<PAGE>
 
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 3, 1998
                                                 Registration No. 333-__________

================================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                        MARINER POST-ACUTE NETWORK, INC.
                    (FORMERLY PARAGON HEALTH NETWORK, INC.)
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

          DELAWARE                                    74-2012902
(State or Other Jurisdiction of         (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) 
Incorporation or Organization)          
 
                               ONE RAVINIA DRIVE
                                   Suite 1500
                            ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30346
              (Address of Principal Executive Offices)(Zip Code)

           PARAGON HEALTH NETWORK, INC. EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                           (Full Title of the Plan)

                              SUSAN THOMAS WHITTLE
              SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL COUNSEL AND SECRETARY
                        MARINER POST-ACUTE NETWORK, INC.
                         ONE RAVINIA DRIVE, SUITE 1500
                               ATLANTA, GA  30346
                    (Name and Address of Agent for Service)

                                 (678) 443-7000
         (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

                          COPIES OF COMMUNICATIONS TO:
                                        
  SUSAN THOMAS WHITTLE                   RICHARD H. MILLER, ESQ.
  SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL         POWELL, GOLDSTEIN, FRAZER & MURPHY LLP 
    COUNSEL AND SECRETARY                SIXTEENTH FLOOR              
  MARINER POST-ACUTE NETWORK, INC.       191 PEACHTREE STREET, N.E. 
  ONE RAVINIA DRIVE                      ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303 
  SUITE 1500                             
  ATLANTA, GA 30346

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
=====================================================================================================================
                                                          Proposed Maximum      Proposed Maximum
         Title of Securities             Amount To Be      Offering Price      Aggregate Offering       Amount of
           To Be Registered            Registered/(1)/     Per Share/(2)/          Price/(2)/        Registration Fee
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                    <C>                <C>                  <C>                   <C>
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share     4,000,000              $7.4375            $29,750,000               $8,777
=====================================================================================================================
</TABLE>
/(1)/The shares registered pursuant to this Registration Statement are to be
     issued pursuant to the Paragon Health Network, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase
     Plan (the "Plan"). This Registration Statement also covers such additional
     shares as may be issued by the Registrant under the Plan pursuant to a
     stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or similar event involving
     the Registrant's common stock.

/(2)/Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant
     to Rule 457(h)(1) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
     "Securities Act") and based on the average of the high and low sales prices
     reported on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape on August 31, 1998.
<PAGE>
 
                                    PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS


  The document(s) containing the information required to be set forth in the
Section 10(a) prospectus will be sent or given to plan participants as specified
by Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act.

                                      I-1
<PAGE>
 
                                    PART II
                                        
              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

     The following documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission") by the Registrant (File No. 1-10968) are incorporated herein
by reference:

     (1)  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30,
          1997;

     (2)  Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended December 31,
          1997, March 31, 1998 and June 30, 1998;

     (3)  Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 12, 1997, as amended by
          Current Report on Form 8-K/A dated January 20, 1998, Current Report on
          Form 8-K dated April 13, 1998 and Current Report on Form 8-K dated
          August 11, 1998; and

     (4)  The description of Common Stock contained in the Registration
          Statement on Form 8-A, as filed with the Commission on December 23,
          1991.

     All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, prior to filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then
remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement and to be part thereof from the date of filing such
documents.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

     The Registrant is a Delaware corporation. Reference is made to Section 145
of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the "DGCL"), which provides that a
corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to
be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or proceeding,
whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action
by or in the right of such corporation), by reason of the fact that such person
is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or
was serving at its request in such capacity of another corporation or business
organization against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and
amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in
connection with such action, suit or proceeding if such person acted in good
faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interest of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or
proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that such person's conduct was
unlawful. A Delaware corporation may indemnify officers and directors in an
action by or in the right of a corporation under the same conditions, except
that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if the officer or
director is adjudged to be liable to the corporation. Where an officer or
director is successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action
referred to above, the corporation must indemnify him or her against the
expenses that he or she actually and reasonably incurred.

                                     II-1
<PAGE>
 
  Reference is also made to Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL, which permits a
corporation to provide in its certificate of incorporation that a director of
the corporation shall not be personally liable to the corporation or its
stockholders for monetary damages for breach of the director's fiduciary duty as
a director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director's duty of
loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not
in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of
law, (iii) under Section 174 of the DGCL, or (iv) for any transaction from which
the director derived an improper personal benefit.

