Health Care REIT, Inc. was founded in 1970 and initially focused on investments in skilled nursing facilities. Independent living assets were added in the 1980s. By the mid-1990s, the company had expanded into assisted living properties and had a $734 million portfolio. Following a period of rapid growth, portfolio value reached $3 billion in 2005. The company acquired Windrose Medical Properties Trust in 2006. Windrose was a publicly traded real estate investment trust that invested primarily in medical office buildings and acute care, but also had extensive development services and property management capabilities. The company’s property management capabilities were further enhanced in 2007 by the addition of a full service medical property management firm. In 2012, Health Care REIT acquired 125 Sunrise Senior Living private pay seniors housing facilities located in the US, Canada and United Kingdom, placing the company among the largest seniors housing owners in the world. Today, Health Care REIT is a member of the S&P 500 Index and has an over $20 billion portfolio spanning the full spectrum of medical, senior living and health care real estate.