The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114001798&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of an equity method investment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(b)(7)(c))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115205541&loc=SL114868664-224227

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(b)(9)(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115205541&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentRealizedGainLossOnDisposal
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Impairment losses measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the business or real estate partnerships exceeds the fair value of the business or partnership.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109226691&loc=d3e2921-110230

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairmentLossesRelatedToRealEstatePartnerships
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of real estate properties owned as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfRealEstateProperties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with the sale of equity method investments, which are investments in joint ventures and entities in which the entity has an equity ownership interest normally of 20 to 50 percent and exercises significant influence.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfEquityMethodInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, excluding tax collected from customer, of revenue from satisfaction of performance obligation by transferring promised good or service to customer. Tax collected from customer is tax assessed by governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction, including, but not limited to, sales, use, value added and excise.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109196051&loc=SL49130543-203045

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109196051&loc=SL49130539-203045

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109196051&loc=SL49130545-203045

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Decrease in debt related to investment in unconsolidated entities

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vtr_Decreaseindebtrelatedtoinvestmentinunconsolidatedentities
Namespace Prefix:	vtr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Equity investments in an unconsolidated real estate venture with recognized impairment

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vtr_Equityinvestmentsinanunconsolidatedrealestateventurewithrecognizedimpairment
Namespace Prefix:	vtr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Potential management fee revenue lost due to sale of interest in joint venture

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vtr_Potentialmanagementfeerevenuelostduetosaleofinterestinjointventure
Namespace Prefix:	vtr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=us-gaap_ManagementServiceMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=vtr_AtriaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=vtr_EclipseSeniorLivingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=vtr_ArdentMedicalServicesIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=vtr_RealEstateJointVenturesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis=us-gaap_ScenarioForecastMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

INVESTMENTS IN UNCONSOLIDATED ENTITIES (Details) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($) joint_venture	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) property	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) property	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)
Equity method investments
Number of real estate properties owed by joint ventures, excluding development \| property			1,200		1,200
Impairment loss on equity method investment in a real estate joint venture		$ 35.7
Management Service
Equity method investments
Management fees			$ 1.1	$ 1.6	$ 5.1	$ 4.6
Atria
Equity method investments
Ownership interests accounted for under the equity method			34.00%		34.00%
Eclipse Senior Living
Equity method investments
Ownership interests accounted for under the equity method			34.00%		34.00%
Ardent
Equity method investments
Ownership interests accounted for under the equity method			9.80%		9.80%
Real Estate Joint Ventures
Equity method investments
Ownership interests accounted for under the equity method	25.00%		25.00%		25.00%
Number of real estate properties owed by joint ventures, excluding development \| property			31		31
Equity investments in an unconsolidated real estate venture with recognized impairment \| joint_venture		1
Proceeds from sale of joint venture interest	$ 57.5
Gain (loss) on sale of joint venture interest	0.9
Decrease in debt related to investment in unconsolidated entities	23.3
Real Estate Joint Ventures \| Scenario, Forecast
Equity method investments
Potential management fee revenue lost due to sale of interest in joint venture	$ 4.6