CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock Par Value	Capital in Excess of Par Value	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Retained Earnings (Deficit)	Treasury Stock	Total Ventas Stockholders’ Equity	Noncontrolling Interests	Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle	Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle Common Stock Par Value	Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle Capital in Excess of Par Value	Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle Retained Earnings (Deficit)	Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle Treasury Stock	Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle Total Ventas Stockholders’ Equity	Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle Noncontrolling Interests
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 10,271,594	$ 89,125	$ 13,076,528	$ (19,582)	$ (2,930,214)	$ 0	$ 10,215,857	$ 55,737	$ 638	$ 0	$ 0	$ (163)	$ 801	$ 0	$ 638	$ 0
Increase (decrease) in stockholders' equity
Net income attributable to common stockholders	336,314	0	0	0	336,314	0	336,314
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	3,172							3,172
Net income	339,486
Other comprehensive income	(19,926)	0	0	(19,926)	0	0	(19,926)	0
Net change in noncontrolling interests	(4,656)	0	(2,098)	0	0	0	(2,098)	(2,558)
Dividends to common stockholders	(580,188)	0	0	0	(580,188)	0	(580,188)	0
Issuance of common stock	866,156	3,553	862,603	0	0	0	866,156	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Share-based Payment Arrangements, Restricted Stock Awards and Other, after Forfeiture	38,267	174	38,093	0	0	0	38,267	0
Adjust redeemable OP unitholder interests to current fair value	(35,009)	0	(35,009)	0	0	0	(35,009)	0
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2019	10,876,362	92,852	13,940,117	(39,671)	(3,173,287)	0	10,820,011	56,351
Beginning Balance at Mar. 31, 2019	10,206,013	89,579	13,160,550	(12,065)	(3,088,401)	0	10,149,663	56,350
Increase (decrease) in stockholders' equity
Net income attributable to common stockholders	210,529	0	0	0	210,529	0	210,529
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	1,369							1,369
Net income	211,898
Other comprehensive income	(27,606)	0	0	(27,606)	0	0	(27,606)	0
Net change in noncontrolling interests	(1,776)	0	(408)	0	0	0	(408)	(1,368)
Dividends to common stockholders	(295,415)	0	0	0	(295,415)	0	(295,415)	0
Issuance of common stock	767,718	3,163	764,555	0	0	0	767,718	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Share-based Payment Arrangements, Restricted Stock Awards and Other, after Forfeiture	31,471	110	31,361	0	0	0	31,471	0
Adjust redeemable OP unitholder interests to current fair value	(15,941)	0	(15,941)	0	0	0	(15,941)	0
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2019	10,876,362	92,852	13,940,117	(39,671)	(3,173,287)	0	10,820,011	56,351
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2019	10,545,452	93,185	14,056,453	(34,564)	(3,669,050)	(132)	10,445,892	99,560
Increase (decrease) in stockholders' equity
Net income attributable to common stockholders	315,947	0	0	0	315,947	0	315,947
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(452)
Net income	315,495
Other comprehensive income	(54,483)	0	0	(48,197)	0	0	(48,197)	(6,286)
Net change in noncontrolling interests	(3,111)	0	1,013	0	0	0	1,013	(4,124)
Dividends to common stockholders	(464,608)	0	0	0	(464,608)	0	(464,608)	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Share-based Payment Arrangements, Restricted Stock Awards and Other, after Forfeiture	13,405	76	12,893	0	1,251	(815)	13,405	0
Adjust redeemable OP unitholder interests to current fair value	48,022	0	48,022	0	0	0	48,022	0
Redemption of OP Units	(262)	0	(262)	0	0	0	(262)	0
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2020	10,399,910	93,261	14,118,119	(82,761)	(3,816,460)	(947)	10,311,212	88,698
Beginning Balance at Mar. 31, 2020	10,716,397	93,256	14,135,657	(103,408)	(3,491,696)	(867)	10,632,942	83,455
Increase (decrease) in stockholders' equity
Net income attributable to common stockholders	(157,170)	0	0	0	(157,170)	0	(157,170)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(2,065)							(2,065)
Net income	(159,235)
Other comprehensive income	24,343	0	0	20,647	0	0	20,647	3,696
Net change in noncontrolling interests	3,864	0	252	0	0	0	252	3,612
Dividends to common stockholders	(168,126)	0	0	0	(168,126)	0	(168,126)	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Share-based Payment Arrangements, Restricted Stock Awards and Other, after Forfeiture	2,456	5	1,999	0	532	(80)	2,456	0
Adjust redeemable OP unitholder interests to current fair value	(19,789)	0	(19,789)	0	0	0	(19,789)	0
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2020	$ 10,399,910	$ 93,261	$ 14,118,119	$ (82,761)	$ (3,816,460)	$ (947)	$ 10,311,212	$ 88,698