Overall sentiment in the reviews for White Oak Manor Columbia is strongly mixed, with a sharp divide between families who experienced compassionate, professional care and those who report serious neglect and mismanagement. Many reviewers praise specific staff members and departments, most notably repeated positive mentions of the admissions staff (with Yolanda named multiple times) for making the move-in process smooth and supportive. Several families describe warm, courteous interactions, attentive nursing and CNA care, good food, helpful rehabilitation staff, informative updates to family members, and active programming that keeps residents engaged. Multiple reviewers used words like "treated as family," "pleasant experience," and "wonderful overall experience," and some specifically cited positive respite stays or short-term rehab successes.
Contrasting sharply with these positive accounts are numerous, grave complaints describing neglect, unsafe practices, and unprofessional behavior. Reported incidents include residents being left in soiled diapers overnight, ignored call lights, patients stuck on toilets, missed medications, inadequate feeding and hygiene, and alleged failure to monitor or treat wounds leading to infection. There are isolated but serious allegations of theft of personal items, rude or combative staff interactions, and even accusations of racism. Several reviewers described outcomes as severe as decline in mobility, sepsis, or death following care episodes. These are not isolated critiques of policy or aesthetics but direct allegations of substandard clinical care that families found distressing.
A recurring theme is inconsistency: the same facility is described as having "caring, compassionate" staff by some and "unresponsive, neglectful" staff by others. Reviewers frequently note variability between shifts, departments, or individual caregivers—"some nurses redeemable, some not"—suggesting staffing reliability and training/oversight issues. Staffing problems surface in other ways as well: lazy or unavailable CNAs, long response times, and families compelled to personally fetch nurses or assist with basic care. Several reviews mention administrative turmoil, including reports of internal harassment, firing of employees, bullying, and concerns raised to external agencies (OSHA/DHEC), which could indicate broader management and culture challenges affecting day-to-day resident care.
Facility and environment comments are also mixed. Some reviewers praise cleanliness and an engaged activity schedule with outings, while others call the building "aging" or "old," noting shared rooms and infrastructure limitations. Dining is generally reported positively by multiple families, and rehabilitation services receive commendations in several accounts, yet there are conflicting reports of inadequate rehabilitation or a lack of meaningful therapy for others. This divergence reinforces the overall pattern: experiences vary widely depending on timing, staff on duty, and possibly individual resident needs.
Communication and leadership are likewise described in opposing ways. Several families commend accessible leadership, transparent updates, and open lines of communication that made them comfortable leaving their loved ones in the facility. Conversely, other reviewers report poor communication during medical emergencies, failed phone or call connections, abrupt discharges, or being left uninformed about significant changes such as feeding tube placement or mobility loss. These communication breakdowns often accompany the most serious complaints about care quality and outcomes.
In summary, White Oak Manor Columbia elicits polarized feedback. Strengths appear concentrated around the admissions experience (notably a recurring positive mention of Yolanda), caring nurses/caregivers on certain shifts, decent food, effective rehab in some cases, and engaging activities. The most significant and recurring concerns are inconsistent care delivery, serious neglect allegations (missed hygiene, missed meds, ignored call lights), instances of theft and unprofessional behavior, and organizational issues that may include staffing shortages, poor oversight, and management conflicts. Prospective residents and families should weigh these mixed reports carefully: if a visit shows the same positive traits noted by many reviewers—attentive staff, open communication, clean environment—they may have a good experience; however, the pattern of severe negative incidents reported by multiple families justifies asking specific, targeted questions during tours and admissions (staffing ratios per shift, wound-care protocols, call light response times, security for personal items, incident reporting and follow-up, and how leadership handles complaints). Where possible, seek recent references from current residents’ families and verify regulatory records to understand whether the critical issues noted have been addressed.
