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Carolina Gardens At Kathwood in Columbia, SC

Carolina Gardens At Kathwood is an assisted living community in Columbia, SC.

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Carolina Gardens At Kathwood in Columbia, SC

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  • Interior

    A cozy bedroom with a single bed, a nightstand with a lamp, and comfortable seating.

  • Decor

    A well-lit dining area with tables and chairs arranged on a patterned carpet.

  • Living Room

    A cozy living room corner with comfortable chairs, a small table, and a bookshelf.

  • Building

    A serene outdoor area with benches and greenery in front of a building.

  • Bedroom

    A cozy bedroom with a floral bedspread, decorative pillows, and natural lighting.

  • Trees

    Outdoor sign for Carolina Gardens Senior Living surrounded by trees and flowers.

  • Windows

    A cozy living room with a dining area and a sofa facing a television.

  • Dining

    A well-arranged dining room with tables covered in blue tablecloths, decorated with small floral centerpieces.

  • Artwork

    A cozy waiting area with two chairs, artwork, and decorative plants.

  • Seating Area

    A cozy living room with comfortable seating and a television.

  • Wheelchair

    A caretaker sitting with two elderly women, one in a wheelchair and another with a walker, engaged in conversation.

  • Daylight

    A cozy room with shelves filled with board games and kitchenware, illuminated by daylight through a large window.

4520 Trenholm Road, Columbia, SC 29206

For more information about senior living options: (866) 208-4318

4 from 29 reviews
5 stars
15
4 stars
6
3 stars
3
2 stars
3
1 stars
2

Carolina Gardens At Kathwood Costs & Pricing

Carolina Gardens At Kathwood offers competitive pricing for its assisted living accommodations, particularly when compared to average costs in Richland County and across South Carolina. For a semi-private room, residents will pay $1,975 per month, significantly lower than the county's average of $3,443 and the state average of $3,243. Studio apartments are priced at $3,120, which is slightly below both the county's average of $3,263 and the state's average of $3,649. Similarly, the one-bedroom option at Carolina Gardens is listed at $3,540, remaining well within affordability compared to Richland County's average of $3,477 and South Carolina's higher state average of $3,806. This makes Carolina Gardens an appealing choice for those seeking quality care in a cost-effective manner.

Floor plansCarolina Gardens At KathwoodRichland CountySouth Carolina
Semi-Private$1,975$3,443$3,243
Studio$3,120$3,263$3,649
1 Bedroom$3,540$3,477$3,806

Overall Review of Carolina Gardens At Kathwood

differentiator 4 reviews mention this

Nursing support is built in

Residents describe on-site nursing presence alongside day-to-day help.

Multiple reviews point to an on-site support setup, including nurse stations on each floor, and families also describe staff helping with day-to-day transitions. At the same time, some residents’ families say the level of care was inconsistent at times and that communication or follow-through could fall short. This matches the community’s assisted living care services and its ongoing call/supervision framework.

common 12 reviews mention this

Clean, well-kept spaces stand out

Reviews repeatedly note clean, well-maintained common areas and apartments.

Several reviews describe the building as clean, well kept, and attractive, with examples like recently remodeled areas, neat interiors, and grounds that look maintained. A few tours also mention nothing feeling out of place and easy resident movement in common spaces. One review did take issue with the specific apartment shown on tour, but overall cleanliness is a frequent theme across visits.

common 17 reviews mention this

Staff help and responsiveness vary

Families report both genuinely helpful staff and, in some cases, poor responsiveness.

Many reviewers say staff were friendly, helpful, and accommodating—especially during tours and during settling-in. Some families also highlight quick responses and day-to-day support from staff members. Other reviews describe significant turnover, disorganization, and operational gaps like not answering the phone or not following up after a tour, which affects how consistent the experience feels.

common 5 reviews mention this

Activities keep residents engaged

Residents and families describe an active schedule that supports getting out and doing things.

Reviews mention residents participating in activities such as scheduled shopping trips and community involvement, and one family says their loved one is enjoying a variety of activities. Other reviews single out an activities director as a standout. There are also concerns that activity programming declined after budget cuts, so the level of engagement can depend on staffing and leadership changes.

common 5 reviews mention this

Dining quality draws mixed feedback

Dining earns both praise for lunch and complaints about food quality.

Some reviewers describe residents enjoying lunch on tour and families say their loved one likes the food. However, other reviews say the food wasn’t very good or was mediocre, alongside broader complaints about the overall experience. The community offers restaurant-style dining and meals provided, but resident feedback isn’t uniformly positive.

  • A well-lit dining area with tables and chairs arranged on a patterned carpet.
  • A well-arranged dining room with tables covered in blue tablecloths, decorated with small floral centerpieces.
caveat 6 reviews mention this

Communication and operations can slip

Several reviews mention operational problems that affected trust after arrival or during tours.

A few reviewers report not getting a timely response—such as phones not being answered, no follow-up after a tour, or a disorganized experience with leadership not available. Others also mention facility issues like an elevator being out frequently, and at least one review describes safety concerns related to supervision for dementia. Even when the facility looks well kept, these recurring operational and responsiveness issues are a clear source of frustration for some families.

How we summarize

Counts show how many written reviews mention each theme; a review can touch several themes, and only frequently mentioned themes are displayed.

