Real Estate (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended				0 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended												9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013 properties	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 properties	Sep. 30, 2012	Aug. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 28, 2013 Care Investment Trust [Member] properties	Apr. 30, 2013 Fundamental Long Term Care Holdings [Member] properties beds_or_units	Apr. 30, 2013 Fundamental Long Term Care Holdings [Member] Canton, TX [Member]	Jun. 28, 2013 Bickford Senior Living [Member] properties	Sep. 30, 2013 National Healthcare Corporation [Member] properties renewalOptions	Sep. 30, 2012 National Healthcare Corporation [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 National Healthcare Corporation [Member] properties renewalOptions	Sep. 30, 2012 National Healthcare Corporation [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 National Healthcare Corporation [Member] Assets Held-for-sale [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 National Healthcare Corporation [Member] Assets Held-for-sale [Member]	Aug. 30, 2013 National Healthcare Corporation [Member] Assets Held-for-sale [Member] properties	Sep. 30, 2013 Elder Trust [Member]	Aug. 30, 2013 Elder Trust [Member] properties	Sep. 30, 2013 Bickford Senior Living [Member] properties	Sep. 30, 2013 Bickford Senior Living [Member] properties	Sep. 30, 2012 Bickford Senior Living [Member]	Jun. 28, 2013 Bickford Senior Living [Member] beds_or_units properties	Jul. 31, 2013 Halcyon Village [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Discovery Regency Pointe [Member] renewalOptions	Sep. 30, 2013 Assisted Living Facility [Member] properties	Sep. 30, 2013 Independent Living Facility [Member] National Healthcare Corporation [Member] properties	Sep. 30, 2013 Skilled Nursing Facility [Member] properties	Sep. 30, 2013 Skilled Nursing Facility [Member] National Healthcare Corporation [Member] properties	Sep. 30, 2013 Medical Office Building [Member] properties	Sep. 30, 2013 Hospital [Member] properties	Sep. 30, 2013 Subleased Facilities [Member] Skilled Nursing Facility [Member] National Healthcare Corporation [Member] properties	Sep. 30, 2013 Prior To Sale Of Properties [Member] National Healthcare Corporation [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 After Sale Of Properties [Member] National Healthcare Corporation [Member]	Aug. 30, 2013 Vacant Building [Member] Elder Trust [Member] properties	Oct. 31, 2013 Assets Held-for-sale [Member] Fundamental Long Term Care Holdings [Member] properties
Significant Acquisition, Cost, Receivable Cancelled																			$ 13,741,000
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals, Acquisition Costs or Sale Proceeds																			37,417,000					15,300,000	12,000,000											18,500,000
Number of Real Estate Properties	135		135				14	2		3	42		42				6		7	27	27		17			66	3	64	39	2	3	4			1	3
Real Estate, Assets Held For Sale, Sales Price																	21,000,000
Assets held for sale, net	0		0			1,611,000									1,611,000	1,611,000
Gain on sale of real estate	19,370,000	0	19,370,000	0											19,370,000
Asset Purchase Transaction Costs																19,000
Minimum Annual Lease Income																		3,450,000															33,700,000	30,750,000
Lease Extension Period in Years			10 years 0 months 0 days										5 years 0 months 0 days
Lease Renewal Period In Years								5 years 0 months 0 days			5 years 0 months 0 days		5 years 0 months 0 days												5 years 0 months 0 days
Significant Acquisition, Cost, Cash								26,150,000											23,676,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability								1,600,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment							124,549,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Financial Liabilities							80,528,000
Number of States in which Entity Operates	27		27
Nonportfolio Assets, Original Cost	882,000		882,000
Real Estate Investment Property, Portfolio Assets	944,346,000		944,346,000
Number of Lessees	23		23
Revenues	31,793,000	24,343,000	87,912,000	70,223,000
Operating Leases, Income Statement, Lease Revenue	28,817,000	21,116,000	78,879,000	61,333,000									25,650,000	25,041,000						5,209,000	9,383,000
Percentage of Continuing Revenue													29.00%	36.00%							16.00%	11.00%
Percentage Rent Rate													0.04
Purchase Option Amount																		49,000,000
Percentage rent											570,000	382,000	2,452,000	2,145,000
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Cash Paid							44,021,000
Number of Units in Real Estate Property								254		107													750	76	120
Number of years in initial lease term					15 years 0 months 0 days		5 years 0 months 0 days	10																15	15 years 0 months 0 days
Initial Lease Amount							9,750,000			9,086,000								350,000		18,836,000	18,836,000		7,750,000	1,140,000	942,000
Real estate purchase liabilities	5,856,000		5,856,000			4,256,000																			2,500,000
Asset Purchase Portion Of Significant Acquisition										12,910,000
Initial lease rate								9.00%
Number of additional lease renewal options								3			2		2												3
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired							100.00%		100.00%
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Land							4,360,000		420,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Buildings							120,189,000		11,659,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Equipment									671,000
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Transaction Costs							63,000		147,000
Joint Venture Contributed Properties Ownership Interest Retained																				85.00%	85.00%
Joint Venture Contributed Properties Ownership Interest Surrendered																				15.00%	15.00%
Number Of Development Projects Active																				3	3
Joint Venture Operating Company Ownership Interest Received																				85.00%	85.00%
Maximum Commitment For All Active Development Projects																				27,000,000	27,000,000
Construction and Development Costs																					14,252,000
Real Estate Held-for-sale																																				$ 17,115,000