Central Carolina Health & Rehb

Pros

• The night shift staff has been awesome.
• It is a nice place to visit.
• Pruitt Heath has been the best when it comes to care for families.
• The receptionist had a lovely spirit.
• Ms. Thomasina was described as having a winning attitude and can-do spirit.
• The 3rd floor staff is awesome and makes the stay feel like home.

Cons

• The day shift staff is very rough and a few employees are downright rude, seeming to control every move.
• The phone system is unresponsive, with calls to the nurses' station often going unanswered and admissions not returning calls.
• Care is described as severely inadequate, with patients left in beds they can't adjust and not properly nourished.
• The elevator was broken and a patient remained in a temporary first-floor room for an extended period.
• The facility is viewed by some as lazy and in need of shutdown due to lack of help and attention.
• Personal belongings are reportedly lost or misplaced, including a family blanket, a wheelchair, and a coat.
• The facility is said to smell strongly of urine, indicating cleanliness and odor issues.
• Some reviews allege that staff neglects patients, leaving them unattended and not providing timely care.

Review

The collection of experiences at Pruitt Health Columbia and nearby facilities reads like a divided story of care, where moments of genuine compassion sit beside repeated concerns about communication, safety, and administrative handling. Several reviewers paint a picture of a place that can feel like a lifeline on good days and a source of deep worry on others. The thread that runs through many voices is the sense that the night and some frontline staff can be excellent, while larger patterns - phone responsiveness, ad hoc coverage, and how concerns are escalated - leave families anxious and frustrated.

On the brighter side, a lot of guests and family members speak warmly about certain teams and individuals. The night shift is repeatedly singled out as "awesome," and some visitors describe encounters with staff who seemed sincerely caring and attentive. A receptionist with "the prettiest grey hair" and a spirit that made a strong first impression is mentioned, as is general praise for a nurse manager on one floor who was described as "awesomely polite and kind." There are notes of gratitude for specific team members who made an emotional difference, including people like Ms. Thomasina on the phone and a consistently attentive third-floor staff group - Shruti, Vaishakhi, Gina - along with Hospice and Chaplin Cheryl. In these moments, reviewers say the staff appear to like what they do, and the facility feels like a place where patients and families can feel seen and respected.

Yet a substantial portion of the feedback centers on systemic difficulties that undermine those positive moments. A frequent complaint is the inability to reach the right people when urgent help is needed. Reviewers describe phones ringing for extended periods with no answer, admissions calls that go unreturned for days or even over a year, and a general sense that staff turnover or understaffing leads to slow or inconsistent communication. One reviewer lamented the frustration of waiting almost 15 minutes on the line, a pattern many others echo with phrases like "no one answers," "no one could tell me if they were in," and "they wouldn't check the cameras" when asked about a patient's situation. This theme of poor responsiveness appears repeatedly as a barrier to timely and adequate care.

The day-to-day care experiences also vary dramatically, with some family members reporting serious safety and quality concerns. Several accounts describe patients who did not receive adequate nourishment or could not adjust their beds properly, sometimes contributing to discomfort or risk. There are alarming notes about a mother left in a room with a bed she couldn't control, a goal of rehab that included building strength but where the patient's needs for nourishment and mobility were not met, and a dangerous situation where a patient who was a fall risk was left unattended. Reports of a broken elevator, a patient who fell, and fears about choking while trying to sit up to eat underscore fears about basic safety and dignity. In some accounts, patients appeared neglected during meals or personal care, and there are stark claims about overwhelmed staff who were too busy to help or to respond promptly when a loved one needed assistance.

Financial and administrative practices emerge as another point of conflict. Some reviews describe complicated, frustrating interactions around billing, where family members felt pressured or misinformed about payments and insurance, including miscommunications about SSI or disability funds. There are also distressing anecdotes about lost personal items and a sense that some losses - such as a family blanket with sentimental value, a wheelchair, or a coat - were not properly addressed. The mood of many comments shifts toward the belief that, in some days, profit priorities and staffing pressures may overshadow patient care. One review explicitly warns prospective families not to send loved ones there, tying the ward's overall condition to staff morale, pay, and a sense that care quality can slip when staff are stretched too thin.

