Lafayette Independent Living sits in the Fox Chase section of Northeast Philadelphia, close by Pennypack Park, which means the place is surrounded by trees and has nice paths for walking, so it feels pretty peaceful and friendly. The community has 181 independent living apartment homes, some in the St. Mary of Providence Center, and many floor plans come with screened-in balconies that look out over Pennypack Park, which people usually appreciate, and the apartments themselves have things like stainless-steel appliances, Meganite® countertops, luxury vinyl plank flooring, walk-in showers, washers and dryers, all updated and comfortable, so getting around and using things is easy for everyone. The redbrick buildings have on-site parking, a bank with an ATM, US postal boxes, a country store, a hair salon and barbershop, plus Wi-Fi in common areas, and you don't have to worry about doing laundry or keeping rooms clean because weekly housekeeping and linen services are included.
Residents get three cooked meals a day in a dining room where meals are made from scratch, and it's restaurant-style, so you can sit and visit while you eat, and the kitchen tries to make things nutritious. There's a library, game room, activity room, fitness room, lounge, and a Redeemer community room, so there's always a spot to read, play cards, join a fitness class, or just sit and visit with someone, and there's always something happening on the activity calendar, like fitness classes, arts and crafts, movie nights, worship services, volunteer work, and educational seminars. Transportation is provided for going out shopping, and there are support and advocacy resources, as well as resource links to connect people with community programs and health services, like screenings, symptom checkers, and medication information.
Lafayette Independent Living is part of the Redeemer Health family and offers different levels of care, including independent living, personal care, memory care, skilled nursing, long-term nursing care, short-term rehabilitation, and hospice care, so as people's needs change they can adjust how much help they get, and care plans are made personal for each resident, including help with medication, diabetes management, oxygen, and incontinence care, as well as help with showering, dressing, and getting around. There's always a nurse on duty when residents need one, with 12-16 hour nursing care, a 24-hour call system, and supervision, plus an ombudsman and therapists who provide physical, occupational, and speech therapy, both for residents and outpatients, and on-site physician services as needed.
The place puts an emphasis on supporting people's independence while giving them help and care at home when needed, using special programs like "Support at Home," "Special Recovery at Home," or "Advanced Care at Home," so people can recover or get care right where they live, and there are specific supports for things like post-incarceration reentry, cancer care, heart care, chronic and complex medical conditions, as well as maternity care, home care, hospice care, and more. Safety is considered important, so overnight security checks are in place, and there's help with medical appointments and other needs, plus access to pastoral care and religious services if people want that. The whole idea is to let people live how they want, give help as it's needed, and offer a comfortable, social place with activities and modern amenities, all while being close to major hospitals like Fox Chase Cancer Center, just about two miles away, which can be reassuring. The community feels like family for many, and daily life is set up so everyone can enjoy time together with less stress and more support, whether someone's living fully independently or needs more hands-on help as time passes.
