Behind our long history are generations of kind benefactors and friends who have made this all possible and we are happy to be able to share our history and our story with you. On our part, the Little Sisters of the Poor are deeply indebted to those who share in our work by their generosity and we seek to repay this debt by asking God to bless you as only He can. You are remembered daily in our grateful prayers for you.
Welcome to Jeanne Jugan Residence!
Quality of Care
- We offer a continuum of care in a loving home atmosphere.
- We have compassionate, dedicated staff to meet the needs of our Residents.
- We earned the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services 5-star rating and U.S. News & World Report America’s Best Nursing Homes Honor Roll.
Quality of Life
- We offer individual and small group activities that nurture Residents’ intellectual, physical, spiritual, social and medical needs.
- Our Home includes a chapel open to people of all faiths, spacious dining rooms, picturesque lawns and gardens, an outside courtyard, private sitting areas, a beauty shop and many other amenities made available by the kindness of our benefactors and volunteers.
- Group outings are provided by our staff.
Quality of Services
- We offer private residential rooms.
- Apartments where Residents live independently and Single occupancy nursing care rooms (Medicaid).
- Individually designed rehabilitation services include physical and occupational therapy programs.
- Beautician and barber services are offered at the Home.
The History of Our Work in Delaware
Original Home of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Wilmington, Delaware. The home was called “Saint Joseph’s Home.”
Invited by Bishop Thomas Becker to serve the elderly of low income in Delaware, the Little Sisters of the Poor opened their first Home in Wilmington on May 18, 1903. The Home was rapidly filled and was soon replaced by St. Joseph’s Home on the corner of 4th Street and Bancroft Parkway.
For the next 75 years, thousands of elderly poor were welcomed into the family of Jeanne Jugan and were surrounded by love, dignity and respect.
In 1976, when long-term care regulations and health-care building codes mandated massive renovations, the Little Sisters broke ground for a new home to be located on Salem Church Road in Newark. The Jeanne Jugan Residence was dedicated on April 23, 1976.
Today, enabled by the generosity of those who contribute time, talent and treasure to work with us in Jeanne Jugan Residence, the Little Sisters of the Poor, assisted by full and part-time employees and many volunteers, offer quality care in a home-like setting to 80 Residents.
Because the care is reserved for those in need, the work of the Little Sisters of the Poor has always been supported by donations.
“This painting is given to the Little Sisters of the Poor to express my admiration for their lifetime of giving to others.” – Frank. H. Jefferis, 1978
Jeanne Jugan Residence has a proven track record for placing Resident care as our number one priority as noted in being awarded a perfect 5-star rating over the past four years.
In addition, Jeanne Jugan Residence was a recipient of the 2012 Excellence Awards in Hospice & Palliative Care from the Delaware End of Life Coalition.
Such recognition could not have been earned without the hard work of every single member of our staff. The incredible care and dedication shown daily reflects the mission of the Little Sisters of the Poor.
By providing a safe, loving atmosphere and welcoming each individual into our family with open arms, their tireless devotion makes our facility stand out among 15,000 others in all 50 states.
Meet Members of Our Family
Meet a few members of our family…
Mission, Vision and Values
The Little Sisters of the Poor are an international congregation of Roman Catholic women religious founded in 1839 by Saint Jeanne Jugan. Together with a diverse network of collaborators, we serve the elderly poor in over 30 countries around the world.
The MISSION of the Little Sisters of the Poor is to offer the neediest elderly of every race and religion a Home where they will be welcomed as Christ, cared for as family and accompanied with dignity until God calls them to himself.
The VISION of the Little Sisters of the Poor is to contribute to the Culture of Life by nurturing communities where each person is valued, the solidarity of the human family and the wisdom of age are celebrated, and the compassionate love of Christ is shared with all.
The VALUES of the Little Sisters include:
- REVERENCE for the sacredness of human life and for the uniqueness of each person, especially those who are poorest and/or weakest.
- FAMILY SPIRIT of joyful hospitality embracing all with open arms, hearts and minds; fostering participation in the life of the Home and rejecting all forms of discrimination.
- HUMBLE SERVICE to put their needs before our own; an appreciation of simple, everyday tasks and experiences and humble means in accomplishing our work.
- COMPASSION for sharing the weaknesses and sufferings of others; eagerness to relieve pain in all its forms and to make the elderly happy.
- STEWARDSHIP that recognizes that life and all other goods are gifts from God and should therefore be used responsibly for the good of all; trust in God’s Providence and the generosity of others to provide for our needs; just compensation for our collaborators; a spirit of gratitude and sharing.
Philosophy of Loving Care
The Little Sisters of the Poor care for the elderly poor in the spirit of humble service we have received from our foundress, Saint Jeanne Jugan. We welcome the elderly as we would Jesus Christ himself and serve them with love and respect until God calls them home.
- We welcome low-income elderly of at least 65 years of age regardless of race or religion.
- The atmosphere of our Home is friendly and home-like.
- We strive to provide the best level of medical care possible, but we go beyond that to minister to our Residents emotionally and spiritually, making them happy and communicating to them the tenderness and mercy of God.
- We encourage an active lifestyle through meaningful activities, a lively pastoral program and opportunities for volunteering.
- We adhere to all the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, especially those concerning the sanctity of human life.
- We reject all forms of euthanasia and assisted suicide and protect our Residents from these practices, as well as from all forms of abuse and neglect.
- The compassionate care and accompaniment of the dying is the summit of our ministry. At Jeanne Jugan Residence, it is our goal that no one die alone.
- We welcome the collaboration of many dedicated staff members, volunteers and benefactors, who are the extended hands and hearts of the Little Sisters.
For more information on the philosophy of the Little Sisters of the Poor, click here.
