UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                  SCHEDULE 13G

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                (Amendment No. )*

                            Kindred Healthcare, Inc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)

                     Common Stock, par value $0.25 per share
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                   494580 10 3
                                  -------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)

                                 April 20, 2001
                                 --------------
             (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

           Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to
                         which this Schedule is filed:
                                [ ] Rule 13d-1(b)
                                [ ] Rule 13d-1(c)
                                [x] Rule 13d-1(d)

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).






---------------------                                          -----------------
CUSIP No. 494580 10 3                   13G                    Page 2 of 7 Pages
---------------------                                          -----------------

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        1  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
           S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
           Ventas Realty, Limited Partnership.
           I.R.S. Identification No. [                     ]
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        2  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                                         (a) [ ]
                                                                         (b) [X]

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        3  SEC USE ONLY

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        4  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

           Delaware
-------------------- ------ ----------------------------------------------------
                         5  SOLE VOTING POWER

                            -0-
                     ------ ----------------------------------------------------
     NUMBER OF           6  SHARED VOTING POWER
      SHARES
   BENEFICIALLY             1,498,500
     OWNED BY
       EACH          ------ ----------------------------------------------------
     REPORTING           7  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
      PERSON
       WITH                 -0-

                     ------ ----------------------------------------------------
                           8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                            1,498,500
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        9  AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

           1,498,500 (as of April 20, 2001 and October 10, 2001)
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       10  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       11  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

           9.99% (as of April 20, 2001) and 9.6% (as of October 10, 2001)
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

           PN
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------

                      *SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT!






---------------------                                          -----------------
CUSIP No. 494580 10 3                   13G                    Page 3 of 7 Pages
---------------------                                          -----------------

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        1  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
           S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
           Ventas, Inc.
           I.R.S. Identification No. [                     ]

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        2  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                                         (a) [ ]
                                                                         (b) [X]

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        3  SEC USE ONLY

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        4  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

           Delaware
-------------------- ------ ----------------------------------------------------
                         5  SOLE VOTING POWER

                            -0-
                     ------ ----------------------------------------------------
     NUMBER OF           6  SHARED VOTING POWER
      SHARES
   BENEFICIALLY             1,498,500
     OWNED BY
       EACH          ------ ----------------------------------------------------
     REPORTING           7  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
      PERSON
       WITH                 -0-

                     ------ ----------------------------------------------------
                           8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                            1,498,500
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        9  AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

           1,498,500 (as of April 20, 2001 and October 10, 2001)
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       10  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*

---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       11  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

           9.99% (as of April 20, 2001) and 9.6% (as of October 10, 2001)
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

           CO
---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------

                      *SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT!






Item 1(a).          Name of Issuer:
---------           --------------

                    Kindred Healthcare, Inc. (the "Issuer")

Item 1(b).          Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
---------           -----------------------------------------------

                    Kindred Healthcare, Inc.
                    680 South Fourth St.
                    Louisville, Kentucky 40202

Items 2(a),         Name of Person Filing; Address of Principal
-----------         -------------------------------------------
(b) and (c)         Business Office; and citizenship:
-----------         ---------------------------------

                    This statement is filed by and on behalf of
                    (a) Ventas, Inc., a Delaware corporation
                    ("Ventas") and (b) Ventas Realty, Limited
                    Partnership, a Delaware limited partnership
                    ("Ventas Realty"). Ventas is the general
                    partner of Ventas Realty and the sole member
                    of the only limited partner of Ventas Realty;
                    therefore, Ventas Realty is a wholly owned
                    subsidiary of Ventas. The business address of
                    each of the foregoing is 4360 Brownsboro
                    Road, Suite 115, Louisville, Kentucky
                    40207-1642.

                    Each of Ventas and Ventas Realty have shared
                    ownership and voting dispositive power with
                    respect to 1,498,500 shares of Common Stock
                    (as defined below).

Item 2(d).          Title of Class of Securities:
---------           ----------------------------

                    Common Stock, par value $0.25 per share (the "Common Stock")

Item 2(e).          CUSIP Number:
---------           ------------

                    494580 10 3

Item 3.             Not Applicable

Item 4.             Ownership:
------              ---------






                    Ventas, Inc.
                    ------------

                    (a) Amount beneficially owned: 1,498,500 shares of Common
                    Stock (as of April 20, 2001 and October 10, 2001).

                    (b) Percent of Class: 9.99% (as of April 20, 2001) and 9.6%
                    (as of October 10, 2001).

                    (c) Number of shares as to which the person has:

                         (i) Sole power to vote or direct the vote: -0-

                         (ii) Shared power to vote or direct the vote: 1,498,500

                         (iii) Sole power to dispose of or direct the
                         disposition of: -0-

                         (iv) Shared power to dispose of or direct the
                         disposition of: 1,498,500

                    Ventas Realty, Limited Partnership
                    ----------------------------------

                    (a) Amount beneficially owned: 1,498,500 shares of Common
                    Stock (as of April 20, 2001 and October 10, 2001).

                    (b) Percent of Class: 9.99% (as of April 20, 2001) and 9.6%
                    (as of October 10, 2001).

                    (c) Number of shares as to which the person has:

                         (i) Sole power to vote or direct the vote: -0-

                         (ii) Shared power to vote or direct the vote: 1,498,500

                         (iii) Sole power to dispose of or direct the
                         disposition of: -0-

                         (iv) Shared power to dispose of or direct the
                         disposition of: 1,498,500

Item 5.             Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:
------              --------------------------------------------

                    Not Applicable.

Item 6.             Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another
-------             --------------------------------------------------------
                    Person:
                    -------






                    Not Applicable

Item 7.             Identification and Classification of the
------              ----------------------------------------
                    Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being
                    --------------------------------------------
                    Reported on By the Parent Holding Company:
                    -----------------------------------------

                    Ventas Realty received the shares being reported on this
                    Schedule 13G by Ventas. Ventas is the general partner of
                    Ventas Realty and Ventas Realty is a wholly owned subsidiary
                    of Ventas.

Item 8.             Identification and Classification of
------              -------------------------------------
                    Members of the Group:
                    --------------------

                    Not Applicable

Item 9.             Notice of Dissolution of Group:
------              ------------------------------

                    Not Applicable

Item 10.            Certification:
-------             -------------

                    Not Applicable






                                    SIGNATURE
                                    ---------

     After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.

Dated: October 10, 2001


                                        VENTAS, INC.

                                        By: /s/ T. Richard Riney
                                            ------------------------------
                                            Name:  T. Richard Riney
                                            Title: Executive Vice President and
                                                   General Counsel


                                        VENTAS REALTY, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
                                        By: Ventas, Inc., its General Partner

                                        By: /s/ T. Richard Riney
                                            ------------------------------
                                            Name:  T. Richard Riney
                                            Title: Executive Vice President and
                                                   General Counsel