DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS	NOTE 1—DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS Ventas, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, unless otherwise indicated or except where the context otherwise requires, “we,” “us” or “our”), an S&P 500 company, is a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) with a highly diversified portfolio of seniors housing and healthcare properties located throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. As of June 30, 2017, we owned approximately 1,300 properties (including properties owned through investments in unconsolidated entities and properties classified as held for sale), consisting of seniors housing communities, medical office buildings (“MOBs”), life science and innovation centers, inpatient rehabilitation and long-term acute care facilities, general acute care hospitals and skilled nursing facilities (“SNFs”), and we had eight properties under development, including one property that is owned by an unconsolidated real estate entity. Our company was originally founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. We primarily invest in seniors housing and healthcare properties through acquisitions and lease our properties to unaffiliated tenants or operate them through independent third-party managers. As of June 30, 2017, we leased a total of 580 properties (excluding MOBs) to various healthcare operating companies under “triple-net” or “absolute-net” leases that obligate the tenants to pay all property-related expenses, including maintenance, utilities, repairs, taxes, insurance and capital expenditures, and we engaged independent operators, such as Atria Senior Living, Inc. (“Atria”) and Sunrise Senior Living, LLC (together with its subsidiaries, “Sunrise”), to manage 301 seniors housing communities for us pursuant to long-term management agreements. Our three largest tenants, Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, “Brookdale Senior Living”), Ardent Health Partners, LLC (together with its subsidiaries, “Ardent”) and Kindred Healthcare, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, “Kindred”) leased from us 141 properties (excluding one property managed by Brookdale Senior Living pursuant to a long-term management agreement), 10 properties and 68 properties (excluding one MOB included within our office operations reportable business segment), respectively, as of June 30, 2017. Through our Lillibridge Healthcare Services, Inc. subsidiary and our ownership interest in PMB Real Estate Services LLC, we also provide MOB management, leasing, marketing, facility development and advisory services to highly rated hospitals and health systems throughout the United States. In addition, from time to time, we make secured and non-mortgage loans and other investments relating to seniors housing and healthcare operators or properties.

NOTE 1—DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

Ventas, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, unless otherwise indicated or except where the context otherwise requires, “we,” “us” or “our”), an S&P 500 company, is a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) with a highly diversified portfolio of seniors housing and healthcare properties located throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. As of June 30, 2017, we owned approximately 1,300 properties (including properties owned through investments in unconsolidated entities and properties classified as held for sale), consisting of seniors housing communities, medical office buildings (“MOBs”), life science and innovation centers, inpatient rehabilitation and long-term acute care facilities, general acute care hospitals and skilled nursing facilities (“SNFs”), and we had eight properties under development, including one property that is owned by an unconsolidated real estate entity. Our company was originally founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

We primarily invest in seniors housing and healthcare properties through acquisitions and lease our properties to unaffiliated tenants or operate them through independent third-party managers. As of June 30, 2017, we leased a total of 580 properties (excluding MOBs) to various healthcare operating companies under “triple-net” or “absolute-net” leases that obligate the tenants to pay all property-related expenses, including maintenance, utilities, repairs, taxes, insurance and capital expenditures, and we engaged independent operators, such as Atria Senior Living, Inc. (“Atria”) and Sunrise Senior Living, LLC (together with its subsidiaries, “Sunrise”), to manage 301 seniors housing communities for us pursuant to long-term management agreements.

Our three largest tenants, Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, “Brookdale Senior Living”), Ardent Health Partners, LLC (together with its subsidiaries, “Ardent”) and Kindred Healthcare, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, “Kindred”) leased from us 141 properties (excluding one property managed by Brookdale Senior Living pursuant to a long-term management agreement), 10 properties and 68 properties (excluding one MOB included within our office operations reportable business segment), respectively, as of June 30, 2017.

Through our Lillibridge Healthcare Services, Inc. subsidiary and our ownership interest in PMB Real Estate Services LLC, we also provide MOB management, leasing, marketing, facility development and advisory services to highly rated hospitals and health systems throughout the United States. In addition, from time to time, we make secured and non-mortgage loans and other investments relating to seniors housing and healthcare operators or properties.