CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING INFORMATION (Unaudited) - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Assets
Net real estate investments	$ 22,123,122	$ 21,192,696
Cash and cash equivalents	91,284	286,707	$ 51,701	$ 53,023
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	92,175	80,647
Investment in and advances to affiliates	0	0
Goodwill	1,033,484	1,033,225
Assets held for sale	61,983	54,961
Other assets	517,283	518,364
Total assets	23,919,331	23,166,600
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt	11,943,733	11,127,326
Intercompany loans	0	0
Accrued interest	78,219	83,762
Accounts payable and other liabilities	946,674	907,928
Liabilities related to assets held for sale	1,389	1,462
Deferred income taxes	294,057	316,641
Total liabilities	13,264,072	12,437,119
Redeemable OP unitholder and noncontrolling interests	171,384	200,728
Total equity	10,483,875	10,528,753		9,625,427
Total liabilities and equity	23,919,331	23,166,600
Consolidated Elimination
Assets
Net real estate investments	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	0	0
Investment in and advances to affiliates	(17,728,740)	(17,196,822)
Goodwill	0	0
Assets held for sale	0	0
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	(17,728,740)	(17,196,822)
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt	0	0
Intercompany loans	0	0
Accrued interest	0	0
Accounts payable and other liabilities	0	0
Liabilities related to assets held for sale	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Total liabilities	0	0
Redeemable OP unitholder and noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	(17,728,740)	(17,196,822)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (17,728,740)	(17,196,822)
Nationwide Health Properties
Condensed financial statements, captions
Ownership percentage by parent	100.00%
Ventas, Inc.
Assets
Net real estate investments	$ 1,954	2,007
Cash and cash equivalents	9,602	210,303	7,307	11,733
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	199	198
Investment in and advances to affiliates	14,790,298	14,258,380
Goodwill	0	0
Assets held for sale	0	0
Other assets	38,801	35,468
Total assets	14,840,854	14,506,356
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt	0	0
Intercompany loans	7,501,737	7,088,289
Accrued interest	0	0
Accounts payable and other liabilities	245,454	89,115
Liabilities related to assets held for sale	0	0
Deferred income taxes	294,057	316,641
Total liabilities	8,041,248	7,494,045
Redeemable OP unitholder and noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	6,799,606	7,012,311
Total liabilities and equity	$ 14,840,854	14,506,356
Ventas Realty
Condensed financial statements, captions
Ownership percentage by parent	100.00%
Assets
Net real estate investments	$ 159,621	173,259
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0		0
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	1,548	1,504
Investment in and advances to affiliates	2,938,442	2,938,442
Goodwill	0	0
Assets held for sale	0	0
Other assets	4,831	6,792
Total assets	3,104,442	3,119,997
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt	9,215,783	8,406,979
Intercompany loans	(7,009,900)	(6,209,707)
Accrued interest	60,432	65,403
Accounts payable and other liabilities	33,347	35,587
Liabilities related to assets held for sale	(1)	(1)
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Total liabilities	2,299,661	2,298,261
Redeemable OP unitholder and noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	804,781	821,736
Total liabilities and equity	3,104,442	3,119,997
Ventas Subsidiaries
Assets
Net real estate investments	21,961,547	21,017,430
Cash and cash equivalents	81,682	76,404	$ 44,394	$ 41,290
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	90,428	78,945
Investment in and advances to affiliates	0	0
Goodwill	1,033,484	1,033,225
Assets held for sale	61,983	54,961
Other assets	473,651	476,104
Total assets	23,702,775	22,737,069
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt	2,727,950	2,720,347
Intercompany loans	(491,837)	(878,582)
Accrued interest	17,787	18,359
Accounts payable and other liabilities	667,873	783,226
Liabilities related to assets held for sale	1,390	1,463
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Total liabilities	2,923,163	2,644,813
Redeemable OP unitholder and noncontrolling interests	171,384	200,728
Total equity	20,608,228	19,891,528
Total liabilities and equity	$ 23,702,775	$ 22,737,069