Several deeply negative narratives center on experiences that feel like neglect or mistreatment. Accounts describe a persistent smell of urine on some floors, patients not checked on when needed, and a sense that staff were more focused on other tasks than on patient comfort or safety. Some reviews recount a care environment that dissolved into concern about whether the facility was responding appropriately to emergencies, with impressions of doors remaining closed, long waits to receive help, and, in at least one case, a patient who appeared to have suffered harm that went unaddressed for an extended period. These stories contribute to a broader sense among some reviewers that the facility struggles with consistency in supervision, accountability, and follow-through.

Taken together, the reviews present a facility capable of warmth and professional care in moments, tempered by experiences that raise serious questions about administration, communication, and patient safety. The strongest cautionary notes warn families to be vigilant: to plan visits and tours on multiple floors, to ask pointed questions about staffing levels and response times, to verify care plans and monitoring for rehab and long-term needs, and to push for clear, timely updates from admissions and administration. For every positive mention of compassionate staff and moments of good care, there are parallel voices detailing delays, safety concerns, and losses that have left a lasting emotional impact on families. The overall picture is a facility that can deliver humane, respectful care in some moments, but that also carries significant and recurring concerns about reliability, accountability, and the prioritization of patient well-being over procedural hurdles or financial pressures. Potential families would do well to approach with questions, observe closely, and demand transparency and urgent escalation mechanisms when needed.

This part of Columbia, South Carolina, offers a convenient and diverse range of amenities suitable for senior living. With multiple cafes, pharmacies, physicians' offices, and hospitals within close proximity, residents can easily access essential services and healthcare facilities. Additionally, there are various dining options nearby for meals out or takeout. The presence of transportation services like Enterprise Rent-A-Car ensures easy mobility if needed. Furthermore, the nearby places of worship provide opportunities for spiritual fulfillment, while the parks offer outdoor recreation and relaxation. Overall, this area presents a well-rounded living environment with multiple conveniences tailored to seniors' needs.

Cafes

• Starbucks (0.1 miles)
• Drip (1.1 miles)
• Starbucks (1.4 miles)
• Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea Park St (1.8 miles)
• The Corner Blend (1.8 miles)
• Starbucks (2.7 miles)

Physicians

• Holly K Smith - Providence Columbia Medical Associates (0.1 miles)
• Miller & Flynn Optometrist (0.1 miles)
• Columbia Medical Associates (0.1 miles)
• Providence Thoracic & Cardiovascular Associates (0.1 miles)
• Joseph J. Lawton (0.1 miles)
• Palmetto Cardiology Associates (0.2 miles)
• Midlands Pulmonary, Critical Care, & Sleep Medicine (0.2 miles)

Pharmacies

• Hawthorne Pharmacy (0.1 miles)
• Judy, Andrea (0.2 miles)
• Walgreens (1.1 miles)
• Kroger Pharmacy (1.2 miles)
• Walgreens (1.3 miles)
• Palmeto Senior Care: John D Marsh (1.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.6 miles)

Hospitals

• Sleep Med (0.2 miles)

Restaurants

• Waffle House (0.9 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (0.9 miles)
• Pawleys Front Porch (1 miles)
• The Gourmet Shop (1.1 miles)
• Backstreets Grill (1.1 miles)
• Bar None (1.1 miles)
• Craft and Draft (1.2 miles)

Transportation

• Enterprise Rent-A-Car (1.6 miles)

Places of Worship

• Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (1.7 miles)
• St Joseph's Catholic Church (1.7 miles)

Parks

• Hollywood Park (1.9 miles)
• Columbia Canal & Riverfront Park (2.3 miles)
• West Columbia Riverwalk (2.8 miles)