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 * CROCKER DOUGLAS II   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol VENTAS INC [VTR] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) 71 SOUTH WACKER DRIVE, SUITE 3400 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 01/01/2009 (Street) CHICAGO, IL 60606 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 01/01/2009   A   558.534 (1) A $ 33.57 61,474.736 D   Common Stock 01/01/2009   A   2,059 (2) A $ 0 63,708.245 (3) D

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)

$ 33.57

01/01/2009

A

5,000 (4)

01/01/2009(5)

01/01/2019

Common Stock

5,000

$ 0

30,000

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
CROCKER DOUGLAS II 71 SOUTH WACKER DRIVE, SUITE 3400 CHICAGO, IL 60606	X

Signatures

Douglas Crocker II, By: T. Richard Riney, Attorney-In-Fact		01/05/2009
**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)	Common Stock in the form of Units granted under the Ventas Nonemployee Director Deferred Stock Compensation Plan (the "Plan") in lieu of Director fees pursuant to the Director's deferral election. Such Units are payable solely in Common Stock and subject to the terms and conditions of the Director's deferral election and the Plan.
(2)	Restricted Stock granted by Issuer pursuant to the Ventas, Inc. 2006 Stock Plan for Directors (the "Stock Plan"). This Restricted Stock vests in two equal annual installments beginning on the first anniversary of the date of the grant.
(3)	Includes 174.509 Units acquired on December 30, 2008 under the Plan as a result of dividend equivalents credited with respect to the dividend on Issuer's common stock paid on December 30, 2008.
(4)	Stock Options granted by Issuer pursuant to the Stock Plan.
(5)	These options vest in two equal annual installments beginning on the date of grant.

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