Investment Activity (Asset Acquisition) (Details) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended
Feb. 28, 2023 USD ($) property bedOrUnitInTheProperty
Real Estate [Line Items]
Full payment of an outstanding construction note receivable	$ 14.2
Silverado Senior Living
Real Estate [Line Items]
Number of units acquired in a assisted living facility \| property	2
Master lease, term	20 years
Initial lease rate	7.50%
Annual escalator of lease	2.00%
Silverado Senior Living, Summerlin, NE
Real Estate [Line Items]
Number of units acquired in a assisted living facility \| bedOrUnitInTheProperty	60
Acquisition price	$ 37.5
Silverado Senior Living, Frederick, MD
Real Estate [Line Items]
Number of units acquired in a assisted living facility \| bedOrUnitInTheProperty	60
Bickford \| Bickford
Real Estate [Line Items]
Number of units acquired in a assisted living facility \| bedOrUnitInTheProperty	64
Acquisition price	$ 17.3
Asset acquisition, receivable cancellation	0.5
Asset purchase transaction costs	$ 0.1
Asset acquisition, initial lease rate	8.00%

Annual Lease Escalator

No definition available.

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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The initial rate charged under a lease entered into in connection with the purchase of a property.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Asset Acquisition, Receivable Cancellation

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Asset Purchase Transaction Costs

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nhi_AssetPurchaseTransactionCosts
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The initial rate charged under a lease entered into in connection with the purchase of a property.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nhi_InitialLeaseRate
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	dtr-types1:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Term Of Master Lease

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nhi_TermOfMasterLease
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Purchase price of expected asset acquisition prior to consideration being transferred. Excludes business acquisition.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 50
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 15
-Paragraph 3
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480123/805-50-15-3

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of units in a real estate property 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 cash inflow associated with the proceeds from sale of notes receivable, as well as principal collections from a borrowing supported by a written promise to pay an obligation (note receivable).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482740/230-10-45-12

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleAndCollectionOfNotesReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- 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

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 976
-SubTopic 310
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482856/976-310-50-1

+ Details

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

- Details

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- Details

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Period Type:

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

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