The transaction marks the group’s entry into its fourth EU market and strengthens its position in long-term care, one of the key healthcare and social care challenges across Europe. Penta Hospitals International (PHI), Central Europe’s leading healthcare and long-term care groups, has agreed to acquire Südamekodud, Estonia’s largest provider of elderly care services. Through this transaction, PHI is entering Estonia as its fourth EU market and further expanding in elderly care, a sector that is becoming increasingly important as Europe’s population ages.
Südamekodud operates 12 care homes across Estonia and provides care to more than 1,500 residents. The group employs approximately 750 people and is currently completing the construction of its 13th care home in Tallinn’s Hiiu district. Over the past decade, Südamekodud has become one of the key drivers of the development of Estonia’s elderly care sector, contributing to higher service quality and the creation of new care places.
For PHI, the acquisition represents both a geographic expansion into the Baltics and a strategic step in long-term care. The group already operates hospitals, outpatient clinics, elderly care facilities and home care providers in Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland.
“The acquisition of Südamekodud is an important milestone for Penta Hospitals International. We have decided to enter the Estonian market through Südamekodud because it is a highly respected company operating in an important and fast-developing area at the intersection of health and social care. Estonia is also a country that has responded very thoughtfully to ongoing demographic change and has been creating favourable conditions for the further development of care for older people,” said Peter Lednický, CEO of Penta Hospitals International.
“Südamekodud has built the broadest elderly care network in Estonia, a strong reputation and, most importantly, a dedicated team that provides care to people who need support, safety and dignity in their later years. In many respects, Südamekodud can also serve as an inspiration for the broader PHI group,” Lednický added.
“We are pleased to welcome Penta Hospitals International as a strategic partner for the next stage of Südamekodud’s development. PHI brings long-term experience in healthcare and elderly care, as well as the investment capacity needed to support our further growth. Our priority remains unchanged: to provide safe, dignified and high-quality care for older people and to continue developing elderly care services in Estonia and the wider Baltic region,” said Martin Kukk, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Südamekodud.
“As populations across Europe continue to age, the need for high-quality, accessible and dignified long-term care will become one of the defining challenges for healthcare and social care systems. This is already highly relevant in the markets where PHI operates today, and it will become even more important in the years ahead. We see elderly care as a strategic area in which our group wants to grow, invest and bring together experience from different countries. The acquisition of Südamekodud is therefore not only our entry into Estonia, but also an important step in strengthening PHI’s long-term commitment to this sector across Europe,” said Lednický.
The transaction is subject to the fulfilment of customary conditions.
About Südamekodud
Südamekodud is the largest private elderly care provider in Estonia and the Baltics. The company operates 12 care homes across Estonia with more than 1,500 care places and around 750 employees, with a 13th home opening in Tallinn’s Hiiu district. Südamekodud offers the full spectrum of elderly care, from general care to dementia and special needs care, delivered to a high standard close to home. Its mission is to help people maintain dignity and find joy in life.