XML 40 R67.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Income Taxes Income Taxes (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Income Taxes [Line Items]      
Income Tax Expense (Benefit) $ 133,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit $ 267,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit $ 137,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit) 0us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 0us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 0us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Income Taxes Paid 139,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid 129,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid 96,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid
Taxable REIT Subsidiary [Member]      
Income Taxes [Line Items]      
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)   128,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_MajorityOwnedSubsidiaryUnconsolidatedMember
 
Other than Taxable REIT Subsidiary [Member]      
Income Taxes [Line Items]      
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)   $ 139,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= nhi_OtherthanTaxableREITSubsidiaryMember