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
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	328,698	0	0	0	328,698	0	328,698
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	534							534
Net income	329,232
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(34,431)	0	0	(30,478)	0	0	(30,478)	(3,953)
Net change in noncontrolling interests	(10,446)	0	(5,160)	0	0	0	(5,160)	(5,286)
Dividends to common stockholders	(631,346)	0	0	0	(631,346)	0	(631,346)	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Share-based Payment Arrangements, Restricted Stock Awards and Other, after Forfeiture	53,157	282	54,967	0	(949)	(1,143)	53,157	0
Adjust redeemable OP unitholder interests to current fair value	36,353	0	36,353	0	0	0	36,353	0
Redemption of OP Units	(264)	0	(264)	0	0	0	(264)	0
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2020	10,287,707	93,467	14,142,349	(65,042)	(3,972,647)	(1,275)	10,196,852	90,855
Beginning Balance at Jun. 30, 2020	10,399,910	93,261	14,118,119	(82,761)	(3,816,460)	(947)	10,311,212	88,698
Increase (decrease) in stockholders' equity
Net income attributable to common stockholders	12,751	0	0	0	12,751	0	12,751
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	986							986
Net income	13,737
Other comprehensive income (loss)	20,052	0	0	17,719	0	0	17,719	2,333
Net change in noncontrolling interests	(7,335)	0	(6,173)	0	0	0	(6,173)	(1,162)
Dividends to common stockholders	(166,738)	0	0	0	(166,738)	0	(166,738)	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Share-based Payment Arrangements, Restricted Stock Awards and Other, after Forfeiture	39,752	206	42,074	0	(2,200)	(328)	39,752	0
Adjust redeemable OP unitholder interests to current fair value	(11,669)	0	(11,669)	0	0	0	(11,669)	0
Redemption of OP Units	(2)	0	(2)	0	0	0	(2)	0
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2020	10,287,707	93,467	14,142,349	(65,042)	(3,972,647)	(1,275)	10,196,852	90,855
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2020	10,278,191	93,635	14,171,262	(54,354)	(4,030,376)	0	10,180,167	98,024
Increase (decrease) in stockholders' equity
Net income attributable to common stockholders	89,862	0	0	0	89,862	0	89,862
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	5,802
Net income	95,664
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(11,324)	0	0	(13,247)	0	0	(13,247)	1,923
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Acquisitions	751,248	3,332	747,916	0	0	0	751,248	0
Net change in noncontrolling interests	(50,329)	0	(35,009)	0	0	0	(35,009)	(15,320)
Dividends to common stockholders	(519,116)	0	0	0	(519,116)	0	(519,116)	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Share-based Payment Arrangements, Restricted Stock Awards and Other, after Forfeiture	644,748	2,810	642,054	0	0	(116)	644,748	0
Adjust redeemable OP unitholder interests to current fair value	(21,953)	0	(21,953)	0	0	0	(21,953)	0
Redemption of OP Units	16	0	(60)	0	0	76	16	0
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2021	11,167,145	99,777	15,504,210	(67,601)	(4,459,630)	(40)	11,076,716	90,429
Beginning Balance at Jun. 30, 2021	9,983,904	93,784	14,187,577	(58,290)	(4,340,052)	(320)	9,882,699	101,205
Increase (decrease) in stockholders' equity
Net income attributable to common stockholders	60,680	0	0	0	60,680	0	60,680
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	2,094							2,094
Net income	62,774
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(11,823)	0	0	(9,311)	0	0	(9,311)	(2,512)
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Acquisitions	751,248	3,332	747,916	0	0	0	751,248	0
Net change in noncontrolling interests	(51,606)	0	(41,248)	0	0	0	(41,248)	(10,358)
Dividends to common stockholders	(180,258)	0	0	0	(180,258)	0	(180,258)	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Share-based Payment Arrangements, Restricted Stock Awards and Other, after Forfeiture	609,485	2,661	606,620	0	0	204	609,485	0
Adjust redeemable OP unitholder interests to current fair value	3,386	0	3,386	0	0	0	3,386	0
Redemption of OP Units	35	0	(41)	0	0	76	35	0
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2021	$ 11,167,145	$ 99,777	$ 15,504,210	$ (67,601)	$ (4,459,630)	$ (40)	$ 11,076,716	$ 90,429