Condensed Consolidating Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Assets
Net real estate investments	$ 16,417,628	$ 5,444,114
Cash and cash equivalents	57,482	21,812	33,790	107,397
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	84,783	38,940
Deferred financing costs, net	12,424	19,533
Investment in and advances to affiliates	0	0
Other assets	633,453	233,622
Total assets	17,205,770	5,758,021
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt	6,313,141	2,900,044
Intercompany loans	0	0
Accrued interest	65,985	19,296
Accounts payable and other liabilities	1,128,706	207,143
Deferred income taxes	274,852	241,333
Total liabilities	7,782,684	3,367,816
Redeemable OP unitholder interests	92,817	0
Total equity	9,330,269	2,390,205		2,484,060
Total liabilities and equity	17,205,770	5,758,021
Parent Company [Member]
Assets
Net real estate investments	464	937
Cash and cash equivalents	2,252	1,083	1,095
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	1,961	76
Deferred financing costs, net	2,914	2,691
Investment in and advances to affiliates	8,441,898	1,414,170
Other assets	67,190	75,794
Total assets	8,516,679	1,494,751
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt	229,363	225,644
Intercompany loans	(211,796)	(144,897)
Accrued interest	(218)	(113)
Accounts payable and other liabilities	95,091	41,355
Deferred income taxes	274,852	241,333
Total liabilities	387,292	363,322
Redeemable OP unitholder interests	0
Total equity	8,129,387	1,131,429
Total liabilities and equity	8,516,679	1,494,751
Wholly Owned Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Assets
Net real estate investments	3,388,426	3,244,243
Cash and cash equivalents	24,898	15,659	16,813	7,864
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	25,901	19,786
Deferred financing costs, net	725	1,961
Investment in and advances to affiliates	0	0
Other assets	196,204	119,773
Total assets	3,636,154	3,401,422
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt	235,185	539,564
Intercompany loans	843,546	586,605
Accrued interest	744	2,704
Accounts payable and other liabilities	174,086	103,444
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Total liabilities	1,253,561	1,232,317
Redeemable OP unitholder interests	0
Total equity	2,382,593	2,169,105
Total liabilities and equity	3,636,154	3,401,422
Ventas Issuers [Member]
Assets
Net real estate investments	566,852	688,158
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0		82,886
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	7,131	9,169
Deferred financing costs, net	2,298	7,961
Investment in and advances to affiliates	1,728,685	1,028,721
Other assets	8,134	8,057
Total assets	2,313,100	1,742,066
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt	2,240,589	1,301,089
Intercompany loans	(670,085)	(434,454)
Accrued interest	40,093	12,852
Accounts payable and other liabilities	17,867	15,712
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Total liabilities	1,628,464	895,199
Redeemable OP unitholder interests	0
Total equity	684,636	846,867
Total liabilities and equity	2,313,100	1,742,066
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets
Net real estate investments	12,461,886	1,510,776
Cash and cash equivalents	30,332	5,070	15,882	16,647
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	49,790	9,909
Deferred financing costs, net	6,487	6,920
Investment in and advances to affiliates	0	0
Other assets	361,925	29,998
Total assets	12,910,420	1,562,673
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt	3,608,004	833,747
Intercompany loans	38,335	(7,254)
Accrued interest	25,366	3,853
Accounts payable and other liabilities	841,662	46,632
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Total liabilities	4,513,367	876,978
Redeemable OP unitholder interests	92,817
Total equity	8,304,236	685,695
Total liabilities and equity	12,910,420	1,562,673
Consolidated Eliminations [Member]
Assets
Net real estate investments	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	0	0
Deferred financing costs, net	0	0
Investment in and advances to affiliates	(10,170,583)	(2,442,891)
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	(10,170,583)	(2,442,891)
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt	0	0
Intercompany loans	0	0
Accrued interest	0	0
Accounts payable and other liabilities	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Total liabilities	0	0
Redeemable OP unitholder interests	0
Total equity	(10,170,583)	(2,442,891)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (10,170,583)	$ (2,442,891)