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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): June 5, 2003 (June 4, 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 and Regulation FD Disclosure</STRONG> </P>

<BR WP="BR1"><BR WP="BR2">
<P>	On June 4, 2003, National Health Investors, Inc. made its second quarter preferred
dividend announcement.  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">
<BR WP="BR1"><BR WP="BR2">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">SIGNATURES</P>

<BR WP="BR1"><BR WP="BR2">
<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>

<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: June 5, 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 June 4, 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">
<P><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"></FONT><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE="-1"><STRONG></STRONG></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="-1"></FONT><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE="-1"><STRONG></STRONG></FONT><FONT SIZE="-1">For Release: June 4, 2003</FONT></P>

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

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

<P><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE="-1"></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="+3"></FONT><FONT SIZE="+3">NHI to pay preferred dividend </FONT></P>

<P><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE="-1"></FONT><FONT SIZE="-1"></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"></FONT> 	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 second quarter preferred stock dividend of 53.125 cents per share to shareholders of its
cumulative convertible preferred stock on June 30.</P>

<P><FONT SIZE="-1">	The dividend will be paid to preferred stockholders of record on June 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 SIZE="-1">	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" COLOR="#0000ff"><U></U></FONT><FONT COLOR="#0000ff"><U>www.nhinvestors.com</U></FONT>.</P>

<P><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"></FONT>	<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>. </P>

<BR WP="BR1"><BR WP="BR2">
<BR WP="BR1"><BR WP="BR2">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">-30-</P>

<P>	</P>

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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): June 5, 2003 (June 4, 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 and Regulation FD Disclosure
On June 4, 2003, National Health Investors, Inc. made its second quarter preferred
dividend announcement.  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: June 5, 2003
Exhibit Index
Number
Exhibit
99
Press release, dated June 4, 2003.
EXHIBIT 99
For Release: June 4, 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 second quarter preferred stock dividend of 53.125 cents per share to shareholders of its
cumulative convertible preferred stock on June 30.
The dividend will be paid to preferred stockholders of record on June 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-