Island Oak Living Center in Johns Island, SC

Pros

• The physical therapist was great and showed a genuine interest in helping the resident become more mobile.
• The rooms were reasonably clean.
• The physical therapist stands out as a positive aspect of the care at the facility.

Cons

• The facility is dismal at best.
• There is no dining room; residents eat in the common area.
• The food looked terrible and of very low quality.
• The servers didn't wear gloves.
• The environment is very noisy due to inattentive nurse aides who spend most of their time talking amongst themselves and playing music on their phones.
• Staff are frequently seen at the center desk filling out Lotto tickets, with many walking around looking at their phones and showing little interaction with residents.
• The rooms are tiny.
• The reviewer warns to stay away from the facility and mentions moving their mother to another facility ASAP.

Review

Island Oak Living Center in Johns Island is best suited for seniors who need rehabilitation and mobility support in the near term, and whose families are prepared to supervise daily life closely. The standout feature is a capable physical therapist who shows genuine interest in helping residents regain function, making the center a potential fit for rehab-focused care when mobility improvement is the priority. For residents who can tolerate a modest living environment and do not require a dining room, a lively social calendar, or culinary excellence as a baseline expectation, this community can serve as a narrow, function-focused option.

That said, families should strongly consider alternatives if daily living quality is the priority. The absence of a dedicated dining room means meals are eaten in common areas, and the posted menu rarely translates into attentive service or a consistent dining experience. Food quality is described as low, with servers not wearing gloves and little visible effort to tailor menus to individual preferences. For long-term comfort, social engagement, and a consistently pleasant mealtime atmosphere, there are likely better options in the area that place dining and resident interaction at the forefront.

The main pros - notably, the physical therapy - do not fully offset the most troubling cons. Rehabilitation-oriented residents can benefit from the therapist's approach and genuine engagement, which can translate into meaningful mobility gains. However, the negative daily life factors - no dedicated dining room, subpar food, inattentive staff, and a culture of limited interaction with residents - severely undercut overall well-being. Noise from staff and the perception of low attentiveness further erode a sense of security and comfort, making the setting less supportive for residents who need consistent, high-quality routine care beyond rehab sessions.

Staffing behavior raises legitimate red flags for ongoing care. Observations of aides spending excessive time at the front desk or on personal devices, and occasionally filling Lotto tickets, suggest gaps in direct resident supervision and engagement. Such moments matter, because every shift should reinforce safety, timely assistance, and meaningful interaction with residents. When combined with very small rooms that feel cramped, the overall living experience becomes one primarily of functional care rather than a nurturing, reassuring home environment.

Those weighing options should be especially mindful of who may be harmed by this mix of strengths and weaknesses. Families with residents who require steady, high-touch supervision, consistent meal service, and opportunities for social engagement will likely find this community lacking. Similarly, individuals who prize a comfortable private room, robust dining service, and a calm, orderly atmosphere should not settle here. The history note about issues found in 2018 adds a cautionary layer, signaling the need for contemporary, on-site verification before committing to this arrangement.

Practical next steps are clear. Schedule an on-site tour focused on the dining setup, menu variety, and how meals are served; request a direct conversation with therapy staff about rehabilitation goals and frequency; observe meal times to gauge staff responsiveness and patient interaction; inspect room sizes and overall cleanliness; ask about staffing ratios, shift coverage, and how often aides are available for unscheduled assistance. If these checks reveal continued gaps in daily life quality, or if the resident's priorities include a warm dining environment and proactive caregiver engagement, pursuing alternative communities is strongly advised.

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.1 miles)
• Walgreens (6.1 miles)
• Primary Rx (6.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (6.4 miles)
• Walgreens (6.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (6.9 miles)

Physicians

• Maybank Medical Plaza (1.3 miles)
• Island Dermatology (1.3 miles)
• Carolina Sports and Orthopedics Sales (5.9 miles)
• New Body Center (6.1 miles)
• Langdon All Hartsock, MD (6.3 miles)
• Louis Arsenio Gerena, MD (6.3 miles)
• MUSC Health West Ashley Medical Pavilion - Epic Center (6.3 miles)

Cafes

• Estuary Beans & Barley (1.7 miles)
• Panera Bread (6.2 miles)
• Sightsee (9.5 miles)
• Babas on Cannon (9.7 miles)
• Off Track Ice Cream (9.7 miles)

Hospitals

• Center For Abandoned Cats And Tomatoes (5.8 miles)
• Bon Secours St Francis Hospital (6.7 miles)
• Roper Hospital Ambulatory Surgery & Pain Management (6.9 miles)
• Musc Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital (8.9 miles)
• MUSC Ashley River Tower (8.9 miles)
• Roper St Francis Foundation (8.9 miles)
• Emergency Department, Roper Hospital (9 miles)

Restaurants

• Gilligan's Restaurant-John's Island (5.8 miles)
• Southside 17 Bar & Grill (6.2 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (6.2 miles)
• Pour House (6.4 miles)
• Maybank Public House (6.4 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (6.8 miles)
• O'Charley's Restaurant + Bar (6.9 miles)

Parks

• Medway Park (6 miles)
• Marsh Island Park (6.9 miles)
• West Ashley Park (7.2 miles)
• Bayview Soccer Complex (8.6 miles)
• Brittlebank Park (8.6 miles)
• Folly Beach County Park (8.6 miles)
• Hampton Park Dog Run (9.5 miles)

Places of Worship

• Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity (9.6 miles)