CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Total Ventas Stockholders’ Equity	Common Stock Par Value	Capital in Excess of Par Value	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Retained Earnings (Deficit)	Treasury Stock	Non- controlling Interests
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 10,528,753	$ 10,460,240	$ 88,514	$ 12,917,002	$ (57,534)	$ (2,487,695)	$ (47)	$ 68,513
Increase (decrease) in shareholders' equity
Net income attributable to common stockholders	1,356,470	1,356,470	0	0	0	1,356,470	0
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	4,642							4,642
Net income	1,361,112
Other comprehensive income (loss)	22,414	22,414	0	0	22,414	0	0	0
Impact of CCP Spin-Off	107	107	0	107	0	0	0	0
Net change in noncontrolling interests	(14,719)	(1,427)	0	(1,427)	0	0	0	(13,292)
Dividends to common stockholders	(1,109,473)	(1,109,473)	0	0	0	(1,109,473)	0	0
Issuance of common stock	73,447	73,447	276	72,618	0	0	553	0
Issuance of common stock for stock plans	22,606	22,606	87	21,723	0	0	796	0
Change in redeemable noncontrolling interests	5,246	(850)	0	(850)	0	0	0	6,096
Adjust redeemable OP Unitholder Interests to current fair value	253	253	0	253	0	0	0	0
Redemption of OP Units	23,136	23,136	84	19,845	0	0	3,207	0
Grant of restricted stock, net of forfeitures	19,303	19,303	68	23,786	0	0	(4,551)	0
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	10,932,185	10,866,226	89,029	13,053,057	(35,120)	(2,240,698)	(42)	65,959
Increase (decrease) in shareholders' equity
Cumulative effect of new accounting principle in period of adoption	30,643	30,643	0	0	0	30,643	0	0
Net income attributable to common stockholders	409,467	409,467	0	0	0	409,467	0
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	6,514							6,514
Net income	415,981
Other comprehensive income (loss)	15,538	15,538	0	0	15,538	0	0	0
Net change in noncontrolling interests	(24,206)	(7,470)	0	(7,470)	0	0	0	(16,736)
Dividends to common stockholders	(1,129,626)	(1,129,626)	0	0	0	(1,129,626)	0	0
Issuance of common stock for stock plans	12,909	12,909	49	11,542	0	0	1,318	0
Adjust redeemable OP Unitholder Interests to current fair value	(3,323)	(3,323)	0	(3,323)	0	0	0	0
Redemption of OP Units	(128)	(128)	3	(383)	0	0	252	0
Grant of restricted stock, net of forfeitures	21,621	21,621	44	23,105	0	0	(1,528)	0
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	10,271,594	10,215,857	89,125	13,076,528	(19,582)	(2,930,214)	0	55,737
Increase (decrease) in shareholders' equity
Cumulative effect of new accounting principle in period of adoption	638	638	0	0	(163)	801	0	0
Net income attributable to common stockholders	433,016	433,016	0	0	0	433,016	0
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	6,281							6,281
Net income	439,297
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax, portion attributable to parent		(14,819)	0	0	(14,819)	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests								1,368
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(13,451)
Net change in noncontrolling interests	23,842	(12,332)	0	(12,332)	0	0	0	36,174
Dividends to common stockholders	(1,172,653)	(1,172,653)	0	0	0	(1,172,653)	0	0
Issuance of common stock	942,338	942,338	3,829	938,509	0	0	0	0
Issuance of common stock for stock plans	71,320	71,320	152	64,581	0	0	6,587	0
Adjust redeemable OP Unitholder Interests to current fair value	(7,388)	(7,388)	0	(7,388)	0	0	0	0
Redemption of OP Units	(738)	(738)	1	(739)	0	0	0	0
Grant of restricted stock, net of forfeitures	(9,347)	(9,347)	78	(2,706)	0	0	(6,719)	0
Balance at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 10,545,452	$ 10,445,892	$ 93,185	$ 14,056,453	$ (34,564)	$ (3,669,050)	$ (132)	$ 99,560