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Cascadia Healthcare plans to acquire 11 nursing facilities from Salem-based Sapphire Health Services, a deal expected to close Dec. 1 that would make Cascadia Oregon’s largest post-acute care provider. The announcement, made by CFO Steve LaForte, follows Cascadia’s recent acquisitions of 22 Avamere facilities and the pending Ohana Ventures portfolio.
Cascadia Healthcare is on track to become Oregon’s largest post-acute care provider under plans to acquire 11 facilities from Salem-based Sapphire Health Services, a deal the company expects to close on Dec. 1. Cascadia Chief Financial Officer and Principal Steve LaForte shared the news exclusively with Skilled Nursing News on Wednesday during the RETHINK 2026 conference in Philadelphia. The announcement is the latest in a rapid series of Oregon acquisitions reshaping the state’s skilled nursing landscape.
The 11 facilities involved in the Sapphire transaction were previously part of the portfolio of Avamere Living, a Portland-based senior care provider that exited the skilled nursing business in July. Sapphire Health Services, based in Salem, is a post-acute rehabilitation operator currently managing more than 20 facilities across Oregon.
The Sapphire deal is one of three major transactions Cascadia has moved forward with in recent months. The company closed its acquisition of 22 Avamere facilities on Oct. 1, a deal announced in July. In addition, Cascadia will acquire the 14-facility portfolio of Ohana Ventures, an Oregon-based post-acute care company also formerly affiliated with Avamere, in a transaction expected to close on Nov. 1. The Ohana portfolio is split evenly between special-needs facilities — a behavioral health long-term care designation used in Idaho and Oregon — and assisted living, independent living and memory care facilities, according to LaForte.
Cascadia currently operates more than 61 long-term care facilities across Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho and Arizona. The company was founded 11 years ago, and LaForte said the recent deal activity reflects both its growth trajectory and an internal structure built to evaluate multiple opportunities at once.
Consolidation Reshapes Oregon Care Market
If the Sapphire and Ohana transactions close as planned, Cascadia would become the largest operator of post-acute care facilities in Oregon, consolidating a market that has been in flux since Avamere’s exit from the skilled nursing business. For residents, families and referring hospitals, the shift means a growing share of Oregon’s nursing home beds will sit under a single operator’s quality standards, staffing practices and administrative systems.
The deals also illustrate broader consolidation in the skilled nursing sector, where real estate transitions are driving operator changes. Avamere’s exit followed a decision by Sabra Health Care REIT (Nasdaq: SBRA) to transition all 26 of its leased Avamere properties to new operators, including the 22 taken over by Cascadia. For industry watchers, Cascadia’s expansion is a case study in how regional operators are using scale to absorb portfolios shed by larger, struggling providers.
From Avamere Exit to Cascadia Expansion
The transactions trace back to July, when Avamere Living exited the skilled nursing business as Sabra Health Care REIT transitioned all 26 of its leased Avamere properties to new operators. Cascadia Healthcare took over 22 of those facilities, closing that deal on Oct. 1. Sapphire and Ohana Ventures, both formerly affiliated with Avamere, are now also handing portfolios to Cascadia.
LaForte told Skilled Nursing News that Cascadia has spent years building the capacity to execute on multiple deals at once. “We’ve grown a lot over the last 11 years of our existence, and we’re continuing to grow,” he said. “Scale creates the opportunity to continue to grow.” He added that the company has moved from a small centralized decision-making group to regional teams with autonomy to evaluate deals in their own markets.
“We’re going to be the largest operator in Oregon. Tomorrow we will add a lot of scale.”
— Steve LaForte, CFO and Principal, Cascadia Healthcare
Deal Terms and Financials Undisclosed
The purchase price and financial terms of the Sapphire transaction have not been disclosed, nor have the terms of the Ohana Ventures deal. Both transactions are described as expected to close on their respective dates, meaning the closings remain contingent and could shift. The identities of the individual facilities in the 11-building Sapphire portfolio have not been publicly detailed.
It is also not yet clear how the transitions will affect staffing levels, management teams or services at the acquired facilities, and whether any regulatory approvals or license transfers are still required. Sapphire will retain or divest its remaining facilities beyond the 11 involved — a question the announcement did not address.
Closing Dates and Integration Ahead
The Ohana Ventures transaction is expected to close Nov. 1, followed by the Sapphire deal on Dec. 1. Once both close, attention will turn to how Cascadia integrates the newly acquired facilities into its regional operating structure and whether staffing and quality metrics hold steady through the transition.
Given LaForte’s comments about continued growth and a market full of deal opportunities, further acquisitions by Cascadia in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain West appear possible, though no specific future targets have been announced.
Key Questions
What is Cascadia Healthcare acquiring from Sapphire Health Services?
Cascadia is acquiring 11 facilities from Salem-based Sapphire Health Services, a post-acute rehabilitation operator managing more than 20 facilities across Oregon. The 11 facilities were previously part of Avamere Living’s portfolio.
When is the Cascadia–Sapphire deal expected to close?
The transaction is expected to close Dec. 1, 2026, according to details Steve LaForte shared with Skilled Nursing News in September 2026.
Will Cascadia become Oregon’s largest post-acute care provider?
According to LaForte, yes — once the pending deals close, Cascadia will be “the largest operator in Oregon.” That claim reflects the company’s own projection and assumes the Sapphire and Ohana transactions close as planned.
How does this relate to Avamere Living’s exit from skilled nursing?
Avamere exited the skilled nursing business in July 2026 as Sabra Health Care REIT transitioned all 26 of its leased Avamere properties to new operators. Cascadia took over 22 of those facilities, closing that acquisition on Oct. 1, and the Sapphire and Ohana portfolios were also formerly affiliated with Avamere.
How many facilities does Cascadia operate overall?
Cascadia currently operates more than 61 long-term care facilities across Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho and Arizona, a count that predates the pending Sapphire and Ohana closings.
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