Exhibit 5.1

BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC.

111 Westwood Place, Suite 400

Brentwood, Tennessee 37027

July 26, 2024

Brookdale Senior Living Inc.

111 Westwood Place, Suite 400

Brentwood, Tennessee 37027

Re: Brookdale Senior Living Inc. Registration Statement on Form S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Brookdale Senior Living Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and as such have acted as counsel to the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), relating to the 12,626,920 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Shares”) that may be issued and sold under the Brookdale Senior Living Inc. 2024 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”).

This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act.

In rendering the opinion set forth herein, I have examined and relied on originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to my satisfaction, of such documents as I have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinion set forth below.

In my examination, I have assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to me as facsimile, electronic, certified or photostatic copies and the authenticity of the originals of such copies. In making my examination of executed documents, I have assumed that the parties thereto, other than the Company, had the power, corporate or other, to enter into and perform all obligations thereunder and have also assumed the due authorization by all requisite action, corporate or other, and the execution and delivery by such parties of such documents and the validity and binding effect thereof on such parties. As to any facts material to the opinion expressed herein that I did not independently establish or verify, I have relied upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others and of public officials.

Based upon the foregoing, I am of the opinion that the Shares to be issued under the Plan have been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of the Plan, will be legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

I am admitted to practice law in the State of Tennessee, and I do not express any opinion as to the laws of any other jurisdiction other than the existing laws of the United States of America and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and further consent to all references to me, if any, in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus constituting a part thereof and any amendments thereto. In giving this consent, I do not thereby admit that I am included in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission.

This opinion is intended solely for use in connection with the issuance and sale of shares subject to the Registration Statement and is not to be relied upon for any other purpose. This opinion is rendered as of the date first written above and based solely on my understanding of facts in existence as of such date after the aforementioned examination. I assume no obligation to advise you of any fact, circumstance, event or change in the law or the facts that may hereafter be brought to my attention whether or not such occurrence would affect or modify the opinions expressed herein.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Chad C. White

Chad C. White

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary