Shares of Ventas (NYSE: VTR) and Welltower (NYSE: WELL) lost more than half their value during the pandemic-driven bear market in 2020. Even now, the stocks are still down by 8% and 13%, respectively, from where they started that year. By comparison, the S&P 500 index is up more than 20% over the same span. A big part of the problem for these two real estate investment trusts (REITs) is their focus on senior housing properties. But that's starting to change.

Covid-19 has proven particularly deadly to older adults and spreads more easily in group settings. So it shouldn't come as any surprise that senior housing properties have had a tough time dealing with the illness. Investors reacted by selling stocks that had exposure to senior housing, including REITs.

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Source Fool.com