NEWTON, Mass. -- (Business Wire)

Senior Housing Properties Trust (NYSE: SNH) today announced that the underwriters of its public offering have exercised, in full, their over-allotment option to purchase an additional 1,200,000 common shares. The sale of the additional common shares and the sale of the original public offering of 8,000,000 common shares are expected to close on Tuesday, October 18, 2011.

The joint book-running managers for this offering are Jefferies & Company, Inc., BofA Merrill Lynch and Citigroup. The co-lead managers for this offering are Morgan Keegan, Morgan Stanley, RBC Capital Markets, UBS Investment Bank and Wells Fargo Securities. The co-managers for this offering are BB&T Capital Markets, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, JMP Securities and Oppenheimer & Co.

This press release is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy shares, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which the offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. The prospectus supplement relating to this offering and related prospectus have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and copies can be obtained by contacting the offices of: Jefferies & Company, Inc., 520 Madison Avenue, 12th floor, New York, NY 10022, telephone: (877) 547-6340, BofA Merrill Lynch, 4 World Financial Center, New York NY 10080, Attn: Prospectus Department or email dg.prospectus_requests@baml.com, or Citigroup, Prospectus Department, Brooklyn Army Terminal, 140 58th Street, 8th floor, Brooklyn, NY 11220, telephone: (800) 831-9146.

WARNING CONCERNING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

THIS PRESS RELEASE INCLUDES FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995 AND OTHER SECURITIES LAWS. THESE FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE BASED UPON SNH'S PRESENT BELIEFS AND EXPECTATIONS, BUT THESE FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE NOT GUARANTEED. FOR EXAMPLE:

• THIS PRESS RELEASE STATES THAT THE SALE OF THE 1,200,000 ADDITIONAL COMMON SHARES AND THE SALE OF THE ORIGINAL PUBLIC OFFERING OF 8,000,000 COMMON SHARES ARE EXPECTED TO CLOSE ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2011. IN FACT, THE CLOSINGS OF THESE SALES ARE SUBJECT TO VARIOUS CONDITIONS CUSTOMARY IN TRANSACTIONS OF THIS TYPE. IF THESE CONDITIONS ARE NOT SATISFIED, THESE SALES MAY NOT CLOSE.

FOR THESE REASONS, AMONG OTHERS, INVESTORS ARE CAUTIONED NOT TO PLACE UNDUE RELIANCE UPON FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS.

A Maryland Real Estate Investment Trust with transferable shares of beneficial interest listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
No shareholder, Trustee or officer is personally liable for any act or obligation of the Trust.

Contacts:

Senior Housing Properties Trust
Timothy A. Bonang, (617) 796-8234
Vice President, Investor Relations
or
Elisabeth A. Heiss, (617) 796-8234
Manager, Investor Relations

Source: Senior Housing Properties Trust