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This Home is a Part of American History

The Pennsylvania Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home (PSSH) in Erie is the oldest of the six veterans homes, having served as an important historic marker throughout Erie County since it opened in 1886. The home rests on 26 acres overlooking beautiful Lake Erie, but you can’t walk far before coming across a symbol of the lives sacrificed and freedoms fought for. Whether it is the Major General "Mad Anthony" Wayne Blockhouse, Avenue of Flags depicting each of the five military branches or the landmark Civil War cannon, anyone visiting the home is reminded that American heroes have made the PSSH their home for more than a century.

 

But what makes PSSH’s exterior special and unique is the wonderfully manicured, four-acre Veterans Memorial Cemetery that serves as the final resting place to more than 1,300 veterans who served our nation dating to the Civil War era. The PSSH is the only veterans home to maintain a cemetery for veterans.

 

Patriotic symbols are not the only way our residents are honored. The Pennsylvania Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home provides exceptional care for its residents thanks to a professional staff -- many of whom are veterans -- who proudly come to work each day excited and honored to take care of true American heroes. Visits to the home by current service members and from representatives of local veteran service organizations are very common and provide a constant reminder that our residents are thought about often throughout the Erie community. 

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Living Here

An Active Lifestyle With All The Comforts

Residents at PSSH enjoy an active lifestyle with a full schedule of organized programs from holiday parties to billiards tournaments to bingo. Many residents look forward to quiet time on the outdoor courtyard where they can see ships coming into the Lake Erie Bay, or singing along during one of the concert series performances held at the home’s gazebo. When residents want to enjoy personal time, they have easy access to an on-site chapel featuring beautiful tiffany stained glass windows, a barber shop, library, and canteen snack shop.

Soldiers' and Sailors' Home Amenities

Furnished Modern Bedroom

We take great pride in providing all the comforts of home, and that includes a personal living space that residents can personalize with their military treasures, family photos and favorite quilts. Each furnished room provides a safe and cheerful area for residents to retreat to for relaxation or for a good night’s sleep after a busy day.

Medical Services

The health of our residents is a top priority. That is why we have a medical director and a staff of dedicated clinicians who provide a continuum of health care that addresses all aspects of the treatment plan for our residents.

Pharmacist standing at a table counting pills

Quick and convenient care is important to our residents. An on-site licensed pharmacist and qualified staff helps to provide a full range of pharmacy services to assure that our residents receive the medications they need for healthy living.

Therapist

Each home provides physical, occupational and speech therapy tailored to the specific health needs of residents. The supervised exercises and training use advanced techniques and equipment so that each resident can reach their highest level of independence as quickly as possible.

24 hour medical services

Key to our team is a well-trained and caring nursing staff, and that is exactly what you find at our homes 24 hours a day. Our nurses work together to tailor a care plan that takes into consideration the unique dietary, social and spiritual needs of each resident.

Recreation and Leisure

Residents at our homes can choose from a wide variety of social events, scheduled outings or more independent activities. Whether its bingo or billiards at the home, attending a professional sports game or going on a shopping trip, to just enjoying a good book under an outdoor pavilion, our residents lead active and diverse lives.

Dietary Staff

Good nutrition is vital to our residents’ well-being. That’s why a professional food service manager and clinical dietitian at each home take great pleasure in providing well-balanced meals that can be modified to address individual dietary and therapeutic needs.

Women socializing

For times when our residents need someone to talk to for any gamut of issues they may deal with in their personal lives or even connected to their military service, the certified professionals in our Social Services Department are available to provide counseling, conversation, problem-solving and information on community resources.

Spiritual Services

We recognize that spirituality is important to our residents. Each of our homes features an in-house chapel, along with chaplains who conduct religious services and who are also available to any resident in need of spiritual counseling or fellowship.

Barber

Our residents never forget their military roots and the importance of personal grooming. Every home is staffed with a licensed barber and beautician for those times when a hair appointment is just the thing our residents need to feel good about themselves.

Security Guard

​The safety of our residents is our No. 1 priority. A staff of security officers ensures protection, emergency responses and a safe environment to all residents and employees on a 24-hour basis, seven days a week.

Transportation

​Our homes are equipped with vans and buses to transport residents to local community activities for that fun get-away or a nearby medical appointment. Some vehicles are even equipped with adaptive devices to accommodate those with limited mobility.

Volunteers

​Volunteers are a vital part of our team and play an important role in the well-being of our residents. They assist with activities and field trips, distributing mail, making one-on-one visits, escorting wheelchair-bound residents to activities, assisting residents at mealtimes, reading to residents, and much more!

Additional Services

​In addition to the availability of cable TV and Internet, each home has a charming library and snack bar/gift shop commonly known as the “Canteen.”

est. 1886

Serving PA Veterans for Over 100 Years

207

Total Number of Beds at PSSH

259

Dedicated Clinical and Professional Staff

15,734

Hours Donated in 2019 by 613 Volunteers

Levels of Care at PSSH

The Pennsylvania Soldiers' and Sailors' Home provides residents with the care and support they need in order to live an active and healthy life with as much independence as possible. The Veterans Homes offer levels of care tailored to the specific health needs of our residents and are supplemented with an array of clinical services that include: medical, clinical and nursing services; drug and nutritional therapy; rehabilitative service such as physical therapy, occupational therapy and recreational therapy; dental services; and social services. Below are the specific levels of care available at PSSH.

 

Personal Nursing Care

Skilled Nursing Care


Memory Nursing Care

Honoring Our Heroes

A Community That Offers Fun and Excitement

The desire to participate in fun and healthy activities does not keep residents secluded to the scenic PSSH grounds. Our residents have plenty of opportunities to take trips and enjoy Pennsylvania’s Great Lake Region. Nearby Presque Isle, a peninsula with seven miles of beach, trails and eye-opening sunsets, provides residents with an all-inclusive destination to enjoy the great outdoors that includes fishing, boating and picnics. Erie offers culture and entertainment, too, including theaters, museums, golf courses and a host of professional hockey, baseball and basketball minor league teams to cheer for.

 

Our residents love to stay connected to their military background and can be seen marching every year in the local Veterans Day and Memorial Day parades. Trips to tour the local Coast Guard station, the Maritime Museum or to see the USS Niagara are among favorite excursions with the residents.

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I have a lot of friends here. I couldn’t be in a better spot. The staff is great. The food is wonderful. 

-Paul, PSSH Resident

Interesting PSSH Facts

Square Headstones

The PA Soldiers' and Sailors' Cemetery, located on the campus of PSSH, is the commonwealth's only state cemetery and it is maintained by the PA Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. 

PSSH is also home to the historic Major General "Mad Anthony" Wayne Blockhouse. Find out if Mad Anthony is really buried in two Pennsylvania locations, read "In 1809, a bizarre burial for a 'mad' general."

Schedule Your Tour Today!

Email or call us to talk more!
Email Us: RA-MV-PSSH-CONTACT@pa.gov
Call Us: 814-878-4939

PA Soldiers' and Sailors' Home, 560 East Third Street, Erie, PA 16507

Abraham Lincoln
Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause.”

Abraham Lincoln
American statesman and lawyer
served as the 16th president of the United States