Chemed subsidiary buys private duty home care provider

Patient Care, the wholly owned subsidiary of Chemed Corp., announced it has acquired the assets of privately owned Priority Care.

Priority Care, based in Stratford, CT, is a home care agency with more than $16 million in annual revenues. Priority Care provides nursing and home health aide services to the elderly and disabled, including assistance with bathing, dressing, and homemaking.

"The acquisition of Priority Care enhances Patient Care’s growing presence in the Northeast," says Elaine Boardman, president of Patient Care. "In the future, we expect to further expand Patient Care’s presence through additional acquisitions and branch openings in both new and existing markets."

Patient Care’s revenues exceeded $99 million in 1996 and totaled nearly $26 million in the 1997 first quarter. With more than 650 employees, the company has five branch offices serving more than 1,000 patients throughout Connecticut.

Patient Care, with headquarters in West Orange, NJ, is among the largest home care companies in the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut region. It provides a variety of home health care services emphasizing personal care. Services include home health aid; skilled nursing; speech, physical, and occupational therapies; medical social work; nutrition; and other specialties.