Senior Housing Properties Trust Appoints a New Independent Trustee and a Lead Independent Trustee

Senior Housing Properties Trust (NYSE: SNH) today announced the appointment of Ms. Lisa Harris Jones as a new Independent Trustee and Mr. Jeffrey P. Somers as Lead Independent Trustee.

Ms. Harris Jones is a member of the Maryland law firm Harris, Jones & Malone, which she founded in 2000, and today is one of the most successful female and minority owned professional firms in the United States. She has been active in numerous civic organizations, and in 2012 was the recipient of the YWCA Greater Baltimore Special Leadership Award. The SNH Board has determined that Ms. Harris Jones is an “Independent Trustee” as defined by the applicable rules of the New York Stock Exchange, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and SNH’s Bylaws. Ms. Harris Jones will chair SNH’s Nominating and Governance Committee.

Mr. Somers will serve as the first Lead Independent Trust of the SNH Board. Mr. Somers, who has served on the SNH Board since 2009, is Of Counsel with the law firm of Morse, Barnes-Brown & Pendleton, PC, of Waltham, MA, where he previously served as managing member for a number of years. He held the same role at his prior law firm and began his legal career as a staff attorney at the SEC. In addition to serving as Lead Independent Trustee, Mr. Somers will now chair SNH’s Compensation Committee. He is succeeded by Ms. Harris Jones as the chair of SNH’s Nominating & Governance Committee.

Ms. Harris Jones replaces Mr. Fred Zeytoonjian, who retired from SNH’s Board. Mr. Zeytoonjian’s resignation was not the result of any disagreement with SNH.

Senior Housing Properties Trust is a real estate investment trust that owns senior living and healthcare related properties, including independent and assisted living communities, nursing homes, medical office buildings and biotech research laboratories. SNH’s investment portfolio includes 428 properties, located in 43 states and Washington, D.C., which are leased to approximately 650 different tenants. SNH is headquartered in Newton, MA.

A Maryland Real Estate Investment Trust with transferable shares of beneficial interest listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

No shareholder, Trustee or officer is personally liable for any act or obligation of the Trust.

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