UNITED STATES

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): April 8, 2011

KINDRED HEALTHCARE, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

680 South Fourth Street

Louisville, Kentucky

(Address of principal executive offices)

40202-2412

(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (502) 596-7300

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation to the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Item 8.01. Other Events.

On April 11, 2011, Kindred Healthcare, Inc. (“Kindred”) and RehabCare Group, Inc. (“RehabCare”) today jointly announced that the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Improvement Act of 1976 for Kindred’s previously announced acquisition of RehabCare was terminated on April 8, 2011. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

Additional Information About this Transaction

In connection with the pending transaction with RehabCare, Kindred has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (commission file number 333-173050) that includes a joint proxy statement of Kindred and RehabCare that also constitutes a prospectus of Kindred. Kindred and RehabCare will mail the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus to their respective stockholders after the Registration Statement has been declared effective by the SEC. WE URGE INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS TO READ THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE PENDING TRANSACTION WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE BECAUSE IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION. You may obtain a free copy of the joint proxy statement/prospectus (when available) and other related documents filed by Kindred and RehabCare with the SEC at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The joint proxy statement/prospectus (when available) and the other documents filed by Kindred and RehabCare with the SEC may also be obtained for free by accessing Kindred’s website at www. kindredhealthcare.com and clicking on the “Investors” link and then clicking on the link for “SEC Filings” or by accessing RehabCare’s website at www.RehabCare.com and clicking on the “Investor Information” link and then clicking on the link for “SEC Filings”.

Participants in this Transaction

Kindred, RehabCare and their respective directors, executive officers and certain other members of management and employees may be soliciting proxies from their respective stockholders in favor of the pending transaction. You can find information about Kindred’s executive officers and directors in Kindred’s joint proxy statement/prospectus. You can find information about RehabCare’s executive officers and directors in its definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on March 23, 2010. You can obtain a free copy of these documents from Kindred or RehabCare, respectively, using the contact information above.

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this document contains forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Kindred and RehabCare caution readers that any forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and that actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the business combination transaction involving Kindred and RehabCare, including future financial and operating results, the combined company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: (a) the receipt of all required licensure and regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of the closing conditions to the acquisition of RehabCare by Kindred, including approval of the pending transaction by the stockholders of the respective companies, and Kindred’s ability to complete the required financing as contemplated by the financing commitment; (b) Kindred’s ability to integrate the operations of the acquired hospitals and rehabilitation services operations and realize the anticipated revenues, economies of scale, cost synergies and productivity gains in connection with the RehabCare acquisition and any other acquisitions that may be undertaken during 2011, as and when planned, including the potential for unanticipated issues, expenses and liabilities associated with those acquisitions and the risk that RehabCare fails to meet its expected financial and operating

targets; (c) the potential for diversion of management time and resources in seeking to complete the RehabCare acquisition and integrate its operations; (d) the potential failure to retain key employees of RehabCare; (e) the impact of Kindred’s significantly increased levels of indebtedness as a result of the RehabCare acquisition on Kindred’s funding costs, operating flexibility and ability to fund ongoing operations with additional borrowings, particularly in light of ongoing volatility in the credit and capital markets; (f) the potential for dilution to Kindred stockholders as a result of the RehabCare acquisition; and (g) the ability of Kindred to operate pursuant to the terms of its debt obligations, including Kindred’s obligations under financings undertaken to complete the RehabCare acquisition, and the ability of Kindred to operate pursuant to its master lease agreements with Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR). Additional factors that may affect future results are contained in Kindred’s and RehabCare’s filings with the SEC, which are available at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. Many of these factors are beyond the control of Kindred or RehabCare. Kindred and RehabCare disclaim any obligation to update and revise statements contained in these materials based on new information or otherwise.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

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 hereto duly authorized.