Oaks at Charleston: A Comprehensive Review

Oaks at Charleston is located at 2333 Ashley River Rd in Charleston, South Carolina. It provides assisted living and memory care for older adults. This review covers the facility's services, amenities, activities, and pricing to help families evaluate whether it's a good fit.

• Services and living options
• Residence options and pricing
• Amenities and services
  • Core services
  • Healthcare services
  • Room amenities
  • Community amenities
• Daily activities and social life
• Dining experience
• Resident and family experiences
• Management and staff
• Location and access to healthcare
• Comparison with local alternatives
• Summary

Services and living options

Oaks at Charleston offers three types of care:

1. Assisted Living: Help with daily activities, medication management, and other support services.
2. Memory Care: Specialized care in the "Horizons Neighborhood" for residents with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Residents work with the same caregivers regularly and participate in tailored activities.
3. Respite Care: Short-term stays for family caregivers who need a break or for prospective residents testing the community before making a longer commitment.

The community emphasizes person-directed care—meaning staff work with each resident according to their individual preferences and history, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Residence options and pricing

Oaks at Charleston offers different apartment sizes with these starting rates:

• Studio apartments: Starting at $3,300/month
• One-bedroom apartments: Starting at $4,000/month
• Two-bedroom apartments: Starting at $4,200/month

Some sources list starting prices as low as $2,500/month, with final costs depending on care needs. The assisted living base rate of $3,290 is below the Charleston area average of $3,925.

Amenities and services

Oaks at Charleston provides:

Core services

• 24-hour caregiving staff
• Medication management
• Assistance with daily activities
• Weekly housekeeping and linen service
• Transportation services
• Utilities (except personal telephone)
• Cable TV (in common areas with hookups in rooms)
• Building and grounds maintenance

Healthcare services

• Memory care programming
• Diabetic care
• High acuity care
• Incontinence care
• Non-ambulatory care

Room amenities

• Air conditioning
• Cable or satellite TV
• Handicap accessible features
• Wi-Fi/high-speed internet
• Ground floor units
• Wheelchair accessible showers
• Kitchenettes in some units

Community amenities

• Private dining room
• Café or bistro
• Beauty salon and barber shop
• Library
• TV lounge
• Computer or media center
• Indoor and outdoor common areas
• Meeting rooms
• Central fireplace

• Raised garden beds

The facility has won awards for "Best Meals and Dining" and "Best of Senior Living."

Daily activities and social life

The community schedules regular programs:

• Social Events: Live performances, holiday parties, happy hours, birthday celebrations
• Educational Programs: Cooking classes, brain fitness activities
• Recreational Activities: Trivia games, gardening club, karaoke
• Spiritual Support: Devotional activities, visiting chaplains, religious services
• Community outings include day trips to local parks and museums, as well as picnics. Residents can choose activities that match their interests and physical abilities. These trips give residents chances to explore Charleston, stay active, and build friendships with other residents.
• Intergenerational Programs: Local schoolchildren and singing groups visit regularly, bringing younger voices into the community.

The community encourages residents to spend time with people of all ages, which creates a more lively social environment.

Dining experience

The dining program won a "Best Meals and Dining" award. Features include:

• Professional chef-prepared meals
• Restaurant-style dining experiences
• Special dietary accommodations (gluten-free, low/no sodium, vegetarian options)
• Anytime dining flexibility
• Room service available
• International cuisine options
• Families can arrange guest meals so they can dine together during visits. Ask the facility about costs, reservation requirements, and menu options available for guests.

Most reviews praise the dining program, though one family member noted that the Southern-style cooking might not suit residents from other parts of the country.

Resident and family experiences

Families and residents have shared these views:

Positive feedback:

• "The Oaks of Charleston is outstanding. The staff are truly caring, and the resident care is wonderful. I am very pleased to have my mom in their memory care unit."
• "I would have to say '5' for each category. We have moved our loved one to the memory care building and he seems content and happy, which is all we can hope for."
• "The staff are very attentive to my mom's needs and we would recommend Oaks at Charleston to other families based on our experience so far."

Mixed feedback:

• "My only concern is turnover of staff but that probably happens at all such facilities."
• One family prioritized a facility without carpeting because of incontinence concerns. Oaks at Charleston's laminate flooring throughout was an important factor in their choice.
• "Their dining menu is a little too much for my mother-in-law. She is from the north and they have a lot of Southern cooking, so that would be the only thing negative I would say."

Critical feedback:

• A single negative review from 2022 criticized the facility harshly, but this stands out among mostly positive feedback.

The facility maintains a 9.3/10 rating with 51 reviews on one platform (53% five-star, 25% four-star). On another platform, it has a 4.2/5 rating from 23 reviews.

Management and staff

Oaks at Charleston is part of Oaks Senior Living, which operates 38 facilities with an 8.6/10 overall rating from 1,233 reviews.

The community focuses on caregiving through:

• Designated Care Partners: Staff members who work regularly with the same residents, building relationships and knowing their preferences well.
• Core Values: The facility is guided by "faith, knowledge, compassion, and love."
• Staff Longevity: Multiple residents and families mention that "most staff have been there for years."

Staff responsiveness gets frequent praise in reviews. One family member wrote: "Their staff is excellent. They're very caring and very conscientious."

Location and access to healthcare

The facility is near several medical resources:

• Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital
• MUSC Health Primary Care – West Ashley
• MUSC Health University Medical Center downtown
• Various dental services and medical specialists nearby

Comparison with local alternatives

Oaks at Charleston offers mid-range pricing and amenities compared to other Charleston-area facilities:

• Ashley Gardens (2290 Henry Tecklenburg Dr): Memory care starts at $7,300/month, significantly higher than Oaks at Charleston.
• The Addison of West Ashley: Studio apartments start at $4,875/month.

For memory care and assisted living in Charleston, Oaks at Charleston offers solid value.

Summary

Oaks at Charleston provides assisted living and memory care in a community-focused setting. Key strengths include:

• Person-directed care with consistent caregiver relationships
• Below-average pricing for the Charleston market
• Intergenerational activities that make the environment feel less institutional
• Award-winning dining with dietary flexibility
• High resident satisfaction based on reviews

For families exploring senior living in Charleston, Oaks at Charleston balances quality care with reasonable costs. Concerns about staff turnover and regional food preferences have come up, but most residents and families report satisfaction with the care and day-to-day environment.

Schedule a tour to see whether the facility matches your specific needs for care level, activities, and living space.