Assisted Living and Nursing Care on Fee-For-Service basis.

(Provided by Gilbert Guide's on-site reviewer)

A maze of brick buildings strewn across nearly thirteen acres makes up the campus of The Philadelphia Protestant Home. As a nonprofit, the facility's resources are aided by residents' fund-raising efforts and volunteer work in onsite stores. Community groups rent the facility's rooms for meetings and receptions. The setup allows one to walk between the facilities without having to go outdoors. In a fashion reminiscent of organic architecture, much of the outside is visible from the inside: window-lined hallways showcase pretty gardens. One outdoor area has wandering paths and a large multilevel pond where fish—both large and small—make their home. Multiple outdoor areas are sprinkled throughout the grounds; all are quite spectacular. As the campus is large, new residents are initially accompanied until they familiarize themselves with their surroundings.Independent and assisted living residents share a lobby with a large fireplace and a picture window that looks out onto the natural landscape. The exterior is mimicked in the décor's green and dark mauve carpet. Throughout the facility, subtle neutral colors abound. Independent living residents choose the color scheme for their rooms before moving in. In fact, maintenance and upgrading seem to be the mantras of the management. The community room is used for large activities, such as the party that took place the evening of our visit. A country store, gift shop, bank, ice cream parlor and sandwich shop lead to residences. Independent living apartments are quite spacious and all kitchen areas have an island. We met one resident who worked on stained glass in his room. He explained how much he enjoyed living in the facility and told us that we should move in, too! Assisted living rooms are also large. The usual setup includes several rooms connected to one another by a door, which is good for couples who want adjacent rooms. The skilled nursing unit has its own lobby and quaint seating area. This unit is marked by short hallways, open spaces and residents' rooms. The assisted living facility's dementia unit is secure and boasts numerous windows. A gated outdoor area and specialized programming focusing on sensory stimulation is available for residents in this unit.Although there are multiple dining rooms, each has charm due to new wood tables and upholstered chairs. Menus have numerous options and lighter alternatives such as sandwiches, salads and soups. Many parties, holiday celebrations, socials and happy hours are scheduled. In the craft room residents can sew or make projects. The model train room is popular, and a gardening program gets hands dirty. Residents are able to stay active as the facility boasts a bowling alley, heated exercise pool and a full gym with a fitness trainer. Other common areas include a large computer room, library and game room with pool table. Trips include excursions to shops, restaurants and ball games. All residents are encouraged to join activities. As a whole, residents were friendly and greeted us as we toured. Staff was kind and concerned, with a professional air. The manager knew everyone by name and joked with many residents and staffers.