Earnings Per Common Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Numerator - Basic
Income from continuing operations									$ 374,171	$ 152,668	$ 271,315
Noncontrolling interests? share in continuing operations									(12,179)	(12,817)	(13,181)
Income from continuing operations applicable to HCP, Inc.									361,992	139,851	258,134
Participating securities' share in earnings									(1,198)	(1,317)	(2,437)
Income from continuing operations applicable to common shares									360,794	138,534	255,697
Discontinued operations	$ (18,246)	$ 108,215	$ 107,378	$ 68,408	$ (679,765)	$ 130,210	$ 158,479	$ (308,028)	265,755	(699,086)	665,276
Noncontrolling interests' share in discontinued operations											(1,177)
Net income (loss) applicable to common shares									$ 626,549	$ (560,552)	$ 919,796
Denominator
Basic weighted average common shares									467,195	462,795	458,425
Dilutive potential common shares									208		371
Diluted weighted average common shares									467,403	462,795	458,796
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)	$ 0.120	$ 0.320	$ 0.650	$ 0.250	$ (1.29)	$ 0.25	$ 0.36	$ (0.52)	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)	$ 0.120	$ 0.320	$ 0.640	$ 0.250	$ (1.29)	$ 0.25	$ 0.36	$ (0.52)	$ 1.34	$ (1.21)	$ 2.00
Common Stock Options
Diluted earnings per common share
Shares of anti-dilutive securities excluded from earnings per share calculation									1,100		1,400
Down REIT
Diluted earnings per common share
Shares of anti-dilutive securities excluded from earnings per share calculation									7,000
DownREIT LLCs, non-managing member units outstanding									4,000