EXHIBIT 99.1


COVINGTON, Ky. -- Sept. 17, 1998--Omnicare, Inc. (NYSE:OCR) announced that it
has completed the previously announced acquisition of the institutional pharmacy
operations of Extendicare Health Services, Inc. ("EHSI"), a wholly owned
subsidiary of Extendicare Inc. (NYSE:EXEa; TSE/ME:EXE and EXE.A; NYSE:EXE.A) for
$250 million in cash, 125,000 shares of Omnicare common stock and 1.5 million
warrants to purchase Omnicare common stock at $48.00 per share. The warrants
have a seven-year term and are first exercisable in September 2001. Given the
economies of scale and cost synergies anticipated from the acquisition, it is
expected that the transaction will be non-dilutive to Omnicare's per share
earnings in 1998 and accretive in 1999 and beyond.

Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the pharmacy business of EHSI, operating under
the name United Professional Companies, Inc. ("UPC"), has contracts to provide
comprehensive pharmacy, related consulting and infusion therapy services to
approximately 55,000 residents in more than 550 facilities in 12 states. This
transaction also offers Omnicare the opportunity to provide pharmacy services to
an additional 77 Extendicare facilities with capacity for 9,300 residents in
Canada and the United Kingdom. Based upon the six months ended June 30, 1998,
UPC's pharmacy revenues are running at the annualized rate of approximately $165
million.

Extendicare, based in Markham, Ontario, is one of the largest operators of
long-term care facilities in North America. On June 30, 1998, the Corporation
operated 317 facilities, with capacity for over 31,900 residents and had more
than 41,100 employees in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Extendicare also provides medical specialty services, including subacute care
and rehabilitative therapy services and other medical supplies and services in
the United States as well as home care and rehabilitative therapy services in
Canada.

Omnicare is a leading geriatric pharmaceutical care company. Currently serving
approximately 554,000 residents in more than 6,870 long-term care facilities in
40 states, Omnicare is the nation's largest provider of professional pharmacy,
related consulting and data management services for long-term care, assisted
living and other institutional health care providers. Omnicare also provides
comprehensive clinical research services for the pharmaceutical and
biotechnology industries.

(Statements in this press release concerning Omnicare's future economic
performances, anticipated profitability, anticipated cost synergies, the impact
of the Extendicare transaction on earnings, and the potential for expansion,
together with other statements that are not historical facts, are
forward-looking statements that are estimates reflecting the best judgement of
Omnicare based on currently available information. Such forward-looking
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, contingencies and
other factors that could cause results, performance or achievements to differ
materially from those stated. Such risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other
factors, many of which are beyond the control of Omnicare, include overall
economic and business






conditions, trends for the continued growth of the pharmacy businesses of
Omnicare, the realization of anticipated revenues, profitability and cost
synergies of the combined companies, the demand for Omnicare's products and
services, pricing and other competitive factors in the industry, new government
regulations and/or legislative initiatives, the successful integration of the
Extendicare transaction, and other risks and uncertainties described in
Omnicare's reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
There can be no such assurance that such factors will not affect the accuracy of
such forward-looking statements, and Omnicare assumes no obligation to update
the information in this release.)

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Contact:
     Omnicare, Inc.
     Cheryl D. Hodges, 606/392-3331