Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
SCHWEINHART RICHARD A
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
VENTAS INC [VTR] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
EVP & Chief Fin. Officer
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
10350 ORMSBY PARK PLACE, SUITE 300		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
05/25/2012
(Street)

LOUISVILLE,, KY 40223		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 05/25/2012   M   41,604 A $ 25.19 171,797.234 D  
Common Stock 05/25/2012   M   50,276 A $ 30.83 222,073.234 D  
Common Stock 05/25/2012   M   32,713 A $ 43.26 254,786.234 D  
Common Stock 05/25/2012   S(1)   124,593 D $ 58.1767 130,193.234 D  
Common Stock               1,605 I By IRA

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 25.19 05/25/2012   M     41,604 01/18/2005(2) 01/18/2015 Common Stock 41,604 $ 0 298,798 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 30.83 05/25/2012   M     50,276 01/27/2006(3) 01/27/2016 Common Stock 50,276 $ 0 248,522 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 43.26 05/25/2012   M     32,713 01/17/2007(4) 01/17/2017 Common Stock 32,713 $ 0 215,809 (5) D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
SCHWEINHART RICHARD A
10350 ORMSBY PARK PLACE, SUITE 300
LOUISVILLE,, KY 40223		       EVP & Chief Fin. Officer  

Signatures

 Richard A. Schweinhart, By: T. Richard Riney, Attorney-In-Fact   05/25/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) On May 25, 2012, the Reporting Person transmitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission a Form 144 covering the sale of the Issuer's common stock reported on Table I. The price reported in column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold by the Reporting Person in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $57.94 to $58.48, inclusive. Reporting Person undertakes to provide the Issuer, any security holder of the Issuer or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the range set forth in this footnote (1).
(2) These options were part of a previously reported grant of 41,604 on January 18, 2005, by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vested in three equal installments on January 18, 2005, January 18, 2006 and January 18, 2007.
(3) These options were part of a previously reported grant of 50,276 on January 27, 2006, by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vested in three equal installments on January 27, 2006, January 27, 2007 and January 27, 2008.
(4) These options were part of a previously reported grant of 32,713 on January 17, 2007, by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vested in three equal installments on January 17, 2007, January 17, 2008 and January 17, 2009.
(5) Represents total number of unexercised stock options held by the Reporting Person as of May 25, 2012.

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