Segment Disclosures - Summary Information for the Reportable Segments (Details) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) facility	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 facility
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental revenues		$ 438,059	$ 505,548	$ 911,896	$ 1,007,976
HCP share of unconsolidated JV revenues		84,285	55,684	163,495	108,809
Operating expenses		(153,163)	(179,080)	(312,244)	(355,037)
HCP share of unconsolidated JV operating expenses		(66,081)	(43,035)	(126,140)	(84,756)
Segment NOI		303,100	339,117	637,007	676,992
Adjustments to NOI		2,393	715	1,471	(2,374)
Adjusted NOI		305,493	339,832	638,478	674,618
Addback adjustments		(2,393)	(715)	(1,471)	2,374
Interest income		20,869	32,787	39,200	50,816
Interest expense		(77,788)	(121,333)	(164,506)	(243,395)
Depreciation and amortization		(130,751)	(139,919)	(267,305)	(279,774)
General and administrative		(21,286)	(22,779)	(43,764)	(48,230)
Acquisition and pursuit costs		(867)	(823)	(1,924)	(3,298)
Impairment		(56,682)	0	(56,682)	0
Gain (loss) on sales of real estate, net		412	119,614	317,670	119,614
Other income, net		71	2,340	51,279	3,632
Income tax benefit (expense)		2,987	2,179	9,149	(1,525)
Less: HCP share of unconsolidated JV NOI		(18,204)	(12,649)	(37,355)	(24,053)
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated JVs		240	(1,067)	3,509	(1,975)
Discontinued operations		0	107,375	0	175,783
Net income		22,101	304,842	486,278	424,587
Corporate and other assets
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental revenues		0	0	0	0
HCP share of unconsolidated JV revenues		0	0	0	0
Operating expenses		0	0	0	0
HCP share of unconsolidated JV operating expenses		0	0	0	0
Segment NOI		0	0	0	0
Adjustments to NOI		0	0	0	0
Adjusted NOI		0	0	0	0
Addback adjustments		0	0	0	0
Interest income		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		(74,587)	(104,714)	(153,852)	(210,124)
Depreciation and amortization		0	0	0	0
General and administrative		(21,286)	(22,779)	(43,764)	(48,230)
Acquisition and pursuit costs		(867)	(823)	(1,924)	(3,298)
Impairment		0		0
Gain (loss) on sales of real estate, net		0	0	0	0
Other income, net		71	2,340	51,279	3,632
Income tax benefit (expense)		2,987	2,179	9,149	(1,525)
Less: HCP share of unconsolidated JV NOI		0	0	0	0
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated JVs		0	0	0	0
Discontinued operations			107,375		175,783
Net income		(93,682)	(16,422)	$ (139,112)	(83,762)
Senior housing triple-net
Segment Disclosure
Number of SH NNN facilities transitioned to RIDEA structure | facility				1		17
Senior housing triple-net | Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental revenues		78,079	108,841	$ 178,112	215,731
HCP share of unconsolidated JV revenues		0	0	0	0
Operating expenses		(882)	(1,642)	(1,993)	(3,716)
HCP share of unconsolidated JV operating expenses		0	0	0	0
Segment NOI		77,197	107,199	176,119	212,015
Adjustments to NOI		(406)	(2,022)	(2,245)	(7,466)
Adjusted NOI		76,791	105,177	173,874	204,549
Addback adjustments		406	2,022	2,245	7,466
Interest income		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		(631)	(4,049)	(1,258)	(8,215)
Depreciation and amortization		(25,519)	(34,202)	(51,930)	(67,707)
General and administrative		0	0	0	0
Acquisition and pursuit costs		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0		0
Gain (loss) on sales of real estate, net		(230)	0	268,234	0
Other income, net		0	0	0	0
Income tax benefit (expense)		0	0	0	0
Less: HCP share of unconsolidated JV NOI		0	0	0	0
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated JVs		0	0	0	0
Discontinued operations			0		0
Net income		50,817	68,948	391,165	136,093
SHOP | Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental revenues		125,416	164,202	265,644	329,964
HCP share of unconsolidated JV revenues		81,368	52,855	157,731	103,284
Operating expenses		(85,866)	(115,443)	(180,405)	(229,446)
HCP share of unconsolidated JV operating expenses		(65,487)	(42,473)	(125,014)	(83,668)
Segment NOI		55,431	59,141	117,956	120,134
Adjustments to NOI		4,523	4,248	7,679	8,642
Adjusted NOI		59,954	63,389	125,635	128,776
