CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING INFORMATION (Unaudited) - Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 335,731	$ 277,149
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net investment in real estate property	(198,843)	(13,620)
Investment in loans receivable and other	(701,358)	(146,214)
Proceeds from real estate disposals	0	54,211
Proceeds from loans receivable	3,363	1,625
Development project expenditures	(86,452)	(34,767)
Capital expenditures	(23,835)	(23,721)
Investment in unconsolidated operating entity	(14,850)	0
Other	(12,090)	(4,265)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,034,065)	(166,751)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net change in borrowings under credit facility	22,822	137,440
Proceeds from debt	797,214	145
Repayment of debt	(20,496)	(151,309)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	(15,809)	0
Net change in intercompany debt	0	0
Payment of deferred financing costs	(6,384)	(76)
Issuance of common stock, net	0	149,631
Cash distribution (to) from affiliates	0	0
Cash distribution to common stockholders	(275,368)	(245,496)
Cash distribution to redeemable OP unitholders	(1,893)	(2,323)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	2,102	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(2,410)	(1,743)
Other	3,297	1,893
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	503,075	(111,838)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(195,259)	(1,440)
Effect of foreign currency translation on cash and cash equivalents	(164)	118
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	286,707	53,023
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	91,284	51,701
Consolidated Elimination
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	0	0
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net investment in real estate property	0	0
Investment in loans receivable and other	0	0
Proceeds from real estate disposals		0
Proceeds from loans receivable	0	0
Development project expenditures	0	0
Capital expenditures	0	0
Investment in unconsolidated operating entity	0
Other	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net change in borrowings under credit facility	0	0
Proceeds from debt	0	0
Repayment of debt	0	0
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	0
Net change in intercompany debt	0	0
Payment of deferred financing costs	0	0
Issuance of common stock, net		0
Cash distribution (to) from affiliates	0	0
Cash distribution to common stockholders	0	0
Cash distribution to redeemable OP unitholders	0	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Other	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	0	0
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Effect of foreign currency translation on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0	0
Ventas, Inc.
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	4,280	26,413
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net investment in real estate property	(198,843)	(13,620)
Investment in loans receivable and other	(2,313)	0
Proceeds from real estate disposals		11,091
Proceeds from loans receivable	0	0
Development project expenditures	0	0
Capital expenditures	0	0
Investment in unconsolidated operating entity	0
Other	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(201,156)	(2,529)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net change in borrowings under credit facility	0	0
Proceeds from debt	0	0
Repayment of debt	0	0
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	(15,809)
Net change in intercompany debt	577,099	81,812
Payment of deferred financing costs	0	0
Issuance of common stock, net		149,631
Cash distribution (to) from affiliates	(298,190)	(7,440)
Cash distribution to common stockholders	(275,368)	(245,496)
Cash distribution to redeemable OP unitholders	0	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Other	3,297	1,893
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(8,971)	(19,600)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(205,847)	4,284
Effect of foreign currency translation on cash and cash equivalents	5,146	(8,710)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	210,303	11,733
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	9,602	7,307
Ventas Realty
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(32,666)	(34,344)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net investment in real estate property	0	0
Investment in loans receivable and other	0	0
Proceeds from real estate disposals		0
Proceeds from loans receivable	0	0
Development project expenditures	0	0
Capital expenditures	(9)	0
Investment in unconsolidated operating entity	0
Other	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(9)	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net change in borrowings under credit facility	18,000	(10,000)
Proceeds from debt	793,904	0
Repayment of debt	(19)	0
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	0
Net change in intercompany debt	(800,193)	41,031
Payment of deferred financing costs	(6,384)	0
Issuance of common stock, net		0
Cash distribution (to) from affiliates	27,367	3,313
Cash distribution to common stockholders	0	0
Cash distribution to redeemable OP unitholders	0	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Other	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	32,675	34,344
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	0
Effect of foreign currency translation on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0
Ventas Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	364,117	285,080
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net investment in real estate property	0	0
Investment in loans receivable and other	(699,045)	(146,214)
Proceeds from real estate disposals		43,120
Proceeds from loans receivable	3,363	1,625
Development project expenditures	(86,452)	(34,767)
Capital expenditures	(23,826)	(23,721)
Investment in unconsolidated operating entity	(14,850)
Other	(12,090)	(4,265)
Net cash used in investing activities	(832,900)	(164,222)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net change in borrowings under credit facility	4,822	147,440
Proceeds from debt	3,310	145
Repayment of debt	(20,477)	(151,309)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	0
Net change in intercompany debt	223,094	(122,843)
Payment of deferred financing costs	0	(76)
Issuance of common stock, net		0
Cash distribution (to) from affiliates	270,823	4,127
Cash distribution to common stockholders	0	0
Cash distribution to redeemable OP unitholders	(1,893)	(2,323)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	2,102
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(2,410)	(1,743)
Other	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	479,371	(126,582)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	10,588	(5,724)
Effect of foreign currency translation on cash and cash equivalents	(5,310)	8,828
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	76,404	41,290
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 81,682	$ 44,394