St. Anne's Retirement Community

    3952 Columbia Ave, Columbia, PA 17512
    • Independent Living
    • Assisted Living
    • Memory Care
    • Skilled Nursing

    Well-kept community; compassionate, professional staff

    I toured and moved my mother into this community and have been very pleased. The apartments, cottages and grounds are beautiful and well-kept, common areas tastefully decorated, and the bistro is nice. Staff are warm, compassionate and professional - care, housekeeping and maintenance are excellent. Plenty of activities, animal therapy and on-site medical services give peace of mind. Overall, a very good choice.

    Loved one of resident
    Jul 2026

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    Amenities

    Healthcare services

    • Activities of daily living assistance
    • Assistance with bathing
    • Assistance with dressing
    • Assistance with transfers
    • Medication management

    Healthcare staffing

    • 24-hour call system
    • 24-hour supervision

    Meals and dining

    • Diabetes diet
    • Meal preparation and service
    • Special dietary restrictions

    Room

    • Air-conditioning
    • Cable
    • Fully furnished
    • Housekeeping and linen services
    • Kitchenettes
    • Private bathrooms
    • Telephone
    • Wifi

    Transportation

    • Community operated transportation
    • Transportation arrangement
    • Transportation arrangement (non-medical)

    Common areas

    • Beauty salon
    • Computer center
    • Fitness room
    • Gaming room
    • Garden
    • Outdoor space
    • Small library
    • Wellness center

    Community services

    • Concierge services
    • Fitness programs
    • Move-in coordination

    Activities

    • Community-sponsored activities
    • Planned day trips
    • Resident-run activities
    • Scheduled daily activities

    Reviews

    4.37·(105)

    Overall rating

    1. 5
    2. 4
    3. 3
    4. 2
    5. 1
    • Care

      4.0
    • Staff

      3.8
    • Meals

      3.0
    • Amenities

      4.3
    • Value

      2.2

    Pros

    • well-maintained grounds and campus
    • varied housing options (main building, cottages, villas, condos)
    • animal-assisted therapy program
    • compassionate and friendly caregiving staff
    • multiple levels of care available on campus
    • clean, tastefully decorated interiors
    • on-site bistro and dining options
    • active social and educational programming
    • medical affiliation and on-site primary care access
    • strong maintenance and housekeeping
    • perceived value through affordable entrance-fee options
    • welcoming, home-like atmosphere

    Cons

    • inconsistent staffing levels and high turnover
    • slow call-bell response times and delays in attending to requests
    • inconsistent personal-care routines (bathing and bedtime assistance)
    • incontinence-care delays and sanitation concerns
    • communication gaps with families and during discharge/return transitions
    • ineffective staff supervision and accountability
    • allegations of employee theft and personal-item security gaps
    • administrative emphasis on revenue and image over care priorities
    • limited or inconvenient parking and handicapped access
    • crowd-management issues during events (seating shortages)
    • limited responsiveness to information requests and automated communications

    Summary of reviews

    Overall impression: St. Anne's Retirement Community elicits mixed feedback. Many reviews emphasize a pleasant physical environment, varied housing choices, active programming and animal-assisted activities, and a generally warm, home-like atmosphere with attentive maintenance and attractive interiors. At the same time, a distinct set of operational and administrative concerns recurs across accounts, suggesting variability in day-to-day care and family experience.

    Care quality and safety: There are two clear patterns. Numerous families praised compassionate caregivers, effective end-of-life support, and competent clinical care in many units. Conversely, other accounts describe prolonged response times to call bells, inconsistent personal-care schedules (including bathing and assistance with bedtime), and instances of delayed attention to residents' needs. These patterns translate into tangible safety and dignity concerns for some families; prospective residents should inquire specifically about staffing ratios, average response times, and protocols for personal-care schedules.

    Staffing and management: Staff are frequently described as kind and helpful, and several reviews single out individual employees and maintenance teams for excellent service. However, high staff turnover, understaffing, and perceived gaps in supervision were also recurring themes. Reviewers noted inconsistent accountability for staff performance and concerns about how complaints are handled; there are also statements describing whistleblower and reemployment issues that suggest potential weaknesses in staff-protection and complaint-resolution processes. Additionally, some reviewers perceived an administrative focus on revenue generation and facility image that, in their view, at times conflicted with resident-centered priorities.

    Dining and activities: The community offers an on-site bistro and a range of social and educational programming, including public presentations and entertainment nights. Many reviews praise the food and activity offerings and highlight opportunities for engagement and therapy. At the same time, there are notes about event crowding (limited seating during popular nights) and variable meal pricing transparency. Prospective residents should ask about typical activity calendars, event capacity management, and pricing for dining options.

    Facilities and logistics: Physical plant strengths include well-kept grounds, tasteful décor, multiple housing formats (from independent cottages to assisted units), and on-site primary care affiliation. Practical logistics raised by reviewers include limited or inconvenient parking and handicapped-access arrangements, occasional issues with the transportation van, and mixed feedback on shared-room arrangements. Security of personal belongings was raised as an issue, including allegations of employee theft; families should review the facility's personal-property policies and storage practices.

