of money tied up in a buy in which is as expensive as when you have bought a house but it is a tiny apartment. When anybody needs any extra help they have to pay extra. There was one lady who needed help to tie her shoes because she had a problem with her hand and when she asked for help, the girl from Guatemala was happy to do it. But one of the supervisors overheard the conversation and the girl from Guatemala was reprimanded, she shouldn't have done that because you have to pay extra for any of those little services. I overheard the conversation. I called the lady who was having problems with her hand and then I told her I would be happy to tie her shoes for her. When people are paying for that kind of exorbitant money and now having to get help from the current residents living there. That's outrageous paying that kind of money and you have a temporary problem and they won't do little things to help the residents. It's such an outrageous financial rip off that our seniors in America have to deal with when they need a little bit of assistance.
Resident
Jun 24, 2013
The staff, amenities, and facilities were great. It was split up into 3 sections: assisted living, retired living, and hospital environment living. All were great. The retired living were a bit small, but it was nice to see that the citizens had friends to be with. Overall, I would probably be willing to live there after retirement.
Anaszbanana · Visitor
Sep 30, 2012
Lytton Gardens has a whole spectrum of assisted living facilities, from independent living (where my grandfather started) to hospital-grade care (where my grandfather ended). In the independent living area, residents have a choice of apartments, ranging from studios to two bedrooms. There are plenty of activities, a well-stocked library with daily newspapers, a small gym, and several well-tended interior gardens with a variety of flowers, fountains, and seating. As medical needs increase, the community has different facilities to accommodate those needs. In addition, Lytton Gardens has a close relationship with Stanford Hospital down the street. Location is superb: right in a safe walking neighborhood full of high-end restaurants and shops, although it is overtaken by the local Stanford Univ students frequently. Attendants are for the most part courteous and competent but not entirely warm. The food is not great. The rates are quite expensive compared to other facilities of similar quality, if not location.
Stephengranddaughter · Family member
Jul 6, 2012
I visited Lytton Garden around the Holidays in 2011 and was thoroughly impressed by this community. It's both an assisted living facility and has a wing of Independent Living residents on the opposite side of the premise. On the memory floor residents were engaged in a musical performance by another member of the facility and had an opportunity to sit together and enjoy the holiday performance. Other members of the community had personalized care as they ate their meals on the cafetaria just the few doors down. Patients on the rehab floor also had personalized care from nurses along with a few doctors as they did their daily exercises. There were even a few multi-lingual nurses for non-english speaking residents. I was especially touched by the festive spirit of the facility, as there were several decorated trees throughout the premise after their annual tree decorating contest. I'm happy to know there are senior care providers as engaging as Lytton Gardens and hope to have a facility like this nearby if I'm ever faced with putting my loved one in assisted living.
Sho B. · Visitor
Feb 7, 2012
Lytton Gardens is one of the biggest senior facility in Palo Alto. When I went there, I realized that it is not just big from the outside but also from the inside. What I'm talking about is it's heart, the staffs and the place itself is full of love.
Visitor
Nov 1, 2011
Located in Palo Alto, this skilled nursing facility is easy to get to, although parking can be an issue, since it's close to the university. It's also located next to the assisted living facility with which it's affiliated, which can be convenient for current residents there who need to transition for more care. This is a large facility"”about 150 beds. It feels a little institutional, and there is a lot of activity going on"”nursing interns, family members waiting to have a tour; it's never really quiet during business hours. There are two receptionists, a lot of staff and many activities on the resident floors. It's a little chaotic, but not to the point of being a safety issue. Some residents, however, do complain about the noise. The caregiving staff is semi-friendly. Family members might have to set an appointment with those on staff if they needed to talk with them. The care is competent"”and there is always a waiting list at the place, which can be a drawback for potential residents who need housing in a hurry. Most of the staff members have been there a long time, with little turnover. The food is average; they don't go out of the way to make anything gourmet or especially interesting, although residents are provided with a few choices every day. There are some activities, but most of the residents are not very high functioning, so are not easy to engage. I must mention the elevator, which is horrible and takes forever"”and there is no easy way to get to the stairs, which are not obvious. Medi-Cal is accepted here; private payors are billed about $5,000 to $6,000 monthly. This may be a good fit for hospice patients and people with chronic illnesses; a lot of the residents will spend the rest of their lives there.
Visitor
Sep 9, 2011
I visited Lytton Gardens to donate gifts during the holidays . I could tell that the staff were very invested in the well being of the residents and the environment was basically immaculate, but it was an enormous facility with a tremendous number of residents, many of whom looked very tired and bored. However, I'm not sure this should reflect on the facility, so much as the fact that the population it served, at least in the section that I visited, was not itself particular vigorous.
Tim · Visitor
Sep 1, 2011
A number of years ago, I was sent to Lytton Gardens in Palo Alto, California for additional rehabilitation following surgery at nearby Stanford University Hospital. The surgery, while successful, left me quite a bit more debilitated than expected and I went to Lytton Gardens to regain my strength and receive physical therapy. I was only in my mid-forties at the time and I clearly remember being horrified at the thought of being sent to a "nursing home" to recover after my hospital stay. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Lytton Gardens is a lovely facility in the heart of Palo Alto, California, a small affluent city of quiet, tree-lined streets located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Although it has been in existence for over 50 years, the buildings that comprise the facility have been modernized frequently. Despite its old world charm, Lytton Gardens boasts all of the modern amenities, such as televisions in the resident rooms, a sophisticated staff call system, a ""beauty- parlor"" and an on-site podiatrist. Outside there are shaded patios and beautiful flowering gardens that bloom almost year round in Palo Alto's temperate climate. The physical therapy rooms are clean and well-stocked, and I found the therapists to be friendly yet very professional. They pushed me just hard enough to make sure I made the quickest recovery possible without suffering unnecessary fatigue or pain. The rest of the staff was equally as pleasant and very kind. Due to my "tender" age, they even placed me in a room at the very end of the hall so that I would not be disturbed or upset by the "sundowners"- a colloquial expression for elderly patients with dementia who-for unknown reasons-often become very agitated and vocalize quite loudly during the night. My one negative experience, not surprisingly, was the food, which was bland to the point of being virtually inedible. Each day I would look at what I received on my tray and laugh, it bore so little resemblance to what I had ordered. Luckily, Palo Alto is a lively city that caters heavily to the hundreds of Stanford University students and employees who regularly come to the downtown area for a quick lunch or evening meal. It boasts all sorts of restaurants, from French cuisine to "upscale" fast food, so I was never without a tasty "supplement,"Â that had been hand delivered by one of my faithful friends or family. Although I no longer live in California, if I ever again find myself in need of post-operative rehabilitation or an assisted living facility l would not hesitate to return to Lytton Gardens. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking an assisted living or skilled nursing facility.
Webster House
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437 Webster St, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Jun 12, 2011