Segment Information (Assets and Capital Expenditures) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Assets
Total assets	$ 21,226,171,000us-gaap_Assets	$ 19,731,494,000us-gaap_Assets
Percentage of total assets	100.00%vtr_PercentageOfConsolidatedAssets	100.00%vtr_PercentageOfConsolidatedAssets
Capital expenditures
Capital Expenditures	1,662,728,000	1,614,357,000	1,901,916,000
Triple Net Leased Properties
Assets
Total assets	9,176,159,000	8,919,360,000
Percentage of total assets	43.20%	45.20%
Capital expenditures
Capital Expenditures	647,870,000	847,945,000	139,680,000
Capital expenditures from funds held in Code Section 1031 exchange escrow account			58,100,000
Senior Living Operations
Assets
Total assets	7,421,924,000	6,648,754,000
Percentage of total assets	35.00%	33.70%
Capital expenditures
Capital Expenditures	977,997,000	576,459,000	758,371,000
Capital expenditures from funds held in Code Section 1031 exchange escrow account			64,700,000
MOB Operations
Assets
Total assets	3,526,217,000	3,701,344,000
Percentage of total assets	16.60%	18.80%
Capital expenditures
Capital Expenditures	36,861,000	189,953,000	1,003,865,000
Capital expenditures from funds held in Code Section 1031 exchange escrow account			11,200,000
All Other
Assets
Total assets	$ 1,101,871,000	$ 462,036,000
Percentage of total assets	5.20%	2.30%

Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all assets that are recognized. Assets are probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.18)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 12

-Article 7

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 18

-Article 5

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The cash outflow for purchases of and capital improvements on property, plant and equipment (capital expenditures), software, and other intangible assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Investing Activities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph (c)

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