  Article Seventh of the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation (the "Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation")
of the Registrant provides for the elimination of personal liability of a
director for breach of fiduciary duty as permitted by Section 102(b)(7) of the
DGCL, as it may be amended from time to time. Article Eighth of the Second
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that the Registrant
shall indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by
Section 145 of the DGCL, as it may be amended from time to time. In addition,
Article VII of the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant requires
that the Registrant indemnify any person who was or is an authorized
representative of the Registrant and who was, is or is threatened to be made a
party to any third party proceeding by reason of the fact that such person was
or is an authorized representative of the Registrant against expenses,
judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred
by such person in connection with such proceeding if the person acted in good
faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to,
the best interest of the Registrant and, with respect to any criminal third
party proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such conduct was unlawful.
In a corporate proceeding, the Registrant is required to indemnify any person
who was or is an authorized representative of the Registrant and who was, is or
is threatened to be made a party to any corporate proceeding by reason of the
fact that such person was or is an authorized representative of the Registrant
against expenses actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection
with the defense or settlement of the proceeding if such person acted in good
faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best
interest of the Registrant, except that no indemnification shall be made in
respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been
adjudged to be liable to the Registrant unless and only to the extent that the
Court of Chancery or the court in which such corporate proceeding is brought
shall determine upon application that the authorized representative is fairly
and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the court shall deem
proper. To the extent that an authorized representative of the Registrant has
been successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any third party or
corporate proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such
person shall be indemnified against expenses actually and reasonably incurred by
such person in connection therewith. Any indemnification shall be made by the
Registrant only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that
indemnification is proper under the circumstances because the authorized
representative has either met the applicable standard of conduct or has been
successful on the merits or otherwise and that the amount requested has been
actually and reasonably incurred. Such determination shall be made: (i) by the
Board of Directors by a majority of a quorum consisting of directors who were
not parties to the proceeding; (ii) if such a quorum is not obtainable or, even
if obtainable, a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by independent
legal counsel in a written opinion; or (iii) by the stockholders of the
Registrant. Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by an officer or director
in defending any third party or corporate proceeding shall be paid on his or her
behalf by the Registrant in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding
upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such officer or director to
repay such amount if it is ultimately determined that he or she is not entitled
to be indemnified by the Registrant. In the case of 

                                     II-2
<PAGE>
 
an authorized representative other than an officer or director, the Registrant
shall advance expenses actually and reasonably incurred in defending any third
party or corporate proceeding in advance of the final disposition of the
proceeding as authorized by the Board of Directors upon receipt of the
undertaking described above.

  The Registrant maintains at its expense a policy of insurance that insures its
directors and officers, subject to certain exclusions and deductions as are
usual in such insurance policies, against certain liabilities which may be
incurred in those capacities.


Item 8.  Exhibits.

  The following items are filed as exhibits to this Registration Statement:

  Exhibit No.:                       Description
  -----------                        -----------

     5.1         Opinion of Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy LLP

     23.1        Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

     23.2        Consent of Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy LLP (contained in
                 its exhibit filed as Exhibit 5.1)


ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

     (a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

              (i)   To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
the Securities Act;

              (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-
effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent
a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities
offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that
which was registered) and any deviation from the law or high end of the
estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the
maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration
Fee" table in the effective registration statement;

              (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan
of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any
material change to such information in the Registration Statement.

                                     II-3
<PAGE>
 
Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
registration statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3, and the information
required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the
registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

         (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

     (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's Annual Report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at the time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

     (h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act
and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

                                     II-4
<PAGE>
 
                                   SIGNATURES
                                   ----------

  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8, and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Atlanta, State of Georgia, on this 31st day of
August, 1998.


                              MARINER POST-ACUTE NETWORK, INC.


                              By:   /s/ Susan Thomas Whittle
                                 ---------------------------------------------
                                    Susan Thomas Whittle
                                    Senior Vice President, General Counsel and
                                    Secretary


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                               -----------------

      KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below constitutes and appoints Keith B. Pitts and Susan Thomas Whittle, or
either of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full
power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and
stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments to this
Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents, full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully as to all intents and
purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all
that each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or his or her substitute or
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration
Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated
below on August 31, 1998.


