Variable Interest Entities (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Company's involvement with VIEs:
Number of senior housing facilities leased	48
Number of VIE tenants	7
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary \| VIE tenants-operating leases
Company's involvement with VIEs:
Maximum Loss Exposure	$ 308,905
Assets/liability type	Lease intangibles, net and straight-line rent receivables
Carrying amount	15,122
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary \| VIE tenants-DFLs
Company's involvement with VIEs:
Maximum Loss Exposure	1,132,359
Assets/liability type	Net investment in DFLs
Carrying amount	597,792
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary \| Loan-senior secured
Company's involvement with VIEs:
Maximum Loss Exposure	68,755
Assets/liability type	Loans receivable, net
Carrying amount	$ 68,755

Number of properties leased by the entity to tenants that have been identified as a VIE.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Number of tenants of properties leased by entity for which the tenant is considered a VIE tenant.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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- Definition

Balance sheet classification of the Variable Interest Entity's (VIE) assets included in the statement of financial position of the reporting entity. This element is applicable for variable interests whether the reporting entity has a controlling financial interest (primary beneficiary) or not.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (bb)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7880789&loc=d3e5710-111685

+ Details

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- Definition

The net carrying amount of the consolidated Variable Interest Entity's assets and liabilities included in the reporting entity's statement of financial position.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The reporting entity's maximum amount of exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with the Variable Interest Entity (VIE).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph b

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7880789&loc=d3e5728-111685

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 6

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7880789&loc=d3e5747-111685

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Staff Position (FSP)

-Number FAS140-4/FIN46(R)

-Paragraph C6

-Subparagraph b

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
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- Details

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