    Patterns and recommendations: The reviews suggest a split experience—many families are highly satisfied with the environment, staff compassion, and levels of care, while others have encountered operational lapses that materially affected confidence in day-to-day care. Prospective residents and families would be advised to visit multiple times (including nights and event evenings), request written policies on staffing ratios, call-bell response metrics, incident escalation and complaint resolution, personal-item security procedures, discharge/readmission policies, and fee/contract terms. Verifying affiliations with medical providers and asking for recent inspection or quality metrics may also help clarify current performance. These steps can help determine whether the facility’s strengths align with an individual resident’s needs and risk tolerance.

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    Medicare Ratings

    5·/ 5
    • Overall

    • Health Inspection

    • Staffing

    • Quality Measures

    Ratings from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (Care Compare). View on Medicare.gov

    Location

    Map showing location of St. Anne's Retirement Community

    St. Anne's Retirement Community is located at 3952 Columbia Ave, Columbia, PA, 17512.

    About St. Anne's Retirement Community

    St. Anne's Retirement Community sits on 50 peaceful acres just outside Columbia, Pennsylvania, not far from downtown Lancaster and easily reached by Route 462 or Interstate 30, and this place's got a long Catholic history, founded on love and compassion through the Adorers of the Blood of Christ, and while it honors Catholic traditions, it welcomes all faiths and offers spiritual support as well as care. Folks will find independent living choices like apartments, cottages, and a traditional-style villa, with floorplans ranging from studios to one and two-bedroom units, and buildings like 100 Merlini Drive, finished in 2019 with four options, and newer ones like 200 Merlini Drive, offering open-concept layouts since 2021. The grounds are well-kept, featuring walking paths, murals showing Lancaster County scenes, a chapel for quiet moments or Sunday services, and plenty of spaces for social and recreational time, like a community room, meditation room, computer room, gardens, swimming pool, and even a little café called Café Carmela where folks gather for a bite or a chat.

    Residents can bring their small pets along, and there's covered parking, a fitness center, and amenities like lawn care, laundry, maintenance, snow and trash removal, central air and heating, internet, cable, and on-site ATMs, and the place stays secure with gated facilities and guest accommodations for family visits. St. Anne's serves different needs with a range of care options, offering independent living, personal care (which, in Pennsylvania, is what others might call assisted living), skilled nursing, and two separate levels for memory care, with support for people needing help because of dementia or Alzheimer's, and therapy services of all kinds-physical, occupational, and speech-are available for anyone who needs to keep or regain their abilities. There's fee-for-service living and both lease and buy-in options, so folks can choose what works best, and the staff puts real effort into tailoring care and activities to fit each resident, with a community calendar, transportation for errands or appointments, a membership at Hempfield Recreation Center, and special outings, including luxury day trips and campus-wide events such as block parties or bazaars.

    Safety's a focus, with a gated campus and reliable staff, and people say there's a comfortable, inviting atmosphere, with a right-sized community feel-not too large, so you get to know your neighbors, and it's easier to join in with community programs like Lunch & Learn sessions, commemorative bricks, or sponsor-a-day-of-stay benefits. Living options also include personal care memory support, skilled care, and rehabilitation services for changing needs, and there's always help available when something changes, so folks can stay on the same campus even as care needs become greater. The community welcomes visits and tours, letting families see the spaces and meet the people before making a decision. For those who like to get involved, there are lots of campus events, a video gallery, gift shop, shopping trips, and a chance to be part of a caring, familiar place with a home-like atmosphere and scenic views of the Pennsylvania countryside.

    People often ask...

    St. Anne's Retirement Community offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing.

    There are 16 photos of St. Anne's Retirement Community on Mirador.

    Yes, St. Anne's Retirement Community allows residents to age in place and adjust their level of care as needed.

    The full address for this community is 3952 Columbia Ave, Columbia, PA 17512.

    No, St. Anne's Retirement Community does not offer respite care. Respite care in assisted living communities provides temporary, short-term relief for primary caregivers by offering professional care for their loved ones. It allows individuals to stay in an assisted living community for a limited time, giving caregivers a break while ensuring residents receive necessary support and assistance with daily activities.

    Safety & Compliance

    In Pennsylvania, the Department of Human Services licenses personal care homes and assisted living residences and publishes its licensing inspection summaries.

