Exhibit 99

Contact: Roger R. Hopkins, Chief Accounting Officer

Phone: (615) 890-9100

NHI Announces Third Quarter Dividend

MURFREESBORO, Tenn.--(September 16, 2013)-- National Health Investors, Inc. (NYSE:NHI) announced today it will pay its third quarter dividend of $.735 per common share to shareholders of record on September 30, 2013 and payable on November 8, 2013.

National Health Investors, Inc. is a healthcare real estate investment trust specializing in financing healthcare real estate by purchase and leaseback transactions, RIDEA transactions and by mortgage loans. NHI's investments include assisted living, senior living campuses, independent living, skilled nursing facilities, medical office buildings, and hospitals. Find additional information about NHI at www.nhireit.com.

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. NHI cautions investors that any forward-looking statements may involve risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. All forward-looking statements represent NHI's judgment as of the date of this release. Investors are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made by NHI in its periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risk factors and other information disclosed in NHI's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year. Copies of these filings are available at no cost on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov or on NHI's website at http://www.nhireit.com.