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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Form 10 - K ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2020 Washington , D.C. 20549 TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Commission File Number 001-32641 Delaware ( State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization ) or BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC . ( Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter ) 111 Westwood Place , Suite 400 , Brentwood , Tennessee ( Address of principal executive offices ) Registrant's telephone number including area code 20-3068069 ( I.R.S. Employer Identification No. ) Large accelerated filer Non - accelerated filer 37027 ( Zip Code ) ( 615 ) 221-2250 SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 ( b ) OF THE ACT : Trading Symbol ( s ) Name of each exchange on which registered New York Stock Exchange Title of each class BKD Common Stock , $ 0.01 Par Value Per Share SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 ( g ) OF THE ACT : None Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well - known seasoned issuer , as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act . Yes No Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15 ( d ) of the Act . Yes ¨ No > Indicate by check mark whether the registrant : ( 1 ) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 ( d ) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports ) , and ( 2 ) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days . Yes > No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S - T ( § 232.405 of this chapter ) during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files ) . Yes No " Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer , an accelerated filer , a non - accelerated filer , a smaller reporting company , or an emerging growth company . See the definitions of " large accelerated filer , " " accelerated filer , " " smaller reporting company , " and " emerging growth company " in Rule 12b - 2 of the Exchange Act . Accelerated filer Smaller reporting company Emerging growth company If an emerging growth company , indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13 ( a ) of the Exchange Act . ¨