Represents the ownership percentage in joint venture.

No definition available.

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- Definition

The gross carrying amount of loans receivable that are subordinated to receivables held by other entities.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The gross carrying amount of loan receivable classified as other.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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- Definition

Represents number of joint ventures deconsolidated.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_NumberOfJointVenturesDeconsolidated
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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

The number of loans to VIE borrowers.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents number of unconsolidated joint ventures between entity and an institutional capital partner.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of VIE borrowers in which the entity has invested in marketable debt securities.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_NumberOfVieBorrowersWithMarketableDebtSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the period of call-option retained.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_PeriodOfCallOptionRetained
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of properties leased by the entity to tenants that have been identified as a VIE.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_PropertiesLeasedNumber
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of tenants of properties leased by entity for which the tenant is considered a VIE tenant.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_VIETenantsNumber
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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of controlling ownership interest entities, in which the company holds the interest and is the managing member of the partnership.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_VariableInterestEntityControllingOwnershipInterestThroughPartnership
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of decrease in additional paid in capital (APIC) resulting from dividends legally declared (or paid) in excess of retained earnings balance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84159872&loc=d3e21463-112644

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentTerm
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Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Net amount of the investment in a contractual right to receive money on demand or on fixed or determinable dates that is recognized as an asset in the creditor's statement of financial position. Examples include, but are not limited to, credit card receivables, notes receivable and receivables relating to lessor's rights to payments from leases other than operating leases that have been recorded as assets. Excludes trade accounts receivable with contractual maturity of one year or less and arose from the sale of goods or services.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of real estate properties owned as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The carrying amount of the consolidated Variable Interest Entity's assets included in the reporting entity's statement of financial position.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (bb)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77990344&loc=d3e5710-111685

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The carrying amount of the consolidated Variable Interest Entity's liabilities included in the reporting entity's statement of financial position.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityConsolidatedCarryingAmountLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of the Variable Interest Entity's (VIE) voting interest owned by (or beneficial interest in) the reporting entity (directly or indirectly).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77990344&loc=SL6759159-111685

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember
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Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=hcp_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryTenantsWithOperatingLeasesMember
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Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=hcp_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryInvestmentInJointVentureMember
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=hcp_ConsolidatedVariableEntityVintageParkJvMember
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=hcp_WaldwickMember
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=hcp_VintageParkDevelopmentJVandWaldwickJVMember
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=hcp_HcpVenturesVMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=hcp_DownreitPartnershipsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=hcp_ExchangeAccommodationTitleholderMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=hcp_MariaMallabandCareGroupLtdBridgeLoanMember
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Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=hcp_MariaMallabandCareGroupLtdMember
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Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=hcp_TandemHealthCareLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=hcp_SeniorHousingTripleNetMember
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

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- Details

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Variable Interest Entities - Narrative (Details) $ in Thousands, € in Millions		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2016 USD ($) joint_venture	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) property loan entity joint_venture tenant	Dec. 31, 2017 EUR (€) property loan joint_venture tenant	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	May 31, 2015 USD ($)	Aug. 29, 2014
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of joint ventures deconsolidated \| joint_venture	3
Cumulative-effect adjustment to cumulative dividends in excess of earnings	$ 500
Mezzanine			$ 269,299			$ 615,188
Loans receivable, other			$ 188,418			195,946
Consolidated Variable Interest Entities
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of properties leased \| property			21	21
Ownership percentage (as a percent)		90.00%
Unconsolidated Variable Interest Entities
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of unconsolidated joint ventures \| joint_venture			5	5
Number of VIE borrowers with marketable debt securities \| joint_venture			1	1
Number of VIE borrowers with debt securities and loan \| loan			3	3
Number of VIE tenants \| tenant			7	7
VIE tenants-operating leases
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of properties leased \| property			48	48
CCRC OpCo
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Joint Venture Ownership Percentage									49.00%
Vintage Park Development JV
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Ownership percentage (as a percent)			85.00%
Waldwick
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Ownership percentage (as a percent)			85.00%
Vintage Park Development JV and Waldwick JV
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of unconsolidated joint ventures \| joint_venture			2	2
HCP Ventures V
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Ownership percentage (as a percent)			51.00%
DownREIT Partnerships
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of controlling ownership interest entities as a managing member \| entity			5
EAT
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Total assets			$ 153,000
Number of properties \| property			11	11
Bridge Loan \| MMCG
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Loan amount			$ 131,000	€ 105
Period of call-option retained			3 years
Tandem Health Care Loan
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Loans receivable, other			$ 105,000		$ 189,000	$ 256,000		$ 257,000
Senior housing triple-net \| Loan-seller financing
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Mezzanine			$ 10,000
Term of facility			5 years
Senior housing triple-net \| Loan-senior secured
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of VIE tenants \| tenant			7	7
Vintage Park Development JV
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Ownership percentage (as a percent)			90.00%
Watertown JV
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Ownership percentage (as a percent)			95.00%
Hayden JV
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Ownership percentage (as a percent)			99.00%
Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2015-02 - Consolidation \| Adjustment \| Consolidated Variable Interest Entities
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Total assets							$ 543,000
Total liabilities							$ 651,000