White Oak of Columbia

Pros

• The staff at White Oak Manor are caring, knowledgeable, and consistently positive in meeting residents' needs.
• Ms. Bass in admissions and the rest of the team helped the process flow seamlessly.
• Ms. Mona is described as a very caring and personable nurse who ensured comfort for residents, even during discharge.
• The facility keeps families informed about both parents' schedules and health status and allows them to stay together when possible.
• The care team treats residents like family, with empathy, friendliness, and respect.
• Yolanda in admissions is friendly and professional, making transitions easier for families.
• The overall environment is welcoming, with staff across departments making residents and their families feel at ease.

Cons

• The staff are unfriendly and unhelpful, making life very uneasy for families.
• A mother-in-law was neglected, not fed, not cleaned, not given medicine, and her incision went septic because no one looked at it.
• Pants and snacks were stolen, and the patient received little to no attention, leading to depression and poor rehabilitation.
• There were too many deaths and the staff were rude, indicating a seriously failing facility.
• CNAs were described as lazy, leaving shifts to buy lottery tickets and making patients dependent.
• A patient was left sitting in a soiled diaper all night, with nurses who ignored call lights and didn't respond promptly.
• A staff member allegedly encouraged a family to be unforgiving to a dying relative, and the place was described as horrible.

Review

The White Oak of Columbia is best suited for families who want a warm, relationship-driven care culture and who are prepared to act as informed advocates for a loved one. This community rewards families that prioritize personal connections with staff and value a homey feel, even in the context of an older building. It can be a strong fit for residents who do not require the most modern amenities but do need steady, compassionate day-to-day care and ongoing communication about health and routines. Those who expect consistently flawless rehabilitation outcomes, particularly for complex medical needs, may find this community falls short. In short, it serves as a people-and-process-centered option rather than a pristine, high-tech care environment.

Alternatives should be considered by families who require highly reliable, evidence-based rehab or who cannot tolerate significant variation in daily care. Several reviews point to episodes of neglect, delayed responses, and staff inconsistencies that can be devastating for fragile or chronically ill residents. If safety, predictable nursing attention, and a consistently proactive approach to wounds, infections, and medication administration are non-negotiable, exploring other facilities with stronger track records in clinical oversight and staffing stability is prudent. The same caution applies to families who fear disrespectful interactions, heavy turnover, or management gaps that disrupt continuity of care.

The strongest positives here are the human elements. Compassionate admissions staff, engaged nurses, and a culture of treating residents with dignity recur in many accounts. When care teams align, families report clear communication, timely medication administration, and genuine concern for the resident's overall well-being. The ability to keep couples or family members together in the same room, and the frequent, visible involvement of staff in daily routines, can make a meaningful difference in mood, motivation, and quality of life. Specific caregivers emerge in memorable ways, and the sense that staff cares for the resident like family is a recurring theme that can offset some rough edges in other areas.

Yet the liabilities are hard to ignore. A substantial portion of reviews allege rude behavior, neglect, or inconsistent responsiveness, with a few incidents described as severe enough to affect health outcomes. Reports range from missed call-bell responses to inadequate wound care and even infection, with some families recounting deaths attributed to care lapses. The building's age is a persistent but manageable drawback; it signals potential limitations in layout, modernization, and anticipated repair cycles. The variability from shift to shift and the occasional firing or turnover of frontline staff contribute to a fragile care tapestry, making reliable consistency a hit-or-miss proposition.

To navigate the decision, prospective residents should insist on concrete, observable safeguards. Before move-in, request to meet the director of nursing and the supervisory team, review recent incident and wound-care logs, and observe a shift in action to gauge response times and staff attentiveness. Ask for a detailed care plan with explicit targets for mobility, feeding, hygiene, and medication management, plus a clear escalation protocol if concerns arise after hours. Consider a short respite or trial stay to assess how the daily routine actually feels, and talk to multiple families about long-term experiences beyond the admissions process. This due diligence helps separate the moments of excellence from the days of concern.

Bottom line: White Oak of Columbia can be a good fit for families who value warmth, consistent personal attention, and the ability to stay closely connected with caregivers, provided there is active, ongoing oversight. It is not ideal for those who require a uniformly high standard of rehab performance, consistently rapid responses, and an unflaggingly respectful, professional environment across all shifts. Given the wide range of experiences reported, families should compare with other Columbia options, arrange comprehensive visits, and set strict expectations upfront. With careful selection and vigilant involvement, there is potential for a caring home atmosphere to prevail; without that vigilance, the risks highlighted by reviews can overwhelm the positives.

This part of Columbia, South Carolina offers a convenient and bustling area with a variety of amenities. There are several popular dining options nearby including McDonald's, Zaxby's, Chipotle, and The Original Pancake House. For pharmacy needs, CVS Pharmacy, Kroger Pharmacy, and Walgreens are all within close proximity. Medical care is easily accessible with Three Rivers Medical Associates and various other physicians in the vicinity. Residents can also find places of worship such as Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and St Joseph's Catholic Church nearby. Additionally, there are cafes like Starbucks and Drip for social gatherings and relaxation. For entertainment, Spotlight Cinemas Capital 8 is just a short drive away. Overall, this area provides convenience and accessibility for senior living in Columbia.

Restaurants

• McDonald's (0.6 miles)
• Zaxby's (1.4 miles)
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (2 miles)
• The Original Pancake House (2 miles)
• Tazza Kitchen Trenholm Plaza (2.1 miles)
• Waffle House (2.3 miles)
• Craft and Draft (2.3 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.7 miles)
• Kroger Pharmacy (0.8 miles)
• Walgreens (0.9 miles)
• Judy, Andrea (1.3 miles)
• Hawthorne Pharmacy (1.4 miles)
• Walgreens (1.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.4 miles)

Physicians

• Three Rivers Medical Associates (1 miles)
• Columbia Skin Clinic (1 miles)
• Carolinas Dermatology Group (1.1 miles)
• Palmetto Optometry Associates (1.1 miles)
• Joseph J. Lawton (1.4 miles)
• Miller & Flynn Optometrist (1.4 miles)
• Providence Thoracic & Cardiovascular Associates (1.4 miles)

Places of Worship

• Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (1 miles)
• St Joseph's Catholic Church (2.4 miles)
• Shandon Baptist Church (2.4 miles)
• Tree of Life Congregation (2.7 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (1.4 miles)
• Starbucks (2.1 miles)
• Starbucks (2.4 miles)
• Drip (2.5 miles)
• Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea Park St (3.2 miles)
• The Corner Blend (3.2 miles)

Hospitals

• Sleep Med (1.5 miles)

Transportation

• Enterprise Rent-A-Car (3 miles)

Theaters

• Spotlight Cinemas Capital 8 (3 miles)

Parks

• Hollywood Park (3.2 miles)