Nursing Home Stocks and Senior Care: Strategic Investment Picks in the Demographics Shift

The world’s aging population is reshaping investment landscapes, with nursing home stocks emerging as a compelling opportunity for forward-thinking investors. According to the World Health Organization’s October 2024 report, the number of people aged 60 and older now surpasses the number of children under five. By 2030, one in six individuals globally will exceed 60 years of age, and projections indicate that by 2050, approximately 2.1 billion people will be over 60—with 80% residing in low- and middle-income countries. This unprecedented demographic transformation is driving transformative changes in healthcare demand, particularly in long-term care services where nursing home stocks are positioned for substantial growth.

The Aging Population Catalyst: Why Long-Term Care Demand Is Soaring

This demographic shift carries profound implications for healthcare infrastructure and investment opportunities. As non-communicable diseases—including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dementia, and osteoporosis—become increasingly prevalent among aging populations, the need for specialized long-term care facilities intensifies. The global geriatric care market, valued at approximately $1.2 trillion in 2025, reflects robust annual growth driven by rising chronic disease prevalence and escalating healthcare complexity.

The nursing home and senior care industry specifically benefits from several converging trends: aging populations require extended supervision and medical attention, families increasingly favor professional care solutions, and regulatory frameworks are tightening standards for facility operations. This combination creates sustained demand for quality nursing home stocks and related healthcare real estate investments.

Healthcare Real Estate Investment Trusts: Direct Plays on Nursing Home Growth

One of the most direct pathways to capitalize on nursing home stocks involves Healthcare Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), which own and operate specialized senior care facilities. Two standout players deserve investor attention.

CareTrust REIT concentrates specifically on post-acute and long-term care real estate, owning skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities, and memory care properties. By focusing squarely on the nursing home sector, CTRE provides investors with direct exposure to facilities serving elderly populations requiring intensive care and supervision. The company benefits from stable, long-term lease agreements with experienced operators and growing utilization rates as demand accelerates.

Community Healthcare Trust takes a complementary approach by investing in outpatient centers and medical office buildings in underserved regions, expanding preventive and chronic care access for seniors. While not exclusively focused on nursing homes, CHCT’s portfolio includes properties supporting elderly patient populations and addresses the broader senior healthcare ecosystem.

Together, these Healthcare REITs offer nursing home stocks investors a real estate-based mechanism to profit from long-term care facility expansion and the ongoing professionalization of elderly care.

Medical Innovation: Enhancing Nursing Home and Senior Care Delivery

Beyond real estate, healthcare companies are innovating solutions that directly improve nursing home operations and elderly patient outcomes. Four leading healthcare firms exemplify this trend.

Boston Scientific has developed medical devices specifically addressing elderly patient needs. The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device reduces stroke risk in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, offering an alternative to long-term anticoagulation therapy—particularly relevant for elderly patients managing multiple medications. The SYNERGY Bioabsorbable Polymer Coronary Stent demonstrates favorable outcomes in older populations, particularly those requiring shorter dual antiplatelet therapy durations. Complementing these offerings, the LATITUDE NXT Remote Patient Management system enables efficient clinic operations while facilitating proactive remote care for elderly patients with implantable cardiac devices—a critical advantage as nursing home staffing pressures mount. The stock carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

AbbVie is strategically expanding its elderly-focused pharmaceutical pipeline through targeted acquisitions and partnerships. In December 2024, AbbVie acquired Aliada Therapeutics, securing ALIA-1758, an anti-pyroglutamate amyloid beta antibody in Phase 1 development for Alzheimer’s disease—a condition profoundly affecting nursing home populations. This blood-brain barrier-crossing technology positions AbbVie as a leader in neurodegenerative disease treatment. Simultaneously, AbbVie partnered with Xilio Therapeutics in February 2025 to advance tumor-activated immunotherapies aimed at improving treatment efficacy while reducing toxicity—directly addressing cancer prevalence in aging populations. The company also secured SIM0500, a trispecific antibody from Simcere Zaiming, expanding its hematologic oncology pipeline for elderly patients. In January 2024, AbbVie invested $223 million to expand its Singapore biologics manufacturing facility, scaling production to meet growing demand from aging populations. The stock holds Zacks Rank #3.

Amgen is sharpening its focus on elderly-targeted pharmaceutical innovation. Management reaffirmed at the May 2024 Financial Times Biotech Summit the critical need for medicines addressing age-specific health challenges. In osteoporosis care—a condition affecting millions of elderly patients—Amgen offers EVENITY for postmenopausal women at high fracture risk and Prolia, which outperforms traditional treatments in reducing fracture occurrence. The company is advancing MariTide, an experimental obesity drug showing up to 20% weight loss at 52 weeks in trials, with additional benefits for Type 2 diabetes patients common among elderly populations. Amgen’s broader R&D pipeline encompasses next-generation immunology, bispecific antibodies, and therapies targeting neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases prevalent in nursing home residents. The stock has a Zacks Rank #3.

Dexcom addresses elderly diabetes management through continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) innovation. Its G7 CGM system appeals to older adults through simplified sensor insertion and straightforward app functionality. Dexcom has ensured Medicare coverage for both G6 and G7 systems, significantly enhancing accessibility for elderly patients and nursing home facilities managing diabetic residents. In August 2024, Dexcom launched Stelo, the first FDA-cleared over-the-counter CGM for adults aged 18 and older not using insulin. Priced at $99 for a two-sensor pack or $89 monthly, Stelo’s 15-day wear time and HSA/FSA eligibility make it practical for cost-conscious elderly patients. In December 2024, Dexcom integrated a Generative AI platform into Stelo, enhancing Weekly Insights to deliver personalized glucose management guidance based on activity and sleep patterns—innovations directly applicable to nursing home care protocols. The stock holds a Zacks Rank #3.

The Bottom Line: Nursing Home Stocks as a Demographic Play

As global populations age at accelerating rates, nursing home stocks and senior care investments represent a secular growth opportunity with decades of tailwinds. Whether through Healthcare REIT exposure to long-term care facility real estate or pharmaceutical and medical device companies innovating elderly care solutions, investors have multiple pathways to profit from demographic transformation. The convergence of rising nursing home demand, healthcare innovation, and regulatory support creates a compelling investment thesis for those positioned early in this demographic shift.