Columbia Senior AdvisorThis part of Columbia runs from the State House, the Vista and the University of South Carolina east through Shandon, Rosewood and Five Points to Forest Acres along Forest Drive and Trenholm Road, and south-east toward Garners Ferry Road and Fort Jackson. Prisma Health Baptist and MUSC Health's downtown campus sit inside it, with Prisma Health Richland just to the north.
Families here usually want a parent near the downtown specialists and the hospitals they already use. Licensed options mix established nursing homes in the 29204 ZIP code, a downtown assisted living building, and small residential care homes in the south-east neighborhoods, so the choice is often walkability and proximity versus the newer suburban campuses.
How much licensed senior care is in Downtown, Shandon & Forest Acres?
DPH's license data shows 4 senior-serving assisted living facilities (159 beds) and 3 nursing homes (402 beds) with Columbia addresses in Downtown, Shandon & Forest Acres (ZIP codes 29201, 29204, 29205, 29206, 29209, 29207).
| Found in Downtown, Shandon & Forest Acres | Not found in Downtown, Shandon & Forest Acres | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed with a local address (DPH) | Assisted living (CRCFs): 4, Nursing homes: 3, Adult day care: 2, Home health agencies: 1, Hospice programs: 2, In-home care providers: 93 | — |
| No local license on file | — | Hospice houses |
| Secured Alzheimer's units | 1 building | — |
Which assisted living communities are licensed in Downtown, Shandon & Forest Acres?
DPH's current data lists 4 senior-serving CRCFs in Downtown, Shandon & Forest Acres, 1 with a secured Alzheimer's unit flag; Forest Lake Manor is the largest at 60 licensed beds.
| Facility | Licensed beds | Alzheimer's unit / care (DPH) | DPH orders since Jan 2025 | License status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Lake Manor 4405 Forest Dr, 29206 | 60 | Care only | 0 | Licensed through 05/31/2027 |
| Merrill Gardens at Columbia 2205 Gregg St, 29201 | 52 | Unit + care | 0 | Licensed through 03/31/2027 |
| Westside Residential Home 4112 Hartford St, 29204 | 38 | No | 1 | Licensed through 06/30/2027 |
| Williams Community Care Home 7705 Richard St, 29209 | 9 | Care only | 0 | Licensed through 04/30/2027 |
DPH also lists 1 community residence here for adults with disabilities or mental illness; they hold the same license but are not senior placements.
Which nursing homes are in Downtown, Shandon & Forest Acres, and how does CMS rate them?
Downtown, Shandon & Forest Acres has 3 licensed nursing homes with 402 licensed beds; of the 3 that CMS rates, 1 hold four or five stars.
| Facility | CMS overall rating | Licensed beds | Last CMS health inspection | Deficiencies cited |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Acres Post Acute 2601 Forest Dr, 29204 | 1 of 5 | 132 | July 17, 2026 | 4 |
| Pruitthealth-Columbia 2451 Forest Dr, 29204 | 1 of 5 | 150 | July 9, 2026 | 13 |
| White Oak Manor Columbia 3001 Beechaven Rd, 29204 | 4 of 5 | 120 | November 20, 2025 | 2 |
Which home health, hospice and adult day providers have offices in Downtown, Shandon & Forest Acres?
DPH's data shows 1 home health agency, 2 hospice programs and houses and 2 adult day centers at Downtown, Shandon & Forest Acres addresses; agencies typically serve clients far beyond their office.
- Laurel Day Health Center: adult day care facility, license ADC-0137, up to 70 participants
- Wright Place: adult day care facility, license ADC-0459, up to 21 participants
- Optum Women's and Children's Health LLC: home health agency, license HHA-0130
- Pruitthealth Hospice-Columbia: hospice program, license HPC-0102
- VIA Health Partners - Midlands Region: hospice program, license HPC-0283
How many in-home care agencies are based in Downtown, Shandon & Forest Acres?
93 licensed in-home care providers list a Downtown, Shandon & Forest Acres office on DPH's data; these agencies send aides for bathing, dressing, meals and companionship rather than medical care.
All of them appear in the in-home care roster, filterable by city. The license shows DPH has approved the agency's screening and supervision of aides; ask each one about shift minimums and who covers when an aide is out sick.
Have any Downtown, Shandon & Forest Acres facilities been the subject of state enforcement?
Yes: DPH's monthly enforcement reports for January 2025 to September 2026 name 1 licensed facility in Downtown, Shandon & Forest Acres.
- Westside Residential Home: 1 order, most recently in the July 2026 report ($19,000 penalty)
Each facility page summarizes the order. A past order is not proof of a present problem; ask what changed.
How close is Downtown, Shandon & Forest Acres to a hospital?
From the middle of the area, the nearest general hospitals on DPH's list are MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown (about 3.0 miles) and Prisma Health Baptist (about 4.3 miles).
Prisma Health Richland is about 4.4 miles away. All are straight-line distances, good for comparing places but not for estimating drive times.
