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<TABLE WIDTH="100%">
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3" ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT SIZE="+1"><STRONG>UNITED STATES</STRONG></FONT><FONT FACE="Arial"></FONT></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3" ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT FACE="Arial"></FONT><FONT SIZE="+1"><STRONG>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</STRONG></FONT></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3">
<P ALIGN="CENTER"><STRONG>Washington, D.C.  20549</STRONG></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3">
<P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT SIZE="+1"><STRONG>FORM 8-K</STRONG></FONT></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 10, 2003 (September 10, 2003)</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3">
<P ALIGN="CENTER"><STRONG><FONT SIZE="+1"><U>                    National Health Investors, Inc.                    </U></STRONG></FONT><STRONG></STRONG></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3">
<P ALIGN="CENTER"><U>        Maryland      </U></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="2"></TD>
<TD></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="2">
<P ALIGN="CENTER"><U>        333-41863        </U></TD>
<TD>
<P ALIGN="CENTER"><U>   62-1470956   </U></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="2">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">(Commission File No.)</TD>
<TD>
<P ALIGN="CENTER">(IRS Employer</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD>
<P ALIGN="CENTER">Identification Number)</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">100 Vine Street, Suite 1202</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3">
<P ALIGN="CENTER"><U>Murfreesboro, TN 37130</U></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3">
<P ALIGN="CENTER"><U>        (615) 890-9100        </U></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3"></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3">
<P ALIGN="CENTER"><U>          Not Applicable          </U></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD COLSPAN="3">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)</TD></TR></TABLE>
</P>
<BR WP="BR1"><BR WP="BR2">
<BR WP="BR1"><BR WP="BR2">
<P><STRONG>Item 5.  Other Events</STRONG></P>

<P>	On September 10, 2003, National Health Investors, Inc. announced its third quarter
preferred dividend.  A copy of the press release is furnished as an exhibit to this Form 8-K and is
incorporated herein by reference.</P>

<BR WP="BR1"><BR WP="BR2">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">SIGNATURES</P>

<P>	Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly
authorized.</P>

<BR WP="BR1"><BR WP="BR2">
<TABLE WIDTH="100%">
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD>National Health Investors, Inc.</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD>By: <U>/s/ W. Andrew Adams               </U></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD>Name: W. Andrew Adams</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD>Title: Chief Executive Officer</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD>By:<U>/s/ Donald K. Daniel                   </U></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD>Name:  Donald K. Daniel</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD></TD>
<TD>Title: Principal Accounting Officer</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD>Date: September 10, 2003</TD>
<TD></TD></TR></TABLE>

<BR WP="BR1"><BR WP="BR2">
<BR WP="BR1"><BR WP="BR2">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">Exhibit Index</P>

<BR WP="BR1"><BR WP="BR2">
<TABLE WIDTH="100%">
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD><STRONG>Number</STRONG></TD>
<TD><STRONG>Exhibit</STRONG></TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD>99</TD>
<TD>Press release, dated September 10, 2003.</TD></TR></TABLE>

<BR WP="BR1"><BR WP="BR2">
<BR WP="BR1"><BR WP="BR2">
<P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="-2"></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="-1">EXHIBIT 99</FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="-2"></FONT></P>

<BR WP="BR1"><BR WP="BR2">
<BR WP="BR1"><BR WP="BR2">
<P><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="-2"></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="-1">For Release: Sept. 10, 2003</FONT></P>

<P><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="-1">Contact: Gerald Coggin, V.P., Investor Relations</FONT></P>

<P><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="-1">Phone: (615) 890-9100</FONT></P>

<BR WP="BR1"><BR WP="BR2">
<P><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="+3">NHI to pay preferred dividend </FONT></P>

<BR WP="BR1"><BR WP="BR2">
<P><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="-1"></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"> 	MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - National Health Investors, Inc. (NYSE, NHI and NHIPr), one of
the nation's largest health care real estate investment trusts, announced today that it will pay a
third quarter preferred stock dividend of 53.125 cents per share to shareholders of its cumulative
convertible preferred stock on Sept. 30.</FONT></P>

