EXHIBIT 23






                        Independent Auditors' Consent

The Board of Directors
The Multicare Companies, Inc.


We  consent  to  incorporation  by reference in the  Registration  Statements
(No's.  33-86764, 33-94516, 33-80977, 333-04545) on Form S-8 and Registration
Statement (No. 33-96992) on Form S-3 of The Multicare Companies, Inc. of  our
reports  dated February 4, 1997, relating to the consolidated balance  sheets
of The Multicare Companies, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 1995 and
1996,  and  the  related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders'
equity,  and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period  ended
December 31, 1996, and the related schedule, which reports appear in  or  are
incorporated by reference in the December 31, 1996 annual report on Form 10-K
of The Multicare Companies, Inc.



                                                        KPMG Peat Marwick LLP


Short Hills, New Jersey
March 27, 1997