Addback adjustments		(4,523)	(4,248)	(7,679)	(8,642)
Interest income		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		(1,166)	(7,837)	(6,017)	(15,690)
Depreciation and amortization		(24,415)	(24,988)	(50,773)	(51,286)
General and administrative		0	0	0	0
Acquisition and pursuit costs		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0		0
Gain (loss) on sales of real estate, net		(232)	0	134	0
Other income, net		0	0	0	0
Income tax benefit (expense)		0	0	0	0
Less: HCP share of unconsolidated JV NOI		(15,881)	(10,382)	(32,717)	(19,616)
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated JVs		(1,065)	(2,482)	927	(4,960)
Discontinued operations			0		0
Net income		12,672	13,452	29,510	28,582
Life science
Segment reporting information, revenues
Gain (loss) on sales of real estate, net	$ 45,000
Life science | Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental revenues		86,730	90,201	172,050	179,149
HCP share of unconsolidated JV revenues		2,004	1,898	3,944	3,708
Operating expenses		(18,744)	(17,961)	(36,064)	(34,704)
HCP share of unconsolidated JV operating expenses		(429)	(400)	(800)	(774)
Segment NOI		69,561	73,738	139,130	147,379
Adjustments to NOI		(91)	(544)	(345)	(1,217)
Adjusted NOI		69,470	73,194	138,785	146,162
Addback adjustments		91	544	345	1,217
Interest income		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		(96)	(632)	(200)	(1,270)
Depreciation and amortization		(31,004)	(32,077)	(64,795)	(65,674)
General and administrative		0	0	0	0
Acquisition and pursuit costs		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0		0
Gain (loss) on sales of real estate, net		1,280	29,455	45,913	29,455
Other income, net		0	0	0	0
Income tax benefit (expense)		0	0	0	0
Less: HCP share of unconsolidated JV NOI		(1,575)	(1,498)	(3,144)	(2,934)
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated JVs		763	776	1,533	1,485
Discontinued operations			0		0
Net income		38,929	69,762	118,437	108,441
Medical office | Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental revenues		119,164	110,205	237,535	218,228
HCP share of unconsolidated JV revenues		496	524	985	1,003
Operating expenses		(46,581)	(43,028)	(91,444)	(84,977)
HCP share of unconsolidated JV operating expenses		(146)	(155)	(288)	(304)
Segment NOI		72,933	67,546	146,788	133,950
Adjustments to NOI		(769)	(753)	(1,739)	(1,548)
Adjusted NOI		72,164	66,793	145,049	132,402
Addback adjustments		769	753	1,739	1,548
Interest income		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		(127)	(1,625)	(256)	(3,291)
Depreciation and amortization		(42,488)	(40,604)	(85,217)	(79,322)
General and administrative		0	0	0	0
Acquisition and pursuit costs		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0		0
Gain (loss) on sales of real estate, net		(406)	8,311	(406)	8,311
Other income, net		0	0	0	0
Income tax benefit (expense)		0	0	0	0
Less: HCP share of unconsolidated JV NOI		(350)	(369)	(697)	(699)
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated JVs		303	421	572	1,079
Discontinued operations			0		0
Net income		29,865	33,680	60,784	60,028
Other non-reportable segments | Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental revenues		28,670	32,099	58,555	64,904
HCP share of unconsolidated JV revenues		417	407	835	814
Operating expenses		(1,090)	(1,006)	(2,338)	(2,194)
HCP share of unconsolidated JV operating expenses		(19)	(7)	(38)	(10)
Segment NOI		27,978	31,493	57,014	63,514
Adjustments to NOI		(864)	(214)	(1,879)	(785)
Adjusted NOI		27,114	31,279	55,135	62,729
Addback adjustments		864	214	1,879	785
Interest income		20,869	32,787	39,200	50,816
Interest expense		(1,181)	(2,476)	(2,923)	(4,805)
Depreciation and amortization		(7,325)	(8,048)	(14,590)	(15,785)
General and administrative		0	0	0	0
Acquisition and pursuit costs		0	0	0	0
Impairment		(56,682)		(56,682)
Gain (loss) on sales of real estate, net		0	81,848	3,795	81,848
Other income, net		0	0	0	0
Income tax benefit (expense)		0	0	0	0
Less: HCP share of unconsolidated JV NOI		(398)	(400)	(797)	(804)
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated JVs		239	218	477	421
Discontinued operations			0		0
Net income		$ (16,500)	$ 135,422	$ 25,494	$ 175,205