DISPOSITIONS (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		1 Months Ended		9 Months Ended					12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012 Seniors Housing Communities property	Sep. 30, 2013 2013 Dispositions property	Sep. 30, 2013 2013 Dispositions Triple-Net Leased Properties	Sep. 30, 2013 2013 Dispositions Triple-Net Leased Properties Skilled Nursing Facilities property	Sep. 30, 2013 2013 Dispositions Triple-Net Leased Properties Seniors Housing Communities property	Sep. 30, 2013 2013 Dispositions Senior Living Operations Seniors Housing Communities property	Sep. 30, 2013 2013 Dispositions MOB Operations Medical Office Buildings property	Dec. 31, 2012 2012 Dispositions MOB Operations	Dec. 31, 2012 2012 Dispositions Seniors Housing Communities property	Dec. 31, 2012 2012 Dispositions Skilled Nursing Facilities property	Dec. 31, 2012 2012 Dispositions Triple-Net Leased Properties	Dec. 31, 2012 2012 Dispositions MOB Operations Medical Office Buildings
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals
Number of real estate properties sold								10	6	1	2	5	36	2
Number of real estate properties sold, pursuant to tenant purcahse option													10
Proceeds from disposition of assets, including termination fees							$ 25,300,000			$ 1,600,000	$ 1,800,000.0				$ 318,900,000	$ 27,200,000.0
Disposition of assets, termination fees							300,000								5,000,000
Gain (loss) on disposition of assets							2,000,000				500,000.0				81,000,000	4,500,000.0
Number of real estate properties sold, properties held in escrow													21
Proceeds from disposition of assets, exchanged in escrow account													134,500,000
Number of operating leases not renewed					2
Properties classified as held for sale						17
Revenues:
Rental income	2,535,000	6,550,000	8,177,000	26,141,000
Resident fees and services	0	571,000	759,000	5,837,000
Interest and other income	0	1,127,000	0	5,951,000
Total Revenues	2,535,000	8,248,000	8,936,000	37,929,000
Expenses:
Interest	910,000	2,473,000	3,402,000	10,397,000
Depreciation and amortization	10,682,000	8,082,000	41,145,000	28,235,000
Property-level operating expenses	80,000	1,206,000	964,000	6,314,000
General, administrative and professional fees	0	10,000	0	302,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt	0	0	(153,000)	0
Other	(7,000)	542,000	(502,000)	1,772,000
Total expenses	11,665,000	12,313,000	44,856,000	47,020,000
Loss before income taxes and gain on real estate dispositions, net	(9,130,000)	(4,065,000)	(35,920,000)	(9,091,000)
Income tax (expense) benefit	0	(16,000)	0	4,000
(Loss) gain on real estate dispositions, net	46,000	357,000	2,241,000	79,148,000
Discontinued operations	(9,084,000)	(3,724,000)	(33,679,000)	70,061,000
Other Asset Impairment Charges			$ 34,500,000	$ 2,100,000