This REIT Is Making a Bold Bet on the Future of Senior Housing

The pandemic had a devastating impact on older populations, and that had a trickle-down effect on the senior housing industry. Occupancy rates slumped as more people departed than moved into these communities while their costs increased as they spent money on testing and protective gear. While there's some concern that the pandemic could have a long-term impact on senior housing occupancy levels, that's not causing healthcare REIT (real estate investment trust) Welltower (NYSE: WELL) to shy away from the sector.