Otterbein Seniorlife Joins with with Sunset Communities

The board of directors of Otterbein SeniorLife has announced an affiliation with Sunset Communities,
located in Toledo.
Both are senior care non-profit organizations that provide a wide array of senior services including
independent and assisted living, memory-support, skilled nursing and rehabilitative care, home health
and hospice.
“We are very pleased to join forces with Sunset Retirement Communities,” said Jill Wilson, president and
CEO of Otterbein SeniorLife. “Their 149-year track record of enriching individual life journeys,
combined with Otterbein’s 108 years of enhancing the quality of life and holistic growth of older
persons, will strengthen our organization and open up all kinds of strategic opportunities to carry out
our mission.
“Our board could not pass up the opportunity to affiliate with a like-minded organization committed to
exceptional stewardship. We believe the synergies of our organizations blend very well and will
contribute greatly to continued excellent care and support for resident and working experiences for
employees.”
Sunset Communities CEO/President, Vicky Bartlett said that their board has been looking for the best way
to assure the long-term viability of our organization and this is it.
“Otterbein SeniorLife is clearly one of the premier senior care providers in the nation and aligns best
with us culturally and philosophically. The fact that Otterbein already operates four senior care
organizations in Northwest Ohio, and their home office location is less than three hours away, are added
bonuses.”
According to Bartlett, even larger, dual site, communities like Sunset are more vulnerable today due to
constant changes in senior care. These include rising costs of health care, increased government
regulations, reductions in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, and new competitors.
In the affiliation, Otterbein SeniorLife will become the sole member of Sunset Retirement Communities
Inc. In keeping with the standard already in place with all Otterbein communities, Sunset will continue
to retain the current staff, leadership team, local board of directors; but now with support from a home
office team to create leverage for sales, marketing, communications, financial analyses, strategic
planning, and other such activities. Sunset’s balance sheet remains intact and investments will be used
solely in support of the Sunset Communities.
As an aspect of the affiliation, the Sunset Communities will change their name to Otterbein Sunset House
and Otterbein Sunset Village; and the independent living residences will be called The Woodlands at
Otterbein Sunset House and Fieldstone Villas at Otterbein Sunset Village.
The new organization will evaluate supplier contracts, credit opportunities, software productivity tools
in place, etc.; and select the optimal solutions for the organization as a whole, with the intent to
drive up synergy and drive down the cost of operations, while maintaining outstanding care and customer
service.