Real Estate (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			6 Months Ended			6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended				6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014 properties	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014 properties	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014 Prestige Senior Living [Member] properties	Jun. 30, 2014 Prestige Senior Living [Member] Capital Improvement Commitment [Member] properties	Jun. 30, 2014 Care Investment Trust [Member] properties	Jun. 30, 2014 Chancellor Senior Living [Member]	Jun. 01, 2014 Chancellor Senior Living [Member] properties	Jun. 30, 2014 Holiday Acquisition Holdings [Member] properties	Jun. 30, 2013 Holiday Acquisition Holdings [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Holiday Acquisition Holdings [Member] properties	Jun. 30, 2013 Holiday Acquisition Holdings [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Bickford Senior Living [Member] properties	Jun. 30, 2013 Bickford Senior Living [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Bickford Senior Living [Member] properties	Jun. 30, 2013 Bickford Senior Living [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Bickford Senior Living [Member] Bickford Development Properties [Member] properties	Jun. 30, 2014 Bickford Senior Living [Member] Stabilized Portfolio [Member] properties	Jun. 30, 2014 Bickford Senior Living [Member] Unstabilized Portfolio [Member] properties	Jun. 30, 2013 Bickford Senior Living [Member] Unstabilized Portfolio [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 National Healthcare Corporation [Member] Master_Leases properties	Jun. 30, 2013 National Healthcare Corporation [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 National Healthcare Corporation [Member] Master_Leases properties	Jun. 30, 2013 National Healthcare Corporation [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 National Healthcare Corporation [Member] NHC - 1991 Lease [Member] renewalOptions properties	Jun. 30, 2014 National Healthcare Corporation [Member] NHC - 2013 Lease [Member] properties	Jun. 30, 2014 Senior Housing Community [Member] properties	Jun. 30, 2014 Independent Living Facility [Member] National Healthcare Corporation [Member] properties	Jun. 30, 2014 Skilled Nursing Facility [Member] properties	Jun. 30, 2014 Skilled Nursing Facility [Member] Prestige Senior Living [Member] properties beds_or_units	Jun. 30, 2014 Skilled Nursing Facility [Member] National Healthcare Corporation [Member] properties	Jun. 30, 2014 Skilled Nursing Facility [Member] National Healthcare Corporation [Member] Subleased Facilities [Member] properties	Jun. 30, 2014 Assisted Living Facility [Member] Prestige Senior Living [Member] beds_or_units	Jun. 30, 2014 Hospital [Member] properties	Jun. 30, 2014 Medical Office Building [Member] properties
Number of Real Estate Properties	162		162			4	2	14		56	25		25		29		29			27	2		42		42		35	7	93	3	64	3	39	4		3	2
Lessor Leasing Arrangements, Operating Leases, Term of Contract						15 years 0 months 0 days			15 years 0 months 0 days				17 years 0 months 0 days
Number of Master Leases																							2		2
Number of States in which Entity Operates	30		30
Nonportfolio Assets, Original Cost	$ 894,000		$ 894,000
Real Estate Investment Property, Portfolio Assets	1,481,756,000		1,481,756,000
Number of Lessees	24		24
Initial Lease Amount											31,915,000		31,915,000		19,108,000		19,108,000
Lease Escalator Rate, From Lease Year 1 to Lease Year 3											4.50%		4.50%
Number of Years Until Lease Escalator Changes													3 years 0 months 0 days
Lease Escalator Rate, After Lease Year 3											3.50%		3.50%
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																			1
Number of Units in Real Estate Property																																196			105
Operating Leases, Income Statement, Lease Revenue	41,353,000	24,067,000	81,666,000	48,172,000							10,954,000		21,908,000		5,202,000	2,093,000	10,465,000	4,174,000			671,000	295,000	9,109,000	8,201,000	18,227,000	17,148,000
Percentage of Continuing Revenue											25.00%		25.00%		12.00%	8.00%	12.00%	8.00%					21.00%	30.00%	21.00%	32.00%
Straight Line Rent			8,490,000	2,695,000								2,975,000		5,951,000
Business Combination, Pro Forma Information, Revenue of Acquiree since Acquisition Date, Actual	2,588,000		5,176,000
Business Combination, Pro Forma Information, Earnings or Loss of Acquiree since Acquisition Date, Actual	409,000		807,000
Number of additional lease renewal options																											2
Lease Renewal Period In Years																											5 years 0 months 0 days
Percentage Rent Rate																												0.04
Percentage rent																							573,000	568,000	1,154,000	1,882,000
Minimum Annual Lease Income																											30,750,000	3,450,000
Significant Acquisition, Cost, Cash						40,115,000				11,500,000
Asset Purchase, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Earn Out Payments						6,390,000
Purchase Option Amount																												49,000,000
Initial lease rate						8.40%				8.00%
Capital Improvements Commitment							2,000,000
Maximum Commitment For All Active Development Projects																			9,000,000
Real estate purchase liabilities	4,000,000		4,000,000		2,600,000	3,000,000
Construction and Development Costs																	$ 20,937,000		$ 5,389,000		$ 15,548,000