Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended				6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended							6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended							3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012 item	Jun. 30, 2012 Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living, Inc. item	Jun. 30, 2012 Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living, Inc. item	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living, Inc.	Jun. 30, 2012 Gross Assets Operators HCR ManorCare	Dec. 31, 2011 Gross Assets Operators HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2012 Gross Assets Operators Brookdale Senior Living, Inc.	Dec. 31, 2011 Gross Assets Operators Brookdale Senior Living, Inc.	Jun. 30, 2012 Gross Assets Operators Emeritus	Dec. 31, 2011 Gross Assets Operators Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2012 Gross Assets Operators Sunrise	Dec. 31, 2011 Gross Assets Operators Sunrise	Jun. 30, 2012 Gross Assets Operators Senior housing HCR ManorCare	Dec. 31, 2011 Gross Assets Operators Senior housing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2012 Gross Assets Operators Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living, Inc.	Dec. 31, 2011 Gross Assets Operators Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living, Inc.	Jun. 30, 2012 Gross Assets Operators Senior housing Emeritus	Dec. 31, 2011 Gross Assets Operators Senior housing Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2012 Gross Assets Operators Senior housing Sunrise	Dec. 31, 2011 Gross Assets Operators Senior housing Sunrise	Jun. 30, 2012 Gross Assets Operators Post-acute/skilled nursing HCR ManorCare	Dec. 31, 2011 Gross Assets Operators Post-acute/skilled nursing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2011 Revenue Operators HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2011 Revenue Operators HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Brookdale Senior Living, Inc.	Jun. 30, 2011 Revenue Operators Brookdale Senior Living, Inc.	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Brookdale Senior Living, Inc.	Jun. 30, 2011 Revenue Operators Brookdale Senior Living, Inc.	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2011 Revenue Operators Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2011 Revenue Operators Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Sunrise	Jun. 30, 2011 Revenue Operators Sunrise	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Sunrise	Jun. 30, 2011 Revenue Operators Sunrise	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Senior housing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2011 Revenue Operators Senior housing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Senior housing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2011 Revenue Operators Senior housing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living, Inc.	Jun. 30, 2011 Revenue Operators Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living, Inc.	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living, Inc.	Jun. 30, 2011 Revenue Operators Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living, Inc.	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Senior housing Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2011 Revenue Operators Senior housing Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Senior housing Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2011 Revenue Operators Senior housing Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Senior housing Sunrise	Jun. 30, 2011 Revenue Operators Senior housing Sunrise	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Senior housing Sunrise	Jun. 30, 2011 Revenue Operators Senior housing Sunrise	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Post-acute/skilled nursing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2011 Revenue Operators Post-acute/skilled nursing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Post-acute/skilled nursing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2011 Revenue Operators Post-acute/skilled nursing HCR ManorCare
Concentration of Credit Risk
Concentration risk, asset percentage					35.00%	35.00%	5.00%	5.00%	6.00%	6.00%	7.00%	7.00%	14.00%	14.00%	15.00%	16.00%	18.00%	18.00%	22.00%	22.00%	90.00%	94.00%
Concentration risk, revenue percentage																							31.00%	32.00%	31.00%	23.00%	5.00%	4.00%	5.00%	4.00%	7.00%	6.00%	7.00%	8.00%	5.00%	5.00%	5.00%	6.00%	12.00%	12.00%	12.00%	7.00%	16.00%	14.00%	16.00%	14.00%	20.00%	24.00%	20.00%	25.00%	15.00%	19.00%	15.00%	22.00%	93.00%	76.00%	93.00%	73.00%
Concentration risk, assets		$ 685.5	$ 685.5	$ 682.7
Concentration risk, revenue		$ 35.6	$ 70.7
Number of senior living communities operated in a RIDEA structure	21	21	21
Operator assets as a percentage of segment assets															27.00%	27.00%
Operator assets as a percentage of total assets							9.00%	9.00%
Operator revenues as a percentage of segment revenues																																											39.00%		39.00%
Operator revenues as a percentage of total revenues																											13.00%		13.00%