Net Investment in Direct Financing Leases (Details) (USD $)			9 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012 item	Dec. 31, 2011 item	Sep. 30, 2012 HCR ManorCare item	Dec. 31, 2011 HCR ManorCare	Apr. 07, 2011 HCR ManorCare item	Mar. 31, 2013 HCR ManorCare Forecast	Sep. 30, 2012 HCR ManorCare Minimum	Sep. 30, 2012 HCR ManorCare Maximum
Net Investment in Direct Financing Leases
Minimum lease payments receivable	$ 25,350,888,000	$ 25,744,161,000	$ 24,200,000,000	$ 24,500,000,000
Estimated residual values	4,010,514,000	4,010,514,000
Less unearned income	(22,518,153,000)	(23,026,898,000)
Net investment in direct financing leases	6,843,249,000	6,727,777,000
Number of properties subject to direct financing leases	361	361
Direct financing leases
Number of post-acute, skilled nursing and assisted living facilities acquired					334
Minimum lease payments receivable	25,350,888,000	25,744,161,000	24,200,000,000	24,500,000,000
Annual rent receivable from triple-net master lease with HCR ManorCare						$ 489,000,000
Rate of increase in rent receivable per year after each of the next four years of initial lease term (as a percent)			3.50%
Rate of increase in rent receivable per year for remaining years of lease term (as a percent)			3.00%
Number of asset pools			4
Rate of increase in rent receivable for first year of extension option (as a percent)			3.00%
Total initial available term of asset pools							23 years	35 years