, a Minneapolis-based
research firm.
-- 62 percent of respondents would support an increase in their own
income or sales taxes to fund older adult services."
The Protection and Advocacy System is the nation 's disability rights
network and -- through a system of eight federal programs -- provides a
continuum of legally based advocacy services to the country's most vulnerable
people - children and adults with disabilities and their families.

helens advocates

m. The Company owns
16 communities, leases 45 communities, and manages six communities
pursuant to management agreements. But if individuals are going to be
asked to plan for their own care costs, then we need to do things like
making long -term care insurance more affordable through tax credits
and through public/private partnerships where the government will
reward a person or family for paying for a long-term care insurance
policy. It was conducted through telephone interviews with 626
Minnesota adults between January 7 and 18., a
Minneapolis-based research firm.
-- 78 percent say that too many older adults have to move out of their
homes in order to receive the care they need.

arche freely

Business Editors
UBS Healthcare Services Conference

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Access to this site is public (not password
protected). Established in 1978, the Company
believes that it is a leader in the operations and management of
senior living communities, including independent living communities ,
continuing care retirement communities, free-standing assisted living
communities, and the development of specialized care programs for
residents with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

Minnesotans support an investment in care:
-- 87 percent agree that the Minnesota Legislature should give nursing
homes more financial support. According to a report in "The
Washington Post" (12/14/2003), 62 percent of the wounded soldiers at Walter
Reed Medical Center suffered a traumatic brain injury and that number is
likely to grow as the number of wounded soldiers grows. Bush.

phab schemes

UBS provides an Audio Only webcast of the presentation via the
www.ubs. The Company's
operating philosophy is to enhance the lives of seniors by striving to
provide the highest quality of care and services in well-operated
communities designed to improve and protect the quality of life,
independence , personal freedom, privacy, spirit, and dignity of its
residents.
-- 89 percent of Minnesotans are concerned that budget problems will make
it hard for nursing homes to attract high quality workers in the
future. The President's unfortunate budget cuts $7.

independently attempting

"And if we don't begin today
to build a better system based on dignity and respect for older adults,
caregivers and others in the system, they will be right.
-- 44 percent rate the value of services good or excellent while 47
percent say the value is only fair or poor.

Minnesotans value caregivers:
-- 96 percent agree that it is as important to pay nurses who take care
of older adults a fair wage as it is to pay teachers.

employer ncil

The audio transmission of the presentation will be
available live and by replay.

PAUL, Minn. Seventy-nine percent believe
that high costs may force them to sacrifice the quality of older adult
services they will receive.
-- 87 percent of Minnesotans believe that a tax increase is justified to
provide more funding for older adult services.
This cut will doom certain individuals with disabilities to a life facing
discrimination in employment and housing.

dignity phab

Often in Minnesota, however, the reality is much
different.

Among those with direct experience with older adult care (in home care,
assisted living, skilled nursing facility, etc. Both programs have seen an increase in demand for their
services based on the large number of returning veterans who have experienced
disabilities during their service to America. It serves
over 80,000 individuals spread across every state and territory.

hove schemes

These findings are included in a new survey of attitudes toward older
adult services released today and conducted by the Long-Term Care Imperative,
a collaboration of older adult service providers. Meanwhile , the state, which dictates the rates nursing homes
charge, has frozen payments for the past two years . While there may be too many nursing home beds overall in
Minnesota, nursing home beds aren 't evenly distributed throughout the
state.

independently disabled

Older Adult Care System Lags Behind Expectations of Minnesotans

"Minnesota's older adults deserve better and
more efficient alternatives. Many
older adults could stay out of nursing homes if alternatives were
available.

About the survey.
-- 79 percent say they are worried they may need to sacrifice the quality
of care because it will cost too much. The level of support
is comparable to support for a tax increase to provide more funding
for K-12 education (86 percent).

advances advocates

-- --American
Retirement Corporation (NYSE:ACR) a leading national provider of
senior living housing and care, today announced that Bill Sheriff,
Chairman, President and CEO, will make a presentation at the UBS
Healthcare Services Conference, on Wednesday, February 16, 2005 at
11:30 p.com

COMPANY PROFILE

American Retirement Corporation is a national senior living and
health care services provider offering a broad range of care and
services to seniors, including independent living, assisted living,
skilled nursing and Alzheimer's care.
The Long-Term Care Imperative is asking legislators to strike a balance
between quality nursing homes and other care options, including assisted
living and community services that would support older residents who may be
able to stay in their own homes with some assistance. "Unfortunately, Minnesota's public
policy for older adult services is being driven by today's price tag, not
tomorrow's vision.carecantwait.

carers dignity

, More than nine of 10 Minnesotans
(94 percent) believe it will be increasingly difficult for people to afford
care for themselves or loved ones as they age. An estimated 26 percent of all Minnesota nursing homes are
in serious financial trouble.), Minnesotans rate the quality
high, but are concerned about the value:
-- 63 percent rate the quality of services good or excellent.

employer schemes

ibb.com website. ST.

