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

A large statue of St. John Neumann, the former bishop of Philadelphia, stands in front of the door to this facility. The building is located in a busy corner of northeast Philadelphia, but the angled street location gives an air of privacy. Inside, the upscale lobby décor is moored in burgundy and camel colors. The dark wood furnishings are new, but have a traditional look. Large windows beckon in light, although few residents congregate around the comfortable sofas and chairs here. The gift shop offers a few amenities. Each resident room has its own color scheme of blue, green, pink or mauve. The signature color is set within the otherwise beige tile floor, and echoed by the valances. Wooden head and footboards outline the beds. All four dining areas, which double as activity spaces, are slender rooms punctuated on one side by a wall of windows. One has chandeliers. Next to the lobby is a small prayer room; the facility also has a chapel. Residents use the numerous lounges for visiting with each other and their guests. The private dining room is small but lovely. Hallway windows peer out onto the handsomely landscaped gardens. One outdoor area houses a gazebo and large patio chairs. The garden club tends to some of the plantings. Other activities include four monthly excursions and lots of barbecues in good weather. Mass is held every day, followed by the saying of the rosary. The dementia unit looks identical to the rest of the facility. Special programming is in place for residents with dementia. We observed these residents tossing a ball back and forth during an activity. Staff and residents are a reserved but friendly bunch. The idea of harmony is apparent in the way both groups interact respectfully with one another. In fact, a quiet balance seems to permeate the facility: the house dogs and birds live without the annoyance—or fear—of cats. A nun we met during our tour explained that she had been at the facility since it opened with its initial seventeen residents, and we learned that most staffers have a lengthy tenure here. St. John Neumann Nursing Home seems to foster an authentically happy group of employees. The rehab section consists of one hundred twenty beds. Rates do not include personal care supplies or supplementary services such as oxygen, incontinence care or Wanderguard.