          Signature                              TITLE
          ---------                              -----
                              
/s/ Keith B. Pitts                     Chairman of the Board and Chief
------------------------------------   Executive Officer
Keith B. Pitts                         (Principal Executive Officer) 
                              
/s/ Arthur W. Stratton, Jr.            Vice Chairman of the Board,
------------------------------------   President and Chief Operating 
Arthur W. Stratton, Jr., M.D.          Officer
                              
/s/ Laurence M. Berg                   Director
------------------------------------
Laurence M. Berg

                                     II-5
<PAGE>
 
/s/ Peter P. Copses                    Director
------------------------------------
Peter P. Copses

/s/ John H. Kissick                    Director
------------------------------------
John H. Kissick

/s/ William G. Petty, Jr.              Director
------------------------------------
William G. Petty, Jr.

/s/ Robert L. Rosen                    Director
------------------------------------
Robert L. Rosen

/s/ Gene E. Burleson                   Director
------------------------------------
Gene E. Burleson

/s/ Samuel B. Kellett                  Director
------------------------------------
Samuel B. Kellett

/s/ Joel S. Kanter                     Director
------------------------------------
Joel S. Kanter

/s/ Jay M. Gellert                     Director
------------------------------------ 
Jay M. Gellert

/s/ Charles B. Carden                  Executive Vice President
------------------------------------   and Chief Financial Officer  
Charles B. Carden                      (Principal Financial Officer) 
                           
/s/ Ronald W. Fleming                  Vice President, Controller
------------------------------------   and Chief Accounting Officer   
Ronald W. Fleming                      (Principal Accounting Officer) 
                           
                                     II-6
<PAGE>
 
                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS
                               -----------------



     Exhibit No.:   Description
     -----------    -----------

     5.1            Opinion of Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy LLP

     23.1           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

     23.2           Consent of Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy LLP (contained
                    in its exhibit filed as Exhibit 5.1)
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 22270}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "MARINER POST ACUTE NETWORK INC", "cik": "0000882287", "assigned-sic": "8051", "irs-number": "742012902", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0930"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-62859", "film-number": "98704032"}, "business-address": {"street1": "ONE RAVINA DR STE 1500", "street2": "STE 800", "city": "ATLANTA", "state": "GA", "zip": "30346", "phone": "6784437000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "ONE RAVINA DRIVE SUITE 1500", "street2": "SUITE 800", "city": "ATLANTA", "state": "GA", "zip": "30346"}, "former-company": [{"former-conformed-name": "PARAGON HEALTH NETWORK INC", "date-changed": "19971104"}, {"former-conformed-name": "LIVING CENTERS OF AMERICA INC", "date-changed": "19930328"}]}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 3, 1998
                                                 Registration No. 333-__________

================================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                        MARINER POST-ACUTE NETWORK, INC.
                    (FORMERLY PARAGON HEALTH NETWORK, INC.)
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

          DELAWARE                                    74-2012902
(State or Other Jurisdiction of         (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) 
Incorporation or Organization)          
 
                               ONE RAVINIA DRIVE
                                   Suite 1500
                            ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30346
              (Address of Principal Executive Offices)(Zip Code)

           PARAGON HEALTH NETWORK, INC. EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                           (Full Title of the Plan)

                              SUSAN THOMAS WHITTLE
              SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL COUNSEL AND SECRETARY
                        MARINER POST-ACUTE NETWORK, INC.
                         ONE RAVINIA DRIVE, SUITE 1500
                               ATLANTA, GA  30346
                    (Name and Address of Agent for Service)

                                 (678) 443-7000
         (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

                          COPIES OF COMMUNICATIONS TO:
                                        
  SUSAN THOMAS WHITTLE                   RICHARD H. MILLER, ESQ.
  SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL         POWELL, GOLDSTEIN, FRAZER & MURPHY LLP 
    COUNSEL AND SECRETARY                SIXTEENTH FLOOR              
  MARINER POST-ACUTE NETWORK, INC.       191 PEACHTREE STREET, N.E. 
  ONE RAVINIA DRIVE                      ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303 
  SUITE 1500                             
  ATLANTA, GA 30346

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
=====================================================================================================================
                                                          Proposed Maximum      Proposed Maximum
         Title of Securities             Amount To Be      Offering Price      Aggregate Offering       Amount of
           To Be Registered            Registered/(1)/     Per Share/(2)/          Price/(2)/        Registration Fee
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share     4,000,000              $7.4375            $29,750,000               $8,777
=====================================================================================================================
/(1)/The shares registered pursuant to this Registration Statement are to be
     issued pursuant to the Paragon Health Network, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase
     Plan (the "Plan"). This Registration Statement also covers such additional
     shares as may be issued by the Registrant under the Plan pursuant to a
     stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or similar event involving
     the Registrant's common stock.

