As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 23, 1996.

     ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                        REGISTRATION STATEMENT NO. 333-
********************************************************************************

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C.  20549

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     Under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                MANOR CARE, INC.
                                ----------------
               (Exact name of issuer as specified in its charter)

          Delaware                                         52-1200376
          ---------                                        ----------
     (State or other jurisdiction                (I.R.S. Employer
     of incorporation or organization)           Identification No.)
 
     11555 Darnestown Road
     Gaithersburg, Maryland                      20878
     ----------------------                      -----
     (Address of Principal                       (Zip Code)
     Executive Offices)

                                MANOR CARE, INC.
               NONQUALIFIED RETIREMENT SAVINGS & INVESTMENT PLAN
               -------------------------------------------------
                            (Full title of the plan)
                                        
                              James H. Rempe, Esq.
              Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
                             11555 Darnestown Road
                            Gaithersburg, MD  20878
                            -----------------------
                    (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (301) 979-4265
                                 --------------
         (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 
 
                                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
************************************************************************************************************
                                                             Proposed         Proposed  
Title of                                                     Maximum          Maximum         Amount     
Each Class of                                 Amount         Offering         Aggregate         Of       
Securities                                    To Be          Price Per        Offering        Registration  
To Be Registered                            Registered       Share*           Price*          Fee*      
- ----------------                            ----------       --------         -----------     ------------      
                                                                                             
                                                                                                          
Common Stock,                                   25,000 Shs.   $25.625         $640,625        $220.91  
par value of $.10          
per share                  
                           
************************************************************************************************************
 
(*)     Estimated pursuant to Rule 457 solely for the purpose of calculating the
        registration fee. Estimate based on the average of the high and low
        share prices reported on the New York Stock Exchange for December 19,
        1996.

 
                                 PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

          Except as set forth below with respect to Items 4, 7, 8 and 9 of Form
S-8, the contents of the Registrant's Annual Report and Form 10-K for fiscal
year ended May 31, 1996 containing audited financial statements for the fiscal
year ended May 31, 1996, Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended August 31, 1996,
and the description of the Registrant's common stock appearing in the
Registrant's registration statement on Form 8-A filed pursuant to Section 12(b)
of the Exchange Act of 1934 on July 30, 1981, are incorporated by reference into
this registration statement.

          All documents subsequently filed by the Plan or the Registrant with
the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been
sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed
to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part
hereof from the date of filing such documents.  Any statement contained in a
documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be
deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement
to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently
filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein
modifies or supersedes such statement.  Any such statement so modified or
superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to
constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

Item 4.         Description of Securities.  Not Applicable.
- -------         --------------------------                 

Item 6.         Indemnification of Officers and Directors.
- -------         ------------------------------------------

          Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
(the "DGCL") provides, in summary, that directors and officers of Delaware
corporations such as the Registrant are entitled, under certain circumstances,
to be indemnified against all expenses and liabilities (including attorneys'
fees) incurred by them as a result of suits brought against them in their
capacity as a director or officer, if they acted in good faith and in a manner
they reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, if they had
no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful; provided, that no
indemnification may be made against expenses in respect of any claim, issue or
matter as to which they shall have been adjudged to be liable to the
corporation, unless and only to the extent that the court in which such action
or suit was brought shall determine upon application that despite the
adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, they
are fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such

                                       2

 
expenses which such court shall deem proper.  Any such indemnification may be
made by the corporation only as authorized in each specific case upon a
determination by the stockholders or disinterested directors that
indemnification is proper because the indemnitee has met the applicable standard
of conduct.  Article VII of the Registrant's By-Laws entitles officers,
directors and controlling persons of the Registrant to indemnification to the
full extent permitted by Section 145 of DGCL, as the same may be supplemented or
amended from time to time.

