EXHIBIT 99.1

                           HEALTH CARE REIT, INC. logo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                                                June 22, 2005
                                                For more information contact:
                                                Ray Braun - (419) 247-2800
                                                Mike Crabtree - (419) 247-2800
                                                Scott Estes - (419) 247-2800


                   HEALTH CARE REIT, INC. ANNOUNCES CLOSING OF
                     $500 MILLION UNSECURED CREDIT FACILITY


Toledo, Ohio, June 22, 2005...HEALTH CARE REIT, INC. (NYSE/HCN) announced today
that it has closed a $500 million unsecured revolving credit facility, replacing
the company's existing $310 million facility scheduled to mature May 2006. The
credit facility was arranged by KeyBank National Association as Lead Arranger
and Administrative Agent and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. as Lead Arranger and
Syndication Agent. UBS Securities LLC, Bank of America, N. A. and JPMorgan Chase
Bank, N. A. were the Documentation Agents.

Among other things, the new unsecured credit facility:

     o    Provides the company with additional financial flexibility and
          borrowing capacity

     o    Reduces all-in borrowing costs by approximately 50 basis points

     o    Extends the agreement for three years to June 2008 with the ability to
          extend for a fourth year at the company's option

     o    Permits the company to increase the facility by $50 million through an
          accordion feature during the next twenty-four months

"We are appreciative of the support and commitment provided by our bank group,"
stated George L. Chapman, chairman and chief executive officer. "The new credit
facility positions the company to continue its growth strategy and advance its
capital plan."

Health Care REIT, Inc., with headquarters in Toledo, Ohio, is a real estate
investment trust that invests primarily in skilled nursing and assisted living
facilities. At March 31, 2005, the company had investments in 398 facilities in
35 states with 51 operators and had total assets of approximately $2.6 billion.
The portfolio included 237 assisted living facilities, 153 skilled nursing
facilities and eight specialty care hospitals. More information is available on
the Internet at www.hcreit.com.

This document may contain "forward-looking" statements as defined in the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements
concern and are based upon, among other things, the possible expansion of the
company's portfolio; the performance of its operators and properties; its



ability to make distributions; its policies and plans regarding investments,
financings and other matters; its ability to appropriately balance the use of
debt and equity; its ability to access capital markets or other sources of
funds; and its ability to meet its earnings guidance. When the company uses
words such as "may," "will," "intend," "should," "believe," "expect,"
"anticipate," or similar expressions, it is making forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve
risks and uncertainties. The company's expected results may not be achieved, and
actual results may differ materially from expectations. This may be a result of
various factors, including but not limited to: the status of the economy; the
status of capital markets, including prevailing interest rates; current serious
issues facing the health care industry, including compliance with, and changes
to, regulations and payment policies and operators' difficulty in obtaining and
maintaining adequate liability and other insurance and competition within the
health care and senior housing industries; as well as possible future
developments, including but not limited to: changes in financing terms available
to the company; changes in federal, state and local legislation; negative
developments in the operating results or financial condition of operators,
including, but not limited to, their ability to pay rent and repay loans;
changes in the company's ability to transition or sell facilities with a
profitable result; inaccuracies in any of the company's assumptions; and changes
in rules or practices governing the company's financial reporting. Finally, the
company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements
or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in
any forward-looking statements.

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