Page 10 of Best Nursing Homes in South Carolina

The Oaks of Orangeburg, a 122-bed church-affiliated nursing facility at 1000 Methodist Oaks Dr in Orangeburg, South Carolina, has operated as a nonprofit since 1956 under the leadership of owner-operator Joseph Fowler.

Spanning 650 acres with nearly 300 living accommodations, the community provides nursing home, independent living, assisted living, and home care across a 3-story building. It accepts Medicare (average 22-day stay), Medicaid (average 9-month stay), and private pay (average 1–2 month stay) populations. Minimum resident age is 55 years; pets are permitted.

The campus features recreational facilities and programming: fitness center, heated pool with personal training programs, exercise classes, bocce games, kayaking, and arts and crafts activities. Operational services include round-the-clock security and scheduled transportation to local medical appointments.

The facility operates at an annual deficit of $263,500 and occupies 76.8% of beds; below the South Carolina average of 82.1%.

Its location, in rural Orangeburg County, registers a walk score of 0 (completely car-dependent); the nearest hospital lies 5.31 miles away.

Nurses provide 2 hours 59 minutes of care per resident per day; 27% below the South Carolina average of 4 hours 5 minutes. Ranked 105th of 112 state facilities in nurse-to-resident ratios, the facility’s weekend coverage drops to 2 hours 25 minutes per resident; still 27% below state norms.

Of 209 total staff, contractors account for 12.2% of quarterly hours; the staff-to-resident ratio of 1.83:1 aligns with the state average.

Payroll represents 55.9% of revenue.

A June 2025 complaint investigation identified a critical deficiency for improper resident restraint (marked corrected). Over five inspections since 2021, the facility accumulated 23 health citations (99th of 113 statewide). Recent citations span Quality of Care (November 2024), pharmacy errors, nutrition practices, and others.

Federal fines totaled $122,000 across 14 penalty actions over three years; 264% above the state average.

Most significantly, preventive care falls far short of standards: pneumococcal vaccination coverage reaches only 26.9% for short-stay residents (66% worse than the 79.5% state average) and 35.8% for long-stay residents (60% worse than 90.5%). Influenza vaccination rates track similarly low at 26.6% and 62.7% respectively. Functional decline and high-risk events score better than state average, but falls with major injury occur at 5.6%; 89% worse than the state average of 3.0%.

The community is organized for short-term Medicare rehabilitation and longer-stay private-pay and Medicaid admissions on a rural, car-dependent campus where low staffing levels and vaccine compliance gaps present measurable clinical risk.

Overview of Life Care Center of Hilton Head

Set in the scenic neighborhood of Hilton Head, SC, Life Care Center of Hilton Head is a respected senior living community that offers skilled nursing and rehabilitation services. The community designed their accommodations to provide plenty of space, privacy, and comfort to its residents, ensuring a relaxing day-to-day experience. With round-the-clock nursing care and compassionate care team members, residents can enjoy their peace of mind knowing that they are well-cared for by capable hands.

Vibrant activities and thoughtful amenities, such as a salon, library, and beautifully landscaped grounds are available to encourage residents to be more active and engaged within the community. A certified dietician and in-house chef work together in creating excellent menus and preparing delicious and nutritious meals for an excellent dining experience. Here, residents are provided with a safe and nurturing environment that allows them to thrive.

Cooper River Post Acute provides nursing home and skilled nursing care in Mount Pleasant, SC. Skilled nursing gives residents access to licensed nursing care on site around the clock, while the nursing home setting supports ongoing residential care. The community may be a good fit for someone who needs continuous nursing support or a short-term rehabilitation stay.

Opened in 1970, Cooper River Post Acute offers short-term rehabilitation for residents recovering and working toward greater function before returning to their usual setting. Therapy takes place within the community, so residents do not need separate travel for each session. That can make the rehabilitation routine more straightforward. The community also has a beauty salon and person-centered activities, giving residents access to grooming services and structured activities on site.

The community has 176 beds, placing it among larger communities with more residents, staff and usually more programming. Total nurse staffing is 3 hours and 10 minutes per resident per day. This represents the daily hands-on nursing time allocated to each resident. Medicare, Medicaid and private pay are accepted.

Tanner Litchfield serves as administrator, and Mtpleasant Snf operates the community.

Forest Acres Post Acute is a nursing home in Columbia, SC, offering skilled nursing and respite care. Skilled nursing provides licensed nursing care on site around the clock, while respite care offers short stays for a family caregiver who needs to travel or recover. Rehabilitation services and short-term rehabilitation are available for residents who need a temporary stay focused on recovery. The community has 132 beds.

Total nurse staffing is 3 hours per resident per day, representing the daily hands-on nursing time measured for one resident. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are accepted, giving families several ways to cover eligible care and services. Melissa R. Kizer serves as the administrator, and Forest Acres Community Healthcare operates the community. Forest Acres Post Acute may be a good fit for someone who needs ongoing nursing support, a short-term rehabilitation stay, or a family caregiver who needs temporary relief.

Nursing time at Edisto Post Acute holds at 3 hours and 13 minutes per resident across a day. That is an average across all 113 beds in Orangeburg, South Carolina, not one person’s schedule. Nursing home care, skilled nursing, and hospice care are all on the license.

Coverage under a skilled nursing license carries across shift change rather than thinning at the seam. Short-term rehab sits on the service list beside it. Relearning how to swallow, or how to use one side of the body again, is different work from simply rebuilding one’s strength. Two situations are a good fit for here: nursing while therapy goes on, and families who need respite.

Hospice care shifts the goal from cure to comfort. Palliative care is named separately, and it differs, since comfort can sit beside treatment a person still pursues. Pain management and nutrition services are named on their own too.

Respite, as earlier mentioned, is a short stay. Often, it’s because the caregiver has personal or medical matters they need to take care of themselves.

Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are all taken, and which applies depends on who writes the check. Medicare handles the weeks after a qualifying hospital stay; Medicaid steps in when savings can stretch no further. Otherwise, the family pays privately.

Nicholas Tipton administers the home for Orangeburg Post Acute LLC.

Planned Transportation and Outings is a named program at Ridgeway Manor Healthcare Center, so a trip to an appointment does not fall to a relative with a car. Salon and Barber Services is another. The home in Ridgeway, South Carolina holds 112 beds, and its license covers nursing home care as well as skilled nursing.

Licensed nurses are in the building at every hour. Ongoing oversight means a change in someone gets caught by whoever is on duty, rather than being discovered the next morning. Two paths lead here: working toward a recovery, and managing needs that will not resolve.

Nursing time gives each resident 3 hours and 8 minutes over 24 hours. Rehabilitation services are part of what the home does. A dressing that has to be changed on schedule is not something a household keeps up for six weeks. Deborah Sparks administers the place.

Private pay works here, and so do Medicare and Medicaid. A resident admitted for a few weeks of skilled care and still there eight months later has usually switched payers along the way. Both ends of that are covered.

Brushy Creek Post Acute delivers nursing home care, skilled nursing, and hospice services in Greer, South Carolina. Continuous clinical oversight supports individuals with complex medical needs, including dedicated rehabilitation and specialized wound management programs. Hospices options are available to assist residents requiring compassionate end-of-life care.

Operating under administrator Brock Stanger and operator Greer Post Acute, this 144-bed facility maintains a high 99% occupancy rate. Recorded nurse staffing averages 3 hours and 10 minutes per resident per day across all levels of care. Financial coverage options include Medicare, Medicaid, and direct private pay.

Interested individuals can reach out to Brushy Creek Post Acute to discuss admission criteria, verify current openings, or schedule a visit to view the facility.