        Article VII of the Bylaws of Manor Care, Inc. provides:

                               INDEMNIFICATION OF
                   OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS

          Section 1.  Action, Other Than by or in the Right of the Corporation.
                      --------------------------------------------------------- 
The Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is
threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action,
suit or proceeding or investigation, whether civil, criminal or administrative,
and whether external or internal to the Corporation (other than a judicial
action or suit brought by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the
fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or trustee of the
Corporation, or that, being or having been such a director, officer, employee or
trustee, he is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director,
officer, employee, trustee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise (all such persons being referred to hereafter
as an "Agent"), against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgements, fines
and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in
connection with such action, suit or proceeding, or any appeal therein, if he
acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not
opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and with respect to any
criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct
was unlawful.  The termination of any action, suit or proceeding -- whether by
judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or
                                                           ---- ----------   
its equivalent -- shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did
not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or
not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any
criminal action or proceeding, that he had reasonable cause to believe that his
conduct was unlawful.

          Section 2.  Action, by or in the Right of the Corporation.  The
                      ----------------------------------------------     
Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to
be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed judicial action or suit
brought by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgement in its
favor by reason of the fact that he is or was an Agent (as defined above)
against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by
him in connection with the defense, settlement or appeal of such action or suit
if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to

                                       3

 
be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, except that no
indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to
which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable for gross negligence or
misconduct in the performance of the duty of the Corporation unless and only to
the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit
was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of
liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is
fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of
Chancery or other such court shall deem proper.

          Section 3.  Determination of Right of Indemnification.  Any
                      ------------------------------------------     
indemnification under Section 1 or 2 (unless ordered by a court) shall be made
by the Corporation unless a determination is reasonably and promptly made (i) by
the Board by a majority vote or a quorum consisting of directors who were not
parties to such action, suit or proceeding, or (ii) if such a quorum is not
obtainable, or, even if obtainable, if a quorum of disinterested directors so
directs, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (iii) by the
stockholders, that such person acted in bad faith and in a manner that such
person did not believe to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Corporation, or, with respect to any criminal proceeding, that such person
believed or had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
 
          Section 4.  Indemnification Against Expenses of Successful Party.
                      -----------------------------------------------------
Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Article, to the extent that an
Agent has been successful on the merits or otherwise, including the dismissal of
an action without admission of liability, in defense of any proceeding or in
defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, or on appeal from any such
proceeding, action, claim or matter, such Agent shall be indemnified against all
expenses incurred in connection therewith.

          Section 5.  Advances of Expenses.  Except as limited by Section 6 of
                      ---------------------                                   
this Article, expenses incurred in any action, suit, proceeding or investigation
or any appeal therein shall be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final
disposition of such matter, if the Agent shall undertake to repay such amount in
the event that it is ultimately determined, as provided herein, that such person
is not entitled to indemnification.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no advance
shall be made by the Corporation if a determination is reasonably and promptly
made by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum of disinterested
directors, or (if such a quorum is not obtainable or, even if obtainable, a
quorum of disinterested directors so directs) by independent legal counsel in a
written opinion, that, based upon the facts known to the Board or counsel at the
time such determination is made, such person acted in bad faith and in a manner
that such person did not believe to be in or not opposed to the best interests
of the Corporation, or, with respect to any criminal proceeding, that such
person believed or had reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.  In
no event shall any advance be made in instances where the Board or independent
legal counsel reasonably determines that such person deliberately breached his
duty to the Corporation or its

                                       4

 
shareholders.

          Section 6.  Right of Agent to Indemnification Upon Application;
                      ---------------------------------------------------
Procedure Upon Application.  Any indemnification under Sections 1, 2, and 4, or
- ---------------------------                                                    
advance under Section 5 of this Article, shall be made promptly, and in any
event within ninety days, upon the written request of the Agent, unless with
respect to applications under Sections 1, 2, and 5, a determination is
reasonably and promptly made by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a
quorum of disinterested directors that such Agent acted in a manner set forth in
such Sections as to justify the Corporation's not indemnifying or making an
advance to the Agent.  In the event no quorum of disinterested directors is
obtainable, the Board of Directors shall promptly direct that independent legal
counsel shall decide whether the Agent acted in the manner set forth in such
Sections as to justify the Corporation's not indemnifying or making an advance
to the Agent.  The right to indemnification or advances as granted by this
Article shall be enforceable by the Agent in any court of competent
jurisdiction, if the Board or independent legal counsel denies the claim, in
whole or in part, or if no disposition of such claim is made within ninety days.
The Agent's expenses incurred in connection with successfully establishing his
right to indemnification, in whole or in part, in any such proceeding shall also
be indemnified by the Corporation.

