Twenty-Four Extendicare Health Centers Earn National Recognition for Continuous Quality Improvement

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN--(Marketwire - June 28, 2011) - Extendicare Health Services, Inc. announced today that 24 of its health centers are the proud recipients of the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living's (AHCA/NCAL) Bronze – Commitment to Quality, National Quality Award in recognition of their strong commitment to continuous quality improvement. These award winners join the existing 64 Extendicare health centers that received the Bronze award from 2008 – 2010, giving Extendicare a total of 88 centers overall.

The health centers receiving the National Quality Award are:

"This award signifies a great commitment to quality care and an important step in raising the standards of sustainable, person-centered care and services," says Governor Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of AHCA/NCAL. "We congratulate Extendicare and all its recipients on this achievement."

The AHCA/NCAL Quality Awards – comprised of three levels, Bronze – Commitment to Quality award; a more rigorous Silver – Achievement in Quality award; and a comprehensive Gold – Excellence in Quality award – are an independently judged, criteria-based, award program considered to be the most prestigious recognition of quality within the long-term and post-acute care profession. This Bronze – Commitment to Quality award recognizes dedicated frontline caregivers, administrators, nurses and physicians, who demonstrate their commitment to quality of care in order to meet the needs of our nation's most vulnerable population.

"The recipients of the Quality Awards exemplify the energy and dedication required to advance quality care to the next level," says Chick Stepahin, Chair, AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Board of Overseers. "Improving quality care is an evolutionary cycle, and these facilities are the forerunners of the movement."

"This year, only 438 long term care centers nationwide received this noteworthy award and we are pleased to be counted among them. We are proud of this accomplishment and thank our team members for their strong commitment to excellence," said Tim Lukenda, Chairman and CEO of Extendicare Health Services, Inc.

Implemented by AHCA/NCAL in 1996, the National Quality Award Program is centered on the core values and criteria of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program and is designed to support both continuous quality improvement efforts in long-term care by promoting quality awareness and education and recognizing quality achievements.

About Extendicare

Extendicare Health Services, Inc. located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is a wholly owned subsidiary of Extendicare Real Estate Investment Trust, or Extendicare REIT, (TSX symbol "EXE.UN"). Extendicare REIT is a leading North American provider of long-term and short-term senior care services through its network of owned and operated health care centers. We employ 37,600 qualified and experienced individuals dedicated to helping people live better through a commitment to quality service that includes post-acute care, rehabilitative therapies and home health care services. Our 259 senior care centers in North America have capacity for approximately 28,200 residents.