)

Cost and living options are among Minnesotans' greatest concerns:
-- 94 percent say that it will become increasingly difficult for people
to afford older adult services for their friends and family.

vulnerable advocates

Eastern Standard Time, in New York City. Nursing home care long has been the centerpiece of Minnesota's
older adult services.
"All of us want to age with dignity and to live independently for as long
as possible," said Rick Carter, president and CEO of Care Providers of
Minnesota, another Imperative member. The survey was sponsored by the Long-term Care
Imperative and was conducted in January by Decision Resources, Ltd. In October 2004, the current President Bush signed a bill
reauthorizing one of the programs he has now targeted for elimination.

ncil carers

The Company currently operates 67 senior living communities
in 14 states, with an aggregate unit capacity of approximately 13,300
units and resident capacity of approximately 14,900. At a State Capitol rally
tomorrow, the Imperative will urge the Legislature to increase funding for
older adult services and to reform the system now to meet the needs of an
elderly population that will grow rapidly in the next 20 years.
The state's budget problems, though, have resulted in reduced funding to
community -based services, including those that help older adults live
independently. Many of these employers
were forced to freeze wages or cut benefits to caregivers who are already
among the lowest paid health workers.

-- Second, community-based services, assisted living and other cost-
efficient care and living options should be adequately funded.

NAPAS: President Cuts Critical Program of Legal Advocacy for People With Disabilities

employer independance

independently advances

"Minnesota should be planning a thoughtful, strategic transition to a full
continuum of services that is more responsive to today 's older person," said
Gayle Kvenvold, president and CEO of Minnesota Health and Housing Alliance ,
one of the Imperative's members. As policy makers have pointed out, the state budget
can't keep absorbing the cost. "In the face of Minnesota's
demographic challenges, though, we will pay sooner or later, in one way or
another.

assistants independently

The replay of the presentation will
begin 3 hours after the presentation time and will be available until
March 18, 2005."
According to the Imperative's survey, 94 percent of Minnesotans believe
that every effort should be made to help older adults live in their own homes
for as long as possible. In addition, many facilities postponed
needed maintenance.

-- First, assure that all Minnesotans are adequately served by nursing
homes. The survey has a margin of error of
plus or minus 4 percent in 95 out of 100 cases .

independance attempting

"Some of these reforms will have an upfront cost, but they all have long-
term savings for the state," said Kvenvold.4 million from
the network by eliminating two critical programs that serve children and
adults with disabilities.
The P+A System was created in 1975 under President Nixon, and expanded
during the terms of Presidents Reagan, George Herbert Walker Bush, and
George W.

independently hove

The presentation slides will also be available after
the presentation through the investor relations section of the
American Retirement Corporation website: www.arclp.

advocates assistants

American Retirement Corporation to Present at the UBS Healthcare Services Conference on February 16 2005

For example, at least nine Minnesota counties have only one
skilled nursing facility.

Older adult care:
Minnesotans see a future of few choices, high cost and compromised quality

Following are highlights of a survey on attitudes and concerns Minnesotans
have about older adult care.

independance dignity

The Company is publicly traded on
the New York Stock Exchange."
The Imperative is supporting increases in funding for older adult services
including a proposal for a 3-percent increase in long-term care reimbursement
rates for each of the next two years.
The survey was conducted by Decision Resources , Ltd.

Minnesotans are connected to older adult services:
-- 78 percent of respondents have had experience with some type of
service for the elderly.
-- 94 percent say it is important that every effort be made so that a
person can live in their own home for as long as possible. Nearly seven in 10 respondents - 68
percent - support a funding increase of $115 million in the next
budget.

General information and national organisations, concerned with Independent Living.

awarded inclusion

It also is proposing older adult
services reforms in three areas."
"Minnesotans are worried that high quality care won't be affordable when
they or their loved ones need it," said Carter.
One program slated for elimination by the Administration serves people
with Traumatic Brain Injuries and the other program helps children and adults
with disabilities access Assistive Technology so they can live more
independent lives.

ncil arche

We need to look beyond the budget deficit to the realities
of caring for an older population that will increase by 70 percent in the next
15 years. (Focus groups connected to
the survey found that value is seen as a measure of how much the care
costs, especially in nursing homes. Administration Move Ignores Growing Number of Individuals with Disabilities
Returning from the War

WASHINGTON, President Bush's FY 2006 budget cuts
funding for the nationwide protection and advocacy program by 6% from FY 2005.
The P+A network is currently funded at $121 million and faces a growing demand
for its services.

ncil rough

-- Third, individuals and families need to be more involved in funding
older adult care."
For more information about the Long-Term Care Imperative , please go to
http://www.
-- 54 percent of Minnesotans currently are directly involved with older
adult services or making plans for care.

"There is also the threat of
increased institutionalization, which flies in the face of the President's own
New Freedom Initiative and which," according to Curt Decker, Executive
Director of the National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems,
"could lead to neglect, abuse, and even death.

arche independently

com .