Celebrating its momentous 75th anniversary, the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), is the largest association in the United States representing long term and post-acute care providers, with a robust membership of more than 14,000 facilities. Membership is comprised of a diverse array of non-profit and proprietary skilled nursing centers, assisted living communities, sub-acute centers, and homes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

AHCA/NCAL’s origins can be traced to an inaugural gathering of nursing home administrators in Indiana in 1945. This pivotal meeting resulted in the first state association, which spurred the formation of additional state associations in Ohio, Iowa, Tennessee, Nebraska, Michigan, and Missouri over the subsequent four years. In 1949, a conference convened in Toledo, Indiana, drew 185 attendees from 15 states, and sparked discussion about a national association. On September 15, 1949, the first constitution of the American Association of Nursing Homes (now AHCA/NCAL) was adopted. One year later, the first annual convention was held in Omaha, Nebraska, representing the first significant milestone in AHCA/NCAL’s mission to serve the long term and post-acute care communities.