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 * HOWE JOHN P MD   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol BEVERLY ENTERPRISES INC [BEV] 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) ONE THOUSAND BEVERLY WAY 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 03/14/2006 (Street) FORT SMITH, AR 72919 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 $.10 Par Value Common Stock 03/14/2006   A(1)   47,372.0723 A (1) 57,456.0723 D   $.10 Par Value Common Stock 03/14/2006   D(2)   47,372.0723 D $ 12.5 10,084 D   $.10 Par Value Common Stock 03/14/2006   D(2)   10,084 D $ 12.5 0 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

Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 3.64

03/14/2006

D

11,000

(3)

06/02/2013

$.10 Par Value Common Stock

11,000

$ 8.86 (4)

0

D

Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 7.81

03/14/2006

D

11,000

(3)

06/01/2012

$.10 Par Value Common Stock

11,000

$ 4.69 (4)

0

D

Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 11

03/14/2006

D

10,083

(3)

07/19/2011

$.10 Par Value Common Stock

10,083

$ 1.5 (4)

0

D

PHANTOM STOCK UNITS

(1)

03/14/2006

D

47,372.0723

(1)

(1)

$.10 Par Value Common Stock

47,372.0723

(1)

0

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
HOWE JOHN P MD ONE THOUSAND BEVERLY WAY FORT SMITH, AR 72919	X

Signatures

By: Brenda Boster, by Power of Attorney For: John P. Howe		03/15/2006
**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)	In accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement entered into by and between Beverly Enterprises, Inc. and Pearl Senior Care, LLC et al. the phantom units deferred under the terms of the Non-Employee Director Deferred Compensation Plan (NEDDCP) vested and converted into common stock.
(2)	In accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement entered into by and between Beverly Enterprises, Inc. and Pearl Senior Care, LLC et al. the stock held by the Reporting Person were disposed of pursuant to the Merger Agreement.
(3)	This option was fully vested and was cancelled in the merger between Beverly Enterprises, Inc. and Pearl Senior Care, LLC (the "Merger") in exchange for a cash payment representing the difference between the exercise price of the option and the Merger consideration of $12.50 per share for the underlying common stock.
(4)	Represents the difference between the per share exercise price of the option and the per share merger consideration.

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