Real Estate Investments (Details 3) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013 loan property operator state	Mar. 31, 2012
Mortgage Loans
Real Estate Investments
Gross Investments	$ 40,142,000
Percentage of Investments	100.00%
Number of Loans	19
Number of properties	26
Number of states	8
Number of operators	11
Interest rate for mortgage loans, low end of range (as a percent)	7.00%
Interest rate for mortgage loans, high end of range (as a percent)	13.50%
Mortgage loans
Scheduled principal payments received	462,000	718,000
Originated commitment	10,600,000
Funded loan commitments	910,000
Remaining loan commitments	7,070,000
Mortgage Loans \| Minimum
Real Estate Investments
General amortization schedule of mortgage loans	20 years
Specified basis points for annual increase in interest rate (as a percent)	0.10%
Mortgage Loans \| Maximum
Real Estate Investments
General amortization schedule of mortgage loans	25 years
Specified basis points for annual increase in interest rate (as a percent)	0.25%
SNF Beds \| Mortgage Loans
Real Estate Investments
Number of Beds/Units	1,960
ALF Units
Real Estate Investments
Number of Beds/Units	2
ALF Units \| Mortgage Loans
Real Estate Investments
Number of Beds/Units	285
Skilled Nursing \| Mortgage Loans
Real Estate Investments
Gross Investments	25,097,000
Percentage of Investments	62.50%
Number of Loans	15
Number of properties	17
Investment per Bed/Unit	13.49
Skilled Nursing \| SNF Beds \| Mortgage Loans
Real Estate Investments
Number of Beds/Units	1,861
106-bed skilled nursing property
Real Estate Investments
Number of Beds/Units	106
Purchase price of replacement facility	13,500,000
Term of right to purchase replacement facility	18 months
Assisted Living \| Mortgage Loans
Real Estate Investments
Gross Investments	12,245,000
Percentage of Investments	30.50%
Number of Loans	3
Number of properties	8
Investment per Bed/Unit	58.03
Assisted Living \| ALF Units \| Mortgage Loans
Real Estate Investments
Number of Beds/Units	211
Range of Care \| Mortgage Loans
Real Estate Investments
Gross Investments	$ 2,800,000
Percentage of Investments	7.00%
Number of Loans	1
Number of properties	1
Investment per Bed/Unit	16.18
Range of Care \| SNF Beds \| Mortgage Loans
Real Estate Investments
Number of Beds/Units	99
Range of Care \| ALF Units \| Mortgage Loans
Real Estate Investments
Number of Beds/Units	74

Name:	invest_InvestmentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	invest_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the amount of loan commitments of the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ltc_LoanCommitments
Namespace Prefix:	ltc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the amount invested into various loan commitments by the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ltc_LoanCommitmentsAmountInvested
Namespace Prefix:	ltc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the amount of open loan commitments as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ltc_LoanCommitmentsOpen
Namespace Prefix:	ltc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the price at which the replacement facility can be purchased as per the option given under the loan agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ltc_LoanCommitmentsRightToPurchaseReplacementFacilityPurchasePrice
Namespace Prefix:	ltc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the amortization period of mortgage loan on real estate properties.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ltc_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateAmortizationPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	ltc_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the basis points specified for an increase in annual interest rate.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ltc_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateInterestRateAnnualIncreaseSpecifiedBasisPoints
Namespace Prefix:	ltc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	ltc_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoansAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	ltc_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the amount of scheduled principal payments on mortgage loans on real estate during the reporting period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ltc_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateScheduledPrincipalPaymentReceived
Namespace Prefix:	ltc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of units or beds of properties under mortgage loans or owned by the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ltc_PropertiesNumberOfUnitsOrBeds
Namespace Prefix:	ltc_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of operators associated with certain investments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ltc_RealEstateInvestmentsNumberOfOperatorsInStates
Namespace Prefix:	ltc_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of states in which the entity has invested.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ltc_RealEstateInvestmentsNumberOfStates
Namespace Prefix:	ltc_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the Investments in real estate held solely for investment purposes expressed as percentage.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ltc_RealEstateInvestmentsPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	ltc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the per unit investment in real estate held solely for investment purposes.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ltc_RealEstateInvestmentsPerUnit
Namespace Prefix:	ltc_
Data Type:	us-types:perUnitItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the term of right to purchase the replacement facility under the loan agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ltc_TermOfRightToPurchaseReplacementFacility
Namespace Prefix:	ltc_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The highest stated interest rate within the mortgage loans included in the loan grouping.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph c

-Subparagraph Schedule IV

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 205

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 6

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-04.(c) Schedule IV)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6882300&loc=d3e5864-122674

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 948

-SubTopic 310

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-29.3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6589523&loc=d3e617274-123014

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 29

-Article 12

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateMaximumInterestRateInRange
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The lowest stated interest rate within the mortgage loans included in the loan grouping.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateMinimumInterestRateInRange
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Indicates the number of mortgages under each classification.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 29

-Paragraph 3

-Article 12

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 205

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 6

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-04.(c) Schedule IV)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6882300&loc=d3e5864-122674

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 948

-SubTopic 310

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-29.3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6589523&loc=d3e617274-123014

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph c

-Subparagraph Schedule IV

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateNumberOfLoans
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of real estate properties owned as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfRealEstateProperties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of real estate investments, net of accumulated depreciation, which may include the following: (1) land available-for-sale; (2) land available-for-development; (3) investments in building and building improvements; (4) tenant allowances; (5) developments in-process; (6) rental properties; (7) other real estate investments; (8) real estate joint ventures; and (9) unconsolidated real estate and other joint ventures not separately presented.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(d))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph d

-Article 7

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstateInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant