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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</font></div>
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D.C.&#160;&#160;20549</font></div>
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8-K</font></div>
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REPORT</font></div>
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to Section 13 or 15(d) of</font></div>
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Securities Exchange Act of 1934</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 36pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Date of report (Date of earliest event
reported):</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">&#160;&#160;February 16,
2009</font></font></div>
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CORPORATION</font></div>
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name of registrant as specified in charter)</font></div>
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Elliott Avenue, Suite 500</font></div>
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Washington 98121</font></div>
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298-2909</font></div>
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telephone number, including area code)</font></div>
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appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions:</font></div>
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Written communications pursuant to Rule&#160;425 under the Securities Act (17
CFR 230.425)</font></div>
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Soliciting material pursuant to Rule&#160;14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)</font></div>
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule&#160;14d-2(b) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))</font></div>
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pursuant to Rule&#160;13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))</font></font></div>
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              <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Departure
      of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of
      Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain
      Officers.</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">On
February 16, 2009, Justin Hutchens, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating
Officer, resigned his position effective March 17, 2009.&#160;&#160;Mr. Hutchens
is leaving in order to pursue an opportunity outside the industry as President
and Chief Operating Officer of National Health Investors, Inc. (NYSE: NHI), a
healthcare REIT based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.</font></div>
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9.01&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Financial
Statements <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">and</font>
Exhibits.</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">Exhibit
No.</font>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">Description</font></font></div>
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              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">99.1</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Press
      Release dated February 18, 2009, entitled<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic"> Emeritus Announces
      Resignation of Chief Operating
Officer.</font></font></div>
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to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.</font></div>
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      17, 2009</font></div>
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      </font></td>
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      CORPORATION</font></div>
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      </font></td>
            <td colspan="2" valign="bottom" width="17%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="bottom" width="34%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
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              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
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      Cobb</font></div>
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            <td valign="bottom" width="34%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="bottom" width="15%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
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      Cobb</font></div>
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            <td valign="bottom" width="34%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="bottom" width="15%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
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      and Co-Chief Executive Officer</font></div>
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No.</font>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">Description</font></font></div>
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              <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Press
      Release dated February 18, 2009, entitled<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic"> Emeritus Announces
      Resignation of Chief Operating
Officer.</font></font></div>
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item5028k0209.htm
U.S.
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):
February 16,
2009
EMERITUS
CORPORATION
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in charter)
Washington
1-14012
91-1605464
(State
      or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
(Commission
      File Number)
(IRS
      Employer Identification No.)
3131
Elliott Avenue, Suite 500
Seattle,
Washington 98121
(Address
of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(206)
298-2909
(Registrant's
telephone number, including area code)
Check the
appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions:
o
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
CFR 230.425)
o
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o
Pre-commencement communications
pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))
Item 5.02
Departure
      of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of
      Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain
      Officers.
On
February 16, 2009, Justin Hutchens, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating
Officer, resigned his position effective March 17, 2009.  Mr. Hutchens
is leaving in order to pursue an opportunity outside the industry as President
and Chief Operating Officer of National Health Investors, Inc. (NYSE: NHI), a
healthcare REIT based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Item
9.01                      Financial
Statements
and
Exhibits.
(d)
Exhibits
Exhibit
No.
Description
99.1
Press
      Release dated February 18, 2009, entitled
Emeritus Announces
      Resignation of Chief Operating
Officer.
[The rest
of this page is intentionally left blank]
SIGNATURE
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.
Dated:  February
      17, 2009
EMERITUS
      CORPORATION
By:
/s/  Granger
      Cobb
Granger
      Cobb
President
      and Co-Chief Executive Officer
INDEX
TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit
No.
Description
99.1
Press
      Release dated February 18, 2009, entitled
Emeritus Announces
      Resignation of Chief Operating
Officer.