Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended						3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 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
	Jun. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2014 HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2013 HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2014 HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2013 HCR ManorCare	Dec. 31, 2013 HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2014 Brookdale Senior Living item	Jun. 30, 2014 Senior housing	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior housing	Jun. 30, 2014 Senior housing	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior housing	Jun. 30, 2014 Post-acute/skilled	Jun. 30, 2013 Post-acute/skilled	Jun. 30, 2014 Post-acute/skilled	Jun. 30, 2013 Post-acute/skilled	Jun. 30, 2014 Total Assets Operators HCR ManorCare	Dec. 31, 2013 Total Assets Operators HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2014 Total Assets Operators Brookdale Senior Living	Dec. 31, 2013 Total Assets Operators Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2014 Total Assets Operators Sunrise Senior Living	Dec. 31, 2013 Total Assets Operators Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2014 Total Assets Operators Senior housing HCR ManorCare	Dec. 31, 2013 Total Assets Operators Senior housing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2014 Total Assets Operators Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living	Dec. 31, 2013 Total Assets Operators Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2014 Total Assets Operators Senior housing Sunrise Senior Living	Dec. 31, 2013 Total Assets Operators Senior housing Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2014 Total Assets Operators Post-acute/skilled HCR ManorCare	Dec. 31, 2013 Total Assets Operators Post-acute/skilled HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2014 Revenue Operators HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2014 Revenue Operators HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2014 Revenue Operators Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2014 Revenue Operators Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2014 Revenue Operators Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2014 Revenue Operators Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2014 Revenue Operators Senior housing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Senior housing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2014 Revenue Operators Senior housing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Senior housing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2014 Revenue Operators Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2014 Revenue Operators Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2014 Revenue Operators Senior housing Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Senior housing Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2014 Revenue Operators Senior housing Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Senior housing Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2014 Revenue Operators Post-acute/skilled HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Post-acute/skilled HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2014 Revenue Operators Post-acute/skilled HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Post-acute/skilled HCR ManorCare
Concentration of Credit Risk
Concentration risk (as a percent)																								32.00%	32.00%	19.00%	19.00%	7.00%	7.00%	11.00%	11.00%	46.00%	48.00%	17.00%	17.00%	89.00%	89.00%	28.00%	29.00%	28.00%	28.00%	17.00%	17.00%	17.00%	17.00%	4.00%	5.00%	4.00%	5.00%	10.00%	10.00%	10.00%	10.00%	46.00%	46.00%	46.00%	46.00%	11.00%	13.00%	11.00%	13.00%	86.00%	87.00%	86.00%	88.00%
Number of RIDEA joint ventures															2
Balance Sheets:
Real estate and other property, net	$ 10,814,881,000			$ 10,814,881,000			$ 10,627,249,000			$ 2,970,700,000		$ 2,970,700,000		$ 2,993,200,000
Cash and cash equivalents	54,070,000		53,114,000	54,070,000		53,114,000	300,556,000		247,673,000	150,700,000		150,700,000		141,800,000
Goodwill, intangible and other assets, net	940,008,000			940,008,000			867,705,000			5,099,900,000		5,099,900,000		5,174,900,000
Total assets	20,144,169,000	[1]		20,144,169,000	[1]		20,075,870,000	[1]		8,221,300,000		8,221,300,000		8,309,900,000
Debt and financing obligations										6,191,700,000		6,191,700,000		6,258,500,000
Accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other	339,364,000			339,364,000			318,427,000			996,400,000		996,400,000		1,013,400,000
Total equity	10,972,594,000		10,798,259,000	10,972,594,000		10,798,259,000	10,931,134,000		10,753,777,000	1,033,200,000		1,033,200,000		1,038,000,000
Total liabilities and equity	20,144,169,000			20,144,169,000			20,075,870,000			8,221,300,000		8,221,300,000		8,309,900,000
Income Statements:
Revenues	536,121,000		512,239,000	1,066,113,000		1,023,424,000				1,039,100,000	1,024,300,000	2,086,700,000	2,083,800,000			193,273,000	189,461,000	384,695,000	376,503,000	152,055,000	146,284,000	303,247,000	290,105,000
Operating, general and administrative expense										(914,500,000)	(864,400,000)	(1,810,300,000)	(1,764,000,000)
Depreciation and amortization expense	(113,133,000)		(109,210,000)	(220,521,000)		(212,389,000)				(35,300,000)	(35,700,000)	(70,900,000)	(72,400,000)
Interest expense	(106,842,000)		(108,452,000)	(213,480,000)		(217,562,000)				(102,200,000)	(103,900,000)	(204,700,000)	(208,100,000)
Other income (expense), net	709,000		3,288,000	2,639,000		15,400,000				1,600,000	(500,000)	4,500,000	1,700,000
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income tax benefit (expense)										(11,300,000)	19,800,000	5,300,000	41,000,000
Income tax benefit (expense)	(1,339,000)		(1,604,000)	(2,785,000)		(2,519,000)				4,600,000	(6,700,000)	(2,200,000)	(13,500,000)
Income from continuing operations	222,279,000		213,897,000	456,156,000		445,450,000				(6,700,000)	13,100,000	3,100,000	27,500,000
Loss from discontinued operations, net of taxes			2,828,000	29,746,000		5,059,000				(4,200,000)	(3,000,000)	(5,600,000)	(5,700,000)
Net income	222,279,000		216,725,000	485,902,000		450,509,000				(10,900,000)	10,100,000	(2,500,000)	21,800,000
Credit Enhancement Guarantee
Third party debt collateralized by facilities, debt amount (maturing in May 1, 2025)	108,000,000			108,000,000
Third party debt collateralized by facilities, asset carrying amount (maturing in May 1, 2025)	$ 372,000,000			$ 372,000,000

[1] The Company's consolidated total assets at June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013 each include $1 million of other assets of certain variable interest entities ("VIEs") that can only be used to settle the liabilities of those VIEs. See Note 16 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.