Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Net income (loss)	$ 21,513	$ 19,858
Less net income allocated to participating securities:
Nonforfeitable dividends on participating securities	(97)	(101)
Total net income allocated to participating securities	(97)	(101)
Net income available to common stockholders	21,416	19,757
Effect of dilutive securities:
Participating securities	97
Total effect of dilutive securities	97
Net income for diluted net income per share	$ 21,513	$ 19,757
Shares for basic net income per share	39,366	37,446
Effect of dilutive securities:
Participating securities	$ (97)
Total effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	246	13
Shares for diluted net income per share	39,612	37,459
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.54	$ 0.53
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.54	$ 0.53
Stock options
Effect of dilutive securities:
Stock options and performance-based stock units (in shares)	11	13
Performance-based stock units
Effect of dilutive securities:
Stock options and performance-based stock units (in shares)	75
Participating Securities
Effect of dilutive securities:
Participating securities	$ (160)
Effect of dilutive securities:
Participating securities	$ 160

Represents the amount of nonforfeitable dividends on participating securities.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) to net income used for calculating diluted earnings per share (EPS), resulting from the assumed exercise stock options, restrictive stock units (RSUs), convertible preferred stock of an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), and other dilutive convertible securities.