CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Revenues:
Rental and related revenues	$ 1,159,791	$ 1,116,830	$ 1,147,145
Tenant recoveries	134,280	125,022	109,659
Resident fees and services	686,835	525,453	241,965
Income from direct financing leases	59,580	61,000	64,441
Interest income	88,808	112,184	73,623
Total revenues	2,129,294	1,940,489	1,636,833
Costs and expenses:
Interest expense	464,403	479,596	439,742
Depreciation and amortization	568,108	504,905	455,016
Operating	738,399	610,679	381,294
General and administrative	103,611	95,965	81,765
Acquisition and pursuit costs	9,821	27,309	17,142
Impairment, net		108,349
Total costs and expenses	1,884,342	1,826,803	1,374,959
Other income (expense):
Gain on sales of real estate, net	164,698	6,377	3,288
Loss on debt extinguishments	(46,020)
Other income, net	3,654	16,208	9,252
Total other income, net	122,332	22,585	12,540
Income before income taxes and equity income from unconsolidated joint ventures	367,284	136,271	274,414
Income tax (expense) benefit	(4,473)	9,807	506
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated joint ventures	11,360	6,590	(3,605)
Income from continuing operations	374,171	152,668	271,315
Discontinued operations:
Income before impairments, transaction costs, gain on sales of real estate and income taxes	400,701	643,109	673,935
Impairments, net		(1,341,399)	(35,913)
Transaction costs	(86,765)
Gain on sales of real estate, net of income taxes			28,010
Income tax expense	(48,181)	(796)	(756)
Total discontinued operations	265,755	(699,086)	665,276
Net income (loss)	639,926	(546,418)	936,591
Noncontrolling interests' share in earnings	(12,179)	(12,817)	(14,358)
Net income (loss) attributable to HCP, Inc.	627,747	(559,235)	922,233
Participating securities' share in earnings	(1,198)	(1,317)	(2,437)
Net income (loss) applicable to common shares	$ 626,549	$ (560,552)	$ 919,796
Basic earnings per common share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.77	$ 0.30	$ 0.56
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.57	(1.51)	1.45
Net income (loss) applicable to common shares (in dollars per share)	1.34	(1.21)	2.01
Diluted earnings per common share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	0.77	0.30	0.56
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.57	(1.51)	1.44
Net income (loss) applicable to common shares (in dollars per share)	$ 1.34	$ (1.21)	$ 2.00
Weighted average shares used to calculate earnings per common share:
Basic (in shares)	467,195	462,795	458,425
Diluted (in shares)	467,403	462,795	458,796