Gardant Management Adds 25 Senior Living Communities to Growing Portfolio

Gardant Management Solutions is growing its presence in the Midwest with the addition of 25 communities to its senior living portfolio.

The newly added 25 communities are located in Illinois and Ohio, according to an announcement.

Bourbonnais, Illinois,-based Gardant is among the nation’s larger national senior living providers, and with the new management agreements, the company’s senior living portfolio now totals 80 communities in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Maryland and West Virginia.

The additional properties include senior living, assisted living and memory care communities that comprise 1,375 units, according to a press release about the new additions. Twenty-two of the communities are located in Illinois, with the remaining three located in Ohio.

The company did not immediately specify the operator that formerly managed the 25 communities.

Gardant was specifically sought out for third-party management of the properties, and this expansion fits into the company’s growth plans, according to Co-President Julie Simpkins.

“Given the challenges of managing supply and demand dynamics in the senior living industry now and as critical shifts occur in the future, we have developed a strategic growth plan that supports expansion of our business relationships and markets of service while enhancing long-term sustainability of our successful business model,” Co-President Greg Echols said.

Simpkins said Gardant was able to bring on the 400 employees from the communities that were caring for residents.

“We understand the importance of minimizing any disruptions to their daily living, and by retaining these employees, we aim to ensure a seamless transition and continuity of care for all residents,” she said.

The release notes many of the communities are designed to primarily or exclusively serve low-income individuals.

“We are honored that ownership decided to transition management of these existing communities to Gardant,” Simpkins said in the release.

Gardant is not the only operating company to upsize its senior living management holdings in recent weeks. Other companies include Priority Life Care, Discovery Senior Living and Sodalis Senior Living, which were tasked this week by landlord Ventas with operating a 26-asset legacy Holiday community portfolio previously managed by Atria Senior Living, and Tutera Senior Living, which on Aug. 17 announced the acquisition of a 10-property portfolio previously operated by Enlivant.