Charleston Senior AdvisorAshley Gardens Alzheimer's Special Care Center, at 2290 Henry Tecklenburg Dr in Charleston (Charleston County), holds S.C. Department of Public Health community residential care facility license CRC-1595 for 66 beds, valid through June 30, 2027; the state's data marks it as running an Alzheimer's special care unit. In South Carolina a CRCF license is the assisted living license.
Is Ashley Gardens Alzheimer's Special Care Center a licensed assisted living facility in Charleston, SC?
The state record for Ashley Gardens Alzheimer's Special Care Center is license CRC-1595: 66 beds, expiring June 30, 2027. Measured against the 48-bed midpoint of the Lowcountry's senior CRCFs, it is bigger than average.
| Field | From DPH's record |
|---|---|
| DPH license number | CRC-1595 |
| License term on file | July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 |
| Beds on the license | 66 |
| Alzheimer's special care unit flag | Yes |
| Alzheimer's care flag | Yes |
| Licensee of record | Charleston Care Group LLC (OR-based) |
| Business form reported to DPH | Limited Liability |
| Administrator named on the license | Sarah Kacer |
| Orders in DPH enforcement reports, January 2025 to September 2026 | 0 |
| Phone listed with DPH | (843) 556-4100 |
A CRCF license in South Carolina lasts one year. This term started July 1, 2026. Operators pay DPH $10 for each licensed bed (never less than $75) under Section 103.J of Regulation 60-84, which is why the bed figure is a trustworthy size measure.
License numbers are issued in sequence. Ordered from lowest to highest, CRC-1595 is number 24 of the 56 senior CRCF licenses in the tri-county area; that hints at how long this license line has existed, not how old the building is.
Can Ashley Gardens Alzheimer's Special Care Center accept a resident with dementia who may wander?
Yes, according to DPH: Ashley Gardens Alzheimer's Special Care Center is flagged for an Alzheimer's special care unit or program, the state's term for a secure area or program for people with probable Alzheimer's or a related dementia that restricts their movement outside it (Regulation 60-84, Section 101.F).
Any building that advertises dementia care must hand families a written disclosure under S.C. Code 44-36-510: how the program is run, who is admitted and discharged, staff training and staffing, activities and the physical setting. Request it before the visit and compare it with what you see.
Background: South Carolina's rules for Alzheimer's units.
Has Ashley Gardens Alzheimer's Special Care Center paid a state penalty?
We found none. The administrative and consent orders DPH listed month by month for January 2025 to September 2026 do not mention Ashley Gardens Alzheimer's Special Care Center.
Most citations end with a signed plan of correction rather than a fine, which means a clean enforcement history and a clean inspection are two different things.
Where can families read inspection reports for Ashley Gardens Alzheimer's Special Care Center?
They are public, though not posted online: under Section 202.E of Regulation 60-84, DPH releases Ashley Gardens Alzheimer's Special Care Center's inspection and complaint-investigation reports and the plan of correction to anyone who asks in writing.
Because there is no published schedule, only Ashley Gardens Alzheimer's Special Care Center can tell you when DPH last came. Any report with citations should have a plan of correction signed by the administrator attached; read the two together.
How does Ashley Gardens Alzheimer's Special Care Center prepare for a Lowcountry hurricane?
Ask to see it: every South Carolina CRCF must keep a written emergency and disaster evacuation plan, made with its county emergency management agency, that names where residents will be sheltered, how they will be moved and who will care for them, and residents or their responsible party may inspect it (Regulation 60-84, Section 1401).
Because the building is in Charleston County, Regulation 60-84 (Section 1401.B.1.c) requires its hurricane plan to name at least one sheltering facility outside the six coastal counties of Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Horry, Jasper and Georgetown. Ask when the sheltering agreement was last renewed (at least every three years is required) and when staff last rehearsed the plan. See how hurricane rules apply to Lowcountry facilities.
What should we compare Ashley Gardens Alzheimer's Special Care Center with nearby?
Harmony at West Ashley in Charleston is the nearest other senior-serving CRCF, roughly 0.6 miles off as the crow flies, licensed for 105 beds and flagged for an Alzheimer's special care unit.
| Facility | Miles away | Licensed beds | Alzheimer's unit / care (DPH) | DPH orders since Jan 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harmony at West Ashley 1925 Essex Farms Dr, 29414 | 0.6 | 105 | Unit + care | 0 |
| Colonnade at West Ashley 2030 Charlie Hall Blvd, 29414 | 0.9 | 100 | Unit + care | 0 |
| Palmettos of Charleston 1900 Ashley Crossing Dr, 29414 | 0.9 | 60 | Unit + care | 0 |
| Addison of West Ashley-Senior Living in Charleston SC 1445 Bluewater Way, 29414 | 3.3 | 98 | Unit + care | 0 |
| North Haven Residential Care Home 4326 Leslie St, 29418 | 4.2 | 16 | Care only | 0 |
Where is Ashley Gardens Alzheimer's Special Care Center, and how close is hospital care?
Ashley Gardens Alzheimer's Special Care Center is in Charleston's West Ashley area, and Bon Secours St. Francis Xavier Hospital is the closest general hospital on DPH's roster, roughly 0.4 miles off as the crow flies.
After that comes Roper Hospital, about 5.7 miles away. These are map distances; bridges and traffic on I-26, I-526 and the Ravenel Bridge decide the real drive.
Should nursing care become necessary, the closest CMS-certified homes are NHC Healthcare Charleston (0.9 mi, CMS 4 of 5) and Ashley River Healthcare (3.4 mi, CMS 3 of 5).
What should a family ask Ashley Gardens Alzheimer's Special Care Center before signing?
The public data sets the agenda: ask the date of DPH's latest visit, what was cited, and to read the signed plan of correction.
- Ask for a sample week of the staffing schedule and compare it with the floor for 66 beds: 9 at peak, 3 off-peak.
- Request the written Alzheimer's special care disclosure and the number of beds inside the secured unit.
- Ask what happens to a resident whose private funds are spent, and whether OSS residents are accepted.
- Take the admission agreement home first; the regulation requires it to list every charge and give 30 days' notice of increases.
- The licensee is registered in OR; ask who runs the building locally and who sits above the administrator.
