After Doubling Portfolio, Willow Ridge Senior Living Eyes More Expansion In 2026 

Willow Ridge Senior Living has doubled its management footprint in the last year and implemented organizational changes to support more growth ahead.

The Albany, New York-based senior living provider now manages 27 communities across six states following acquisitions completed in 2025, expanding its footprint from 12 communities in 2024. Willow Ridge acquires distressed properties and supports turnarounds by bringing in resources and talent to stabilize challenged operations, drawing on expertise in independent living and higher-acuity assisted living.

The company acquired six independent living communities last year, and CEO Michael Morris said those additions will give the operator a diverse mix of options and allow for “calibration” of the overall portfolio as properties reach stabilization and sale.

Heading into 2026, Willow Ridge restructured its communities into three regions to better align resources and strengthen cooperation between properties. The company has also expanded its finance and accounting teams and aims to add up to 10 independent living and assisted living communities in 2026, if possible, according to Morris.

“Growth is exciting but I think it’s important to note the pressure that it puts on an entire organization,” Morris told SHN. “We have to make sure that these new opportunities can add value and be successful.”

Ongoing challenges include increased staffing costs and regulatory pressure in certain states, Morris added.

Along with the portfolio changes, Willow Ridge made changes to its staffing model to ease its growing pains and accommodate more bandwidth. The company’s leadership team elevated a maintenance director into a regional role as vice president of maintenance to improve capital expenditure oversight. They also promoted a senior executive director into a regional role to lead its New York communities and added a vice president of clinical services and a vice president of finance.

Willow Ridge has also created “specialist” roles for community staff and made internal promotions, including naming regional directors of operations as vice presidents of sales.

“Having those staff and the flexibility and that plug-and-play position really helps us fill vacancies during a critical time of the turnaround,” Morris said. “Having these specialist positions is really a big part of our model.”

To further strengthen its operating model, Willow Ridge is shifting bookkeeping functions in-house from third-party providers to improve communication and strengthen oversight of expense control, Morris said.

In the first quarter of 2026, Willow Ridge expects to finalize three acquisitions scheduled to close in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Virginia with its primary capital partner, Boston-based private equity firm Cougar Capital Management.

“We’re looking for acquisitions and markets that we’re familiar with,” Morris said. “Our real niche is finding communities that have historically struggled with occupancy or need some significant operational finesse to get things cash flowing and productive again.”

While remaining “geographically agnostic,” Willow Ridge primarily operates in the Northeast. The company recently forged a new relationship with Michigan- and Maryland-based private equity firm ValStone Partners. Morris said the relationship has introduced Willow Ridge and its leaders to the reporting expectations and processes needed to build strong relationships with institutional capital, calling the partnership one of “diversification.”

“Having capital partners that understand you is the first step in these strong relationships and helps us build these long-term relationships,” Morris said.

Morris credited Willow Ridge’s methodical growth to a formula of expanding or refining the operating model—and strengthening financial reporting capabilities—before acquisitions join the portfolio. He said that approach institutionalizes the company’s ability to report performance and financial data to capital partners.

“We’re building the infrastructure and ensuring that we have the adequate resources in place to take on the new growth,” Morris said.

To prepare for future dispositions, Morris said Willow Ridge prioritizes capital relationships that align on mission and philosophy, regardless of an investor group’s timetable.

Rising resident acuity continues to challenge operators, and Willow Ridge is no exception, Morris said. He pointed to census growth followed by a flurry of move-outs due to death. Higher-acuity senior living strains resources and staff, while more older adults remain in independent living settings despite needing additional care.

Willow Ridge expects to thrive in this environment now and in the future, Morris said.

“We’ve developed quite a niche and we’ve been able to leverage our experience and deliver results because of our team, footprint, and makeup,” he added.

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