Columbia Senior AdvisorLife Care Center of Columbia, at 2514 Faraway Dr in Columbia (Richland County), is a nursing home certified for Medicare and Medicaid with 179 certified beds and DPH nursing home license NCF-0634. Life Care Center of Columbia holds a CMS overall rating of 2 out of 5 in Care Compare data dated October 1, 2026.
What are Life Care Center of Columbia's Care Compare star ratings?
Life Care Center of Columbia holds a CMS overall rating of 2 out of 5, with 2 stars for health inspections, 3 for staffing and 4 for quality measures on CMS's five-star scale.
| CMS / DPH measure | Value |
|---|---|
| CMS overall stars | 2 of 5 |
| Health inspections (CMS stars) | 2 of 5 |
| Staffing (CMS stars) | 3 of 5 |
| Quality measures (CMS stars) | 4 of 5 |
| Certified beds and average daily census | 179 beds, 99.8 residents a day |
| Name as CMS lists it | Life Care Center Of Columbia |
| Ownership (CMS) | For profit - Corporation |
| Chain affiliation (CMS) | Life Care Centers of America, 194 homes nationwide |
| Medicare/Medicaid certification since | July 7, 1994 |
| DPH license | NCF-0634; 179 licensed beds; Licensed through 06/30/2027 |
| DPH Alzheimer's flags | No |
Its average census of about 100 residents fills roughly 56% of certified beds, below the 92% typical of certified homes in the six Midlands counties.
What did the latest inspections of Life Care Center of Columbia find?
The latest standard health inspection CMS has on file for Life Care Center of Columbia took place June 19, 2025 and produced 4 health deficiencies: 4 from the routine survey and 0 from complaint visits.
For comparison, May 9, 2024's survey recorded 8 deficiencies, with 0 more citations from infection-control checks; the latest-cycle median among Midlands certified homes is 3, so this home's newest count is higher than usual.
Within CMS's three-year penalty window it lists no fines and 0 payment denials.
What are staffing levels and turnover at Life Care Center of Columbia?
Payroll data submitted to CMS shows 3.62 nursing hours per resident per day at Life Care Center of Columbia, lower than the Midlands median of 3.83, with registered nurses supplying 0.45 of those hours (lower than the Midlands median of 0.48).
On weekends, total nurse staffing falls to or stays at 3.13 hours per resident-day. Nursing staff turnover is 62.4%, higher than the Midlands median of 45.8%; RN turnover is 60.0%. CMS counts 0 administrator departures during its measurement period.
What is the closest nursing home to Life Care Center of Columbia?
Its 179 certified beds make it bigger than the Richland County median of 132 licensed nursing home beds. The nearest other certified home is Midlands Health & Rehabilitation Center in Columbia, about 1.6 miles away as the crow flies, with a CMS rating of 2 of 5.
| Facility | Miles away | Licensed beds | CMS overall rating | Last CMS health inspection | Deficiencies cited |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midlands Health & Rehabilitation Center 1007 N Kings St, 29223 | 1.6 | 88 | 2 of 5 | September 11, 2025 | 7 |
| Wildewood Downs Nursing and Rehabilitation Center 731 Polo Rd, 29223 | 2.0 | 80 | 5 of 5 | January 22, 2026 | 2 |
| NHC Healthcare Parklane 7601 Parklane Rd, 29223 | 2.8 | 180 | 5 of 5 | February 12, 2026 | 0 |
| Rice Estate Rehabilitation and Healthcare 100 Finley Rd, 29203 | 4.1 | 80 | 3 of 5 | April 16, 2026 | 2 |
| White Oak Manor Columbia 3001 Beechaven Rd, 29204 | 5.5 | 120 | 4 of 5 | November 20, 2025 | 2 |
Where is Life Care Center of Columbia, and what shares its campus?
Life Care Center of Columbia is in Columbia's Northeast Columbia, Sandhills & Clemson Road area, and MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center-Northeast is the closest general hospital on DPH's list, about 3.7 miles away by straight line.
MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown follows at roughly 6.9 miles. These are straight-line distances, not drive times.
What does Life Care Center of Columbia's CMS record suggest asking?
Use the federal record as a checklist: ask for the plan of correction covering the 4 deficiencies cited June 19, 2025, and what is different now.
- Turnover of 62.4% runs above the Midlands median; ask what share of each shift is agency staff.
- Occupancy is about 56%; ask which halls have open beds and why.
- CMS lists a resident council; ask when it meets and whether family members may attend.
- If Medicaid may pay later, confirm Life Care Center of Columbia takes South Carolina Healthy Connections Medicaid for long stays and how its Medicaid beds are assigned.
