Exceptional Living Centers

A Kentucky-Based Regional Provider Since 1992

Exceptional Living Centers (ELC) is a regional senior care company headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, providing independent living, assisted living, memory care, long-term care/skilled nursing, life plan community/CCRC living, and respite care across Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. Founded in 1992, ELC has grown primarily through acquiring and operating skilled nursing and senior living communities across the region, with a particular emphasis on rehabilitation and clinical services.

Visit the official Exceptional Living Centers website to learn more about the company's communities.

Company at a Glance

●       Headquarters: Lexington, Kentucky

●       Founded: 1992

●       Current leadership: Tom Watts, President and Chief Executive Officer

●       Approximate portfolio size: 17 communities, per the existing Senior Care Finder listing; the company's own website shows 12 physical locations. The higher Senior Care Finder figure reflects Senior Care Finder's own convention of listing a single physical community as two separate entries when it has both an assisted living/residential side and a distinct Medicare-certified skilled nursing side, rather than an actual difference in the number of locations

●       States served: Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin

●       Care and lifestyle options: Independent living, assisted living, memory care, long-term care/skilled nursing, life plan community/CCRC, and respite care

●       Official website: exceptionallivingcenters.com

Senior Living and Care Options

Care levels vary by community. Depending on the location, options may include:

●       Independent living

●       Assisted living

●       Memory care

●       Long-term care and skilled nursing

●       Short-term rehabilitation, including physical, occupational, and speech therapy

●       Respite care

Not every community offers every service; families should confirm current care levels and availability directly with the specific community. Families can also review independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing options near them on Senior Care Finder.

What Makes Exceptional Living Centers Different?

A 30-Plus Year, Kentucky-Based Regional Operator

Exceptional Living Centers has operated since 1992 and has grown into a regional provider centered on Kentucky, with additional communities across neighboring states, primarily through acquiring existing skilled nursing and senior living communities rather than building a single, uniform national brand.

A “Treat-in-Place” Clinical Model

ELC has emphasized a treat-in-place medical model, using dedicated primary care nurse practitioners and behavioral health specialists to provide clinical care at the bedside, with the stated goal of reducing unnecessary hospital transfers for residents with acute or changing medical needs.

Exceptional Rehab: Dedicated Short-Term Rehabilitation

ELC operates a branded rehabilitation service line, Exceptional Rehab, offering physical, occupational, and speech therapy intended to help residents regain strength and independence following a hospital stay or health event.

Growth Through Targeted Regional Acquisition

In November 2019, ELC acquired four skilled nursing facilities in the Louisville, Kentucky area (Clifton Oaks Care Center, St. Matthews Care Center, Lyndon Woods Care and Rehabilitation, and Hillcreek Rehabilitation and Care), becoming the third-largest senior living provider in the Greater Louisville area at that time, alongside a separate acquisition of nine skilled nursing facilities across Kentucky and Ohio.

Signature Programs and Services

Exceptional Rehab is ELC's branded short-term rehabilitation program, combining physical, occupational, and speech therapy. The company's treat-in-place clinical model, using on-site nurse practitioners and behavioral health specialists, is applied across its skilled nursing communities. Availability of specific clinical staffing and rehabilitation services may vary by community; families should ask a specific location for details.

Life at an Exceptional Living Centers Community

Depending on the community and care level, residents may find:

●       On-site clinical staff, including nurse practitioners at communities using the treat-in-place model

●       Dedicated rehabilitation gyms and therapy staff

●       Memory care neighborhoods with structured programming at applicable communities

●       Customized care plans developed with residents, families, and healthcare professionals

Because ELC's portfolio has grown largely through acquiring existing communities, building age, amenities, and staffing can vary meaningfully from one location to the next. Families are encouraged to tour the specific community they are considering and ask about current staffing levels and recent inspection results, particularly for skilled nursing communities.

What Residents and Families Say

Ratings for the two communities currently featured on Senior Care Finder's existing page are on the lower end: Bradford Place Senior Living shows a rating of 3.2 out of 5, and Charlestown Place Senior Living shows 3.3. These figures are presented plainly rather than smoothed over. Because ELC's portfolio includes a number of skilled nursing communities, families considering any specific community, especially one involving skilled nursing, are encouraged to also review its current rating on Medicare's Care Compare tool, since federal inspection ratings can provide an additional, independent perspective beyond consumer reviews. Families should review ratings and comments for the specific community they are considering rather than assuming a uniform experience across the company, since only two of the company's 12 physical communities were featured with ratings on Senior Care Finder's existing page.

Leadership

Tom Watts is President and Chief Executive Officer of Exceptional Living Centers. He has led the company through multiple regional acquisitions, including its 2019 expansion into the Louisville, Kentucky market.

Visit the official Exceptional Living Centers website for current company information.

Recent News, Growth, and Recognition

A thorough search did not locate independent news coverage, awards, or major company announcements specific to Exceptional Living Centers within the past 24 months. The company's most notable, independently reported growth activity, its November 2019 acquisition of four skilled nursing facilities in the Louisville area and nine additional facilities across Kentucky and Ohio, falls well outside this window but is included here as important background on the company's regional growth strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Exceptional Living Centers? Exceptional Living Centers (ELC) is a regional senior care company headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, founded in 1992, providing independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and respite care.

Where is Exceptional Living Centers headquartered? Exceptional Living Centers is headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky.

Who leads Exceptional Living Centers? Exceptional Living Centers is led by President and CEO Tom Watts.

How many communities does Exceptional Living Centers operate? Exceptional Living Centers operates 12 physical communities across Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. Senior Care Finder's listing shows 17 entries because it lists a community's assisted living/residential side and its Medicare-certified skilled nursing side as separate listings when a location offers both.

What care options does Exceptional Living Centers offer? Depending on the community, ELC offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, life plan/CCRC living, and respite care.

What is the treat-in-place model? Treat-in-place is ELC's clinical approach using on-site nurse practitioners and behavioral health specialists to provide medical care directly at the community, intended to reduce unnecessary hospital transfers.

What is Exceptional Rehab? Exceptional Rehab is ELC's branded short-term rehabilitation program, offering physical, occupational, and speech therapy.

Has Exceptional Living Centers grown through acquisitions? Yes. In 2019, ELC acquired four skilled nursing facilities in the Louisville, Kentucky area and nine additional facilities across Kentucky and Ohio, expanding its regional footprint.

What do reviews say about Exceptional Living Centers' communities? The two communities featured on Senior Care Finder's existing page show ratings of 3.2 and 3.3 out of 5. Families should review ratings for the specific community they are considering and check current federal inspection data for any skilled nursing community.

How can someone find an Exceptional Living Centers community or schedule a tour? Families can search Exceptional Living Centers communities on Senior Care Finder or contact a specific property directly through its Senior Care Finder listing to ask about availability and schedule a tour.

Explore Exceptional Living Centers

Choosing a senior living or care community is a personal decision shaped by care needs, budget, and location. View Exceptional Living Centers communities on Senior Care Finder to compare individual locations, care options, and reviews.

Because ELC's portfolio has grown largely through acquisition and ratings vary by community, families are encouraged to compare several options, review current inspection and rating data for any skilled nursing community, and visit in person before making a final decision.

Exceptional Living Centers is a paid Senior Care Finder partner. Partner status does not replace the need for families to independently evaluate individual communities, services, pricing, licensing information, and recent reviews.

Company information, leadership details, programs, recognition, and news were reviewed using publicly available sources. Information last reviewed July 2026.