Welltower is a publicly traded real estate investment trust originally founded in 1970 in Lima, Ohio as Health Care Fund by Frederic D. "Fritz" Wolfe and Bruce Thompson, establishing itself as the first healthcare-focused REIT in the United States. The company initially concentrated on nursing home construction before transitioning to a broader healthcare real estate investment model. In 1985, the firm changed its name to Health Care REIT and relocated its headquarters to Toledo, Ohio in 1986. The company rebranded as Welltower in September 2015 to reflect its evolution beyond traditional healthcare facilities. Trading on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker symbol WELL, Welltower is an S&P 500 component and ranked 534th on the Fortune 500 in 2025. The company operates as an umbrella partnership REIT through Welltower OP LLC, with Welltower Inc. The investment strategy focuses on rental housing for aging seniors across major high-growth markets in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. The portfolio comprises seniors and wellness housing communities totaling more than 46,000 units. The company structures investments through RIDEA operating partnerships and triple-net lease arrangements with operators.