          Section 7.  Contribution.  In order to provide for just and equitable
                      -------------                                            
contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in this
Article is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to an
indemnitee in whole or in part, the Corporation shall, in such an event, after
taking into account, among other things, contributions by other directors and
officers of the Corporation pursuant to indemnification agreements or otherwise,
and in the absence of personal enrichment, acts of intentional fraud or
dishonesty or criminal conduct on the part of the agent, contribute to the
payment of Agent's losses to the extent that, after other contributions are
taken into account, such losses exceed:  (i) in the case of a director of the
Corporation or any of its subsidiaries who is not an officer of the Corporation
or any of such subsidiaries, the amount of fees paid to him for serving as a
director during the 12 months preceding the commencement of the suit, proceeding
or investigation; or (ii) in the case of a director of the Corporation or any of
its subsidiaries who is also an officer of the Corporation or any of such
subsidiaries, the amount set forth in clause (i) plus 5% of the aggregate cash
compensation paid to said director for service in such office(s) during the 12
months preceding the commencement of the suit, proceeding or investigation; or
(iii) in the case of an officer of the Corporation or any of the subsidiaries,
5% of the aggregate cash compensation paid to such officer for service in such
office(s) during the 12 months preceding the commencement of such suit,
proceeding or investigation.

          Section 8.  Other Rights and Remedies.  The indemnification provided
                      --------------------------                              
by this Article shall not be deemed exclusive of, and shall not affect, any
other rights to which

                                       5

 
an Agent seeking indemnification may be entitled under any Bylaws, agreement,
vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action
in his official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such
office, and shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be an Agent and
shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a
person.  All rights to indemnification under this Article shall be deemed to be
provided by a contract between the Corporation and the Agent who serves in such
capacity at any time while these bylaws and other relevant provisions of the
general corporation law and other modification thereof shall not affect any
rights or obligations then existing.

          Section 9.  Insurance.  Upon resolution passed by the Board, the
                      ----------                                          
Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is
or was an Agent against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him
in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the
Corporation would have the power to indemnify him against such liability under
the provisions of this Article.  The Corporation may create a trust fund, grant
a security interest or use other means (including, without limitation, a letter
of credit) to ensure the payment of such sums as may become necessary to effect
indemnification as provided herein.

          Section 10.  Constituent Corporations.  For the purposes of this
                       -------------------------                          
Article, references to "the Corporation" include all constituent corporations
absorbed in a consolidation or merger as well as the resulting or surviving
corporation, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employees, or
trustee of such a constituent corporation or who, being or having been such a
director, officer employee or trustee, is or was serving at the request of such
constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee, trustee of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise shall stand
in the same position under the provisions of this Article with respect to the
resulting or surviving corporation as he would if he had served the resulting or
surviving corporation in the same capacity.

          Section 11.  Other Enterprises, Fines, and Serving at Corporation's
                       ------------------------------------------------------
Request. For purposes of this Article, references to "other enterprises" in
- --------                                                                   
Sections 1 and 7 shall include employee benefit plans; references to "fines"
shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee
benefit plan; and references to "serving at the request of the Corporation"
shall include any service by Agent as director, officer, employee, trustee or
agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such
Agent with respect to any employee benefit plan, its participants, or
beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he
reasonably believed to be in the interests of the participants and beneficiaries
of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner "not
opposed to the best interests of the Corporation" as referred to in this
Article.

