Frequently Asked Questions

Why does a nursing & rehab center need to do fundraising?  Aren’t they supported by the State and Federal Governments?

St. Ignatius Nursing & Rehab Center is a non-profit with the mission of caring for the infirmed and poor elderly.  Approximately 90% of our Residents are on Medical Assistance but there is a $25 per day shortfall for every MA Resident.  Since we are a 176 bed facility, this leads to a yearly deficit of 1 million dollars.   In order to continue to give our Residents and patients the quality care they deserve, it is crucial that we supplement Medical Assistance with Medicare and commercial insurances and continue to bring in donations and grants. 

Since you are a Catholic nursing & rehab center, do you only have Catholics residing there?

In accordance with the philosophies of our namesake, St. Ignatius, and the mission of the Felician Franciscan Sisters, we accept Residents of all races and religions.  Only about 20% of our Residents are Catholic.  Residents, short term patients and even staff members of different faiths will attend daily Mass in our chapel.  In addition we welcome other churches and faiths to conduct services on our premises. We are not an archdiocesan supported nursing facility but a ministry of the Felician Franciscan Sisters. 

Who are your Sisters and what do they do at the Home?

Our Sisters are Felician Franciscan Sisters, an order that originated in Warsaw, Poland, in the mid 1800’s.  Their Foundress was Blessed Mary Angela, a highly educated young woman whose spirituality and love of Jesus inspired her to care for the poor, orphaned children, elderly, and sick in the Warsaw ghettos.  Today there are over 2,000 Felician Franciscan Sisters worldwide emulating the works of Blessed Mary Angela in 20 countries.  We still maintain a Felician Franciscan convent on the 5th floor of our facility that is an active inter-religious community. Our Sisters, Felician and Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, staff the Mission Integration and Pastoral Care departments along with helping out in all facets of the Home as they commit to quality care and Gospel values.

Who are the majority of your Residents?

The majority of our Residents are from the Philadelphia area.  Since we are a skilled nursing & rehab center, we care for many Residents in the last stages of life or suffering from serious afflictions in addition to individuals who need skilled short term rehab services. 

Where are you located?  What is the neighborhood like at your location?

We are located on the corner of 44th and Haverford Avenues.  Just a few short years ago, St. Ignatius was surrounded by blight and vacant high rise tenements.  Today, we are the anchor of a beautiful neighborhood renaissance in the Mill Creek section of West Philadelphia.  We are also located in the Promise Zone, a new initiative from the federal government to provide grants, federal investment and attention to our neighborhood to help break the cycle of poverty.