Community News & Updates | Centennial Healthcare

Introducing the Jazz Room at Centennial

We are proud to introduce “Barbara’s Boom Boom Room,” Centennial’s new jazz room dedicated in loving memory of Barbara “Barb” Mott.

Barb was the administrator at Centennial and loved her residents and staff. She was known for always going above and beyond. She led with an open-door policy, always making time to listen, support, and care for everyone around her.

She brought people together in so many meaningful ways, from starting poker nights for residents to creating a salad bar for staff, always finding ways to build connection and community.

Centennial Healthcare Named to Newsweek’s 2026 List of America’s Best Nursing Homes

Philadelphia, PA – Centennial Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center has been named to Newsweek’s America’s Best Nursing Homes 2026, recognized among Pennsylvania’s top facilities in the 150+ bed category.

The annual ranking, developed in partnership with Statista, evaluates nursing homes nationwide based on quality metrics, clinical performance, reputation among healthcare professionals, and resident satisfaction.

Centennial Healthcare Therapist Achieves Advanced Certification in LSVT BIG^® and Vestibular Rehabilitation

Centennial Healthcare is proud to announce that Sreeja Syam, PT, DPT, AIB-VR, a dedicated physical therapist on our team, has earned advanced certifications in LSVT BIG^®and Vestibular Rehabilitation.

These certifications allow Sreeja to deliver highly specialized care for patients with movement and balance disorders. LSVT BIG^® is an evidence-based therapy designed specifically for individuals with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions. The program focuses on increasing the amplitude of movement, improving walking, balance, and daily functional activities, and helping patients regain confidence in their mobility.

February 26, 2026

Back on His Feet.
Back Home Where He Belongs.

Meet Mr. Montague

When Mr. Montague arrived at Centennial Healthcare in late November, he was facing a difficult road ahead. After a fall at home, he was unable to stand or walk without full assistance and needed significant help with everyday tasks most of us take for granted.

His goal was clear. Regain his strength, walk independently in the community, and safely manage the 20+ steps required to return home.

Marcella

Noted & Quoted

Marcella Dennis came to Centennial Healthcare for wound care and physical therapy. With our Nursing and Therapy Team at her side, she made excellent progress over the course of her 3-month stay and was excited to return home independent once again!

Daily Highlights

Our Activities Team has been keeping our residents occupied with coffee cart visits, in-room manicures and crafts, doorway Bingo, birthday celebrations, book carts, and much more!

We’re so grateful for technology, which has helped our residents keep in touch with their loved ones while in-person visits remain unsafe.

Summer Event Recap

At Centennial, our residents have been busy creating fun summer memories . . . In July, we gathered for our festive Fourth of July Cookout Lunch with delicious food, live music and refreshing water ice. Some of our residents love to cook and got together to make red, white and blue yogurt parfaits to celebrate the good old US of A. Our Cooking Groups meet at least two or three times a month so don’t fret if you missed out – join us next time!

We kept the good times rolling with our Doo Wop Beach Party, transforming the dining room into a beachy, breezy paradise with seashells and beach balls, doo wop music,
and plenty of sunshine-themed games to give everyone a taste of summer.

Up Close with
Resident Evelyn D. Greenlee

When it came to choosing a community that would support her throughout her recovery, Centennial Healthcare made all the difference for Evelyn Greenlee.

Growing up in Georgia, Evelyn took a teaching course in school and worked as a teacher’s assistant, eventually raising two beautiful daughters. She spent some time in Jacksonville, Florida but found the heat taxing on her health and made the switch to Philadelphia to be closer to family. When Evelyn’s health began to deteriorate, she required a pacemaker and time in rehab. However, she was not improving.

FACE TO FACE WITH OUR
RESPIRATORY THERAPIST

Jim Bundalion, our Respiratory Therapist, is the mainstay of our Respiratory Care program and onsite at Centennial Healthcare 5 days a week.

Hi Jim, what drew you to this field? Honestly, I never dreamed of becoming an RT since I never knew such a medical field existed. I was just 18 years old when I started working as an orderly in a Philadelphia hospital and I noticed a Respiratory Therapist treating a patient. That really piqued my interest. I was fascinated by the complexity of respiratory care.

Prom

Centennial Healthcare Transformed Into

A Winter Wonderland

Our Annual Prom – the highlight of the year for Centennial residents, their families and our staff – was a resounding success! We rolled out the red carpet on both our 1st and 3rd floors to accommodate all our residents, and relished the delectable menu, rich entertainment, and great prizes raffled off every 20 minutes to another lucky winner!

Dedicated To Our Veterans

Proud to have many veterans call our VA contracted facility home, we take our responsibility for their wellbeing very seriously. Our veterans meet on a regular basis in our dedicated Veterans Lounge to reminisce about their army days and enjoy each other’s company. Once a month we schedule a larger-scale Veterans Group in our Dining Room featuring a special program and refreshments. At this year’s Veteran’s Day Event, cadets from Valley Forge Military Academy and College in Wayne, PA came down to share their military school experiences.

SPOTLIGHT ON:
WOUND HEALING

Expert wound care is integral to the clinical excellence delivered at Centennial Healthcare, and it begins at the time of admission with an assessment for the presence of wounds.

Happy 100th Birthday May!

Celebrating one’s 100th birthday is a mammoth milestone – and when its Ms. May Adams – you have to pull out all the stops! This December, May enjoyed a gala party surrounded by her loving Centennial family and dear friends from the neighborhood.

