Net Investment in Direct Financing Leases (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended						3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended					9 Months Ended				0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014 item	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 item	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013 item	Sep. 30, 2014 Performing DFLs	Sep. 30, 2014 Watch List DFLs	Sep. 30, 2014 Senior housing	Sep. 30, 2014 Senior housing DFL Portfolio	Sep. 30, 2013 Senior housing DFL Portfolio item	Sep. 30, 2014 Senior housing DFL Portfolio	Sep. 30, 2013 Senior housing DFL Portfolio item	Dec. 31, 2013 Senior housing DFL Portfolio	Sep. 30, 2014 Senior housing Performing DFLs	Sep. 30, 2014 Senior housing Watch List DFLs	Sep. 30, 2014 Post-acute/skilled	Sep. 30, 2014 Post-acute/skilled Performing DFLs	Sep. 30, 2014 Hospital	Sep. 30, 2014 Hospital Performing DFLs	Apr. 02, 2014 HCR ManorCare	Sep. 30, 2014 HCR ManorCare item	Mar. 31, 2014 HCR ManorCare	Dec. 31, 2013 HCR ManorCare	Sep. 30, 2014 HCR ManorCare Minimum	Sep. 30, 2014 HCR ManorCare Maximum
Acquisition
Minimum lease payments receivable	$ 24,329,517,000		$ 24,329,517,000		$ 24,808,386,000																$ 23,100,000,000		$ 23,500,000,000
Annual rent from triple-net lease with HCR ManorCare																				524,000,000		506,000,000
Rate of increase in minimum lease revenue per year over each of the next 2 years (as a percent)																					3.50%
Remaining specified period of the initial lease term during which the minimum lease revenue increases by a specified percentage per year																					2 years
Rate of increase in minimum lease revenue 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
Estimated residual values	4,126,426,000		4,126,426,000		4,134,405,000
Less unearned income	(21,210,821,000)		(21,210,821,000)		(21,789,392,000)
Net investment in direct financing leases	7,245,122,000		7,245,122,000		7,153,399,000	6,873,918,000	371,204,000	1,492,862,000	371,000,000	376,000,000	371,000,000	376,000,000	374,000,000	1,121,658,000	371,204,000	5,628,369,000	5,628,369,000	123,891,000	123,891,000
Percentage of DFL Portfolio	100.00%		100.00%					20.00%								78.00%		2.00%
Properties subject to direct financing leases	363		363		364					14		14
DFL income	165,687,000	157,253,000	495,724,000	472,409,000					5,000,000	5,000,000	15,000,000	19,000,000
Cash proceeds from DFL portfolio									6,000,000	6,000,000
Proceeds from Collection of Lease Receivables																$ 13,000,000