Features

Housing

  • 100 resident community capacity 100 resident community capacity

Types of Care

  • Assisted Living Assisted Living

Pets

  • Cats allowed Cats allowed
  • Dogs allowed Dogs allowed

Amenities

  • Activities off-site Activities off-site
  • Activities on-site Activities on-site
  • Air-conditioning Air-conditioning
  • Beautician on-site Beautician on-site
  • Beauty salon Beauty salon
  • Cable or satellite TV Cable or satellite TV
  • Computer center Computer center
  • Devotional services off-site Devotional services off-site
  • Devotional services on-site Devotional services on-site
  • Dining room Dining room
  • Fitness room Fitness room
  • Fully furnished Fully furnished
  • Gaming room Gaming room
  • Garden Garden
  • Ground floor units Ground floor units
  • Handicap accessible Handicap accessible
  • Housekeeping services Housekeeping services
  • Indoor common areas Indoor common areas
  • Kitchenette Kitchenette
  • Move-in coordination Move-in coordination
  • Outdoor common areas Outdoor common areas
  • Outdoor space Outdoor space
  • Private bathrooms Private bathrooms
  • Respite or short term stays offered Respite or short term stays offered
  • Restaurant-style dining Restaurant-style dining
  • Small library Small library
  • Telephone Telephone
  • Wellness center Wellness center
  • Wheelchair accessible showers Wheelchair accessible showers
  • Wi-Fi/high-speed internet available Wi-Fi/high-speed internet available

Transportation

  • Columbia Metropolitan (10 miles away) Columbia Metropolitan (10 miles away)
  • Community operated transportation Community operated transportation
  • Transportation arrangement Transportation arrangement
  • Transportation arrangement (non-medical) Transportation arrangement (non-medical)
  • Transportation to doctors appointments Transportation to doctors appointments

Care Services

  • 12-16 hour nursing 12-16 hour nursing
  • 24-hour call system 24-hour call system
  • 24-hour supervision 24-hour supervision
  • Activities of daily living assistance Activities of daily living assistance
  • Ambulatory care Ambulatory care
  • Assistance with bathing Assistance with bathing
  • Assistance with dressing Assistance with dressing
  • Assistance with transfers Assistance with transfers
  • Diabetes diet Diabetes diet
  • Diabetic care Diabetic care
  • Incontinence care Incontinence care
  • Meal preparation and service Meal preparation and service
  • Medication management Medication management
  • Mental wellness program Mental wellness program
  • Special dietary restrictions Special dietary restrictions

Dining

  • Diabetes diet Diabetes diet
  • Gluten-free Gluten-free
  • Guest meals Guest meals
  • Low / no sodium Low / no sodium
  • Meals provided Meals provided
  • No Sugar No Sugar
  • Professional chef Professional chef
  • Restaurant style dining Restaurant style dining
  • Special dietary restrictions Special dietary restrictions

Activities

  • Art classes Art classes
  • Bible study group Bible study group
  • Catholic services Catholic services
  • Community-sponsored activities Community-sponsored activities
  • Concierge services Concierge services
  • Cooking classes Cooking classes
  • Devotional activities offsite Devotional activities offsite
  • Devotional activities on-site Devotional activities on-site
  • Educational speakers / life long learning Educational speakers / life long learning
  • Fitness programs Fitness programs
  • Jewish services Jewish services
  • Live well programs Live well programs
  • Planned day trips Planned day trips
  • Protestant services Protestant services
  • Resident-run activities Resident-run activities
  • Scheduled daily activities Scheduled daily activities
  • Visiting chaplain or priest Visiting chaplain or priest

Nearby Places of Interest

This part of Columbia, South Carolina offers a convenient and diverse range of amenities for seniors looking to settle down in a residential area. With several medical practices and pharmacies located within close proximity, residents can easily access healthcare services. Additionally, there are a variety of dining options including Tazza Kitchen, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and The Original Pancake House for delicious meals. The neighborhood also provides easy access to places of worship such as Shandon Baptist Church and St Joseph's Catholic Church for spiritual fulfillment. For leisure activities, there are parks like Southeast Park and Hollywood Park where seniors can enjoy the outdoors. Overall, this area presents a well-rounded community with essential services nearby for seniors to live comfortably and conveniently.

Physicians

  • Columbia Medical Group (0.1 miles)
  • Pain & Neurology Specialists of Columbia (0.5 miles)
  • Pridgen Kaoru Dr Colonial Family Practice Columbia (0.8 miles)
  • Forest Acres Location (0.9 miles)
  • R F Berger, DDS (1.2 miles)
  • Three Rivers Medical Associates (1.3 miles)
  • Palmetto Optometry Associates (1.3 miles)

Restaurants

  • Tazza Kitchen Trenholm Plaza (0.6 miles)
  • Chipotle Mexican Grill (0.7 miles)
  • The Original Pancake House (0.7 miles)
  • Zaxby's (1 miles)
  • PDQ (1.3 miles)
  • Kairos Mediterranean (1.3 miles)
  • McDonald's (1.3 miles)

Pharmacies

  • Walgreens (0.7 miles)
  • Walgreens (1.2 miles)
  • Walgreens (1.4 miles)
  • Kroger Pharmacy (1.5 miles)
  • CVS Pharmacy (1.6 miles)
  • Moncrief Pharmacy (1.8 miles)
  • Walgreens (2 miles)

Cafes

  • Starbucks (0.7 miles)
  • Starbucks (2.4 miles)
  • Drip (2.9 miles)
  • The Corner Blend (3.7 miles)
  • Starbucks (3.8 miles)
  • Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea Park St (3.9 miles)

Places of Worship

  • Shandon Baptist Church (1.1 miles)
  • Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (1.3 miles)
  • St Joseph's Catholic Church (1.5 miles)
  • Tree of Life Congregation (3.2 miles)

Hospitals

  • Moncrief Army Hospital (1.8 miles)
  • Sleep Med (2.7 miles)

Parks

  • Southeast Park (2.7 miles)
  • Hollywood Park (3 miles)

Transportation

  • Enterprise Rent-A-Car (3.9 miles)

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to live at Carolina Gardens At Kathwood in Columbia, SC?
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