Born in Philadelphia a century ago, May’s colorful life spans many states and many eras. She was raised in Florida by her West Indian mother, who made sure to instill some of her Indian spunk in her daughter. She spent years living in Winston-Salem, North Carolina where she worked for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company making Camel Cigarettes. Way back when —as she likes to say—before social security even existed, she earned $7.75 a week shaking the tobacco and pulling the stems out. Other jobs she filled over the years included housework, sewing upholstery for living room and dining room sets, and being a nanny. In her later years May returned to live in the North Philly area.

A Rehab Success Story

“When I first came here I couldn’t walk or talk or feed myself. I’ve come a long way at Centennial. The therapists really got me into shape!”

At Your Service!

Meet our Patient Concierges
Khalila and Jamilah

Thoughtfulness. Connection. Caring. Individuals thrive when close connections are forged – and understanding how particularly significant personalized attention is to the convalescent is central to the difference our Patient Concierge Program makes in the lives of our residents.

Flowers & The
Benefits They Bring To Our Residents

A recent study by Rutgers University indicates that flowers have a positive impact on our emotional health. Flowers are effective in boosting mood, socialization, and overall satisfaction – making floral arranging an ideal activity for seniors.

The benefits of flower arranging include:

· Sensory stimulation. The bright colors, scents, and textures of flowers delight and stimulate the senses.

· Focus and cognition. Working on a flower arrangement exercises parts of the brain responsible for spatial awareness (the ability to be aware of oneself in space) – a major cognitive function when recovering from stroke or orthopedic surgery.

· Preserving dexterity. The fine motor skills required to manipulate and place each flower gives the hands and fingers a good workout.

· Sense of accomplishment. Beyond the activity being a relaxing, low pressure way to socialize and get to know people, the beautiful end result is a very personal accomplishment one can be proud of!

Rooting for Our Team
SUPER BOWL 2018

This year’s Super Bowl was a weekend-long event at Centennial with Eagles’ pride taking center stage. The hoopla began with a pre-game Eagles’ pep rally on Friday that had our staff and residents proudly sporting green attire in support of our hometown team. The drama culminated at our Sunday night Super Bowl Party, where everyone gathered to watch the closely fought game while enjoying the traditional fare of pizza and chicken wings. The Eagles’ surprise victory left everyone euphoric!

IN CELEBRATION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Meet Nathaniel West

As a young man in the early 1950’s, Nathaniel enlisted in the army following in the footsteps of his father – a long-time serviceman – and joined the “Screaming Eagle” unit in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. After completing his training, he was shipped overseas to Bremerhaven, Germany in 1952. In this turbulent post World War II period, his squad was assigned to clean up the area and blow up German “pillboxes” (fortified bunkers) in the mountains. During one such mission, something exploded and Nathaniel and his squad were blown off the mountainside.

Once he fully recuperated from his injuries, Nathaniel was stationed in Bordeaux, France. As part of the “TC” (Transportation Corp), his job was to transport troops all over France in GMC’s, jeeps, trucks and weapon carriers. A few years later he returned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina to get his discharge. His next move was to Northeast Philadelphia where he’s lived ever since, working first for a pipe supply company and then Caledonian Dye Works.

We salute Nathaniel for serving with great valor and pay tribute to the important contributions he made on behalf of our country’s safety.

NOTED & QUOTED By William Moses

“The therapy team here is very respectful & they’re great at getting everyone to where they want to be.”

William Moses, a Master Barber, was known for his golden hands and served the Baltimore community for close to two decades. He stopped working after he was diagnosed with Lung Cancer. Following a hospitalization this past summer at Temple Hospital that left him non-weight bearing, he chose to stay in his hometown of Philly for rehabilitation. He arrived at Centennial in poor spirits – on oxygen and with a boot on his foot for support. Enveloped by the love and concern of our staff, he now considers himself part of the family and always has a smile on his face and a good word to share. Having undergone intensive therapy twice a day, he is now off oxygen and can bear partial weight. Centennial’s staff and therapists have made it to Mr. Moses’ “A” list!

-William Moses – COPD Resident at Centennial

Honoring Our Veterans 365 Days A Year

As a VA contracted facility, Centennial Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center is home to quite a few veterans who have served our country with distinction in the US Armed Forces.

We have initiated a uniquely specialized “Veterans Experience” as we care for our distinguished vets on many levels, meeting their physical, spiritual and social-emotional needs. Our objective is twofold: To enhance their comfort – making them feel at home, and to show our respect and appreciation for those willing to sacrifice for our safety.

With an American Flag draped at the entrance, our dedicated Veterans Wing embodies a patriotic ambiance with attention to details big and small . . . from the model airplanes that will line our hallways to the flags displayed at every door identifying each resident and their branch of service. In our special Veterans Lounge, with large framed military posters adorning the walls, our vets enjoy a familiar and welcoming setting where they can relax, play games and shoot the breeze.

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January 20, 2018

Generosity That Impacts Our Community

Sreeja Syam, DPT, our dynamic Therapy Program Manager, is a wonderful role model and a true inspiration to us all. Wishing to do something special that would make a real difference in the lives of those who need it most, Sreeja donated her long, silky tresses to Locks of Love – a non-profit organization providing hairpieces to children suffering from long-term medical hair loss. This selfless donation, the second on her part, reveals another facet of her outstanding character and generous spirit. Bringing this same sense of compassion to her job here at Centennial, she supports our residents through their rehabilitation journey with deep empathy and respect.

We are proud to have someone like Sreeja on our remarkable team and compliment her on her new look.

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