Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF 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
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0104
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Brinker Scott M
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
01/27/2012		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
HEALTH CARE REIT INC /DE/ [HCN]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
4500 DORR STREET		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
EVP - Investments
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

TOLEDO, OH 43615		 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 Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 23,861
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Option (Right-to-Buy) 01/15/2008(1) 01/22/2017 Common 3,609 (1) $ 45.73 D  
Option (Right-to-Buy) 01/15/2009(2) 01/21/2018 Common 5,001 (2) $ 40.83 D  
Option (Right-to-Buy) 01/15/2010(3) 01/29/2019 Common 4,281 (3) $ 37 D  
Option (Right-to-Buy) 01/15/2011(4) 01/28/2020 Common 3,996 (4) $ 43.29 D  
Option (Right-to-Buy) 01/15/2012(5) 01/27/2021 Common 5,208 (5) $ 49.17 D  
Option (Right-to-Buy) 01/15/2013(6) 01/26/2022 Common 18,002 (6) $ 57.33 D  
Deferred Stock Units 01/31/2012(7) 01/31/2017 Common 6,977 (7) $ 0 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Brinker Scott M
4500 DORR STREET
TOLEDO, OH 43615		       EVP - Investments  

Signatures

By: Erin C. Ibele Attorney-in-Fact For: Scott M. Brinker 01/31/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(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) Options for the purchase of 3,609 shares of common stock at $45.73 per share were granted to Mr. Brinker on January 22, 2007. Options for the purchase of 723 shares vested on January 15, 2008, options for the purchase of 722 shares vested on January 15 of each of 2009 and 2010 and options for the purchase of 721 shares vested on January 15 of each of 2011 and 2012.
(2) Options for the purchase of 5,001 shares of common stock at $40.83 per share were granted to Mr. Brinker on January 21, 2008. Options for the purchase of 1,001 shares vested on January 15, 2009, options for the purchase of 1,000 shares vested on January 15 of each of 2010, 2011 and 2012 and options for the purchase of 1,000 shares will vest on January 15, 2013.
(3) Options for the purchase of 7,135 shares of common stock at $37.00 per share were granted to Mr. Brinker on January 29, 2009. Options for the purchase of 2,854 shares have previously been exercised. Of the remaining options, options for the purchase of 1,427 shares vested on January 15, 2012 and options for the purchase of 1,427 shares will vest on January 15 of each of 2013 and 2014.
(4) Options for the purchase of 3,996 shares of common stock at $43.29 per share were granted to Mr. Brinker on January 28, 2010. Options for the purchase of 800 shares vested on January 15, 2011, options for the purchase of 799 shares vested on January 15, 2012 and options for the purchase of 799 shares will vest on January 15 of each of 2013, 2014 and 2015.
(5) Options for the purchase of 5,208 shares of common stock at $49.17 per share were granted to Mr. Brinker on January 27, 2011. Options for the purchase of 1,042 shares vested on January 15, 2012, options for the purchase of 1,042 shares will vest on January 15 of each of 2013 and 2014 and options for the purchase of 1,041 shares will vest on January 15 of each of 2015 and 2016.
(6) Options for the purchase of 18,002 shares of common stock at $57.33 per share were granted to Mr. Brinker on January 26, 2012. Options for the purchase of 3,601 shares will vest on January 15 of each of 2013 and 2014 and options for the purchase of 3,600 shares will vest on January 15 of each of 2015, 2016 and 2017.
(7) These deferred stock units were granted without cash consideration on January 26, 2012 under the Amended and Restated Health Care REIT, Inc. 2005 Long-Term Incentive Plan. Each deferred stock unit represents a right to receive one share of common stock of Health Care REIT, Inc. at the time of vesting of the unit. These deferred stock units vest in four installments with 1,745 units vesting on January 31, 2012 and 1,744 units vesting on January 31 of each of 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.