<P><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">	The dividend will be paid to preferred stockholders of record on Sept. 20. The preferred stock is
expected to pay a dividend of $2.125 per share during a full calendar year. The cumulative convertible
preferred stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange with the symbol NHIPr. The preferred shares
are convertible by holders to common stock at any time and the conversion ratio is .905 shares of
common stock for each share of preferred stock.</FONT></P>

<P><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">	NHI specializes in the financing of health care real estate by first mortgage and by purchase and
leaseback transactions. The common and preferred stocks of the company trade on the New York
Stock Exchange with the symbols NHI and NHIPr respectively.  Additional information including
NHI's most recent press releases may be obtained on our web site at</FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"> </FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" COLOR="#0000ff"><U></U></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" COLOR="#0000ff"><U>www.nhinvestors.com</U></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">.</FONT><FONT FACE="Arial"></FONT></P>

<P><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">	<EM>Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements.
NHI cautions investors that any forward-looking statements made involve risks and uncertainties
and are not guarantees of future performance. All forward-looking statements represent NHI's
judgment as of the date of this release</EM>. </FONT></P>

<P><FONT FACE="Arial">	</FONT></P>

<P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">-30-</FONT></P>

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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "NATIONAL HEALTH INVESTORS INC", "cik": "0000877860", "assigned-sic": "6798", "irs-number": "621470956", "state-of-incorporation": "MD", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-10822", "film-number": "03889037"}, "business-address": {"street1": "100 VINE ST STE 1400", "street2": "CITY CENTER", "city": "MURFREESBORO", "state": "TN", "zip": "37130", "phone": "6158909100"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "P.O. BOX 1102", "city": "MURFREESBORO", "state": "TN", "zip": "37133"}}
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.  20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT
TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 10, 2003 (September 10, 2003)
National Health Investors, Inc.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Maryland
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
333-41863
62-1470956
(Commission File No.)
(IRS Employer
Identification Number)
100 Vine Street, Suite 1202
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
(615) 890-9100
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Item 5.  Other Events
On September 10, 2003, National Health Investors, Inc. announced its third quarter
preferred dividend.  A copy of the press release is furnished as an exhibit to this Form 8-K and is
incorporated herein by reference.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly
authorized.
National Health Investors, Inc.
By:
/s/ W. Andrew Adams
Name: W. Andrew Adams
Title: Chief Executive Officer
By:
/s/ Donald K. Daniel
Name:  Donald K. Daniel
Title: Principal Accounting Officer
Date: September 10, 2003
Exhibit Index
Number
Exhibit
99
Press release, dated September 10, 2003.
EXHIBIT 99
For Release: Sept. 10, 2003
Contact: Gerald Coggin, V.P., Investor Relations
Phone: (615) 890-9100
NHI to pay preferred dividend
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - National Health Investors, Inc. (NYSE, NHI and NHIPr), one of
the nation's largest health care real estate investment trusts, announced today that it will pay a
third quarter preferred stock dividend of 53.125 cents per share to shareholders of its cumulative
convertible preferred stock on Sept. 30.
The dividend will be paid to preferred stockholders of record on Sept. 20. The preferred stock is
expected to pay a dividend of $2.125 per share during a full calendar year. The cumulative convertible
preferred stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange with the symbol NHIPr. The preferred shares
are convertible by holders to common stock at any time and the conversion ratio is .905 shares of
common stock for each share of preferred stock.
NHI specializes in the financing of health care real estate by first mortgage and by purchase and
leaseback transactions. The common and preferred stocks of the company trade on the New York
Stock Exchange with the symbols NHI and NHIPr respectively.  Additional information including
NHI's most recent press releases may be obtained on our web site at
www.nhinvestors.com
.
Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements.
NHI cautions investors that any forward-looking statements made involve risks and uncertainties
and are not guarantees of future performance. All forward-looking statements represent NHI's
judgment as of the date of this release
.
-30-