SNH Senior Housing Properties Trust

Senior Housing Properties Trust (NYSE: SNH) today announced that the characterization of dividends for 2013 income tax reporting purposes is as follows:

Common Shares

        Dividend Allocation Per Share       Unrecaptured   Declaration Record Paid/Payable Dividends Ordinary Qualified Capital Section 1250 Return of Dates Dates Dates Per Share Income Dividend Gain Gain Capital 01/10/13 01/22/13 02/20/13 $0.39 $0.2582 $0.0000 $0.0121 $0.0367 $0.0831 04/02/13 04/17/13 05/21/13 $0.39 $0.2582 $0.0000 $0.0121 $0.0367 $0.0831 07/03/13 07/17/13 08/21/13 $0.39 $0.2582 $0.0000 $0.0121 $0.0367 $0.0831 10/03/13 10/17/13 11/21/13 $0.39 $0.2582 $0.0000 $0.0121 $0.0367 $0.0831 TOTALS: $1.56 $1.0328 $0.0000 $0.0484 $0.1468 $0.3324 100.00% 66.19% 0.00% 3.10% 9.41% 21.30%

SNH’s common share CUSIP number is 81721M109. This information represents final income allocations.

Senior Housing Properties Trust is a real estate investment trust, or REIT, which owns independent and assisted living communities, medical office buildings, nursing homes and wellness centers throughout the United States. 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.

Senior Housing Properties TrustTimothy A. Bonang, Vice President, Investor RelationsKim Brown, Director, Investor Relations(617) 796-8234www.snhreit.com