/(2)/Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant
     to Rule 457(h)(1) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
     "Securities Act") and based on the average of the high and low sales prices
     reported on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape on August 31, 1998.
PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS

  The document(s) containing the information required to be set forth in the
Section 10(a) prospectus will be sent or given to plan participants as specified
by Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act.

                                      I-1
PART II
                                        
              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

     The following documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission") by the Registrant (File No. 1-10968) are incorporated herein
by reference:

     (1)  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30,
          1997;

     (2)  Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended December 31,
          1997, March 31, 1998 and June 30, 1998;

     (3)  Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 12, 1997, as amended by
          Current Report on Form 8-K/A dated January 20, 1998, Current Report on
          Form 8-K dated April 13, 1998 and Current Report on Form 8-K dated
          August 11, 1998; and

     (4)  The description of Common Stock contained in the Registration
          Statement on Form 8-A, as filed with the Commission on December 23,
          1991.

     All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, prior to filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then
remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement and to be part thereof from the date of filing such
documents.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

     The Registrant is a Delaware corporation. Reference is made to Section 145
of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the "DGCL"), which provides that a
corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to
be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or proceeding,
whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action
by or in the right of such corporation), by reason of the fact that such person
is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or
was serving at its request in such capacity of another corporation or business
organization against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and
amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in
connection with such action, suit or proceeding if such person acted in good
faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interest of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or
proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that such person's conduct was
unlawful. A Delaware corporation may indemnify officers and directors in an
action by or in the right of a corporation under the same conditions, except
that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if the officer or
director is adjudged to be liable to the corporation. Where an officer or
director is successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action
referred to above, the corporation must indemnify him or her against the
expenses that he or she actually and reasonably incurred.

                                     II-1
Reference is also made to Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL, which permits a
corporation to provide in its certificate of incorporation that a director of
the corporation shall not be personally liable to the corporation or its
stockholders for monetary damages for breach of the director's fiduciary duty as
a director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director's duty of
loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not
in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of
law, (iii) under Section 174 of the DGCL, or (iv) for any transaction from which
the director derived an improper personal benefit.

  Article Seventh of the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation (the "Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation")
of the Registrant provides for the elimination of personal liability of a
director for breach of fiduciary duty as permitted by Section 102(b)(7) of the
DGCL, as it may be amended from time to time. Article Eighth of the Second
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that the Registrant
shall indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by
Section 145 of the DGCL, as it may be amended from time to time. In addition,
Article VII of the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant requires
that the Registrant indemnify any person who was or is an authorized
representative of the Registrant and who was, is or is threatened to be made a
party to any third party proceeding by reason of the fact that such person was
or is an authorized representative of the Registrant against expenses,
judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred
by such person in connection with such proceeding if the person acted in good
faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to,
the best interest of the Registrant and, with respect to any criminal third
party proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such conduct was unlawful.
In a corporate proceeding, the Registrant is required to indemnify any person
who was or is an authorized representative of the Registrant and who was, is or
is threatened to be made a party to any corporate proceeding by reason of the
fact that such person was or is an authorized representative of the Registrant
against expenses actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection
with the defense or settlement of the proceeding if such person acted in good
faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best
interest of the Registrant, except that no indemnification shall be made in
respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been
adjudged to be liable to the Registrant unless and only to the extent that the
Court of Chancery or the court in which such corporate proceeding is brought
shall determine upon application that the authorized representative is fairly
and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the court shall deem
proper. To the extent that an authorized representative of the Registrant has
been successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any third party or
corporate proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such
person shall be indemnified against expenses actually and reasonably incurred by
such person in connection therewith. Any indemnification shall be made by the
Registrant only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that
indemnification is proper under the circumstances because the authorized
representative has either met the applicable standard of conduct or has been
successful on the merits or otherwise and that the amount requested has been
actually and reasonably incurred. Such determination shall be made: (i) by the
Board of Directors by a majority of a quorum consisting of directors who were
not parties to the proceeding; (ii) if such a quorum is not obtainable or, even
if obtainable, a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by independent
legal counsel in a written opinion; or (iii) by the stockholders of the
Registrant. Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by an officer or director
in defending any third party or corporate proceeding shall be paid on his or her
behalf by the Registrant in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding
upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such officer or director to
repay such amount if it is ultimately determined that he or she is not entitled
to be indemnified by the Registrant. In the case of 

