1169 Bryden Road, Columbus, OH 43205
For more information about senior living options: (866) 208-4318
Oakwood Senior Living Costs & Pricing
At Oakwood Senior Living, the monthly costs for accommodations are notably competitive compared to both Franklin County and the broader state of Ohio. For a studio apartment, residents enjoy a cost of $1,600, which is significantly lower than the average prices in Franklin County at $3,788 and the statewide average of $3,727. Similarly, for a one-bedroom apartment, Oakwood's rate of $2,500 remains advantageous when placed alongside Franklin County's average of $3,645 and Ohio's average of $3,712. These pricing structures position Oakwood Senior Living as an attractive option for those seeking quality senior care without the accompanying financial strain commonly found in the region.
| Floor plans | Oakwood Senior Living | Franklin County | Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,600 | $3,788 | $3,727 |
| 1 Bedroom | $2,500 | $3,645 | $3,712 |
Overall Review of Oakwood Senior Living
Pros
Oakwood Senior Living is described as an amazing, affordable boutique assisted living in Olde Town East, Columbus.
It is regarded as a gem with beautiful amenities and a marvelous team.
The facility offers all-inclusive pricing with no extra charges.
It provides a specialized memory care unit with dementia-trained staff.
The staff is described as very helpful and responsive to concerns.
It keeps residents active with a full schedule of activities, including a salon, gym, and arts and crafts.
The dining room offers restaurant-style service with menu options.
The building is clean, bright, and well-maintained, with updated interiors and comfortable living arrangements.
The property features attractive architecture and outdoor spaces for residents to enjoy.
Oakwood staff across departments are friendly and professional.
Cons
They were short-handed on the memory care floor, with only one aide and one nurse on duty.
The memory care area on the third floor lacked common areas, with those spaces located in the basement, complicating access for residents.
Most of the residents on that floor were confused and did not know where they were going, making it challenging for staff.
The rooms available had shared bathrooms, which was a drawback.
The nurse was not as friendly as she could have been.
They wished Oakwood had provided the level of care their loved one needed.
There were staffing shortages; more help was needed.
The location wasnât the best.
Review
Oakwood Senior Living in Columbusâs Olde Town East is best suited for families seeking an affordable, boutique-style assisted living with a genuine emphasis on memory care and a lively daily routine. The community excels for seniors who want a warm, home-like atmosphere, attentive staff in a manageable campus, and restaurant-style dining that is included in one predictable price. It is particularly appealing to couples or siblings who want to stay connected under one roof or within the same community, as several floor plans can accommodate shared living spaces. In short, Oakwood serves as a practical, value-forward option where personal attention and an active social calendar are prioritized over a large, campus-scale experience.
Those who should consider alternatives are residents with higher acuity needs or strict requirements for private bathrooms, on-floor common areas, or a care model that supports near-constant nursing supervision. Staffing realities emerge in several reviews: a common pattern of shorthanded floors, with one aide frequently paired with a nurse who serves multiple floors. For memory care, this can translate into slower response times and limited 1:1 availability at times. Additionally, the memory care environment sits on the third floor, while key social and dining spaces remain elsewhere (and the elevator logistics can complicate movement for residents who are confused or unsteady). For families prioritizing seamless, all-in-one on-floor programming and private bathroom privacy, a larger or more modern campus may be a better fit.
The strongest positives center on cost certainty, specialized memory care, and a robust slate of amenities. The all-inclusive pricing means families donât chase add-ons or surprise fees, which is a meaningful relief for long-term budgeting. The dedicated memory care unit is a real asset: a locked environment with dementia-focused staff training designed to keep residents safe while maintaining mobility and engagement. Residents benefit from a menu-driven dining experience, a salon, a gym, and arts-and-crafts activities that provide daily structure, plus an on-site meeting hall and a dining room that recreates a restaurant-like vibe. The buildingâs interiors, new carpeting, fresh paint, and thoughtful room layouts, contribute to a brighter, more cared-for atmosphere, and the front-facing Victorian aesthetic adds a comforting, familiar charm.
Yet several drawbacks temper those strengths. Staffing levels on the memory care floor are a recurrent concern, with reports of one aide and a nurse spread across a larger group and limited on-floor common areas. These realities can challenge consistent, individualized attention and timely assistance, especially during peak activity periods. The memory care wing sits on the third floor, but the lack of equivalent common areas on that level means residents must be escorted to other floors or to the basement for social time, dining, or activities, an added complexity for families and staff to manage. Some rooms still feature shared bathrooms, which can be a non-starter for individuals who require privacy or have mobility challenges. While a few staff interactions stand out positively, isolated complaints about one nurseâs bedside manner remind that personal chemistry and smooth teamwork remain variable.
From a practical decision-making standpoint, Oakwood is a compelling option for families prioritizing affordability, memory care capability, and an intimate, service-forward environment. The pros, clear pricing, a dedicated memory unit with trained staff, a strong activity program, and convenient on-site amenities, offer meaningful offsets to the cons, particularly when long-term budgeting and consistent engagement are the primary criteria. Potential residents should weigh the realities of staffing fluctuations and floor-plan logistics against the value of a cohesive social calendar, the restaurant-style dining, and the security of a dementia-focused setting. For many, those trade-offs are acceptable given the overall tone of care and the quality of life on offer.
The recommended next step is disciplined due diligence: tour with a specific focus on the memory care floorâs operations, verify current staffing ratios during different shifts, and assess how the third-floor unit actually functions in daily life. Ask to see room configurations, especially regarding private bathrooms, and observe how residents move between floors for meals and activities to gauge safety and efficiency. Confirm what âall-inclusiveâ means in practice, what is included, what may be added, and how potential changes in care needs would affect pricing. If the goal is a cost-conscious memory care environment that still delivers warmth, structured activity, and restaurant-style dining, Oakwood stands out; if private bathrooms, on-floor social spaces, and rock-solid 24/7 clinical coverage are non-negotiable, it merits comparison with other, more resource-rich campuses.















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