MISSION VIEJO, Calif., Nov. 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENSG), the parent company of the Ensign™ group of skilled nursing, rehabilitative care services, home health care, hospice care and assisted living companies, announced today that it acquired the real estate and operations of Rock Creek of Ottawa, a post-acute care retirement campus with 93 skilled nursing beds, 71 assisted living units and 24 independent living units located in Ottawa, Kansas. The acquisition was effective November 1, 2018.
“While we continue to be selective about where and how we grow, we believe this is a great addition to our footprint in the greater Kansas City area,” said Christopher Christensen, Ensign's President and Chief Executive Officer. Noting that Rock Creek was formerly owned and operated by a not-for-profit organization, he added, “We recognize the mission of care that was foundational to this operation’s history, and we know our local leaders will carry that mission forward as they apply best practices in becoming the operation of choice in this community.”
"We are encouraged by the positive response of the staff, residents and families to the news of the transition of operations. This is a fantastic group of caregivers and we look forward to empowering them to meet the needs of the local community," said Jim Guschl, President of Gateway Healthcare, Inc., Ensign’s Midwest-based portfolio subsidiary. He added that Rock Creek had an occupancy rate of approximately 66% at the time of acquisition.
In separate transactions on the same day, Ensign announced that it acquired through portfolio subsidiaries the real estate and operations of two skilled nursing facilities in Idaho and, through Bridgestone Living LLC, its assisted and independent living portfolio company, the operations of four assisted living and memory care communities in Texas that its affiliates will operate under a long-term lease. The Idaho and Texas acquisitions were also effective November 1, 2018.
This acquisition, along with its other acquisitions announced today, brings Ensign's growing portfolio to 188 skilled nursing operations, 24 of which also include assisted living operations, 56 assisted and independent living operations, 21 hospice agencies, 22 home health agencies and six home care businesses across sixteen states. Ensign owns the real estate at 72 of its 244 healthcare operations. Mr. Christensen reaffirmed that the organization is actively seeking opportunities to acquire real estate and to lease both well-performing and struggling skilled nursing, assisted living and other healthcare related businesses throughout the United States.
About Ensign(TM)
The Ensign Group, Inc.'s independent operating subsidiaries provide a broad spectrum of skilled nursing and assisted living services, physical, occupational and speech therapies, home health and hospice services and other rehabilitative and healthcare services at 244 healthcare facilities, 21 hospice agencies, 22 home health agencies and six home care businesses in California, Arizona, Texas, Washington, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Nevada, Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon, Wisconsin, Kansas, South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Wyoming. More information about Ensign is available at http://www.ensigngroup.net.
Contact Information
The Ensign Group, Inc., (949) 487-9500, ir@ensigngroup.net
SOURCE: The Ensign Group, Inc.