Name:	nhi_ContingentIncentivePayments
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Estimated Credit Losses, Current Conditions Adjustment, Probability of Default and Loss Given Default, Combined

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_EstimatedCreditLossesCurrentConditionsAdjustmentCombined
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Increase in mortgage note receivable from sale of real estate

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_IncreaseInMortgageNoteReceivableFromSaleOfRealEstate
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Incremental Percentage Increase in the Stated Rate of a Note Receivable

No definition available.

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Period Type:	instant

The concept represents a total loan term in number of years

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_LoanTerm
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Reflects the number of basis points by which the interest rate on a fixed rate note or lease receivable will escalate periodically.

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_LoansAndLeasesReceivableCommitmentFixedRatesEscalatorBasisPoints
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Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
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Period Type:	instant

The reference rate for variable rate loans receivable, such as LIBOR or the US Treasury rate.

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_LoansReceivableDescriptionVariableRateBasisReferenceRate
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Period Type:	duration

This item represents the maturity of the reference rate used, such as three months or six months LIBOR.

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_LoansReceivableDescriptionofVariableRateBasisReferenceRateMaturity
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Loans and Lease Receivable, Maximum Revolving Amount

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_LoansandLeaseReceivableMaximumRevolvingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

This concept represents the note year in which the note receivable interest rate will begin to escalate by a fixed amount.

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_NoteReceivableFirstNoteYearForRateEscalator
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This concept reflects the interest rate to be received on a loan receivable.

No definition available.

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Note receivable, Payment Terms, Initial Percent of Excess Operating Cash Flow of the Facility as defined in the agreement

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_NoteReceivablePaymentTermsInitialPercentOfExcessOperatingCashFlow
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Note receivable, Payment Terms, Reduced Percent of Excess Operating Cash Flow of the facility as stated in the agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_NoteReceivablePaymentTermsReducedPercentOfExcessOperatingCashFlow
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Period Type:	instant

This concept represents the percentage of outstanding principal that will be paid as a prepayment penalty.

No definition available.

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Period Type:	instant

This concept represents the annual percentage point decrease in the prepayment penalty percentage rate.

No definition available.

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This item represents the duration of an optional renewal of the maturity date for a note receivable.

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_NoteReceivableRenewalTerm
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Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

This item represents the interest rate to be received for outstanding borrowings under a master credit agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_NotesReceivableInterestRateMasterCreditAgreement
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Period Type:	instant

This item represents the number of notes receivable in a master credit agreement.

No definition available.

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This item represents the total amount of available borrowings in a notes receivable master credit agreement.

No definition available.

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Number Of Additional Lease Renewal Options

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_NumberOfAdditionalLeaseRenewalOptions
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Period Type:	instant

Number of Construction Loans

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_NumberOfConstructionLoans
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Number Of Health Care Properties Related To Mortgage Notes Receivables

No definition available.

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Number of Term Loans

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_NumberofTermLoans
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

This item relates to payments made as part of a mortgage loan that have been reserved for working capital need related to the underlying property.

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_PaymentsRelatedToMortgageLoanReservedForWorkingCapital
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Period Type:	duration

This item represents the estimated increase in the probability of default as part of managements assessment of estimated credit losses based on current economic conditions.

No definition available.

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Period Type:	instant

This item represents the minimum amount of a purchase option when the agreement indicates the greater of this amount of fair value.

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_PurchaseOptionAmountMinimum
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Revolving Note Receivable, Amount Outstanding

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_RevolvingNoteReceivableAmountOutstanding
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Period Type:	instant

Revolving Note Receivable, Maximum Amount Available for Working Capital Purposes

No definition available.

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Amount of allowance for credit loss on financing receivable. Excludes allowance for financing receivable covered under loss sharing agreement.

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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.

No definition available.

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Amount of financing receivable that can be withdrawn, repaid and redrawn.

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The increase (decrease) during the reporting period of the amounts due from borrowers for outstanding secured or unsecured loans evidenced by a note.

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Amount of investment in equity method investee and investment in and advance to affiliate.

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Reflects the amount of cash required to fully fund agreements to provide advances to borrowers and lessees at stated interest rates.

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Amount after allowance and deduction of deferred interest and fees, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts, of loans and leases held in portfolio, including but not limited to, commercial and consumer loans. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements and loans held for sale.

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Percentage added to reference rate used to compute variable rate on loan receivable.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LoansReceivableBasisSpreadOnVariableRate
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Amount of revenue earned, classified as other, excluding interest income.

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Name:	us-gaap_NoninterestIncomeOtherOperatingIncome
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The number of units in a real estate property owned as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfUnitsInRealEstateProperty
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The cash outflow from the acquisition of a piece of land, anything permanently fixed to it, including buildings, structures on it and so forth; includes real estate intended to generate income for the owner; excludes real estate acquired for use by the owner.

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Interest received on loans and other debt instruments during the current period.

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