8-K

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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                 ==============

                                    FORM 8-K

                Current Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       The Securities Exchange Act of 1934


      Date of report (date of earliest event reported): December 16, 1997

                            ARV ASSISTED LIVING, INC.
               (Exact name of Registrant as specified in charter)


           CALIFORNIA                                         33-0160968
(State or other jurisdiction of         000-26980           (I.R.S. Employer
         incorporation)         (Commission File Number)  Identification Number)


        245 FISCHER AVENUE                                            92626
             SUITE D-1                                              (Zip Code)
       COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA
(Address of principal executive offices)



       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (714) 751-7400


                                      None
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)


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        ITEM 5: OTHER EVENTS

        On December 16, 1997, ARV Assisted Living, Inc. (the "Company")
announced that Lawrence B. Murphy will not be joining the Company as its new
President and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Murphy cited family and health
considerations as reasons for his decision to remain with Marriott rather 
than to join the Company. The Company also announced that John A. Booty will 
continue as interim President of the Company.

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        ITEM 7: FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION
                AND EXHIBITS.

                (a)  Exhibits

        NUMBER       EXHIBIT
        ------       -------

         99.1        Press Release dated December 16, 1997 relating to the 
                     announcement that Lawrence B. Murphy will not be joining
                     the Company as its new President and Chief Executive 
                     Officer.



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                               SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

DATE:  December 30, 1997              ARV ASSISTED LIVING, INC.


                                      By: /s/ SHEILA M. MULDOON
                                         --------------------------------------
                                                   Sheila M. Muldoon
                                          Vice President and General Counsel

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EX-99.1

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                                                                   EXHIBIT 99.1

                      [LETTERHEAD OF ARV ASSISTED LIVING]


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Mitch Gellman
          Director of Investor Relations
          714/435/4322
          E-Mail: investor.relations@arvi.com


ARV ASSISTED LIVING ANNOUNCES THAT LARRY MURPHY WILL NOT BE JOINING THE COMPANY



COSTA MESA, California -- December 16, 1997 -- ARV Assisted Living, Inc.
(AMEX:SRS) announced today that its new President and Chief Operating Officer,
Lawrence Murphy, will not be joining the company, citing family and health
reasons. "We are disappointed that Larry will not be joining us," said Howard G.
Phanstiel, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ARV. "Larry is an outstanding
executive with an excellent reputation in the assisted living industry. We had
very much looked forward to working with him. We certainly understand his
decision and wish him the very best."

"I regret that circumstances prevent me from pursuing my opportunity with ARV.
I have only the highest regard for its management and its potential in the
assisted living business," said Murphy.

ARV further noted that Murphy would remain with Marriott and that Mr. Murphy
and ARV had agreed to terminate his employment. John A. Booty, co-founder and
current member of the Company's board of directors, will continue as interim 
President.

ARV Assisted Living Inc., formerly American Retirement Villas Corporation, was
founded in 1980. ARV is one of the nation's leading providers of assisted
living. The company operates 49 communities containing about 6,300 units in 11
states. It has six communities under construction in California, Florida,
Massachusetts and Nevada.

Photographs of Howard G. Phanstiel and John A. Booty are Available