    License number321790
    Facility typeFull
    License classLicensed
    Capacity75 residents
    LicenseeST ANNE'S RETIREMENT COMMUNITY INC
    Care servedPersonal Care Homes
    EffectiveMay 28th, 2026
    ExpiresMay 28th, 2027
    Special certificationSpecial Care Unit (capacity 20)
    View the official license record

    Inspection Reports

    26

    Reports

    3

    Type A Citations

    0

    Type B Citations

    0

    Complaints

    16

    Years

    20 May 2025Inspection
    Found mold on an ice machine in the memory care area and a discrepancy between a blood glucose reading and its MAR entry.
    • 2600.85aSanitary conditions
    • 2600.185aImplement Storage Procedures
    22 May 2024Inspection
    Identified deficiencies in poisonous materials storage, fire drill documentation, and adherence to prescriber's orders for medications.
    • 2600.82.cPoisonous materials kept locked and inaccessible
    • 2600.132.cFire drill records incomplete
    • 2600.187.dFollow prescriber's orders for medication
    20 Sept 2022Inspection
    Identified deficiencies in staff qualifications, egress safety, and medication management; corrective actions were implemented.
    • 2600.Direct Care Staff Qualifications
    • 2600.Unobstructed Egress
    • 2600.Implement Storage Procedures
    • 2600.Medication Record
    27 Apr 2022Inspection
    Found no deficiencies.
    12 Oct 2021Inspection
    Found no deficiencies identified during the licensing activity conducted on 2021-10-12.
    21 Jun 2021Inspection
    Determined that the submitted plan of correction was fully implemented and continued compliance must be maintained.
    14 May 2021Inspection
    Issued a regular license and certificate for a Personal Care Home, effective May 28, 2021 through May 28, 2022.
    04 Feb 2020Inspection
    Issued a regular license renewal and noted an onsite inspection will occur within the next twelve months.
    25 Jul 2019Inspection
    Identified multiple violations involving confidentiality, unsafe medication and poison storage, and inadequate door-locking controls. There were instances of unsecure narcotics logs, unlocked medications, and non-conspicuous locking codes.
    • 2600.17Record Confidentiality
    • 2600.82cPoisonous Materials
    • 2600.181dStoring Medication
    • 2600.233cKey-Locking Devices
    • 2600.185aImplement Storage Procedures
    • 2600.185dStoring Medication Procedures
    08 Feb 2019Inspection
    Issued a license renewal and certificate of compliance; no deficiencies cited.
    13 Aug 2018Inspection
    Identified deficiencies in medication management and documentation, along with unsafe storage of poisonous materials. Several medical evaluations lacked required information.
    • 2600.82(c)Poisonous materials kept locked
    • 2600.141(a)(2)Medical evaluation must include required items
    • 2600.185(a)(2)Medical evaluation; license number missing
    • 2600.187(a)Medication records; required information
    13 Feb 2018Inspection
    Approved renewal and issued a certificate of compliance for the licensed facility.
    24 Aug 2017Inspection
    Investigated a complaint about medication education and found that residents were not educated on the right to refuse medication when there may be a medication error.
    • 55 Pa Code § 2600.181Resident education on right to refuse medication
    15 Feb 2017Inspection
    Renewal license granted and a certificate of compliance issued following renewal application.
    07 Sept 2016Inspection
    Found two violations related to medication management: improper storage and record-keeping, plus glucometer reading discrepancies.
    • 55 Pa.Code §2600.183(e)Prescription medications, OTC medications and CAM shall be stored in an organized manner under proper conditions of sanitization, temperature, moisture and light and in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
    • 55 Pa.Code §2600.187(a)Description of violation – Medication records
    29 Mar 2016Inspection
    Found no deficiencies. Issued a revised license increasing the dementia care unit capacity to 20 and maintaining the expiration date.
    23 Feb 2016Inspection
    Granted a regular license after renewal and issued a certificate of compliance. Found no deficiencies.
    30 Jun 2015Inspection
    Observed compliance with licensing requirements and the license remained in good standing.
    11 Feb 2015Inspection
    Granted a renewal license to operate the personal care home; no deficiencies were cited.
    03 Jun 2014Inspection
    Determined a violation for failing to conduct sleeping-hour fire drills at least every six months; drills occurred on 4/30/14 and 9/24/13, more than six months apart.
    • 55 Pa. Code §2600.132(e)A fire drill shall be held during sleeping hours once every 6 months
    14 Feb 2014Inspection
    Granted a regular license following renewal; no deficiencies were cited.
    13 Jun 2013Inspection
    Found violations related to fire drill record contents, incomplete resident medical evaluations, and outdated medication in stock.
    • Type A2600.132(c)Fire drill records must include required details
    • Type A2600.141(a)(1)Medical evaluations for residents
    • Type A2600.183(d) Prescription and medication in home
    13 Feb 2013Inspection
    Issued a certificate of compliance authorizing ongoing operation to provide Personal Care Homes.
    23 Apr 2012Inspection
    Determined compliance with the 55 Pa.Code Chapter 2600 requirements and issued a regular license.
    20 May 2011Inspection
    Determined the facility to be in compliance with regulations and issued a regular license.
    24 Mar 2010Inspection
    Found two violations: evacuation during fire drills was not properly implemented and there were issues with handling and delivery of residents' clothing and laundry.
    • 55 Pa.Code § 2600Residents evacuation during fire drills
    • 55 Pa.Code § 2600Handling of soiled clothing and delivery of clean clothing

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    Mirador Living is not affiliated with the owner or operator(s) of St. Anne's Retirement Community. The information above has not been verified or approved by the owner or operator. For exact information, please contact St. Anne's Retirement Community directly. There is no cost for this service. We are compensated by the community you select.

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