KenCrest’s Medically Fragile Transitional Care Homes bring state-of-the-art care to a home environment for kids with complex medical needs.
By Sydney Kerelo
KenCrest’s Medically Fragile Transitional Care Homes offer state-of-the-art care in a home environment for children with complex medical needs, providing critical support for children with disabilities.
A Bridge Between Hospital and Home
Tucked into Waterman Avenue in Philadelphia is a special home that serves as a lifeline for medically fragile children. While it may look like any other house, it’s anything but ordinary—this is where some of KenCrest’s most vulnerable children receive life-saving care and support, all within the comfort of a home setting.
These Transitional Care Homes, including those on Waterman Avenue and Ridge Avenue, are designed to give technologically dependent children a chance to live in a nurturing, home-like environment while they transition from hospital care to their own homes. For children with disabilities who need constant medical support, these homes provide an essential in-between step, ensuring they receive skilled care in a space that promotes emotional well-being and development.
“To be medically fragile means that you’re not 100% healthy and require more medical attention than a typical child,” says Kate Brown, Nurse Care Coordinator overseeing KenCrest’s Medically Fragile Children’s Homes. “It means needing medical technology to support and improve your health status.”
Specialized Care for Children with Complex Needs
Since 1991, KenCrest’s Transitional Care Homes have served as critical support systems for infants, toddlers, and young children with disabilities. Each home is outfitted with advanced medical equipment and staffed with a highly skilled team that includes nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and social workers. A medical director from Nemours Children’s Hospital in Wilmington, DE leads this team, ensuring each child receives tailored care.
The homes can accommodate up to six children at a time, and each child typically requires 24/7 skilled nursing care. Many of these children were born prematurely or have serious developmental delays or conditions such as tracheostomies. Without KenCrest’s homes, they would likely spend extended time in a hospital—a setting that, while necessary for acute care, cannot provide the warmth, love, and sense of normalcy that a home environment offers.
By placing medically fragile children with disabilities in these homes, KenCrest ensures that they don’t just survive but thrive. Surrounded by toys, comfort, and the loving care of dedicated nurses, these children can reach their full potential, both medically and developmentally.
Empowering Families and Supporting Independence
For families of medically fragile children, KenCrest’s homes provide more than just skilled care—they offer peace of mind. Parents can visit their children in a home setting as often as they like, creating a more natural environment than a hospital. For many families, this is a crucial part of preparing to eventually bring their children home.
“It’s so important to have these types of homes,” says Brown. “Otherwise, these children would remain in hospitals, unable to experience the social and developmental benefits that come from living in a home environment. At KenCrest, it’s more of a home feel, which helps ease the transition when these families bring their children home.”
KenCrest’s Transitional Care Homes have strong ties to some of the nation’s top pediatric medical centers, including the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania (CHOP). This connection ensures that children receive seamless care as they transition from hospital settings to the more nurturing environment of a KenCrest home.
A Holistic Approach to Care
KenCrest goes beyond medical care to ensure these children enjoy a rich, fulfilling life. Weekly, school-aged children in the program are taken on community outings with their families to places like the movies, the aquarium, or the zoo. These trips provide important social experiences that contribute to the children's emotional and developmental growth.
For Nurse Care Coordinator Kate Brown, who has been with KenCrest for over a decade, the work is deeply rewarding. “The nurses and staff here are like one big family,” she says. “We care so much for the children and for each other. It’s a team-oriented program, and we all share the joy of watching these children grow, develop, and eventually be discharged to their families. It’s incredibly rewarding.”
KenCrest’s commitment to supporting children with disabilities is unwavering. As the organization continues to grow, so does its impact on the lives of medically fragile children and their families. Through compassionate, state-of-the-art care in a home setting, KenCrest’s Transitional Care Homes ensure that every child, regardless of their medical challenges, can live a full and meaningful life.