CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING INFORMATION (Details 2) (unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011
Revenues:
Rental income	$ 274,205	$ 140,810
Resident fees and services	285,795	114,502
Medical office building and other services revenue	5,608	6,957
Income from loans and investments	8,036	6,085
Interest and other income	50	78
Total revenues	573,694	268,432
Expenses:
Interest	70,668	41,740
Depreciation and amortization	163,197	51,314
Property-level operating expenses	216,756	86,787
Medical office building services costs	2,988	5,536
General, administrative and professional fees	22,200	14,832
Loss on extinguishment of debt	29,544	16,520
Merger-related expenses and deal costs	7,981	6,449
Other	1,576	1
Total expenses	514,910	223,179
Income before income/loss from unconsolidated entities, income taxes, discontinued operations and noncontrolling interest	58,784	45,253
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities	317	(170)
Income tax (expense) benefit	(11,338)	3,197
Income from continuing operations	47,763	48,280
Discontinued operations	42,329	766
Net income	90,092	49,046	363,261
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(534)	62
Net income attributable to common stockholders	90,626	48,984
Ventas, Inc.
Revenues:
Rental income	623	607
Income from loans and investments	940	3,017
Equity earnings in affiliates	61,178	47,115
Interest and other income	29	51
Total revenues	62,770	50,790
Expenses:
Interest	(724)	(188)
Depreciation and amortization	710	421
General, administrative and professional fees	903	(1,033)
Merger-related expenses and deal costs	1,365	5,813
Other	37	(10)
Total expenses	2,291	5,003
Income before income/loss from unconsolidated entities, income taxes, discontinued operations and noncontrolling interest	60,479	45,787
Income tax (expense) benefit	(11,338)	3,197
Income from continuing operations	49,141	48,984
Discontinued operations	41,485	0
Net income	90,626	48,984
Net income attributable to common stockholders	90,626	48,984
Wholly Owned Subsidiary Guarantors
Revenues:
Rental income	64,341	54,958
Resident fees and services	103,986	66,686
Medical office building and other services revenue	4,509	6,986
Income from loans and investments	0	1,635
Equity earnings in affiliates	47	418
Interest and other income	(3)	5
Total revenues	172,880	130,688
Expenses:
Interest	14,339	15,996
Depreciation and amortization	37,855	28,128
Property-level operating expenses	83,761	49,997
Medical office building services costs	2,988	5,536
General, administrative and professional fees	12,492	7,954
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	16,520
Merger-related expenses and deal costs	4,727	634
Other	1,506	12
Total expenses	157,668	124,777
Income before income/loss from unconsolidated entities, income taxes, discontinued operations and noncontrolling interest	15,212	5,911
Income from continuing operations	15,212	5,911
Discontinued operations	(628)	0
Net income	14,584	5,911
Net income attributable to common stockholders	14,584	5,911
Ventas Issuers
Revenues:
Rental income	70,299	68,605
Income from loans and investments	469	1,433
Interest and other income	5	21
Total revenues	70,773	70,059
Expenses:
Interest	21,927	13,415
Depreciation and amortization	8,257	8,755
Property-level operating expenses	123	144
General, administrative and professional fees	6,997	6,140
Loss on extinguishment of debt	29,731	0
Total expenses	67,035	28,454
Income before income/loss from unconsolidated entities, income taxes, discontinued operations and noncontrolling interest	3,738	41,605
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities	317	(170)
Income from continuing operations	4,055	41,435
Discontinued operations	681	372
Net income	4,736	41,807
Net income attributable to common stockholders	4,736	41,807
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenues:
Rental income	138,942	16,640
Resident fees and services	181,809	47,816
Medical office building and other services revenue	1,099	(29)
Income from loans and investments	6,627	0
Interest and other income	19	1
Total revenues	328,496	64,428
Expenses:
Interest	35,126	12,517
Depreciation and amortization	116,375	14,010
Property-level operating expenses	132,872	36,646
General, administrative and professional fees	1,808	1,771
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(187)	0
Merger-related expenses and deal costs	1,889	2
Other	33	(1)
Total expenses	287,916	64,945
Income before income/loss from unconsolidated entities, income taxes, discontinued operations and noncontrolling interest	40,580	(517)
Income from continuing operations	40,580	(517)
Discontinued operations	791	394
Net income	41,371	(123)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(534)	62
Net income attributable to common stockholders	41,905	(185)
Consolidated Eliminations
Revenues:
Equity earnings in affiliates	(61,225)	(47,533)
Total revenues	(61,225)	(47,533)
Expenses:
Income before income/loss from unconsolidated entities, income taxes, discontinued operations and noncontrolling interest	(61,225)	(47,533)
Income from continuing operations	(61,225)	(47,533)
Net income	(61,225)	(47,533)
Net income attributable to common stockholders	$ (61,225)	$ (47,533)