                                     II-2
an authorized representative other than an officer or director, the Registrant
shall advance expenses actually and reasonably incurred in defending any third
party or corporate proceeding in advance of the final disposition of the
proceeding as authorized by the Board of Directors upon receipt of the
undertaking described above.

  The Registrant maintains at its expense a policy of insurance that insures its
directors and officers, subject to certain exclusions and deductions as are
usual in such insurance policies, against certain liabilities which may be
incurred in those capacities.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

  The following items are filed as exhibits to this Registration Statement:

  Exhibit No.:                       Description
  -----------                        -----------

     5.1         Opinion of Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy LLP

     23.1        Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

     23.2        Consent of Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy LLP (contained in
                 its exhibit filed as Exhibit 5.1)

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

     (a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

              (i)   To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
the Securities Act;

              (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-
effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent
a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities
offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that
which was registered) and any deviation from the law or high end of the
estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the
maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration
Fee" table in the effective registration statement;

              (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan
of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any
material change to such information in the Registration Statement.

                                     II-3
Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
registration statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3, and the information
required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the
registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

         (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

     (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's Annual Report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at the time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

     (h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act
and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

                                     II-4
SIGNATURES
                                   ----------

  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8, and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Atlanta, State of Georgia, on this 31st day of
August, 1998.

                              MARINER POST-ACUTE NETWORK, INC.

                              By:   /s/ Susan Thomas Whittle
                                 ---------------------------------------------
                                    Susan Thomas Whittle
                                    Senior Vice President, General Counsel and
                                    Secretary

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                               -----------------

      KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below constitutes and appoints Keith B. Pitts and Susan Thomas Whittle, or
either of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full
power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and
stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments to this
Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents, full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully as to all intents and
purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all
that each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or his or her substitute or
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration
Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated
below on August 31, 1998.

          Signature                              TITLE
          ---------                              -----
                              
/s/ Keith B. Pitts                     Chairman of the Board and Chief
------------------------------------   Executive Officer
Keith B. Pitts                         (Principal Executive Officer) 
                              
/s/ Arthur W. Stratton, Jr.            Vice Chairman of the Board,
------------------------------------   President and Chief Operating 
Arthur W. Stratton, Jr., M.D.          Officer
                              
/s/ Laurence M. Berg                   Director
------------------------------------
Laurence M. Berg

                                     II-5
/s/ Peter P. Copses                    Director
------------------------------------
Peter P. Copses

/s/ John H. Kissick                    Director
------------------------------------
John H. Kissick

/s/ William G. Petty, Jr.              Director
------------------------------------
William G. Petty, Jr.

/s/ Robert L. Rosen                    Director
------------------------------------
Robert L. Rosen

/s/ Gene E. Burleson                   Director
------------------------------------
Gene E. Burleson

/s/ Samuel B. Kellett                  Director
------------------------------------
Samuel B. Kellett

/s/ Joel S. Kanter                     Director
------------------------------------
Joel S. Kanter

/s/ Jay M. Gellert                     Director
------------------------------------ 
Jay M. Gellert

/s/ Charles B. Carden                  Executive Vice President
------------------------------------   and Chief Financial Officer  
Charles B. Carden                      (Principal Financial Officer) 
                           
/s/ Ronald W. Fleming                  Vice President, Controller
------------------------------------   and Chief Accounting Officer   
Ronald W. Fleming                      (Principal Accounting Officer) 
                           
                                     II-6
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
                               -----------------

     Exhibit No.:   Description
     -----------    -----------

     5.1            Opinion of Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy LLP

     23.1           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

     23.2           Consent of Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy LLP (contained
                    in its exhibit filed as Exhibit 5.1)