          Section 12.  Savings Clause.  If this Article or any portion hereof
                       ---------------                                       
shall be

                                       6

 
invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the
Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify each Agent as to expenses (including
attorneys' fees), judgements, fines and amounts paid in settlement with respect
to any action, suit, appeal, proceeding or investigation, whether civil,
criminal or administrative, and whether internal or external, including a grand
jury proceeding and an action or suit brought by or in the right of the
Corporation, to the full extent permitted by any applicable portion of this
Article that shall not have been invalidated, or by any other applicable law.

          The Registrant has entered into separate indemnification agreements
with directors and officers of the Registrant, pursuant to which the Registrant
will indemnify such directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by
Delaware law, as the same may be amended from time to time.

          Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers or persons
controlling the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Registrant
has been informed that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is
therefore unenforceable.

Item 7.  Exemptions from Registration Claimed.  None.
- -------  -------------------------------------       

Item 8.   Exhibits.
- -------   ---------

4         Manor Care, Inc. Nonqualified Retirement Savings & Investment Plan.

5         Opinion regarding legality of shares to be offered.

23(i)     Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP.

23(ii)    Consent of James H. Rempe, Esq. (included in Exhibit 5)

24        Powers of Attorney authorizing execution of registration statement of
          Form S-8 on behalf of certain directors of Registrant.

Item 9.   Undertaking.
- -------   ------------

          (a)   Rule 415 Offering.
                ------------------

          The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1)   To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
                made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement;

                                       7

 
                (i)     To include any prospectus required by Section 10 (a) (3)
                        of the Securities Act of 1933;

                (ii)    To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
                        after the effective date of the registration statement
                        (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof)
                        which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a
                        fundamental change in the information set forth in the
                        registration statement;

                (iii)   To include any material information with respect to the
                        plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
                        registration statement or any material change to such
                        information in the registration statement;

          provided, however, that paragraphs (a) (1) (i) and (a) (1) (ii) do not
          --------  -------                                                     
apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to
Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are
incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

          (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

          (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.
 
          (b) Filings incorporating subsequent Exchange Act documents by 
              ----------------------------------------------------------  
              reference.
              ---------
          The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13 (a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

          (c) Request for acceleration of effectiveness or filing of
              ------------------------------------------------------
              registration statement on Form S-8.
              ----------------------------------

          Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission, such indemnification is

                                       8

 
against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other
than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director,
officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any
action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling
person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will,
unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
 

                                  SIGNATURES
                                  ----------

          The Registrant.  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of
          ---------------                                                       
1933, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing
on Form S-8, and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of
Gaithersburg, State of Maryland, on this 23th day of December, 1996.

                                 MANOR CARE, INC.


                                 By: /s/ James H. Rempe
                                    ----------------------------------
                                     James H. Rempe
                                     Secretary

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in
the capacities and on the date indicated.

Signature                       Title                     Date
- ---------                       -----                     ----


*                               Chairman, President,      December 23, 1996
- ---------------------           Chief Executive Officer         
Stewart Bainum, Jr.             and Director         
                                   

 
*                               Vice Chairman and         December 23, 1996
- ---------------------           Director  
Stewart Bainum      


*                               Director                  December 23, 1996
- ----------------------                                     
Kennett L. Simmons

                                       9

 



*                                   Director                 December 23, 1996
- ----------------------
Regina E. Herzlinger
 


*                                   Director                 December 23, 1996
- ----------------------
William H. Longfield



*                                   Director                 December 23, 1996
- ----------------------
Frederick V. Malek



*                                   Director                 December 23, 1996
- ----------------------
Jerry E. Robertson



*                                   Vice President and       December 23, 1996
- ----------------------              Treasurer (Principal    
Leigh C. Comas                      Financial Officer)    
                                 


*                                   Vice President and       December 23, 1996
- ----------------------              Controller (Principal
Margarita A. Schoendorfer           Accounting Officer) 
                                    

* By:   /s/ James H. Rempe
      ------------------------
         James H. Rempe
         Attorney-in-fact

                                       10