Equity (Details 2) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended			6 Months Ended								3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013 property	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012 partnership	Sep. 30, 2013 Subsequent Event Dividend distributions	Aug. 31, 2013 Subsequent Event Dividend distributions	Jul. 31, 2013 Subsequent Event Dividend distributions	Jun. 30, 2013 Equity Distribution Agreement	Jun. 30, 2013 Total Cumulative Preferred Stock	Jun. 30, 2012 Total Cumulative Preferred Stock	Jun. 30, 2013 Series C Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock	Jun. 30, 2012 Series C Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock	Jun. 30, 2013 Common Stock	Jun. 30, 2012 Common Stock	Jun. 30, 2013 Common Stock Equity Distribution Agreement	Jun. 30, 2013 Common Stock Underwritten public offering	Jun. 30, 2013 Common Stock Underwritten public offering	Dec. 31, 2012 Conversion of noncontrolling interest item
Equity
Shares outstanding	2,000,000		2,000,000		2,000,000							2,000,000
Dividend Rate (as a percent)												8.50%
Number of shares of common stock and dividends to be issued upon conversion												2,000,000
Conversion price per share												$ 19.25
Total shares reserved for issuance of common stock related to the conversion of preferred stock												2,000,000
Number of shares repurchased														600
Maximum aggregate offering price of shares authorized for issuance under terminated agreement									$ 85,686,000
Shares common stock sold									126,742								4,025,000	4,025,000
Sale price of common stock (in dollars per share)																	$ 44.50	$ 44.50
Fees and costs																	7,707,000	7,707,000
Net proceeds									4,895,000								171,406,000
Reclassification of accumulated costs to additional paid in capital																662,000
Non-controlling Interests
Number of limited partners			0
Number of limited partnerships					1
Limited partnership, conversion basis					one-for-one basis
Number of limited partners exercising conversion rights																			2
Number of partnership units converted by limited partners																			112,588
Number of partnership units converted																			23,294
Partnership unit conversion price (per unit)																			$ 17.00
Redemption notification of limited partnership units																			89,294
Cash paid, redemption of non-controlling interest				2,764,000															2,764,000
Margin added to the common stock price per share on redemption date to determine amount to be paid to limited partner																			$ 0.05
Excess of redemption value over the book value																			1,246,000
Excess of redemption value over the book value reclassified to stockholder's equity																			1,246,000
Change from net income attributable to and transfers from non-controlling interest
Net income attributable to LTC Properties, Inc	12,903,000	13,103,000	25,879,000	26,024,000
Transfers from the non-controlling interest: Decrease in paid-in capital for limited partners conversion				(1,246,000)
Change from net income attributable to LTC Properties, Inc. and transfers from non-controlling interest			25,879,000	24,778,000
Dividend Distributions
Declared	31,385,000	28,096,000	31,385,000	28,096,000						1,636,000	1,636,000	1,636,000	1,636,000	29,749,000	26,460,000
Paid			31,385,000	28,096,000						1,636,000	1,636,000	1,636,000	1,636,000	29,749,000	26,460,000
Dividend declared per share per month						$ 0.155	$ 0.155	$ 0.155						$ 0.155	$ 0.145
Other Equity
Accumulated other comprehensive income	$ 134,000		$ 134,000		$ 152,000