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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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * GRUA PETER J   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol HEALTH CARE REIT INC /DE/ [HCN] 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) C/O HEALTH CARE REIT, INC., ONE SEAGATE, SUITE 1500 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 01/21/2010 (Street) TOLEDO, OH 43604 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 01/21/2010   M   572 A $ 0 (1) 572 D   Common Stock 01/22/2010   M   510 A $ 0 (2) 1,082 D   Common Stock               20,518 I LLC (3)

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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

Deferred Stock Units

$ 0 (4)

01/21/2010

M

572

01/21/2010(4)

01/21/2010(4)

Common

572 (1)

$ 0 (4)

3,108

D

Deferred Stock Units

$ 0 (5)

01/22/2010

M

510

01/22/2010(5)

01/22/2010(5)

Common

510 (2)

$ 0 (5)

2,598 (6)

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
GRUA PETER J C/O HEALTH CARE REIT, INC. ONE SEAGATE, SUITE 1500 TOLEDO, OH 43604	X

Signatures

By: Erin C. Ibele Attorney-in-Fact For: Peter J. Grua		01/22/2010
**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)	The reported transaction was a vesting of 572 deferred stock units on January 21, 2010, resulting in the issuance of 572 shares of common stock. No amount was payable in connection with the vesting or the common stock issuance.
(2)	The reported transaction was a vesting of 510 deferred stock units on January 22, 2010, resulting in the issuance of 510 shares of common stock. No amount was payable in connection with the vesting or the common stock issuance.
(3)	The reported shares are held by Front Garden Investment LLC, a wholly-owned limited liability company. Prior to February 23, 2009, these shares were held directly.
(4)	These deferred stock units were granted without cash consideration on January 21, 2008 under the 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 three installments, with 572 units having vested on January 21 of each of 2009 and 2010 and 571 units vesting on January 21, 2011.
(5)	These deferred stock units were granted without cash consideration on January 22, 2007 under the 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 three installments, with 511 units having vested on January 22, 2008 and 510 units having vested on January 22 of each of 2009 and 2010.
(6)	Includes (i) 571 deferred stock units granted on January 21, 2008 that vest on January 21, 2011, and (ii) 2,027 deferred stock units granted on January 29, 2009, with 676 units vesting on January 29 of each of 2010 and 2011 and 675 units vesting on January 29, 2012.

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