Sakura Life Group to Integrate Wellness Co., Ltd. in Hitachinaka City

Sakura Life Group (hereinafter "the Group") announced that as of July 1, 2026, it will integrate Wellness Co., Ltd. (hereinafter "Wellness"), a company operating elderly housing and care services in Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Kenichiro Nakata, Representative Director and Chief Director of the Group, has assumed the position of Representative Director of Wellness.

Through this integration, the Group will combine Wellness's established foundation in local care services with the Group's medical functions, including hospital management, home-visit medical care, home-visit nursing, emergency house calls, admission coordination, and end-of-life care support. This will establish an integrated medical and care support system enabling residents to continue living with peace of mind in their familiar environment.

The Group plans to integrate multiple elderly facilities in Ibaraki Prefecture in the future. With the aim of strengthening the medical provision system for all Group facilities in Ibaraki Prefecture by the end of 2026, the Group seeks to establish a new model for community-based integrated care.

Wellness Ashizaki

Background and Objectives of Integration

Elderly facilities are increasingly required to provide a seamless system that goes beyond daily health management to include nighttime and emergency response, support for hospital admissions and discharges, and end-of-life care, due to the aging of residents and their increasing medical dependency.

However, contracts with cooperating medical institutions alone may not always ensure sufficient information sharing between facilities and medical institutions, or prompt decision-making and response in emergencies.

The Group believes it is important to standardize operations from routine to emergency situations by integrating facility management, care, nursing, and medical services. The integration of Wellness is positioned as the first step in strengthening the medical and care system within Ibaraki Prefecture.

Key Future Initiatives

1. Strengthening the Medical Collaboration System Centered on Kuji-Chikone Hospital

Starting July 1, 2026, a medical team centered at Kuji-Chikone Hospital will transition to providing home-visit medical care and emergency response services at each Wellness facility.

This will provide consistent medical support, from regular check-ups and health management to emergency response, admission coordination, and post-discharge support.

2. Enhancing Nighttime and Emergency Response and Information Sharing

Clear standards will be established for nighttime and emergency contact procedures, reporting methods to physicians, and criteria for emergency house calls and ambulance transport.

Furthermore, an information infrastructure will be developed to enable appropriate sharing of vital signs, medication status, medical history, and the intentions of the resident and their family among medical and care staff, leading to prompt and accurate medical decisions.

3. Enhancing ACP (Advance Care Planning) and End-of-Life Care Support

A system will be established to regularly confirm and share intentions regarding emergency transport, resuscitation, hospitalization, and place of death, respecting the wishes of the resident and their family.

Physicians, nurses, and care staff will collaborate to support individuals who wish to live their final days with dignity in their familiar facilities.

4. Medical Education for Care and Nursing Staff

Continuous education will be provided to care and nursing staff to enable them to quickly identify changes such as fever, falls, decreased appetite, and alterations in consciousness or respiration, and to report them accurately to medical professionals.

This will enhance the daily observation and response capabilities of facility staff, aiming to prevent severe illness and improve the quality of medical care.

Future Development in Ibaraki Prefecture

By the end of 2026, the Group will inspect the systems for home-visit medical care, nighttime and holiday medical consultations, emergency response, admission coordination, medication management, infectious disease control, ACP, and end-of-life care support for all Group facilities in Ibaraki Prefecture, and implement improvements tailored to the challenges of each facility.

Rather than simply expanding the number of facilities, the Group aims to enhance the medical standards of each facility, ensuring that residents receive appropriate medical support when needed, regardless of which Group facility they reside in.

The Group will build a model of community-based integrated care in Ibaraki Prefecture, where hospitals, clinics, home-visit medical care, home-visit nursing, elderly facilities, and care service providers collaborate seamlessly.

Comment from Representative Director Kenichiro Nakata

Wellness has been a vital local provider for approximately 20 years, supporting the elderly and their families in Hitachinaka City.

Through this integration, we will strengthen our medical support system while cherishing the warm, home-like atmosphere and the trust built with the community.

Our goal is to create facilities where residents can feel secure in their daily lives and receive appropriate support when medical care is needed.

We will develop Wellness into a facility model that supports the community through integrated medical and care services.

Company Overview

Wellness Co., Ltd.

Representative Director: Kenichiro Nakata

Location: 1457-159 Ashizaki, Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki Prefecture

Main Business Activities: Operation of "Wellness Sasano" (housing-type paid elderly homes) and "Wellness Ashizaki" (service-equipped housing for the elderly), day services, home-visit care, home-visit nursing, etc.

Official Website: https://www.wellness.ne.jp/

Sakura Life Group

Operates hospitals, clinics, home-visit medical care, home-visit nursing, and care facilities, providing integrated services from hospital care to home medical care, emergency house calls, admission/discharge support, and end-of-life care support. We are working to create a system that can sustainably provide necessary medical and care services to the community.

Official Website: https://www.sakuralife.org/

Inquiries Regarding This Matter

Wellness Co., Ltd.

1457-159 Ashizaki, Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki Prefecture

312-0003

TEL: 029-354-6638

Sakura Life Group

3F, Funada Kinshicho Ekimae Building, 2-5-11 Kinshi, Sumida-ku, Tokyo

130-0013

Public Relations Contact: Arita

TEL: 050-6865-5545

Mail: pr@slclinic.com